3654: To Find Your Deeper Purpose, Listen by Leo Babauta of Zen Habits on Improving Attention and Inner Calm

Discover all of the podcasts in our network, search for specific episodes, get the Optimal Living Daily workbook, and learn more at: OLDPodcast.com. Episode 3654: Leo Babauta explores the transformative power of truly listening with full presence and without the urge to interrupt or solve. By practicing this deep attention, you can foster stronger connections, reduce conflict, and cultivate inner calm. Read along with the original article(s) here: https://zenhabits.net/listen/ Quotes to ponder: "When we truly listen to someone, we are giving them a powerful gift." "We want to fix, solve, offer advice, share our own stories, or defend ourselves. But that’s not what’s needed." "Listening with full presence, without needing to do anything but be there, is transformative." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Discover all of the podcasts in our network, search for specific episodes, get the Optimal Living Daily workbook, and learn more at: OLDPodcast.com. Episode 3653: As we navigate midlife, Kerry Ogden invites us to reflect on the transformative shift from external validation to inner truth. Through soulful insights and timeless wisdom, she highlights how releasing outdated roles and ego-driven ambitions opens the door to authenticity, deeper connection, and genuine freedom. Read along with the original article(s) here: https://kerryogden.com/2021/03/spirits-in-a-material-world/ Quotes to ponder: "If it’s something we can’t buy there must be another way." "The time has come to let go of who you think you’re supposed to be and embrace who you are." "If I had my life to live over again, I’d start barefoot early in the spring and stay that way late into the fall. And I would live each moment more." Episode references: The Gifts of Imperfection: https://www.amazon.com/Gifts-Imperfection-Let-Go-Supposed/dp/159285849X Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Discover all of the podcasts in our network, search for specific episodes, get the Optimal Living Daily workbook, and learn more at: OLDPodcast.com. Episode 3652: Joshua Becker highlights how offering one sincere compliment in each conversation can profoundly uplift others, foster meaningful connections, and reshape the emotional environment around us. His simple challenge encourages mindfulness, empathy, and intentional kindness, all while helping us shift focus from ourselves to the people we engage with. Discover how this small, consistent act can spark a ripple effect of positivity in your daily life. Read along with the original article(s) here: https://www.becomingminimalist.com/good-word/ Quotes to ponder: "Include one compliment in every conversation. It’s that simple. And it’s that difficult." "Our words are important. They have the potential to carry life within them." "When we share happiness, we receive it." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Discover all of the podcasts in our network, search for specific episodes, get the Optimal Living Daily workbook, and learn more at: OLDPodcast.com. Episode 3651: Kerri Richardson invites us to reflect on how clutter and excess can act as shields from vulnerability, and how letting go, even temporarily, can help uncover our true values and emotional blocks. This thought-provoking exploration challenges us to reassess priorities and discover the power hidden in simplicity. Read along with the original article(s) here: https://kerririchardson.com/stripped/ Quotes to ponder: "I have no choice but to feel all the emotions I usually distract myself from." "The clutter is actually your resistance, not the emotions." "When you clear out that which no longer serves you, you open yourself to powerful insight while making space to welcome in that which you desire." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Discover all of the podcasts in our network, search for specific episodes, get the Optimal Living Daily workbook, and learn more at: OLDPodcast.com. Episode 3650: Josie Michelle Davis shares five simple habits that have significantly improved her productivity, mindset, and well-being over time. Her reflections offer practical encouragement for anyone looking to build sustainable routines that support a calmer, more intentional life. Read along with the original article(s) here: https://josiemichelledavis.com/blog/2019/03/22/2019-3-20-5-habits-im-glad-i-stuck-with/ Quotes to ponder: "Small changes add up to big results." "Even if I didn’t feel like I was doing much at the time, I can look back now and see how far I’ve come." "Doing yoga daily has been the single most important thing I’ve done for my mental health." Episode references: The Artist's Way: https://www.amazon.com/Artists-Way-25th-Anniversary/dp/0143129252 Duolingo: https://www.duolingo.com The Five Minute Journal: https://www.intelligentchange.com/products/the-five-minute-journal Yoga with Adriene: https://www.youtube.com/user/yogawithadriene Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Discover all of the podcasts in our network, search for specific episodes, get the Optimal Living Daily workbook, and learn more at: OLDPodcast.com. Episode 3649: Danny Coleman unpacks the emotional impact of criticism and lays out a grounded, four-step process to handle it with clarity and maturity. Learn how to transform feedback, no matter how