Best David D. Hopkins Podcasts (2025)

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✨Stop Goal Setting: Create Your Menu for Success✨ 19:01

Play Pause

6h ago19:01

19:01

Let us know what you enjoy about the show! Are you tired of setting goals you can’t stick to? In this episode, Lisa Hopkins introduces The Menu — a flexible, practical tool designed to set you up for success no matter how busy life gets. Instead of rigid goals that often lead to guilt or frustration, The Menu offers bite-sized to main-course option…

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#127: If AI’s Taking the Jobs, What’s the Point of a Degree? 34:50

22h ago34:50

34:50

If AI’s Replacing Jobs, What’s the Point of a Degree? That’s not clickbait—it’s the question millions of Gen Z students are silently asking. In this episode, Dr. David D. Hopkins takes a wrecking ball to the old college playbook and lays out what actually matters in the age of AI, automation, and algorithmic everything. If artificial intelligence i…

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🌟 Breathe Into Your Power & Shine🌟 A Meditation for Self-Confidence 11:10

3d ago11:10

11:10

Let us know what you enjoy about the show! Take a journey into your inner landscape with this transformative guided meditation focused on reconnecting with your authentic power. Beginning with mindful breath awareness, this practice leads you to visualize your breath as golden light energy gathering in your solar plexus – your personal power center…

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Kafka’s Traveling Doll: A Story About Letting Go 🕊️ 6:32

6d ago6:32

6:32

Let us know what you enjoy about the show! What if the things we’ve lost aren’t really missing, but simply traveling? This tender retelling of a story attributed to Franz Kafka offers a profound perspective on change, transformation, and how we might relate differently to what we feel we’ve lost. Through the tale of a little girl whose doll goes mi…

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#126: Student Loans Don’t Care About Your "Dream College" Feelings 27:27

8d ago27:27

27:27

Stop letting your emotions make six-figure decisions. Choosing a college isn’t like buying a car. But too often, that’s how it’s sold—on vibes, not value. In this episode, Dr. David D. Hopkins unpacks how emotional decision-making can lead to lifelong debt and why parents need to think (and act) strategically before signing off on six-figure loans.…

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✨ 5-Minute Restorative Meditation: Quality Over Quantity 5:48

10d ago5:48

5:48

Let us know what you enjoy about the show! This short, restorative meditation guides listeners through a heart-centered practice designed to help them center themselves and shift their energy in under five minutes. • Quality over quantity: even brief moments of focused breathing can be transformative • Simple body relaxation techniques including so…

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Shuttlecocks and Belly Laughs: Work, Play, and the Power of Pause 🌿🏸✨ 4:38

12d ago4:38

4:38

Let us know what you enjoy about the show! What if the key to a more fulfilling life isn't about squeezing more productivity from every minute but rather making space for unscheduled joy? Join me as I share the surprising lessons I've learned from playing impromptu badminton games with my husband on the narrow green strip between our cottage and th…

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The Legend of Murray Kempton, with Andrew Holter 1:17:20

14d ago1:17:20

1:17:20

Murray Kempton (1917-97) was one of the greatest American journalists of the twentieth century. His career extended across seven decades, during which he produced somewhere around 11,000 columns, essays, and pamphlets, nearly all of them marked by his distinctive dry wit, insight, and stylistic elegance. He wrote about government and politics but a…

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#125: From Dream to Scam? Rethinking College in America 27:42

16d ago27:42

27:42

College is sold as the golden ticket—but is it? In this episode, David D. Hopkins unpacks the promises and pitfalls of higher education in America. From soaring tuition costs and crushing student debt to the shifting value of degrees in today’s job market, we cut through the hype and ask the hard questions: Is college still worth it? Or has it beco…

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💫 Meeting Your Future Self: A Guided Visualization for Wisdom and Clarity 🌿 10:21

19d ago10:21

10:21

Let us know what you enjoy about the show! Doorways to clarity await in this transformative guided meditation that connects you with the wisdom of your future self. The journey begins in a quiet, safe room—your inner sanctuary of possibility. With each breath, you're guided to open windows, inviting fresh air that symbolizes the clearing of mental …

