Jennifer O'Sullivan: 0:06

Welcome back to Skillful Meads Podcast. I'm your host, jennifer O'Sullivan. Hey, I know it's been a minute since the last episode of the pod, something that has really been worrying my parts. I pride myself on being dependable and consistent, and my parts really hate the idea that they might have let you down, and it's also the case that sometimes life just happens and it keeps on happening, throwing one obstacle at you after another, and while the last 18 months of my life have been a whole obstacle course a little endurance swimming over here, monkey bars over there. Along the way, I've come to appreciate the section of the Lojong teachings that advise us to transform adversity into the path. How do we stop fighting against what's happening and start learning from it, even expanding because of it? This is what psychologists call post-traumatic growth. These are evolving questions and I suppose we'll have a lot of material in the coming years, and so my hope with the podcast is that it can be a supportive resource for you, helping you draw on timeless and practical wisdom so that you can dwell peacefully in your grounded center, even in a chaotic world.

Jennifer O'Sullivan: 1:37

All of this is to say that Skillful Means Podcast is returning in February in a new format. The biggest change is that I'm going to continue solo-ish Emphasis on the ish but I'm still going to bring you accessible teachings and practices drawing from yoga, buddhist, mindfulness and internal family systems. I continue to be inspired by these topics, and I hope you are too, and one of the bright spots of my last year is that I've been pursuing a graduate diploma in positive psychology. Positive psychology is interested in answering the same questions how do we live well? How do we suffer less? How do we thrive? So the updated show will revolve around questions from you, my dear listeners, as well as from my yoga students, clients, newsletter readers. I'll answer many of the questions myself, but I'm also planning to bring in guest experts on topics that aren't in my wheelhouse, guest experts on topics that aren't in my wheelhouse, and I'd like to include vignettes from people like you showcasing how your practices are supporting and nourishing you. In other words, I don't want to listen to myself talk. If the show isn't supporting you, it's not worth doing so. I've created a short survey for you to send me your questions doing so. I've created a short survey for you to send me your questions, favorite practices and stories about how your practices are inspiring and helping you. You'll find that link in the show notes. Before I preview a few of the upcoming questions, I also want to say that I'm deeply grateful for the time I shared with my former co-hosts, annie and Sarah Jane, who brought wonderful perspectives to our conversations. If you're listening, thank you.

Jennifer O'Sullivan: 3:33

The show will resume in earnest on February 4th with a timely episode on the pressure to improve ourselves. How do we sift through our shoulds so that our growth practices nourish our wants and needs too? Future episodes in the pipeline will focus on working with internal resistance, understanding your own parts and perspectives on working with difficult emotions. But don't forget, I want to focus on what feels present and meaningful to you. So do hit up that survey in the show notes. And for those of you who enjoy the monthly guided practices, I've got you, they're coming back too, with the first one appearing in your feed on February 20th. Well, that's it for now. If you'd like to get in touch, hit me up at feedback at skillfulmeanspodcastcom. And don't forget to rate and review the show, which helps an indie show like this get discovered. Until next time, may we meet each moment with courage and compassion.