Relationships can be some of our greatest sources of strength—and also of suffering. In this talk, Diana Hill explores how “wise effort,” a core part of the Buddhist Eightfold Path, can help us relate with more balance, openness, and compassion.
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Talk: Wise Effort in Relationships: Building Bridges, Letting Go, and Opening Up
Timecodes & main topics:
- 00:00 – Wise Effort in the Buddhist path & relationships
- 01:00 – Boundaries, balance, and letting go
- 02:30 – Spider webs & bridge lines as models for connection
- 06:00 – Wise vs. unwise effort: avoidance, stories, clinging
- 09:50 – Curiosity & openness as new foundations for mindfulness
- 13:00 – Openness, creativity, and better relationships
- 15:30 – Family estrangement & opening to difficult feelings
- 19:00 – Loving beyond the small self in daily life
- 23:00 – Dropping stories & finding flexibility
- 27:00 – Shifting into the wise self, beyond ego
- 29:00 – Drawing strength from ancestors, teachers, and nature
- 31:00 – Collective homecoming & shared wellbeing
- 34:30–48:30 – Q&A: stories, authenticity, intimacy, family
A Meditation: Arriving Home In Yourself and With Others
Diana Hill, PhD, is a clinical psychologist, international trainer, and sought-out speaker on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and compassion. She hosts Wise Effort with Dr. Diana Hill, and is the author of ACT Daily Journal, The Self-Compassion Daily Journal, and the recently released book Wise Effort: How to Focus Your Genius Energy Where It Matters Most, with a foreword by Rick Hanson. Diana works with organizations and individuals to develop psychological flexibility so that they can grow fulfilling and impactful lives.
If you’d like to go deeper with Diana and other leaders in the ACT community, she’ll also be teaching at the upcoming ACT BootCamp in Reno, Jan 8–11, 2026, alongside Steve Hayes, Robyn Walser, and Miranda Morris. Four days of immersive training in process-based therapy — you can learn more here: ACT BootCamp Reno.
