In this powerful conversation from the Mindfulness Exercises Podcast, Sean Fargo speaks with Julie Lythcott-Haims — New York Times bestselling author, activist, politician, and former Stanford dean — about how mindfulness can help us face shame, rewrite old stories, and create space for authentic belonging.
Julie shares how she first discovered mindfulness in her 30s, how body awareness helped her get out of her own way, and how storytelling became a tool for healing unprocessed pain. She reflects on writing Real American, her memoir on race and belonging, and the liberation that came from releasing stories she had carried for decades.
⏱️ Chapters
00:00 – Intro
04:11 – mindfulness as a path to self-awareness
06:40 – Writing as emotional release
10:35 – Holding space with compassion
14:41 – The courage of vulnerability
21:16 – Helicopter Parenting: lesson in parenting and self-growth
30:25 – Post-It notes of connection
33:00 – Freeing others through your story
36:57 – Releasing fear and finding courage to be seen
38:25 – A moment of belonging with a taxi driver
41:03 – Building bridges across difference
46:25 – Living authentically with compassion
🔗Know more about Julie
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