Metta Hour with Sharon Salzberg Ep. 268 – Anxiety Series: Emma Seppälä
Jul 23, 2025
Emma Seppälä, a best-selling author and Yale lecturer, joins the discussion on navigating anxiety with compassion and emotional intelligence. They delve into the mental health crisis among university students and effective interventions like mindfulness. Emma emphasizes the importance of self-compassion, sharing techniques like the Reflective Best-Self Exercise and breathing practices. She also explores the concept of sovereignty, advocating for awareness and courage in confronting emotions. The conversation wraps up with a guided breathing exercise to help manage anxiety.
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Effective College Mental Health Tools
- Mental health tools in colleges are crucial as stress and anxiety rise among students.
- Breathing practices combined with meditation offer the most effective support for resilience.
Self-Compassion Fuels Leadership
- Self-criticism is widespread and destructive, often mistaken as self-improvement.
- True leadership emerges from self-compassion and having one's own back.
Dalai Lama's Laugh at Mistake
- Dalai Lama laughing at his public mistake revealed the power of vulnerability and imperfection.
- Authenticity like this invites connection and eases the ego’s need for perfection.
