Michael Herold is a confidence coach, public speaker, and ACT specialist. He also has a neuromuscular condition that may necessitate him leaving his beloved life in Vienna soon. In this real play, Dr. Diana Hill and Michael explore what it would look like to live life on his own terms.

Listen and learn:

• Why it’s helpful to write your own nightmare review
• The benefits of making selfishness a value
• The art of asking for help
• What it looks like to live a 5-star life

Can Michael turn his life from his feared 2-star review to his fearless 5-star one? Listen to find out! 

Related Resources

Get enhanced show notes for this episode

• Pre-order my upcoming book, Wise Effort: How to Focus Your Genius Energy on What Matters Most, and receive special pre-order bonus gifts.
• Want to become more psychologically flexible? Take Diana's "Foundations of ACT" course.

Diana's Events

• Reserve your spot in Diana's Costa Rica retreat in 2026!
• See Diana at an upcoming event

Connecting With Diana

• Subscribe for free on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
• Leave a 5-star review on Apple so people like you can find the show.
• Sign up for the free Wise Effort Newsletter.
• Become a Wise Effort member to support the show.
• Follow Diana on YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Diana’s website.

Thanks to the team, Craig and Ashley Hiatt, and Benjamin Gould of Bell & Branch for your beautiful music.

Mentioned in this episode:

Get on my Wise Effort workshop waitlist!

 If you are intrigued about Wise Effort or maybe a retreat wise effort in yoga, how we integrate wise effort into the therapy space, go check out drdianahill.com/workshop and get on my wait list.

I have a number of events that are gonna be coming up in this coming year, including wise effort and yoga with Elyse, you get to see where all the magic happens, and I would love, love, love for you to be there.

So check out my programming and workshops and collaborations at drdianahill.com/workshop

Wise Effort Workshop Waitlist

Ever wonder what a mantra is and how to use one? In this skill-building episode, Dr. Diana Hill shares the emerging science behind mantras, offers some simple ones to try, and shows you how to design your own. 

Listen and learn:

• The impact of mantra on your brain
• Simple secular mantras you can try out right away
• How to set up a formal and informal mantra practice 

Listen to this episode with Diana Hill to use mantras to benefit your mind and body today.

Related Resources

Get enhanced show notes for this episode

• Pre-order my upcoming book, Wise Effort: How to Focus Your Genius Energy on What Matters Most, and receive special pre-order bonus gifts.
• Want to become more psychologically flexible? Take Diana's "Foundations of ACT" course.

Diana's Events

• Reserve your spot in Diana's Costa Rica retreat in 2026!
• See Diana at an upcoming event

Connecting With Diana

• Subscribe for free on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
• Leave a 5-star review on Apple so people like you can find the show.
• Sign up for the free Wise Effort Newsletter.
• Become a Wise Effort member to support the show.
• Follow Diana on YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Diana’s website.

Thanks to the team, Craig and Ashley Hiatt, and Benjamin Gould of Bell & Branch for your beautiful music.

Mentioned in this episode:

Get on my Wise Effort workshop waitlist!

 If you are intrigued about Wise Effort or maybe a retreat wise effort in yoga, how we integrate wise effort into the therapy space, go check out drdianahill.com/workshop and get on my wait list.

I have a number of events that are gonna be coming up in this coming year, including wise effort and yoga with Elyse, you get to see where all the magic happens, and I would love, love, love for you to be there.

So check out my programming and workshops and collaborations at drdianahill.com/workshop

Wise Effort Workshop Waitlist

What does it mean to interact in a secure way from a centered, wise space? According to Dr. Ann Kelley, co-author of Secure Relating and co-host of the popular podcast Therapist Uncensored, we all move in and out of secure and insecure patterns in our relationships. Ann’s modern take on attachment theory moves us from rigid categories into a more dynamic, evolving, and systemic look at our relational patterns.

Listen and learn:

• What is the Modern Attachment Regulation Spectrum
• How we borrow each other’s nervous systems
• Why sometimes it’s better to speak in sentences, not essays
• The difference between leaning “red,” “blue,” or “green” when it comes to relating with others
• How our nervous system is shaped by our environment, history, and context

Join us in this episode to discover the key to secure relating: identifying your nervous system’s protective emotional reactions so you can find your way back to connection.

Related Resources

Get enhanced show notes for this episode

• Pre-order my upcoming book, Wise Effort: How to Focus Your Genius Energy on What Matters Most, and receive special pre-order bonus gifts.
• Want to become more psychologically flexible? Take Diana's "Foundations of ACT" course.

Diana's Events

• Reserve your spot in Diana's Costa Rica retreat in 2026!
• See Diana at an upcoming event

Connecting With Diana

• Subscribe for free on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
• Leave a 5-star review on Apple so people like you can find the show.
• Sign up for the free Wise Effort Newsletter.
• Become a Wise Effort member to support the show.
• Follow Diana on YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Diana’s website.

