Do you shut down, look away, or push yourself harder when you’re faced with suffering—your own or someone else’s? In this Secret Sangha episode of The Wise Effort Show, Dr. Diana Hill continues the month-long series on the “four immeasurables” by exploring compassion as both sensitivity to suffering and a commitment to alleviate it. Using examples from neuroscience, the Milgram experiments, and personal stories, she unpacks common blocks to compassionate action—like overwhelm, avoidance of difficult feelings, the “just world” bias, deferring to outer authority, and diffusion of responsibility. Diana offers a grounding-based compassion practice to help you stay present, connect with your values and inner authority, take responsibility with care, and build wise action from small moments to bigger conversations, including civil discourse with people you don’t understand.

Listen and learn:

• How compassion includes both sensitivity to suffering and committed action
• What the Milgram experiments reveal about authority, responsibility, and harm
• How grounding helps you stay present and act from values and inner authority

Share this episode with someone who wants to meet suffering with steadiness and courage.

Suggested Next Episode:

You can also enjoy Diana’s related Bonus Meditation: Compassion

Related Resources:

• Come to Costa Rica with Diana on the Wise Effort Retreat
• Subscribe to Diana’s Substack
• Order and Claim Bonuses from Diana’s new book Wise Effort: How to Focus Your Genius Energy on What Matters Most
• Learn from Diana at an upcoming event

About Diana Hill:

Dr. Diana Hill, a modern psychologist, international trainer, and expert on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), is redefining what it means to live with vitality. As a leader in psychological flexibility, she empowers individuals to reclaim and focus their energy in meaningful, sustainable ways. Drawing from the most current psychological research and contemplative practices, Diana bridges science with real-life application to help people cultivate resilience and well-being.She is the host of the Wise Effort podcast and author of several books, including Wise Effort: How to Focus Your Genius Energy on What Matters Most, I Know I Should Exercise But…, The Self-Compassion Daily Journal, and ACT Daily Journal. Her insights have been featured on NPR, The Wall Street Journal, Mindful, Woman’s World, Real Simple, The Wise Brain Bulletin, and Psychology Today, among others.Known for her ability to translate complex psychological concepts into practical, actionable steps, Diana makes personal growth accessible and inspiring.

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