How can a 22 day silent retreat at a Buddhist monastery transform trauma, mindset, and daily productivity? In this episode of Productivity Smarts, Gerald J. Leonard sits down with Laurie S. Jacobson, certified health coach, motivational speaker, and author of Unexpected Awakening: 22 Days at a Buddhist Monastery Freed Me from Abuse, for a powerful conversation on transformation, resilience, and holistic productivity. Laurie shares her raw and inspiring journey of leaving an emotionally abusive marriage at age 43 and finding unexpected refuge in a silent meditation retreat at a Buddhist monastery. What began as a one week stay stretched into 22 days due to a snowstorm and ultimately changed the course of her life.
Through silence, mindfulness, Buddhist teachings, and compassionate human connection, Laurie experienced profound shifts in awareness, self trust, and purpose. Together, Gerald and Laurie explore how silence sharpens listening and emotional intelligence, why productivity breaks down when mental and emotional blocks go unaddressed, and how small baby steps can dissolve feelings of being stuck. They discuss habit stacking, trusting the process like a GPS rerouting, and why integrating mind, body, and spirit leads to sustainable productivity beyond rigid to-do lists and short term motivation.
The conversation also dives into how meditation helps surface repressed emotions, how consistency outperforms inspiration, and why a strong why is essential for long term health, creativity, and meaningful change. Laurie explains how habits naturally piggyback across physical, mental, and spiritual dimensions, creating momentum while preventing burnout and overwhelm.
If you are interested in turning adversity into growth, building mindful habits, or redefining productivity through holistic well being, this is a must listen.
What We Discuss
[00:00] Podcast introduction
[02:01] Introduction to Laurie S. Jacobson
[02:33] Favorite music and personal background
[04:07] Journey to becoming a health coach
[05:39] Transformation at the Buddhist monastery
[06:11] The power of silence and listening
[08:40] Overcoming mental and emotional obstacles
[10:38] Dealing with feeling stuck
[12:55] The GPS analogy for getting unstuck
[15:32] Integrating physical, mental, and spiritual growth
[18:44] Building consistency and support systems
[19:42] Maintaining follow through and creating habits
[23:24] The importance of knowing your why
[23:53] Host's personal story and motivation
[26:36] How to connect with Laurie S. Jacobson
[27:33] Podcast closing and call for reviews
Notable Quotes
[06:35] "Silence is so powerful. And I think what it does is it makes you a better listener." – Laurie Jacobson
[07:19] "When one of your senses is lost, the other senses get magnified." – Laurie Jacobson
[07:46] "When you focus on listening, you are able to pick up on the intent of what people are saying and the emotions." – Laurie Jacobson
[11:36] "I'm a big believer in baby steps. Slow and steady wins the race." – Laurie Jacobson
[12:27] "The hardest thing is starting." – Laurie Jacobson
[14:50] "You have to have faith and trust that once you start moving forward that you'll find the satellite." – Laurie Jacobson
[25:41] "Spend a lot of time focusing on the why." – Gerald J. Leonard
[25:58] "The bigger your why, the more powerful it's going to pull you." – Laurie S. Jacobson
Resources and Links
Laurie Jacobson
Website: https://lauriesjacobson.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurie-s-jacobson-b6271b13/
Book – Unexpected Awakening: 22 Days at a Buddhist Monastery Freed Me from Abuse
Productivity Smarts Podcast
Website - productivitysmartspodcast.com
Gerald J. Leonard
Website - geraldjleonard.com
Turnberry Premiere website - turnberrypremiere.com
Scheduler - vcita.com/v/geraldjleonard
Mentioned in the episode:
Atomic Habits by James Clear
Kiva is a loan, not a donation, allowing you to cycle your money and create a personal impact worldwide. https://www.kiva.org/lender/topmindshelpingtopminds