Thanks to the team, Craig and Ashley Hiatt, and Benjamin Gould of Bell & Branch for your beautiful music.

Mentioned in this episode:

Get on my Wise Effort workshop waitlist!

 If you are intrigued about Wise Effort or maybe a retreat wise effort in yoga, how we integrate wise effort into the therapy space, go check out drdianahill.com/workshop and get on my wait list.

I have a number of events that are gonna be coming up in this coming year, including wise effort and yoga with Elyse, you get to see where all the magic happens, and I would love, love, love for you to be there.

So check out my programming and workshops and collaborations at drdianahill.com/workshop

Wise Effort Workshop Waitlist

In this real play, Dr. Diana Hill is joined by workshop participant Jennie Nash live from a Blue Spirit Costa Rica retreat. Together, they navigate Jennie Nash’s feelings of being trapped by her own success amidst celebrating significant personal milestones and leading a successful business that trains and certifies book coaches. Through exploring wise effort, values, and the balance of effort in life and work, Jennie discovers the subtle nuances between meaningful engagement and burnout while unearthing the importance of self-commitment, authenticity, and valuing herself.

You will learn: 

• The intricacies of feeling ‘trapped’ by one’s own success and how to explore these feelings through wise effort.
• How to identify and align with your core values, even amidst burnout, and use these values to guide your life and work. 
• Strategies for balancing high-effort, value-aligned work with necessary self-care and personal development to prevent burnout.

Listen to this episode for a compelling narrative on finding equilibrium within success and reaffirming one’s values through self-reflection.

Related Resources

Get enhanced show notes for this episode

• Pre-order my upcoming book, Wise Effort: How to Focus Your Genius Energy on What Matters Most, and receive special pre-order bonus gifts.
• Want to become more psychologically flexible? Take Diana's "Foundations of ACT" course.

Diana's Events

• Reserve your spot in Diana's Costa Rica retreat in 2026!
• See Diana at an upcoming event

Connecting With Diana

• Subscribe for free on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
• Leave a 5-star review on Apple so people like you can find the show.
• Sign up for the free Wise Effort Newsletter.
• Become a Wise Effort member to support the show.
• Follow Diana on YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Diana’s website.

Thanks to the team, Craig and Ashley Hiatt, and Benjamin Gould of Bell & Branch for your beautiful music.

Mentioned in this episode:

Get on my Wise Effort workshop waitlist!

 If you are intrigued about Wise Effort or maybe a retreat wise effort in yoga, how we integrate wise effort into the therapy space, go check out drdianahill.com/workshop and get on my wait list.

I have a number of events that are gonna be coming up in this coming year, including wise effort and yoga with Elyse, you get to see where all the magic happens, and I would love, love, love for you to be there.

So check out my programming and workshops and collaborations at drdianahill.com/workshop

Wise Effort Workshop Waitlist

According to Dr. Emily Weinstein, head of Harvard’s Center for Digital Thriving, we are going about it wrong regarding kids and screens. We must stop demonizing technology and take a more critical and optimistic look at its benefits and harms. In this episode, you’ll explore:

• Misconceptions parents and caregivers have about teens and screens
• Why the teenage brain is especially vulnerable to the harmful aspects of social media
• How to start conversations with your kids about values and tech
• How to develop healthier tech habits
• Why let your kid critique you for once!

We need both critical, thoughtful attention to the harms and benefits of technology and be optimistic that there are evidence-based strategies that can help us thrive in a digital world.

Related Resources

Get enhanced show notes for this episode

• Pre-order my upcoming book, Wise Effort: How to Focus Your Genius Energy on What Matters Most, and receive special pre-order bonus gifts.
• Want to become more psychologically flexible? Take Diana's "Foundations of ACT" course.

Diana's Events

• Reserve your spot in Diana's Costa Rica retreat in 2026!
• See Diana at an upcoming event

Connecting With Diana

• Subscribe for free on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
• Leave a 5-star review on Apple so people like you can find the show.
• Sign up for the free Wise Effort Newsletter.
• Become a Wise Effort member to support the show.
• Follow Diana on YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Diana’s website.

Thanks to the team, Craig and Ashley Hiatt, and Benjamin Gould of Bell & Branch for your beautiful music.

Mentioned in this episode:

Get on my Wise Effort workshop waitlist!

 If you are intrigued about Wise Effort or maybe a retreat wise effort in yoga, how we integrate wise effort into the therapy space, go check out drdianahill.com/workshop and get on my wait list.

I have a number of events that are gonna be coming up in this coming year, including wise effort and yoga with Elyse, you get to see where all the magic happens, and I would love, love, love for you to be there.

