An episode about what to do in challenging and disappointing moments. You may have noticed that we did not record a new episode last week. We opted to model self compassion and kindness in the face of laryngitis, back to back retreats, and a volleyball championship. After 225 weekly episodes we decided to give ourselves grace. The election was a pi…

Being off kilter is a normal part of the human experience at least some of the time. Mindfulness and self-compassion offer opportunities to notice, show yourself compassion, and re-align. Getting help helps. Enjoy Jessie modeling how getting help helps. Listen as Ni-Cheng demonstrates mindful inquiry and how to explore body sensations, emotions, th…

What does non-striving in mindfulness mean? What is the invitation of non-striving? Why might you want to try it? Non-striving isn't about giving up aspirations and goals, it is about letting go. Letting go of control, of needing things to be a certain way, and/or to get a certain outcome. Non Striving is about patience, peace, presence, joy and tr…

Are you sitting on a nail and not changing due to the fear of the discomfort of removing that nail? Discomfort, pain, and struggle feel familiar to most of us. We may not notice we are sitting on a nail. If we do, we are often so accustomed to discomfort we stay on the nail anyway. Transition and pivots, ie gettign of the nail are even more uncomfo…

Do you feel like you are growing faster than your organization has space for? Are your roots trying to grow out the bottom of your pot? Dr. Holly MacKenna is the Founder of Dara Wellness an Integrative Psychiatry practice in New Orleans. She is Board Certified in Integrative Medicine and Psychiatry. She also has additional certifications in Helms a…

Nourishing our mind, bodies, and spirits “well” feels amazing! Why do we talk about it as a task or something that requires discipline? What if we talked about lifestyle medicine and healthy eating as fun, indulgent, and part of a well-lived life? What if we moved exercise from the chore column to the gift column? You don’t need to exercise. You wa…

Trees offer tremendous wisdom. In coaching, I often talk about setting an intention to be like a tree for upcoming difficult meetings or conversations. Being like a tree is a surprisingly effective leadership and life strategy. At the Connect in Nature Mindful Healers Retreat a few weeks ago, one of my intentions was to encourage others to be more …

During times of stress or discomfort old and often maladaptive habits resurface. Many of these habits originate in our childhoods. This episode sheds light on “reparenting”- what it is and how it can help you meet needs that went unmet in childhood. The intention of reparenting is to move towards healing by creating new healthier patterns. Are ther…

Every parent traverses into the space having an empty nest at some point. We want it to happen and we don’t. If it's not happening we worry. If it is happening we worry. This episode belongs in both the Parenting with Presence and Transition Well series. Jessie shares about her first week transitioning to an empty nest. The first week of a big life…

Enjoy this Curious About Coaching session and learn about the art of intention setting. Choosing the tone and energy with which you show up is a life changing way to approach challenging situations. How a plane lands is determined long before the wheels touch the ground. It takes awareness, attention, focus, and intention to land with safety and gr…

We often think we can’t pivot because "what if" …? What if the job I pick doesn't work out? What if my wife gets cancer? Last year, Dr. Rakesh Jotwani shared his journey leaving a long-time employed hospitalist position to pivot to lifestyle medicine. Listen to that episode Mindfulness Can Lead You to a Plant-Based Diet and a Fulfilling Career here…

Listen to this Curious About Coaching Session with Dr. Jessie Mahoney to learn how to discern when something is unreasonable, what you can do about your own unreasonable expectations of yourself, and what you can do when others have unreasonable expectations of you. Most high achievers have unreasonable and/or unrealistic expectations of themselves…

Are you frustrated by the constraints that the current healthcare system places on physicians? Is your well-being jeopardized by challenges at work? Would you like to embody practicing whole-hearted medicine? Dr. Michelle Biehl’s inspirational story will galvanize you to feel empowered to take steps towards both living and practicing medicine whole…

We don't like to disappoint people or be disappointed and we especially don't like it when our children are disappointed. Liam Mahoney is back for an encore episode. Listen to hear Liam’s story of navigating a big and unexpected disappointment. Hear how Jessie, as his mother, navigated his disappointment. Leave with some gold nuggets of advice to e…

Do you find yourself frustrated when others show up late? Do you make it mean that others don’t respect you or don’t care when their “timing” and way of working through to-do lists, planning, and chores is different than yours? We hope this episode will leave you feeling liberated from chronic frustrations around timing, urgency, and the preferred …

Do you think you don't practice mindfulness “right?" Are you concerned about not being able to “clear your mind?" Does your inability to practice mindfulness the way you think you should make you feel anxious, guilty, or like a failure? Do you have a list of reasons why you think mindfulness doesn't work for you? This episode addresses all of these…

Do You Think You Can’t Do Yoga? If you have struggled with yoga, think you aren't a yogi, or simply want to understand you to make yoga work better for you and your ever-changing body, listen to this episode. Yoga is not what most of us think. With creativity and a good teacher, yoga, in some form, can work for all bodies. Yoga is not about flexibi…

