Episode 234: How to Do the Hard Thing When You’d Rather Not

Jul 8, 2025

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Feeling stuck, trapped, or frustrated with yourself? In this powerful and deeply personal episode, Dr. Greg Bottaro unpacks what true interior freedom really means—and why so many of us struggle to experience it. Drawing on Catholic mindfulness, St. John Paul II’s rich teaching on human freedom, and years of clinical experience, Dr. Greg breaks open why we do the things we don’t want to do, how hidden patterns keep us from the good we desire, and what it actually takes to become who God created us to be. This is an invitation to go deeper than surface-level self-help and begin building the kind of freedom that leads to holiness, health, and real human flourishing.

Key Topics:

The difference between capacity for freedom and acting in freedom
Why we do the things we don’t want to do—and can’t do the things we want
The subconscious patterns that hijack our choices
Moving from automatic habits to conscious, virtuous action
How our daily choices shape who we become

Learn More:

CatholicPsych Mentorship Program: Get one-on-one support for the areas where you feel stuck. Free consultations available.
Catholic Mindfulness Virtual Retreat: An 8-week course to bring your faith and your spirituality in line with the way your brain works.
The Mindful Catholic by Dr. Greg Bottaro
Letter to Families from Pope John Paul II (1994)
Discernment of Spirits Course: An 8-week course to learn how to understand what God is saying to you.
Setting the Stage: Early Plays of St. John Paul II: Featuring “Our God’s Brother” and other plays written by Karol Wojtyła (St. John Paul II).
Related Being Human episodes:

Ep. #228: The Joy of Inconvenience: A Conversation with Comedian Tom Shillue
Ep. #175: Rethinking Formation: Preparing Priests for the Future with Fr. Sam Kachuba
Ep. #180: The Psychology of JP2: A Bold Proposal

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