Best of Ourselves

Silence can be a gift. The pause helps us step back from reactivity, gain perspective, and listen for something deeper than our internal chatter. But not all silence serves us. Sometimes silence protects comfort, allows harmful systems to continue unchecked, or keeps us from living our values fully. Inspired by Martin Luther King Jr.’s 1967 speech A Time to Break Silence, this episode explores the tension between discernment and complicity, and the challenge of using our voices in service of love rather than fear, division, or self-righteousness. Resources Using My Voice Silence: A Refuge or a Hiding Place The post BOO524 – A Time to Break the Silence appeared first on Marcia Hyatt.

Living from an appreciative stance can increase your life expectancy, resilience and creativity.  And it is hard to do.  This episode makes a case for increasing appreciation in our days and shares a few tips. Resources: Dr Rick Hanson on hardwiring our brain for happiness Brother David Steindl-Rast TED talk The post BOO523 – Encore – Cultivating Appreciation appeared first on Marcia Hyatt.

We are stronger when we work together.  Reflections on finding community all around me. Resources Habits of the Heart by Parker Palmer Full Parker Palmer Interview Trusting the Heart: Essential Connectedness The post BOO522 – Encore – Finding Community appeared first on Marcia Hyatt.

Catching herself in a cycle of avoidance and self-judgment, Marcia explores the familiar urge to fix what feels off—and why that approach often backfires. Through a moment of honest reflection, she uncovers what was really underneath and discovers a quieter, more powerful starting point: acceptance. Not as a strategy, but as a doorway to real change. Resources Grounded Presence Living in Uncertainty The post BOO521 – Beyond Judging and Fixing Ourselves appeared first on Marcia Hyatt.

A simple, unexpected note interrupts a cycle of stress and worry, reminding us how easily we overlook everyday acts of kindness. This reflection explores how small, ordinary moments of care—across differences and in our own communities—quietly sustain us, if we remember to notice them. Resources Kindness Changes Everything The post BOO520 – The Bright Spots We Almost Miss appeared first on Marcia Hyatt.

When life changes and familiar roles fall away, it’s easy to feel unmoored. This reflection explores the quiet invitation in those moments—to pause, listen, and remember we are more than the roles we’ve played. Resources Connected or Separate?  – The Wave Story When I shared this radio show with my writing group, my friend Holly shared this poem facing the same question. Follow her on Substack: Holly Lamond Abundance That night I knew, the next day confirmed Lost was the life I’d known Down a dark road but never alone Today, a river flows, altogether unexpected A late-night work call with colleagues in the UK A walnut-like lump found under my arm That night I knew, the next day confirmed Control is a delusion once diagnosed I traded frequent flyer miles for frequent treatments Lost was the life I’d known Cancer caused me to change course Treatments left me parched, cracked, uncertain Down a dark road but never alone Cancer drained my canyon of complacency Opened me to the abundance of light and rain Today, a river flows, altogether unexpected The post BOO519 – Who Am I Now? appeared first on Marcia Hyatt.

Our hard wiring response to change is exactly the wrong thing we need to thrive in turbulence, uncertainty and complexity.  In Jennifer Garvey Berger’s practical new book, Unlocking Leadership Mindtraps, she boils down the problem and ways to free ourselves. In this podcast, we explore how to get out of the forth mindtrap – control Resources Unlocking Leadership Mindtraps Living Authentically an Interview With Roxanne Howe Murphy Interview with Jennifer Garvey Berger on Simple Habits for Complex Times The post BOO518 – Encore- Ladders out of Mindtraps appeared first on Marcia Hyatt.

Our hard wiring response to change is exactly the wrong thing we need to thrive in turbulence, uncertainty and complexity.  In Jennifer Garvey Berger’s practical new book, Unlocking Leadership Mindtraps, she boils down the problem and ways to free ourselves. In this podcast, we explore how to get out of the forth mindtrap – control Resources Unlocking Leadership Mindtraps Living Authentically an Interview With Roxanne Howe Murphy Interview with Jennifer Garvey Berger on Simple Habits for Complex Times The post BOO517 – Encore – Mindtrap of Ego appeared first on Marcia Hyatt.