The world needs physician voices. Enjoy a fun conversation with Hilary Blair, founder of Articulate Real & Clear, about how mindfulness, intention, and most of all presence can help anyone, especially doctors, give a great talk. The way we are trained to think as physicians makes public speaking more of a challenge than it should be for most physic…

What is forest bathing? How does forest bathing impact mental health? How does it impact physical health? Nature is medicine. Forest = For Rest There have been many studies to show that forest bathing and simply being in nature is a way to decrease stress and improve well-being. It improves mental and physical health conditions. It impacts both our…

If you struggle with public speaking or you want to share your message more succinctly and more powerfully, listen to this episode. Diana Dresser, Jessie’s speaking coach this past winter, is our special guest. Diana is a self-described theater nerd and actress. We offer helpful tools and a new understanding of how working with a coach on speaking,…

Have you been ill and thought “I can tough this out” or “I don’t want to bother anyone?” When you seek care, do you apologize for the inconvenience and/or feel the need to justify why? In this episode, we normalize that it is hard for physicians to seek timely medical attention. We name some of the potential causes and share ideas about how you mig…

I LOVE helping physicians get back to loving what they trained for so long and so hard to do. Coaching and retreats are amazing tools to accomplish this outcome. It's possible even in medicine today. Even if you are in primary care. And even if you have been practicing for a long time and are exhausted. Lara shares how embracing authenticity and a …

Do you want to know how to create vitality through simple daily choices? What does a sustainable life with vitality mean? How do you actually make a sustainable lifestyle happen? Dr. Siri Chand Khalsa, MD, MS, founder and CEO of Chandrima is a pioneering force in the realm of integrative, Ayurvedic, and lifestyle medicine. With over three decades o…

This episode answers a question I get often- Do I coach men? The answer is yes! I am a mom of three young adult men, the sister of two brothers, and a wife. I am surrounded by men. As an institutional wellness leader for over twenty years, I worked with all comers. In honor of Father’s Day, Dr. Adam Was, joins me to chat about how coaching, which h…

Do you struggle with family dinners? Would you like to enjoy drama-free mealtimes? Are your children picky eaters? Find more peace and presence around the dinner table. Listen to this discussion about how families can gather, cook, and eat healthier together. Dr. Jaclyn Albin, a med-peds physician at UT Southwestern joins us today. She is the direc…

Wishing is not indulgent or fluff. Wishing is powerful, strategic, and fun. Alexa Fisher is the founder of Wishbeads “the original intention-setting jewelry.” Her Wishbead bracelets are an integral part of my retreat business. My personal Wishbead bracelets are partly responsible for my big wish (dream) coming to fruition recently. Wishing is a for…

Dreams are available to all of us but they don’t just happen by wishing, hoping, or luck. In this episode, Jessie shares how she manifested her dream of owning her own retreat space. She was inspired by others fulfilling their dreams. They helped her know that fulfilling one's dreams is possible. In sharing her journey she hopes to be the person wh…

“What do you think is the biggest waste of time?" "Comparing yourself to others," said the mole.” ― Charlie Mackesy, The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse Do you compare yourself to others? Feel like you don’t belong or are lesser than? In groups, do you feel like you are behind or don’t measure up? In this episode, we discuss the compare and de…

When you decide to make a pivot as big as leaving your medical practice after 20 years expect scary. It takes time and courage. And, it just might turn out better than you expect. Even if your husband has an unexpected cancer diagnosis right in the middle of your transition. Coaching, mindfulness, and taking a pause helped Dr. Wazeka leave her empl…

Do you feel under-appreciated for your efforts on behalf of your family, your patients, and/or your institutions? Have your expectations of others in expressing their love, thanks, and appreciation been mismatched with what you perceive is "right" or deserved? Listen for tools, strategies, and a framework of understanding to help you move forward w…

Have you said “I’m sorry” even though the circumstance wasn’t your fault? Have you started off a conversation or a presentation with “I’m sorry?” Do you say "Sorry I’m running behind", "Sorry for taking up space or time in a group session", "Sorry for crying", "Sorry for not understanding", or "Sorry I am not available"? Listen to understand why yo…

An amusing discussion about mindful decision-making with 18-year-old Liam Mahoney, a high school senior. In this episode, Liam shares his college decision-making process. He showcases his extremely abundant mindset, his positivity bias, and why he chose to become a UC Berkeley 2028 rather than a UCLA 2028. Liam shares how he made an authentic decis…

Words of wisdom from a professional pivoter. In today's episode, we delve into the transformative power of pivoting in both life and career. Dr. Jillian shares strategies for embracing change, giving yourself permission, and learning to put your opinion above the opinion of others. Trigger warning: Blunt mentions of suicide and eating disorders occ…

