The Ordinary's Astonishing Strength With Ronald Siegel of Havard

In this edition of The Verywell Meditate Podcast, Ronald Siegel, Psy.D., a Professor of Philosophy at Havard Medical College, and I discuss the importance of mindfulness, empathy, and creating healthy interpersonal relationships.

Introducing Ronald Siegel

• At Havard University, he is a lecturer in psychology.
• Mindfulness and mind-body medicine are among the subjects he researches and teaches.
• "The Ordinary's Astonishing Strength" is one of several books he's written.

Why Ronald Siegel Emphasizes The Mentally Robust

• To achieve inner strength, he emphasized the importance of humility, vulnerability, and fostering true interconnected relationships.
• He cautions that our culture's fixation on accomplishments might result in a never-ending cycle of unhappiness.
• People should concentrate on building relationships with others, not trying to impress them, he says.

Subjects Addressed

• How to start associating joy with success
• How the self-esteem of our parents may affect how motivated we are to achieve
• How we can be manipulated by advertisements because we want to feel good about ourselves
• Which activity can help you find what truly matters in your life
• How trying to improve one's self-esteem can turn into a bad cycle that resembles addiction
• How to get out of the habit of thinking that everything is real
• Why it's better to focus on building relationships than trying to impress people
• How thankfullness can help you stop being so hard on yourself
• How to conquer the fear of not being good enough
• Why embracing your ordinaryness may be the key to living a more fulfilling life

Mental Strength Insights and Lessons Learned in the Area of General Health and Well- being

• Taking care of your mental health is important.
• The links between achievements and improvement in mental health are not always linear.
• Improving your mental health will give you a short-term boost in self-esteem.
• Greater levels of enjoyment and general well- being can be achieved by prioritizing the development of strong social relationships.

Quotes from Dr. Siegel

• "If we can take pleasure in relationships, we can enjoy our bodies, we can take enjoyment in all things - that's a gift."
• "It's a combination of your favorite things when you're at your best. Not just just when everything's going well, but also when you're having a hard time."
• "The practice of being 'normal' may include not judging other people, not judging oneself, not judging one's thoughts, and accepting that we are all flawed."
• "I was looking for some sort of higher purpose in life. I was looking for a way to connect with people more intimately."

Additional Information Regarding the Podcast

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