Our hard wiring response to change is exactly the wrong thing we need to thrive in turbulence, uncertainty and complexity.  In Jennifer Garvey Berger’s practical new book, Unlocking Leadership Mindtraps, she boils down the problem and ways to free ourselves. In this podcast, we explore how to get out of the forth mindtrap – control Resources Unlocking Leadership Mindtraps Interview with Jennifer Garvey Berger on Simple Habits for Complex Times The post BOO516 – Encore – Trapped by Control appeared first on Marcia Hyatt.

Our hard wiring response to change is exactly the wrong thing we need to thrive in turbulence, uncertainty and complexity.  In Jennifer Garvey Berger’s practical new book, Unlocking Leadership Mindtraps, she boils down the problem and ways to free ourselves. In this podcast, we explore how to get out of the third mindtrap – agreements Resources Unlocking Leadership Mindtraps Interview with Jennifer Garvey Berger on Simple Habits for Complex Times Social: Why Our Brains Are Wired to Connect The post BOO515 – Encore – The Mindtrap of Agreement appeared first on Marcia Hyatt.

Our hard wiring response to change is exactly the wrong thing we need to thrive in turbulence, uncertainty and complexity.  In Jennifer Garvey Berger’s practical new book, Unlocking Leadership Mindtraps, she boils down the problem and ways to free ourselves. In this podcast, we explore how to get out of the second mindtrap – rightness. The post BOO514 – Encore – The Mindtrap of Rightness appeared first on Marcia Hyatt.

Our hard wiring response to change is exactly the wrong thing we need to thrive in turbulence, uncertainty and complexity.  In Jennifer Garvey Berger’s practical new book, Unlocking Leadership Mindtraps, she boils down the problem and ways to free ourselves. In this podcast, we explore how to get out of the first mindtrap – creating simple stories. Resources Unlocking Leadership Mindtraps Interview with Jennifer Garvey Berger on Simple Habits for Complex Times The post BOO513 – Encore – Getting Out of the Mindtrap of Simple Stories appeared first on Marcia Hyatt.

Our hard wiring response to change is exactly the wrong thing we need to thrive in turbulence, uncertainty and complexity.  In Jennifer Garvey Berger’s practical new book, Unlocking Leadership Mindtraps, she boils down the problem and ways to free ourselves. In this podcast, we cover the overview of the book released in 2019. Resources Unlocking Leadership Mindtraps Interview with Jennifer Garvey Berger on Simple Habits for Complex Times The post BOO512- Encore – Getting Stuck in Mindtraps appeared first on Marcia Hyatt.

In Parker Palmer’s book, Healing the Heart of Democracy, he talks about 5 habits of the heart we need for a robust democracy.  Habit 4 is  A sense of personal voice and agency. “Insight and energy give rise to new life as we speak out and act out our own version of truth, while checking and correcting it against the truths of others. But many of us lack confidence in our own voices and in our power to make a difference.” Resources: 5 Habits of the Heart by the Center for Courage and Renewal Habits 1-3 podcasts The post BOO510 – Encore – Healing the Heart of Democracy – Habit 4 appeared first on Marcia Hyatt.

Parker Palmer believes that if taken together, the 5 habits are critical to sustaining a democracy.  The habits are described as deeply ingrained ways of seeing, being and responding to life that involve our minds, emotions, our self-images, our concepts of meaning and purpose in life.  This podcast explores Habit 3:  An ability to hold tension in life-giving ways. Resources To hear Parker talk about each of the 5 habits or his full interview Non-violent communication resources Dance of the Me and We by Dr Ginny Belden Charles Power and Love – Bringing Out the Best Ourselves The post BOO509 – Encore –  Healing the Heart of Democracy – Habit 3 appeared first on Marcia Hyatt.