So check out my programming and workshops and collaborations at drdianahill.com/workshop

Wise Effort Workshop Waitlist

We often hear that we need to learn to tolerate uncertainty and be comfortable with our feelings. However, it's not always easy to do so. Dr. Diana Hill shares psychology research, personal experiences, and practical strategies that can help you confront and work with difficult emotions.

In this episode, Dr. Hill covers the following topics:

• Two things that can worsen difficult feelings
• Distress tolerance skills
• The negative consequences of venting your anger
• An ACT-based practice that can help you get comfortable with being uncomfortable

Listen to Dr. Diana Hill's thoughts and tips to help you with difficult feelings.

Related Resources

Get enhanced show notes for this episode

• Pre-order my upcoming book, Wise Effort: How to Focus Your Genius Energy on What Matters Most, and receive special pre-order bonus gifts.
• Want to become more psychologically flexible? Take Diana's "Foundations of ACT" course.

Diana's Events

• Reserve your spot in Diana's Costa Rica retreat in 2026!
• See Diana at an upcoming event

Connecting With Diana

• Subscribe for free on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
• Leave a 5-star review on Apple so people like you can find the show.
• Sign up for the free Wise Effort Newsletter.
• Become a Wise Effort member to support the show.
• Follow Diana on YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Diana’s website.

Thanks to the team, Craig and Ashley Hiatt, and Benjamin Gould of Bell & Branch for your beautiful music.

Mentioned in this episode:

Get on my Wise Effort workshop waitlist!

 If you are intrigued about Wise Effort or maybe a retreat wise effort in yoga, how we integrate wise effort into the therapy space, go check out drdianahill.com/workshop and get on my wait list.

I have a number of events that are gonna be coming up in this coming year, including wise effort and yoga with Elyse, you get to see where all the magic happens, and I would love, love, love for you to be there.

So check out my programming and workshops and collaborations at drdianahill.com/workshop

Wise Effort Workshop Waitlist

According to Ofosu Jones-Quartey, everyone is deserving of their own love and compassion, because in this moment, you are enough. Inner work is the way we begin to change the world for the better. In this episode, Ofosu Jones-Quartey, Born I, explores the intersection of hip hop, mindfulness, compassion, and human vulnerability. 

You’ll explore:

• The power behind the mantra and koan “You are enough”
• Healing the pain that you didn’t take care of
• Self-compassion as a pathway to belonging
• Songs by Born I including: In This Moment, Om Madne Padne Om, Avalo and more!

Give yourself the gift of slowing down to listen to his deep teachings and music!

Related Resources

Get enhanced show notes for this episode

• Pre-order my upcoming book, Wise Effort: How to Focus Your Genius Energy on What Matters Most, and receive special pre-order bonus gifts.
• Want to become more psychologically flexible? Take Diana's "Foundations of ACT" course.

Diana's Events

• Reserve your spot in Diana's Costa Rica retreat in 2026!
• See Diana at an upcoming event

 

Connecting With Diana

• Subscribe for free on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
• Leave a 5-star review on Apple so people like you can find the show.
• Sign up for the free Wise Effort Newsletter.
• Become a Wise Effort member to support the show.
• Follow Diana on YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Diana’s website.

Thanks to the team, Craig and Ashley Hiatt, and Benjamin Gould of Bell & Branch for your beautiful music.

Mentioned in this episode:

Get on my Wise Effort workshop waitlist!

 If you are intrigued about Wise Effort or maybe a retreat wise effort in yoga, how we integrate wise effort into the therapy space, go check out drdianahill.com/workshop and get on my wait list.

I have a number of events that are gonna be coming up in this coming year, including wise effort and yoga with Elyse, you get to see where all the magic happens, and I would love, love, love for you to be there.

So check out my programming and workshops and collaborations at drdianahill.com/workshop

Wise Effort Workshop Waitlist

Confidence is defined as the feeling or belief that you can rely on someone or something; firm trust. When we're in an uncomfortable conversation with another person, speaking up requires some inner confidence. In this episode, Diana engages in a real play with Jane Chapman, chef and founder of Communal Table, about developing the inner confidence to speak up in groups and live out your values even when it’s uncomfortable. Diana leads Jane in an embodied compassion exercise you can try for yourself!

You’ll explore:

• What blocks us from developing confidence in ourselves?
• The importance of a challenge mindset over a threat mindset
• How to create an inner army of compassion that will support you in stepping into difficult conversations

Listen to this real play to hear a living example of wise effort and learn some simple things you can do to develop more confidence today!

Related Resources

Get enhanced show notes for this episode

• Pre-order my upcoming book, Wise Effort: How to Focus Your Genius Energy on What Matters Most, and receive special pre-order bonus gifts.
• Want to become more psychologically flexible? Take Diana's "Foundations of ACT" course.

