In this episode, we guide you through a ten-minute meditation focused on the art of surrendering the outcome. This practice isn't about giving up, but rather about recognizing that we've done our best and it's time to let go of persistent thoughts, release control, and trust in the flow of life.

We'll start by helping you relax your body and focus on your breath. As we move through the meditation, we'll explore the concept of surrendering and how to let go of attachment to outcomes. You'll be guided to visualize something you've been striving for and learn to release control over it, trusting that whatever happens next is for your highest good.

This meditation is one of a dozen that accompany Donna Y. Ferris' book Bounce Back Stronger - Finding Peace and Purpose No Matter What Happens (available here).

We hope this meditation is helpful to you. If it is, please subscribe to this podcast, leave a review, and share it with others. Thank you.

Visit donnayferris.com to join our email list and receive our monthly newsletter, which includes essays on living a peaceful and purposeful life, book reviews, TV and movie reviews, funny memes, and inspirational quotes.

Follow Donna on Instagram @donnayferris or join her Bounce Back Stronger Facebook group by messaging her @donnayatesferris or emailing her at [email protected].

If you’re looking for mental health resources, please reach out to your medical doctor or insurance provider. If you are in crisis, please dial 911, go to your nearest emergency room, or dial 988 for the suicide hotline (US only).

The music for this meditation is Quiet Lake by Paths.

“I’ve always told people who deal with a family member or someone they love with schizophrenia or some severe or even brain trauma, the essential person is in there. It's this disease or accident or whatever, that's hijacked the brain.”

This is our second episode in Mental Health Awareness Month, and our guest is National Book Critics Award-winning memoir author Mira Bartok. This conversation is for anyone who loves someone struggling with a mental health condition or is looking for inspiration to create their way out of a difficult place. We spend much of our time discussing Mira’s The Memory Palace, a beautiful memoir about keeping the connection with our mothers no matter how difficult the task. (So, in a way, this episode is a Mother’s Day episode, too.)

Mira Bartok is a Chicago-born artist, writer, and the author of over twenty-eight books, including the children's book "The Wonderling," which will have a sequel in 2025.

I loved my time with Mira and hope you will too.

To learn more about Mira’s books, events, and writing, please visit mirabartok.com. 

I hope this episode is helpful to you. If it is, please subscribe to this podcast, leave a review, and share this episode with others.

To learn more about my latest book, Bounce Back Stronger—Finding Peace and Purpose No Matter What Happens, click here. To join our email list and receive our newsletter, which includes essays on ways to live a more peaceful and purposeful life, book reviews, TV and movie reviews, funny memes, and inspirational quotes, click here.

Follow me on Instagram @donnayferris or join my Bounce Back Stronger Facebook group by messaging me @donnayatesferris or emailing me at [email protected].

And if you’re looking for mental health resources, please click here or reach out to your insurance provider. If you are in crisis, please dial 911, go to your nearest emergency room, or dial 988 for the suicide hotline (US only).

In this first episode for May Mental Health Awareness Month, we delve into the meaning of "The Peace That Passes All Understanding" as we lead you through a serene, meditative journey of self-discovery and tranquility.

Through simple steps, discover how to release past and future worries and remain grounded in the present moment. Experience the inherent calmness within you, regardless of external circumstances.

Conclude feeling rejuvenated and better prepared to face whatever challenges may arise with a peaceful state of mind.

This meditation is one of a dozen that accompany Donna Y. Ferris' book Bounce Back Stronger - Finding Peace and Purpose No Matter What Happens (available here).

I hope this meditation is helpful to you. If it is, please subscribe to this podcast, leave a review, and share this episode with others. Thank you.

Click here to join our email list and receive our monthly newsletter, which includes essays on living a peaceful and purposeful life, book reviews, TV and movie reviews, funny memes, and inspirational quotes.

Follow me on Instagram @donnayferris or join my Bounce Back Stronger Facebook group by messaging me @donnayatesferris or emailing me at [email protected].

And if you’re looking for mental health resources, please reach out to your insurance provider. If you are in crisis, please dial 911, go to your nearest emergency room, or dial 988 for the suicide hotline (US only).

The music for this meditation is Outside the Sky by Elements.

