Listen "Effort and Ease"
Episode Synopsis
Everything we do requires some effort. We wake up in the morning, and from that point forward, we exert effort, starting with getting out of bed and brushing our teeth.
In our society, it is easy to think of effort as synonymous with drudgery, exhaustion, and an attitude of "never enough." Because of this, we also have a complicated relationship with ease: we struggle to rest, and to trust ease. We often stumble from overexertion into numbing out.
Humans seem to be happiest when we find a flow between effort and ease, a satisfactory relationship with trying and allowing, practicing and surrendering. How do we come to cultivate that symbiotic relationship in our lives? How do we find that flow?
This is what we explore in today’s episode.
References:
Mindset, by Carol Dweck
Taylor Swift commencement speech at NYU
Taylor Swift's "Mirrorball"
Tricia Hersey’s The Nap Ministry
Hannah Morris Bouldering YouTube channel
In our society, it is easy to think of effort as synonymous with drudgery, exhaustion, and an attitude of "never enough." Because of this, we also have a complicated relationship with ease: we struggle to rest, and to trust ease. We often stumble from overexertion into numbing out.
Humans seem to be happiest when we find a flow between effort and ease, a satisfactory relationship with trying and allowing, practicing and surrendering. How do we come to cultivate that symbiotic relationship in our lives? How do we find that flow?
This is what we explore in today’s episode.
References:
Mindset, by Carol Dweck
Taylor Swift commencement speech at NYU
Taylor Swift's "Mirrorball"
Tricia Hersey’s The Nap Ministry
Hannah Morris Bouldering YouTube channel
More episodes of the podcast Gathering Gold
To Journal or Not to Journal in 2026?
09/01/2026
Living in the Rhythm (Re-Air)
26/12/2025
The Joy of Small Things
12/12/2025
How to Slow Down Time
21/11/2025
The Need to Nag and Control
24/10/2025
Rooting into Autumn (Re-Air)
10/10/2025
Autumn, Grief, and Beauty
26/09/2025
Myths About Relationships
12/09/2025
Myths About Life
29/08/2025
The Thief of Joy
18/08/2025
ZARZA We are Zarza, the prestigious firm behind major projects in information technology.