This podcast explores Habit 2 in the Parker Palmer’s 5 Habits of the Heart; habits that are critical for a vibrant democracy.  This habit is entitled: An Appreciation of the Value of Otherness. Resources: Healing the Heart of Democracy by Parker J Palmer — link to the book, discussion guide and resources. Full interview with Parker Palmer in 2012 and 2013 Don’t Take Things Personally – Podcast Defensiveness – Podcast Listening to Conflict – Podcast The post BOO508- Encore – Healing the Heart -Habit 2 – Conversation with Parker J Palmer appeared first on Marcia Hyatt.

In Parker Palmer’s book, Healing the Heart of Democracy, he cites 5 habits of the heart that will help us move beyond fear.  Using excerpts from a 2013 interview, we examine the first habit — we are all connected. Resources: Parker’s full description of Habit One An Hour Interview with Parker Palmer For More Best of Ourselves Podcasts on Community and Relationships The post BOO507- Encore – Healing the Heart of Democracy – Habit 1 appeared first on Marcia Hyatt.

In this episode, I reflect on a familiar story about an elephant held in place not by a rope, but by a belief that trying no longer matters. Living in northern Minnesota, and hearing directly from friends and family witnessing events in the Twin Cities, I explore how that same limiting story shows up in moments when constitutional rights are being tested. Drawing on the First, Fourth, and Fourteenth Amendments—and Martin Luther King Jr.’s wisdom about power and love—I name what it means for ordinary people to stand together lawfully and nonviolently. This is a reflection on civic courage, community, and why showing up, even without certainty, is how democracy is sustained. The post BOO506 – When Trying Still Matters appeared first on Marcia Hyatt.

A casual question during a cell phone upgrade sparked an unexpected political exchange—and a deeper inquiry into how we meet one another across difference. This episode reflects on presence, sacred engagement, and Martin Luther King Jr.’s reminder that love and power must work together if we’re to create justice and avoid becoming what we oppose. Resources Healing the Divide The post BOO505 – An Unexpected Lesson at the Cell Phone Store appeared first on Marcia Hyatt.

Thanks to Kathy Magnuson for sharing her Awe Journal practice and it’s impact on her life. Resources Finding Awe Awe: The new Science of Everyday Wonder and How It Can Transform Your Life The post BOO504 – Encore – Noticing Awe-full Moments appeared first on Marcia Hyatt.

A Thanksgiving moment went wrong—a small dog, a sudden crisis, and my brain completely freezing. What followed wasn’t competence or quick thinking, but a powerful lesson in how stress disconnects us from our bodies. In this episode, I reflect on what that scare revealed about presence, uncertainty, and the quiet wisdom our bodies carry—especially during long, difficult seasons. A reminder that when answers aren’t available, staying honest with what’s here may be enough. The post BOO503 – What a Holiday Scare Taught Me About Presence appeared first on Marcia Hyatt.

When we contemplate significant changes in our lives, our flight, fight, or freeze response may kick in. We tend to prioritize safety, and our autonomic nervous system can pose a significant barrier to transformation. Learning to move forward without waging an internal war is crucial. Resources Acceptance as a Step Towards Growth Curiosity as a Growth Tool Intentions: Allies for Growth The post BOO502- Encore – Change One Step At A Time appeared first on Marcia Hyatt.

What if strength isn’t something we build for ourselves alone? Inspired by the Grand Portage Band’s response to the closure of our local Coast Guard station, this reflection explores how Indigenous wisdom challenges our dominant story of competition, scarcity, and separateness—and invites us into a different way of living, grounded in connection, love, and shared belonging. Resources Imprisoned by Our Story Suffocating What Do You See? The post BOO501 – Choosing Love in a World Built on Dominance appeared first on Marcia Hyatt.