painful, into powerful self-awareness and personal growth by balancing emotional detachment with honest reflection. Read along with the original article(s) here: https://jillfit.com/2016/06/22/4-ways-criticism/ Quotes to ponder: "Above all other stresses, the feeling of being personally criticized takes the biggest tolls on our bodies and on our ability to think clearly." "Just because somebody shares what they think, doesn’t necessarily make it true, and it doesn’t mean we have to do anything with it." "When you’re emotionally charged up, there’s a good chance somebody is tapping into some truth or insecurities of yours." Episode references: Be Excellent at Anything: https://www.amazon.com/Be-Excellent-Anything-Transforming-Performance/dp/1451610262 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Discover all of the podcasts in our network, search for specific episodes, get the Optimal Living Daily workbook, and learn more at: OLDPodcast.com. Episode 3648: Jay Harrington highlights how reclaiming your weekends with intentional planning and “microadventures” can replicate the restorative benefits of a vacation without ever leaving town. By shifting your mindset and embracing simple, local experiences, you can boost happiness, reduce stress, and start each week more refreshed and energized. Read along with the original article(s) here: https://www.lifeandwhim.com/first-moments-blog/2019/plan-microadventures Quotes to ponder: "Rather than waiting all year for a two-week vacation to roll around, why not realize these benefits during the two-day vacation that’s waiting for you every weekend?" "Those who treated the weekend as if it was a vacation were significantly happier when Monday arrived than those that didn’t." "Something different, something exciting, but cheap, simple, short, and on your doorstep." Episode references: Boston Consulting Group productivity research (via Harvard Business Review): https://hbr.org/2009/10/making-time-off-predictable-and-required Alastair Humphreys’ Microadventures Blog: https://alastairhumphreys.com/microadventures Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Discover all of the podcasts in our network, search for specific episodes, get the Optimal Living Daily workbook, and learn more at: OLDPodcast.com. Episode 3647: Mark Fisher explores how the words we use can shape and reshape our mindset, suggesting three common words to eliminate for a more empowered, open, and constructive inner dialogue. By swapping out “problem,” “mistake,” and “no” for more proactive alternatives, we can build stronger beliefs, reduce stress, and deepen connection with others. Read along with the original article(s) here: https://markfisherfitness.com/3-words-to-delete-from-your-vocabulary-why-words-matter/ Quotes to ponder: "But if thought corrupts language, language can also corrupt thought." "Every single word is a reflection of how we perceive the world around us." “Saying ‘Yes - and - ’ tells the other party that you are listening and agree with at least part of what they’re saying.” Episode references: 1984 by George Orwell: https://www.amazon.com/1984-Signet-Classics-George-Orwell/dp/0451524934 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Discover all of the podcasts in our network, search for specific episodes, get the Optimal Living Daily workbook, and learn more at: OLDPodcast.com. Episode 3646: David Cain invites readers to confront the unsettling realization that much of life is spent mentally elsewhere. By illuminating how often our thoughts drift from the present moment, he offers simple yet powerful strategies to reclaim awareness and fully inhabit our lived experience. Read along with the original article(s) here: https://www.raptitude.com/?s=where+is+your+mind Quotes to ponder: "You’re almost never thinking about what you’re actually doing." "Life only happens here, in the place where your body is." "When you are thinking about something else, you are only dimly aware that you are here." Episode references: 10% Happier: https://www.amazon.com/10-Happier-Self-Help-Actually-Works/dp/0062265431 Wherever You Go, There You Are:  https://www.amazon.com/Wherever-You-There-Are-Mindfulness/dp/1401307787 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Discover all of the podcasts in our network, search for specific episodes, get the Optimal Living Daily workbook, and learn more at: OLDPodcast.com. Episode 3645: Adam M. Lowenstein explores the fine line between meaningful self-improvement and self-indulgence, challenging us to examine whether our personal growth truly serves others or just ourselves. Through thoughtful reflection, he reveals how cultivating balance and embracing the discomfort of that tension is essential to living a more intentional, connected life. Read along with the original article(s) here: https://www.adaml.blog/life-and-news/are-you-working-on-self-improvement-or-self-indulgence Quotes to ponder: "To make yourself a better person is to make the world a better place." "At a certain point, the worthy undertaking of self-improvement has become self-indulgence." "Life is, and should be, a constant calibration and recalibration." Episode references: In Love with the World: https://www.amazon.com/Love-World-Journey-Through-Bardos/dp/0525512535 Why Zebras Don’t Get Ulcers: https://www.amazon.com/Why-Zebras-Dont-Ulcers-Third/dp/0805073698 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices