What if the path to calm wasn’t about doing more — but learning how to rest? 

In this deeply grounding episode of the Emotional Longevity Podcast, Dr. Elisha Goldstein sits down with Oren Jay Sofer — meditation teacher, author of Say What You Mean and Your Heart Was Made for This — to explore how presence, communication, and rest can restore our nervous systems in a noisy, divided world. 

They uncover why so many of us struggle to rest, how self-worth and performance are intertwined, and what it really means to live and communicate from the heart. From reclaiming our right to rest to learning mindful communication in the age of overwhelm, this episode will help you reconnect with your basic goodness and find peace in everyday life. 

🎧 In this episode, we explore: 
✅ The 3 foundations of mindful communication: presence, intention, and attention 
✅ Why rest is a radical act of courage and self-trust 
✅ How our conditioning disconnects us from rest and belonging 
✅ The neuroscience of slowing down and listening 
✅ Why communication begins with how we show up, not what we say 
✅ How to bring grace, patience, and self-compassion into relationships 
✅ Why your heart was made to meet life — not run from it 

⏱ Chapters: 
00:00 — The Crisis of Communication 
05:59 — Training in Presence 
12:10 — Intention: The Hidden Force Behind Connection 
20:03 — Nonviolent Communication & Understanding Needs 
32:44 — What It Means to Rest 
39:00 — Rest as Resistance & Returning to Natural Rhythms 
46:50 — Self-Compassion and Listening to the Body 
50:00 — The Role of Community and Connection 
52:00 — Remembering Our Basic Goodness 

🌟 Learn more about Oren Jay Sofer: 
Website: OrenJaySofer.com | IG: @OrenJaySofer

Books: 

Your Heart Was Made for This: Contemplative Practices to Meet a World in Crisis with Courage, Integrity, and LoveSay What You Mean: A Mindful Approach to Nonviolent Communication

Special Presale Offer (Through November 8th):
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