Optimal Living Daily - Personal Development and Self-Improvement

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 3616: Kate Hesse shares how establishing a morning sadhana, a personalized spiritual practice, can bring calm, clarity, and intention to your day. Whether it's just a few minutes of breathwork or a more elaborate routine, she explains how to build a practice that meets you where you are and evolves with your life. Read along with the original article(s) here: https://nourishnestbreathe.com/sadhana/ Quotes to ponder: "Sadhana is Sanskrit for a daily spiritual practice." "Pick activities which fit into the time you have available without feeling rushed." "This practice is a living process." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

31 Maj 11min

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 3615: Dr. Lisa Firestone explores how mindfulness can transform emotional health, boost physical resilience, and deepen our connection to the present. Backed by research and real-life clinical applications, her insights show how simple practices like meditation can quiet the mind, reduce stress, and help us live with greater intention and clarity. Read along with the original article(s) here: https://www.psychalive.org/benefits-of-mindfulness/ Quotes to ponder: "Mindfulness is an incredible tool to help people understand, tolerate, and deal with their emotions in healthy ways." "When we release judgment and learn to live in the moment, we increase our mental agility." "Get out of our heads and learn to experience the world directly, experientially, without the relentless commentary of our thoughts." Episode references: Society for Humanistic Psychology: https://www.apadivisions.org/division-32 The Mindful Way Through Depression: https://www.amazon.com/Mindful-Way-through-Depression-Unhappiness/dp/1593851286 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

30 Maj 11min

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 3614: Chris Guillebeau unpacks why we often romanticize the past and chase “glory days” that never truly existed the way we remember them. By questioning nostalgia and emphasizing the present, he invites readers to create meaningful experiences today rather than dwell in filtered memories. Read along with the original article(s) here: https://chrisguillebeau.com/glory-days/ Quotes to ponder: "Sometimes we long for a version of the past that didn’t actually happen, at least not in the way we remember it." "The best days of your life don’t have to be behind you. They can be right now, or just ahead." "Memory is faulty, and nostalgia can be deceptive." Episode references: The Art of Non-Conformity: https://www.amazon.com/Art-Non-Conformity-Unconventional-Living/dp/0399536108 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

29 Maj 8min

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 3613: Leo Babauta offers five vivid inspirations to help us reconnect with the present moment, from the playful focus of children to the mindful precision of Zen monks. Through relatable examples and simple wisdom, he reminds us that joy and calm are found not in overthinking, but in fully engaging with what's right in front of us. Read along with the original article(s) here: https://zenhabits.net/5-inspirations-for-being-in-the-moment/ Quotes to ponder: "Children. There’s no one better at being present than a child." "Be like a cat." "The Zen state is the sweeping." Episode references: Alan Watts - Quote Source: https://www.alanwatts.org Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

28 Maj 8min

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 3612: Jay and Heather Harrington explore how age, success, and well-being are all shaped more by mindset than by biology or circumstance. Drawing from Ellen Langer’s “Counterclockwise Study” and Steven Pressfield’s work on resistance, they show how internal belief and mental habits can profoundly transform our physical vitality and personal achievement. Read along with the original article(s) here: https://www.lifeandwhim.com/first-moments-blog/mind-over-matter Quotes to ponder: "Age is a question of mind over matter. If you don’t mind, it doesn’t matter." "Thinking that we are old and frail or young and vibrant, therefore, can each be their own self-fulfilling prophecy." "The only thing that stands between you and your dream is your mind." Episode references: The War of Art: https://www.amazon.com/War-Art-Steven-Pressfield/dp/1936891026 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

27 Maj 10min

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 3611: Kerry Ogden invites us to reconsider our relationship with space, stuff, and self-worth by sharing her personal journey from minimalist living to a sprawling Victorian home - and back again. With insights on gratitude, simplicity, and intentionality, she reminds us that true fulfillment often comes from owning less and experiencing more. Read along with the original article(s) here: https://kerryogden.com/2016/08/decluttering/ Quotes to ponder: "Detaching from stuff requires psychological fortitude. It takes courage to trust that you have enough, that you are enough." "Minimalism is a mindset. It’s about living intentionally." "The real joys in life come from collecting experiences,  not things." Episode references: Love's Executioner by Irvin D. Yalom: https://www.amazon.com/Loves-Executioner-Other-Tales-Psychotherapy/dp/0060958340 The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: https://www.amazon.com/Life-Changing-Magic-Tidying-Decluttering-Organizing/dp/1607747308 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

26 Maj 10min

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 3610: Josie Michelle Davis offers a compassionate guide for those feeling paralyzed by indecision or uncertainty. Her practical, heart-centered strategies help you take small, meaningful steps forward, especially when clarity feels impossible, making this a comforting resource for moments of confusion and overwhelm. Read along with the original article(s) here: https://josiemichelledavis.com/blog/2019/02/07/2019-1-26-what-to-do-when-you-have-no-idea-what-to-do/ Quotes to ponder: "When you don’t know what to do, do something." "Action breeds clarity. Stillness doesn’t always bring the answers we’re hoping for." "You don’t need to make the right decision right now, you just need to make a decision." Episode references: The Next Right Thing Podcast: https://emilypfreeman.com/podcast/ The Life-Changing Magic of Not Giving a F*ck: https://www.amazon.com/Life-Changing-Magic-Not-Giving-Counterintuitive/dp/0316270725 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

25 Maj 7min

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 3609: Dr. Jenny Brockis challenges the sweeping conclusion that brain training is ineffective, calling attention to the flawed methodology and limited scope of a widely publicized study. She emphasizes the importance of scrutinizing research design and reminds us that mental fitness depends on a range of lifestyle choices, not just cognitive games. Read along with the original article(s) here: https://www.drjennybrockis.com/2010/4/26/does-brain-training-work-more-food-for-thought/ Quotes to ponder: "One sweeping statement can colour people’s overall acceptance of what is the 'truth'." "240 minutes is not very long to look at how effective a training program is." "Brain training programs are only one facet managing stress and getting enough sleep, will all help in our quest to stay mentally fit." Episode references: The original brain training study (Owen et al., 2010): https://www.nature.com/articles/nature09042 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

25 Maj 11min