Practical Wisdom with Dr. Rick Hanson

Life inevitably includes both change and loss, as well as sources of steadiness, meaning, and connection that endure. In this talk, I explore how we can meet the tangles of everyday life—difficult interactions, stubborn conflicts, painful patterns, and situations we cannot control—without either withdrawing from what matters or becoming consumed by it. You’re welcome to join me live each week for these talks — for free — by signing up at https://rickhanson.com/wednesday-meditations-with-dr-ri...

Sometimes our anxiety is trying to tell us something important about a real threat, something we need to take care of, or someone we love. The trouble comes when anxiety keeps going long after it’s useful, turning into rumination, clinging, and worry about things we can’t control. This week I focused in on how to find a middle way with anxiety: listening to the useful signals without letting them take over. Listen in to learn ways to work with your anxiety: making room for unavoidable f...

Life is going to bump into us. People will disappoint us, criticize us, misunderstand us, drop the ball, or sometimes genuinely treat us badly. The question is how to deal with all of that without adding a whole extra layer of suffering by taking it so personally. So this week, I explored how feeling more secure in your own worth, having healthy boundaries, bringing compassion to yourself, loosening your sense of identity, and even finding your way toward love can help you stay grounded...

Most of us know, at least in principle, that it’s good to have healthy boundaries. The hard part is actually setting them — and then holding onto them when other people push back, get upset, or simply keep doing what they’ve always done. In this talk, I explored some of what makes boundaries so difficult, including feeling overly responsible for other people, doubting our own perceptions, and getting pulled into trying to change things that really aren’t in our control. Check it o...

Good boundaries aren’t about pushing people away. In fact, they can help us feel closer, more open, and more at ease with the people we care about. When you know where you stand, what you’re responsible for, and what you’re simply not going to take on, there’s less resentment, confusion, and pressure in a relationship. So that’s what I covered in my talk this week, including how to recognize what’s okay, what’s not, and what is – as I like to put it, NMJ – Not My Job. Boundaries can be challe...