Wisdom Dharma Chats | Leo Babauta

In this Wisdom Dharma Chat, host Daniel Aitken interviews simplicity blogger and bestselling author Leo Babauta. Leo created Zen Habits, a Top 25 blog with over a million readers, which he started writing to chronicle and share what he’s learned while changing a number of habits, including waking early, losing weight, quitting smoking, becoming a runner, eliminating debt, and more. He is also a husband, father of six children and a vegan; in 2010, he moved from Guam to California, where he leads a simple life with his family.

In this wide ranging conversation, Leo shares some of his approaches to eliminating “bad” habits and developing “good” habits, explaining how bringing awareness to thought and behavior allows for examination of deeply embedded psychological patterns and is thus instrumental in creating sustainable change within oneself. He opens up about his repeated attempts to quit smoking, and how he was finally able to commit to changing this habit through establishing accountability, identifying motivations rooted in serving others, and importantly, building self-trust. Leo describes how this self-trust can be cultivated by starting with one small, tangible habit that is relatively easy to follow through, and then gradually progressing to other habits. He also advocates for learning from failures and embracing them as opportunities to practice self-compassion rather than engaging in negative self-talk.

Leo also recounts his first encounters with the Zen tradition and found that the radical simplicity of the tradition spoke to him; since then, he discusses how meditation and mindfulness have come to permeate everything that he does. He goes on to talk about his recent experiments with maintaining a sense of open curiosity in situations of uncertainty and his ultimate mission to guide people through times of great change and tumult. Finally, Daniel relays questions for Leo from the audience on topics ranging from relationships to ambition.

The giveaway mentioned in the recording has closed, but we invite listeners to learn more about Leo’s training programs. Leo’s books are also available for purchase on his website.