logo
episode-header-image
Oct 2024
6m 1s

Self Compassion When Life Is Hard | Mind...

Sean Fargo
About this episode

Today, we explore how to practice self-compassion in difficult times, when life feels tough and overwhelming.

Sean Fargo, founder of Mindfulness Exercises and former Buddhist monk, shares his personal journey of navigating discomfort and emotional strain while hiking in Yosemite with a heavy backpack.

He uses the experience to illustrate how we can meet pain, frustration, and difficulty with kindness instead of judgment. He explores how mindfulness helps us stay present with unpleasant emotions and sensations, allowing us to care for ourselves in moments of struggle.

This episode is a gentle reminder that when life feels hard, we can offer ourselves the same care we’d give a loved one.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Up next
Yesterday
Self-Love Is Not Selfish: The Real Inner Work of Mindful Leaders
In this episode of the Mindfulness Exercises Podcast, we explore how self-love is not a luxury or cliché — it’s a foundational practice of mindful living and teaching. Through reflections, real-life examples, and guided insights, you’ll learn how cultivating compassion toward you ... Show More
26m 27s
Jul 5
Francesca Maxime on ReRooting Safety in the Body and in Community
In this episode of the Mindfulness Exercises Podcast, Sean Fargo speaks with Francesca Maxime—Somatic Experiencing Practitioner, certified mindfulness teacher, and founder of ReRooted Healing. Drawing from her lived experience as a Haitian-Dominican Italian-American and her years ... Show More
1h 19m
Jun 30
How to Teach Mindfulness Without Bypassing Trauma
Spiritual bypassing can quietly undermine our best intentions as mindfulness teachers — especially when trauma is involved. In this powerful episode, we unpack what it means to teach mindfulness without bypassing trauma, and why it’s so essential to adapt practices for the nervou ... Show More
53m 4s
Recommended Episodes
Mar 2025
EP #1543: The Healing Power of Mindfulness with Jon Kabat-Zinn, Ph.D.
Send us a textAre you ready to discover how simple mindfulness practices can rewire your brain and transform your health? In today's fast-paced world, many people struggle with stress, anxiety, and chronic health issues. This episode delves into the groundbreaking work of Jo ... Show More
15m 28s
Oct 2024
3351: [Part 2] Secrets to a Less Stressful Life by Dr. Lisa Firestone of PsychAlive on Self Compassion
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 3351:Dr. Lisa Firestone shares powerful strategies for reducing stress by shifting our perspective, practicing self-compassi ... Show More
11m 51s
Aug 2024
Being with Painful Feelings (Episode #73)
Welcome to episode 73 of The Way Out Is In: The Zen Art of Living, a podcast series mirroring Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh’s deep teachings of Buddhist philosophy: a simple yet profound methodology for dealing with our suffering, and for creating more happiness and joy in our lives ... Show More
1h 27m
Nov 2024
Navigating Hard Times with Mindful Intention
Life's hardships are unavoidable, but mindfulness offers a steady anchor. This episode discusses how meditation and intention-setting can guide us toward calm, present-minded solutions in tough moments. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices 
6m 17s
Sep 2024
A Monk's Guide To Finding Happiness, Cultivating Inner Peace & Slowing Down In A Fast-Paced World: Haemin Sunim #476
What if the key to happiness and fulfilment was not changing our external circumstances but learning to appreciate and understand our inner world? This powerful idea is at the heart of this week's conversation with Buddhist monk and author Haemin Sunim. Haemin is a Zen Buddhist t ... Show More
1h 53m
Jan 2025
When Your Body Won’t Listen: Finding Peace in Health Struggles
Rosie shares her deeply personal journey through health challenges and offers mindfulness practices to navigate feelings of helplessness and frustration. Through acceptance and self-compassion, she explores ways to stay present and resilient when life feels out of your control. L ... Show More
6m 35s
Oct 2024
A Meditation to Welcome This Moment with Curiosity with Frank Ostaseski
This week, Frank Ostaseski guides us through a meditation that invites us to let curiosity lead. Life doesn’t always bring what we desire—instead, it can deliver pain, uncertainty, and even sorrow. While we can’t always change these circumstances or the emotions that arise with t ... Show More
13m 4s
Mar 2025
Breaking Through Obstacles with a Stoic's Mindset, Day 7: "The Stoic's Gaze: Perceiving Opportunity in All Challenges"
"The impediment to action advances action. What stands in the way becomes the way."            - Marcus Aurelius Bring your awareness to the past week. Gently review the events that occurred, not with judgment, but with detached observation. Allow images and memories to surface, ... Show More
13m 2s
May 30
3615: Benefits of Mindfulness by Dr. Lisa Firestone of PsychAlive on Emotional Health
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 ... Show More
12m 8s
Jun 2024
A Journey to Managing Physical Pain, Day 1: "Pathways to Healing: Meditations for Managing Physical Pain"
"Pathways to Healing: Meditations for Managing Physical Pain" invites you to explore mindfulness as a transformative tool in coping with and alleviating physical discomfort. You meet your fellow meditator, Firuze, in an interview where she shares her own healing journey and how m ... Show More
50m 13s