Diana's Events

• Reserve your spot in Diana's Costa Rica retreat in 2026!
• See Diana at an upcoming event

Connecting With Diana

• Subscribe for free on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
• Leave a 5-star review on Apple so people like you can find the show.
• Sign up for the free Wise Effort Newsletter.
• Become a Wise Effort member to support the show.
• Follow Diana on YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Diana’s website.

Thanks to the team, Craig and Ashley Hiatt, and Benjamin Gould of Bell & Branch for your beautiful music.

Mentioned in this episode:

Get on my Wise Effort workshop waitlist!

 If you are intrigued about Wise Effort or maybe a retreat wise effort in yoga, how we integrate wise effort into the therapy space, go check out drdianahill.com/workshop and get on my wait list.

I have a number of events that are gonna be coming up in this coming year, including wise effort and yoga with Elyse, you get to see where all the magic happens, and I would love, love, love for you to be there.

So check out my programming and workshops and collaborations at drdianahill.com/workshop

Wise Effort Workshop Waitlist

How do we help our teenagers thrive? World-renown ACT expert Louise Hayes, discusses how parents, caregivers and educators can help teens discover their values, navigate friendships, take healthy risks and manage technology. Dr. Hayes applies her DNA-V model from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy as a guide we can use in supporting teens navigate their own path to adulthood. 

Dr. Louise Hayes shares ideas about:

• When Should Parents and Caregivers Intervene to Help Their Teen?
• How Do We Support Teens in Healthy Sexuality?
• Why We Need to Let Them Take Risks and Be the Safe Place to Return To
• How to Explore Values With Adolescents

Listen to this wisdom episode to learn how to be present for your teen, while also collaborating with them to support them in discovering their own values.

Related Resources

Get enhanced show notes for this episode

• Pre-order my upcoming book, Wise Effort: How to Focus Your Genius Energy on What Matters Most, and receive special pre-order bonus gifts.
• Want to become more psychologically flexible? Take Diana's "Foundations of ACT" course.

Diana's Events

• Reserve your spot in Diana's Costa Rica retreat in 2026!
• See Diana at an upcoming event

Connecting With Diana

• Subscribe for free on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
• Leave a 5-star review on Apple so people like you can find the show.
• Sign up for the free Wise Effort Newsletter.
• Become a Wise Effort member to support the show.
• Follow Diana on YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Diana’s website.

Thanks to the team, Craig and Ashley Hiatt, and Benjamin Gould of Bell & Branch for your beautiful music.

Mentioned in this episode:

Get on my Wise Effort workshop waitlist!

 If you are intrigued about Wise Effort or maybe a retreat wise effort in yoga, how we integrate wise effort into the therapy space, go check out drdianahill.com/workshop and get on my wait list.

I have a number of events that are gonna be coming up in this coming year, including wise effort and yoga with Elyse, you get to see where all the magic happens, and I would love, love, love for you to be there.

So check out my programming and workshops and collaborations at drdianahill.com/workshop

Wise Effort Workshop Waitlist

Many of us feel like we don’t have enough time, so we rush through life, feeling scattered and dissatisfied. On the flip side, we put off things that matter to us because we think we have all the time in the world to get to them. 

Dr. Diana Hill shares ideas about:

• What science shows about happiness and free time
• Why giving away time gives you more time
• Three cognitive biases getting in the way of you using your time wisely
• A simple skill to shift your perception of time and refocus it on the why, what, and how of your values

Listen to this skill-building, wise practice episode to learn how to approach your time differently. 

Related Resources

Get enhanced show notes for this episode

• Pre-order my upcoming book, Wise Effort: How to Focus Your Genius Energy on What Matters Most, and receive special pre-order bonus gifts.
• Want to become more psychologically flexible? Take Diana's "Foundations of ACT" course.

Diana's Events

• Reserve your spot in Diana's Costa Rica retreat in 2026!
• See Diana at an upcoming event

Connecting With Diana

• Subscribe for free on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
• Leave a 5-star review on Apple so people like you can find the show.
• Sign up for the free Wise Effort Newsletter.
• Become a Wise Effort member to support the show.
• Follow Diana on YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Diana’s website.

Thanks to the team, Craig and Ashley Hiatt, and Benjamin Gould of Bell & Branch for your beautiful music.

Mentioned in this episode:

Get on my Wise Effort workshop waitlist!

 If you are intrigued about Wise Effort or maybe a retreat wise effort in yoga, how we integrate wise effort into the therapy space, go check out drdianahill.com/workshop and get on my wait list.

I have a number of events that are gonna be coming up in this coming year, including wise effort and yoga with Elyse, you get to see where all the magic happens, and I would love, love, love for you to be there.

So check out my programming and workshops and collaborations at drdianahill.com/workshop

Wise Effort Workshop Waitlist