#26: Self-Restraint

Is self-inquiry enough? Or do we need to produce external, physical artifacts to express and share our talents, creativity and wisdom? In this episode, the finale of Season 3, Paul and Whitney question the value of work and its inner and outer manifestations.

What would happen if we stopped trying to control everything in our lives? What does it mean to put aside outcomes and accomplishments, and just allow things to happen without planning them? In this episode, Whitney and Paul talk about surrendering to the universe and the freedom that can come as a result of letting go.

When we think about stealing, odds are good we think about stuff – and yes, Whitney and Paul discuss that at length. Beyond that, though, the idea of stealing energy in order to make ourselves feel better is also explored – does it really help us?

This week, Whitney and Paul talk cleanliness. Paul nerds out about keeping things in a certain place and order – and the ramifications of those decisions – while Whitney introduces the idea of being clean on the inside and what that means for her.

Is self-restraint a valuable trait? In this episode, Whitney & Paul dive in to this topic and find that flexibility and mindfulness drive our own self-restraint.

This week, Whitney and Paul explore the concept of contentment. A surprising amount of work goes into it – focusing on the present moment, and what we truly have and need.

This week we talk about self-discipline. Scheduling, commitments, habits... these all reflect how we stick to things. Or do they?

In this episode, we discuss the compassion we have with ourselves and others, particularly in times of turmoil. Do other people affect our moods? How do we approach highly emotional situations while being mindful of our own emotions?

In our second episode this season, we're talking about striving — becoming attached to the idea of achieving or obtaining something, and then expending all of our energy in order to get it. But does our preoccupation with some future state get in the way of us giving our all in the moment? What if when we finally get what we want, we don't want it anymore? And what might we be missing if we're always trying to control the outcomes of our efforts?

We're starting off our third season with a discussion about the truth. What do we do to find our own personal truth? What does it feel like to be truthful with ourselves and others? How does our playing a role, or being someone we're not, reflect our truth?