“Quickly after coming to Kripalu, I noticed that when we asked people why they were there, 80 percent of them said, I want to come home to myself...  There was this kind of desperation to come to someplace that felt like home. And what is that? Well, that's being at ease with how it is in the body, how it is in the mind...beginning to notice how it all is, and being okay with it...” ~Stephen Cope

Join us for a special episode of Bounce Back Stronger as we sit down with one of the most influential thinkers in the yoga world, Stephen Cope, Scholar-in-Residence at the Kripalu Center. Stephen’s teachings have profoundly impacted countless lives, including mine. From his books "The Wisdom of Yoga" to "The Great Work of Your Life," Stephen's unique talent lies in seamlessly blending ancient wisdom with contemporary psychology, offering deep insights into the human experience.

In this honest conversation, Stephen shares his journey to Kripalu and current challenges - and he dives into his latest book, "The Dharma In Difficult Times." He offers invaluable wisdom on how yoga and meditation can guide us through life's difficulties—helping us find ourselves and fostering clarity and resilience along the way.

This conversation meant so much to me personally, and I hope it is helpful to you, too. It is a true gift when someone you've admired from afar is everything you hoped for and more. 

To learn more about Stephen’s books, events, and writing, please visit stephencope.com. 

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to this podcast, leave a review, and share this episode with others. You also may want to listen to our Episode #11 "Find Your Way to Peace and Happiness with Sharon Salzberg."

To join our email list to receive our monthly newsletter which includes monthly essays on living a peaceful and purposeful life as well as book reviews, TV and movie reviews, funny memes, and inspirational quotes, click here.

Follow me on Instagram @donnayferris or join my Bounce Back Stronger Facebook group by messaging me @donnayatesferris or emailing me at [email protected].

And if you’re looking for mental health resources, please click here or reach out to your insurance provider. If you are in crisis, please dial 911, go to your nearest emergency room, or dial 988 for the suicide hotline (US only).

Feeling angry or anxious? Overwhelmed and not sure how to manage strong emotions like resentment, jealousy, and fear?

This meditation is for you.

In this episode, we use the symbol of a rose to navigate intense feelings. Join us as we practice releasing difficult emotions into its cooling petals so we can learn from our feelings and emerge lighter, freer, and more at peace.

This meditation is one of a dozen that accompany Donna Y. Ferris' book Bounce Back Stronger - Finding Peace and Purpose No Matter What Happens (launching May 2024 wherever books are sold).

I hope this meditation is helpful to you. If it is, please join us on this journey toward peace and purpose by subscribing to this podcast, leaving a review, and sharing this episode with others. Thank you.

To join our email list to receive our monthly newsletter which includes monthly essays on living a peaceful and purposeful life as well as book reviews, TV and movie reviews, funny memes, and inspirational quotes, click here.

Follow me on Instagram @donnayferris or join my Bounce Back Stronger Facebook group by messaging me @donnayatesferris or emailing me at [email protected].

And if you’re looking for mental health resources, please click here or reach out to your insurance provider. If you are in crisis, please dial 911, go to your nearest emergency room, or dial 988 for the suicide hotline (US only).

The music for this meditation is Promise of Hope by Kurtis Parks.

"You become that place where people rely on being safe...being a safer place than I was before has helped my career more than my MBA or CFA...Maybe the yoga therapy training I took was the best money ever spent."

Recently, I guested on the 10X Growth Strategies podcast with Saradha Sriram to discuss one of my favorite books, The Untethered Soul.

This episode replay shares how this book helped me during a difficult time and how sidelining my career to pursue a more mindful life surprisingly led to more career success - as well as a fulfilling personal life.

I hope this episode is helpful to you. If it is, please join us on this journey toward peace and purpose by subscribing, leaving a review, and sharing this episode with others.

To join our email list to receive our monthly newsletter which includes monthly essays on living a peaceful and purposeful life as well as book reviews, TV and movie reviews, funny memes, and inspirational quotes, click here.

Follow me on Instagram @donnayferris or join my Bounce Back Stronger Facebook group by messaging me @donnayatesferris or emailing me at [email protected].

And if you’re looking for mental health resources, please click here or reach out to your insurance provider. If you are in crisis, please dial 911, go to your nearest emergency room, or dial 988 for the suicide hotline (US only).

In this episode, Dr. Stephen S. Tang, author and biotech executive, shares his experience leading the team behind the Intelliswab Covid-19 test, which Oprah Winfrey calls the easiest of its kind.

He also shares crisis and leadership insights from his book A Test for Our Time, along with his six secrets for navigating tough times and tips for those of us who have trouble blurring work and life.

I learned so much from talking to Dr. Tang and admire him. Hope you will take a listen to his story.

To learn more about Dr. Tang, visit www.tang.ceo.

If this episode is helpful, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with others. Thank you.