Life, relationships, and medicine are full of urgency mismatches. Their urgency is not your urgency. Your urgency may also not be their urgency. Many things that feel urgent aren't urgent. How often do you receive emails and texts from someone wanting something from you urgently? What story do you tell about it? How do you feel when you receive the…

Are you sometimes overwhelmed and depleted by the demands of caregiving for both your parents and your children? Does caregiving wear you down or cause stress and anxiety? Do you think YOU have to do it all? The inspiration for this podcast is the very full plate that we have both been living as caregivers for both aging parents and our own childre…

Our special guest for this episode is Dr. Sogol Pahlavan. She is a board-certified pediatrician and a physician mindfulness coach, and TEDx speaker, co-founder of SoulpreneurMD and host of the Mindful Living Podcast. She’s a mother, a wife, a daughter of immigrant parents, and a managing partner of a pediatric clinic. She shares her journey of reco…

The legal system is not medicine. Very little is in your control in a medicolegal cases. What is in your control? How you respond and whether you get help and support along the way. Mindfulness, self-compassion, therapy, and coaching are all key to staying as healthy, balanced, and buoyant as possible. Lawsuits pull the rug out from under physician…

"The life you lead are the lessons that you teach." Do you wish you had a more abundant mindset? Do you wish you were better at supporting other women and colleagues? Do you want to share mindfulness and coaching with loved ones and colleagues but struggle to do so effectively? Dr. Miriam Rhew is a pediatrician and an unconditional supporter of fri…

We all “work” with our spouses all the time - we just don’t realize it. Even if you don’t run an actual business or LLC together, you work together as parents and intimate partners. Running a home and family is the equivalent of a small business. To work better with your spouse: Show up with mindful intention Choose the tone and energy you want to …

Do you want your child to do and be more than what they are capable of? Have you yourself been indoctrinated into toxic achievement culture? Would you like to break free from the constraints of toxic achievement culture for yourself and your children? This episode is another in the Parent with Presence series. Our intention is to call out and ident…

It is very hard for those of us in medicine to pause or slow down. We were trained and acculturated to think that the pause and rest are not worthwhile. We were trained to think that pausing and resting is complacent and/or lazy. If we were to pause or rest we would definitely fall behind. In actuality-- the more you do the more you need to rest. O…

Do you think there is a right and wrong way to go about change? And/or a right or wrong time to change? Is the fear of making a mistake holding you back from change? When you are “successful” it is harder to change. What makes charge hard for those trained in medicine? We assume negative outcomes and tend to catastrophize. We focus on negative what…

What is good medicine? What is the medicine you actually need? How do you want to live? Who is your Obi-Won-Kenobi teacher? Who are you? What does it mean to be upright in your life? How do we create connections? We discuss all this and more in this very special guest episode with Sensei Koshin Paley Ellison who is Co-Founder, President, & Guiding …

Do you and your partner have different levels of sexual desire? Do libido differences cause tension in your relationship? Do you feel guilt, blame or shame about your desire for sex? Studies show that a lack of interest in sex is by far the most common and distressing sexual problem. When sex suffers, so do all other areas of life. The brain is our…

How might you care for your heart? What if you made your relationship with yourself your primary focus? This episode focuses on heart-centered approaches to life, love, and health. We discuss why we are committed to growing love, practicing love, and celebrating love. We outline what you can do to care for your heart – physically, spiritually, and …

Happy Lunar New Year! Welcome to the Year of the Wood Dragon. The Dragon is an auspicious creature that symbolizes vitality, vision, vigor, power, nobility, honor, luck, and success. (chinahighlights.com). Dragon years are defined by momentum . The element is wood, which fuels flames and enhances the intensity and instability of the dragon. Globall…

When you focus on the time you don't have, you feel rushed and anxious. When you focus on the energy you don't have, you feel overwhelmed. When you focus on the resources you don't have, you feel stressed and not valued. When you focus on the potential lack of opportunities or good outcomes you feel tight, anxious, and stuck. When you ask how am I …

Just because something has always been done that way doesn’t make continuing to do it that way right. Do you work through lunch? Do you attend meetings during lunch? Do you teach for free? Give talks without compensation? Do you respond to patient emails and address results when you aren’t at work? We have been indoctrinated into an archaic system …

Dr. Preetika Sidhu has been coaching with me since July 2020. In 2024, she lives a completely different life than when we met three and half years ago. When we first met, she worried that she wasn’t “helpable.” Since then, she has changed her thoughts on money, medicine, relationships and even her vision of what a life well lived looks and feels li…

Uncertainty = possibility. Uncertainty very often leads to things you never expected. Very often things even more wonderful than you ever imagined. “Just as a caterpillar thought the world would end, it became a butterfly. Just when the blastocyst thought it would starve it found a uterus.” - Dr. Erica Bove Dr. Erica Bove, a board certified REI spe…