Many of us experience stress during the holidays.  In this special episode we explore what helps us be resilient when stress shows up. Resources: University of Minnesota Center for Spirituality and Healing on Stress Busy without Stress Podcast Work Your Mindfulness Podcast Accepting What Shows Up Podcast The post BOO500- Encore – Holiday Stress Resilience appeared first on Marcia Hyatt.

Being human isn’t tidy. In this episode, I share two moments—one small, one life-shaking—that pulled me right into the rawness of shame, fear, and uncertainty. What I’m learning is this: the struggle isn’t a failure. It’s the place where honesty and grace can actually reach us. Resources Living in Uncertainty The post BOO499 – The Trouble of Being Human appeared first on Marcia Hyatt.

A frown, a misunderstanding, and a lesson I’m still practicing: most of the time, it’s not about us. Here’s what that moment taught me about assumptions, boundaries, and staying true to ourselves. Resources Don’t Take It Personally The post BOO498 – The Frown appeared first on Marcia Hyatt.

Ever had a day where everything goes sideways at once? Mine included dog poo, burr-covered terriers, a broken garage door, and a nurse cheering for Tom’s phlegm. This episode explores what happens when we let go of how life “should” be and meet what’s real—with humor, honesty, and a bit of Anne Lamott–style grace. Photo: engin akyurt Resources Living in Uncertainty The Should Shower The post BOO497 – Loosening the Should Knots appeared first on Marcia Hyatt.

Gratitude is a choice despite what is happening around us.  It is correlated with resilience, happiness and health.  Gratitude is always an option. Resources More about the Haudenosaunee Research on Gratitude The post BOO496 – Encore – Gratitude is a Choice appeared first on Marcia Hyatt.

Burnout doesn’t always show up as exhaustion—it can appear as impatience, numbness, or a heart that quietly tightens to get through the day. In this episode, Marcia Hyatt reflects on recognizing her own signs of burnout while navigating her husband’s medical care and life’s constant demands. Through the image “It’s hard to hold hands with a tight fist,” she explores how stress can close us off and how gentleness, awareness, and small acts of care can help us soften, recover, and reconnect—with ourselves and those we love. Resources Breathe Living in Uncertainty The post BOO495 – The Medicine of Gentleness appeared first on Marcia Hyatt.

Building our capacity to observe ourselves, builds our capacity to grow and change.  It can be uncomfortable to wake up to our the ways we limit ourselves.  And if you do, the quality of your life changes. Resources Freeing Ourselves From Our Stories Podcast Tuning In Vs Changing the Channel Podcast Anthony DeMello The post BOO495 – Encore – Awareness Changes Your Life appeared first on Marcia Hyatt.

How much do we share — and with whom? In this week’s Best of Ourselves episode, I explore the fine line between privacy and authenticity… and what it means to let a little more light in through the cracks in our lives. Resources Help, Please: Lessons From An IKEA Box The Should Shower The post BOO494 – How Much To Share? appeared first on Marcia Hyatt.

Life doesn’t come in neat categories of good or bad. In this reflection, I explore how staying open to the mystery can transform how we meet whatever arrives. Resources Living in Uncertainty The post BOO493 – Bad Luck – Maybe Not appeared first on Marcia Hyatt.

We are stronger when we work together.  Reflections on finding community all around me. Resources Habits of the Heart by Parker Palmer Full Parker Palmer Interview Power and Love show on building community The post BOO492 – Encore – Finding Community appeared first on Marcia Hyatt.

Some Assembly Required.Turns out that’s not just a warning on an IKEA box—it’s a reminder about life. In this week’s show, I confess to my habit of saying “We’re fine” when we’re really… not. From sleepless nights to bolts and Allen wrenches, I discovered that asking for help isn’t weakness—it’s actually a gift to both giver and receiver. Because maybe the real self-care isn’t doing it all ourselves, but remembering we were never meant to—life is always better assembled together. Resources Living in Uncertainty Kindness Changes Everything The post BOO491 – Help, Please: Lessons from an IKEA Box appeared first on Marcia Hyatt.