To learn more about our upcoming Soak Up the Sun Retreat in Duck, NC, May 15-19, please visit our information page here.

To join our email list to receive our monthly newsletter, which includes monthly essays on living a peaceful and purposeful life, as well as book reviews, TV and movie reviews, funny memes, and inspirational quotes, click here.

Follow me on Instagram @donnayferris or join my Bounce Back Stronger Facebook group by messaging me @donnayatesferris or emailing me at [email protected].

And if you’re looking for mental health resources, please click here or reach out to your insurance provider. If you are in crisis, please dial 911, go to your nearest emergency room, or dial 988 for the suicide hotline (US only).

This week’s guest, Billy Manas, is a writer, poet, truck driver, father, and talented singer-songwriter with over twenty years of experience in the music industry.

You might have come across Billy's insightful Substack column, "Manas From Heaven," or caught his compelling pieces in Elephant Journal and the Good Men Project. But Billy's talents don't end there – he's also the author of "Kickass Recovery," a motivational self-help guide designed for those overcoming challenges with alcohol and substance use. Currently, he's diving into the world of young adult fiction with his upcoming book set in the era of Woodstock.

In this episode, Billy shares stories from his publishing journey, his path to recovery, his experiences as a musician, and his writings for the Good Men Project. Join us as we delve into the inspiring tales and wisdom of this multifaceted artist and advocate. 

To learn more about Billy’s books, events, and writing, please click here, and his substack can be accessed here. You can also follow him on Facebook @billymanas or on Instagram @billymanas2

I hope this episode is helpful to you. If it is, please subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with others. Thank you.

To learn more about our upcoming Soak Up the Sun Retreat in Duck, NC May 15-19 please visit our information page here.

To join our email list to receive our monthly newsletter which includes monthly essays on living a peaceful and purposeful life as well as book reviews, TV and movie reviews, funny memes, and inspirational quotes, click here.

Follow me on Instagram @donnayferris or join my Bounce Back Stronger Facebook group by messaging me @donnayatesferris or emailing me at [email protected].

And if you’re looking for mental health resources, please click here or reach out to your insurance provider. If you are in crisis, please dial 911, go to your nearest emergency room, or dial 988 for the suicide hotline (US only).

Ever wish you could blink your eyes and be in your happy place? That's what this meditation is all about. Through soothing imagery and relaxation techniques, this short meditation will guide you to leave overwhelm behind so you can be in your special place of bliss and calm. 

This meditation is one of a dozen that accompany Donna Y. Ferris' book Bounce Back Stronger - Finding Peace and Purpose No Matter What Happens which can be purchased here.

The music for this episode is Moment by Reaching for the Sky.

“So rather than being focused on my circumstances, how can I look up and out above the waves and recognize that my body has cancer, but it doesn’t have to have my soul, my heart, or mind? How can I live love while I’m here?”

This week’s episode features cancer survivor and author Shawn Elizabeth George. With four books under her belt, including a heartwarming children’s book about finding your place, Shawn shares her powerful insights on generating inner peace regardless of life’s challenges.

Drawing from her experiences with depression and cancer, Shawn candidly shares her struggles around living from the inside out and provides helpful wisdom about pausing when faced with triggers and underacting rather than overreacting when parenting our kids (this one has come in handy). Her motto to pause, breathe, pray, and live out love is just one of the many short bites of wisdom we discuss from her “Live from the Inside Out” podcast (which I highly recommend).

I thoroughly enjoyed my time with Shawn and hope you don’t miss this opportunity to be inspired and empowered by her transformative journey.

Links to Shawn’s website can be found here. Her podcast “Live from the Inside Out” is on Apple and Spotify, and she can be followed on Instagram and Facebook @shawnelizabethgeorge.

I hope this episode is helpful to you. If it is, please subscribe to the podcast, leave a review, and share this episode with others. Thank you.

To learn more about our upcoming Soak Up the Sun Retreat in Duck, NC May 15-19 please visit our information page here

To join our email list to receive our monthly newsletter which includes monthly essays on living a peaceful and purposeful life as well as book reviews, TV and movie reviews, funny memes, and inspirational quotes, click here.

Follow me on Instagram @donnayferris or join my Bounce Back Stronger Facebook group by messaging me @donnayatesferris or emailing me at [email protected].

And if you’re looking for mental health resources, please click here or reach out to your insurance provider. If you are in crisis, please dial 911, go to your nearest emergency room, or dial 988 for the suicide hotline (US only).