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MindFull of GOOD

Dr. Rick Hanson's Occasional Collection of Good, Free Stuff

NEW ON THE BEING WELL PODCAST:

Reducing Reactivity, Fear, and Anger with Sharon Salzberg

"It never works to say, 'I shouldn't feel what I'm feeling.' We feel what we feel."
— SHARON SALZBERG

What is mindfulness really? According to one fourth-grader, “Not hitting someone in the mouth.” Legendary meditation teacher Sharon Salzberg joins Rick and Forrest to discuss how we can work skillfully with anger, fear, and reactivity without becoming doormats or numbing ourselves out through the lens of her new children’s book Kind Karl.

NEW FROM THE WEDNESDAY TALK/MEDITATION:

Welcoming the “Messengers” of Aging, Illness, Death – and Awakening

Aging, illness, and death are realities we all live with, even when we try not to think about them. Often, they show up quietly in the background as worry, grief, fear, or a sense of urgency we can’t quite name.

In this talk, I explore a classic Buddhist teaching known as the four heavenly messengers—aging, illness, death, and the possibility of awakening—and how we can relate to them in ways that reduce suffering and support a full, meaningful life.

FREE SUMMIT:

Trauma, Attach(e)ment & Resilience Summit

I’m excited to share that I’ll be presenting at Quantum Way’s 2026 Trauma, Attach(e)ment & Resilience Summit, running from March 18 to April 1. This FREE event brings together leading voices in trauma treatment and nervous system–informed care through talks, conversations, and practical exercises designed to support learning and real-world application.

ALSO NEW ON THE BEING WELL PODCAST:

Why We Misunderstand Each Other: Fixing vs. Feeling with Elizabeth Ferreira

Forrest and somatic therapist Elizabeth Ferreira explore a common source of relationship conflict: the mismatch between “fixing” (moving quickly into problem-solving) and “feeling” (wanting attunement and empathy before solutions). They talk about where these patterns come from, how each functions as a psychological defense, and the role of gender socialization, identity, and adaptation. The conversation also touches on trauma, nervous-system activation, and why building safety usually comes before real, practical change.

ASK RICK:

In your books Buddha’s Brain and Hardwiring Happiness, you mention a variety of methods for reducing stress. Which three methods do you consider generally to be the most effective?

In principle, there are three places we can intervene to make things better: out in the world, in the body, and in the mind. All are important. For example, a person could reduce stress by shifting out a living situation (intervening out in the world) that has stressful roommates in it. In this context, I’ll focus on three methods inside the mind.

"Obviously, what is most effective in the mind will depend on the person and his or her situation."

And we need to recognize that challenges need not be experienced as stressors. For one person, a promotion with new responsibilities (challenge) could feel demanding, intense, and like a lot of work, but not feel significantly stressful; for a different person, the same challenge could feel really stressful (e.g., body revved up, unpleasant sense of pressure, negative emotions like anxiety or irritability).

In this light, and in general, here are my top three stress-busters:

• Exhaling – And relaxing the body in other ways as well.

• Turning toward some authentic positive experience – Washing your hands, eating something good, thinking of something you feel grateful for, smelling something nice, etc.

• Giving or receiving love – Any form of caring is good here, such as feeling included, seen, appreciated, liked, or loved.

We evolved to handle brief bursts of stress for immediate survival purposes, but chronic stress – even mild to moderate – is not good for long-term physical and mental health. Remember that negative emotions are stressful in their own right; it wears on body and mind to be chronically anxious, frustrated, irritated, hurt, or insecure.

RICK'S PICKS:

BOOK: All Right, Right Now

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