I used to think “living one day at a time” meant glowing serenity. But lately it looks more like noticing my cranky, overtired self and walking her home before she has a meltdown. This show explores the messy, human side of being present in the moment. Resources Living With Uncertainty Resilience or What The post BOO490 – One Day At A Time, Sort Of appeared first on Marcia Hyatt.

Creating art has been shown to support healing. It has been shown to reduce loneliness, anxiety and mood disorders.  Art and beauty have also been correlated with reduced need for pain medication an reduced recovery times.  We all have access to this powerful and fun way to grow and heal. Resources What Have I Mythed? Stories for Reflection Art and Healing Foundation The Art of Healing The post BOO489 – Encore – Creatively Healing appeared first on Marcia Hyatt.

In this episode, I share how unexpected gestures of kindness have touched me more deeply than I ever imagined. From potatoes harvested to simple words of encouragement, these acts have softened old walls around my heart. Together we’ll explore how the heart opens—not by force, but by tending the conditions of worthiness, courage, and compassion. Resources Kindness in Action How to Open the Heart by Jeff Foster Taking a Stand for Kindness The post BOO488 – Kindness Changes Everything appeared first on Marcia Hyatt.

Life with uncertainty can feel like riding a seesaw with a 1000-pound gorilla—hope one moment, despair the next. In this episode, I share how “widening the lens” through simple practices like breathing, noticing beauty, or reaching for connection helps us find a space of grace. Resources Living in Uncertainty Should Shower Resilience or What? The post BOO487 – Widening the Lens appeared first on Marcia Hyatt.

Resilience isn’t about being tough — it’s about living the “both/and.”When life brings hard news, can we let sorrow and joy share the same moment? In this episode, I reflect on how we adapt, what keeps us present, and why resilience might mean, as Joseph Campbell said, “joyfully participating in the sorrows of the world.” Resources Living in Uncertainty The Should Shower The post BOO486 – Resilience or What? appeared first on Marcia Hyatt.

The Should Shower 💦Ever find yourself standing under a downpour of “shoulds”?I should be doing more.I should be feeling more.I should be… well, different than I am. In this week’s episode, I share what it’s been like navigating my husband’s health crisis while my inner critic offers constant commentary — and how I’m learning to step out of the should shower long enough to find what’s actually true for me. We talk about:🌧 The tug-of-war between productivity and permission🌧 Why outside advice can sometimes drown out our inner knowing🌧 One simple question that can help you cut through the noise🌧 How grace can wash away the shoulds If you’ve ever felt like you can’t get it “right” no matter what you do, this one’s for you. Resources Living in Uncertainty Identifying the Inner Critic Disengaging from the Inner Critic The post BOO485 – The Should Shower appeared first on Marcia Hyatt.

Life has a way of reminding us that uncertainty is the only thing we can count on. This week’s show is raw and real — no tidy answers, no “5 easy steps” — just what it’s like to live through sudden change and not know what’s next. As Pema Chödrön writes: “We think that the point is to pass the test or to overcome the problem, but the truth is that things don’t really get solved. They come together and they fall apart. Then they come together again and fall apart again. The healing comes from letting there be room for all of this to happen: room for grief, for relief, for misery, for joy.” If you’re navigating your own uncertain world, I hope you’ll find a little companionship here. The post BOO484 – Living in Uncertainty appeared first on Marcia Hyatt.

Conversations about race and other uncomfortable subjects require us to do our own work, to build capacity in ourselves to listen to learn. Resources The Mindtrap of Rightness Podcast Resmaa Menakem Interview The post BOO483 – Encore – Building the Capacity for Uncomfortable Conversations appeared first on Marcia Hyatt.

It was a retreat I will never forget. It was a precious time of connection and growth.  It reminded me of a core truth, we are all “Walking around shining like the sun.” Resources Grounded Presence Healing the Inner Divide The post BOO482 – Encore – Shining Like the Sun appeared first on Marcia Hyatt.

I recently came across a photo of myself as a Brownie—standing straight in my uniform, with this tight little smile on my face. I wasn’t carefree or joyful. I was trying hard to get it right. Even back then, I had already learned how to shape myself to be acceptable—to be “good.”Good as in quiet, helpful, not too much. I became a chameleon, tuning into what others needed and editing myself to fit the part. And for a long time, that worked. Until it didn’t. In this episode, I reflect on how those early survival strategies—being the pleaser, the fixer, the peacekeeper—can leave us feeling disconnected from our truest selves.But it’s not about shame or blame. It’s about noticing. And softening.And beginning to choose something different. Resources Grounded Presence Acceptance Tuning In V Changing the Channel The post BOO481 – Outgrowing Who I Thought I Had To Be appeared first on Marcia Hyatt.

It is important to find a way to take a stand for love and at the same time face our own shadows.   Resources Understanding Our Shadow Implicit Association Test – About Implicit Association Test – Take the Test The post BOO480 – Encore – Facing Hatred appeared first on Marcia Hyatt.

“What I think you should do is…”  These words are often intended to be helpful but may miss the mark. Resources Moving from Judging to Encouraging Listening Between the Words The post BOO479 – Encore – Advice on Advice appeared first on Marcia Hyatt.

Silence can be a refuge—or a hiding place.In this episode, we explore the ways silence shapes our inner and outer lives: when it helps us respond with clarity, and when it becomes a way to withhold our truth. What happens when we stay silent to stay safe? And what’s the cost of leaving our voice unheard? With reflections and a powerful quote from Audre Lorde’s daughter, this show invites us to listen deeply—to ourselves and to the world—and speak what’s waiting to be heard. Resources Words Matter Using My Voice The post BOO478 – Silence: A Refuge or Hiding Place? appeared first on Marcia Hyatt.

In this episode, the show takes a hard look at the power of words—how they shape our relationships, our communities, and the world we co-create. We challenge the old saying “sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me,” because we know that words do hurt—and they can also heal. From middle school memories to the courage of John Lewis, we explore how easy it is to mirror hate and how radical it is to respond from love. The episode invites reflection on how we use our words—especially when tensions rise—and what it means to stay grounded in our values. Call to action:Notice your words this week. Are they building bridges or walls? Choose one moment—just one—where you pause, breathe, and speak from your better nature. That’s how we begin to shift the world. Resources Kindness in Action Creating Stories of Kindness Grounded Presence The post BOO477 – Words Matter appeared first on Marcia Hyatt.

When we know someone’s story, it is hard to make them an “other”.  We can get past the labels and see the humanity in those who have different life experiences. Resources Friends with Those People A variety of podcasts on community The post BOO476 – Encore – It’s Hard to Hate Up Close appeared first on Marcia Hyatt.

This series explores tapping our full potential and living true to ourselves using the EnneaCrossings™ lens. This episode, the fifth in the series, explores the fourth portal or doorway to living a life true to oneself. Engaged Presence explores how to respond and participate in life from a place of wholeness, interconnectedness, and attunement to what is needed. Resources Deep Living Lab’s EnneaCrossings™ Episode One of this EnneaCrossings™ Series: Expanding Your Capacity to Live Fully Episode Two of this EnneaCrossings™ Series: True Self, True Life: The Path to Inner Freedom Episode Three of this EnneaCrossings™ Series: Essential Trust: Embracing the Mystery of Life Episode Four of this EnneaCrossings™ Series:  Trusting the Heart: Essential Connectedness You Are NOT Your Personality Underneath Your Personality The post BOO475 – Encore – Living with Meaning and Intention: The Power of Engaged Presence appeared first on Marcia Hyatt.