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Aisha Jackson on Voice, Presence & the Joy of Sharing Her Gifts 56:58

20d ago56:58

56:58

Let us know what you enjoy about the show! What does it really mean to honor your body’s wisdom in a high-pressure career? Broadway star Aisha Jackson (The Great Gatsby, Frozen, Waitress) takes us behind the curtain to reveal the delicate balance between artistic excellence and personal wellbeing. Fresh from celebrating the one-year anniversary of …

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🌿 Meditation for Fresh Starts: Embrace Change & New Beginnings 8:28

24d ago8:28

8:28

Let us know what you enjoy about the show! Life is full of transitions—some chosen, some unexpected. Fresh starts can feel both exciting and overwhelming, and often we forget to pause long enough to honor the shift. This guided meditation will help you release what no longer serves you, carry forward the wisdom of what’s behind you, and gently step…

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🍂 Fall Reflections: A Mindfulness Exercise for the Season of Change ✨🧘‍♀️ 10:38

29d ago10:38

10:38

Let us know what you enjoy about the show! 🍂 That unmistakable shift in the air signals more than just the turning of seasons—it touches something deeper within us. The angle of sunlight, the rustle of leaves, the crisp blue sky—all converge to create what I call that inescapable fall feeling. ✨ In this episode, I guide you through a simple mindful…

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The Waterfall and the Pond: A Buddhist Parable on Rest and Renewal 6:57

1M ago6:57

6:57

Let us know what you enjoy about the show! Have you ever felt guilty for resting in a world that glorifies constant productivity? This gentle, meditative episode offers a powerful antidote to our culture's obsession with perpetual action through a beautiful Buddhist parable about balance and renewal. At the heart of this episode is the story of Kan…

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Beyond Structure: Creating What Can’t Be Taken Away 4:11

1M ago4:11

4:11

Let us know what you enjoy about the show! This intimate conversation explores the balance between craving stability and embracing uncertainty in artistic pursuits. Our guest, an established actor, shares their strategy for navigating the feast-or-famine nature of the entertainment industry. Rather than remaining “at the beck and call of some force…

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✨ Embrace Your Inner Child: A Golden Light Meditation for Healing & Release 9:46

1M ago9:46

9:46

Let us know what you enjoy about the show! If you are enjoying the show please subscribe, share and review! Word of mouth is incredibly impactful and your support is much appreciated! Support the show 🌟✨📚 **Buy 'The Places Where There Are Spaces: Cultivating A Life of Creative Possibilities'** 📚✨🌟 Dive into a world where spontaneity leads to creati…

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Valeria Yamin: Trusting the Voice Within 53:11

1M ago53:11

53:11

Let us know what you enjoy about the show! What happens when a 12-year-old decides to stop living a lie and pursue her true passion? For Broadway dancer Valeria Yamin, it was the moment that changed everything. In this captivating conversation, Valeria takes us on her journey from Venezuela to Broadway, revealing the pivotal moments that shaped her…

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🌙⛵💖 Life By Us: 36 Years of Love, Adventure, and the Art of Writing Our Own Story 📖✨ 7:20

1M ago7:20

7:20

Let us know what you enjoy about the show! In this heartfelt anniversary episode, I share a personal story that spans nearly four decades—from meeting my husband Philip as a teenager, to getting married aboard a tall ship on Lake Ontario, to the life we’ve created together as captains of our own ship. Originally written on our 21st wedding annivers…

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✨ Reset Your Mind, Reignite Your Imagination: Guided Meditation to Awaken Your Creative Spark 13:20

1M ago13:20

13:20

Let us know what you enjoy about the show! Feeling stuck or uninspired? This gentle guided meditation helps you clear mental clutter, center your energy, and reconnect with your creative spark. Perfect for starting your week, centering before work, or recharging midday, you’ll be guided through grounding breathwork, calming visualization, and a war…

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💡 Breaking Free from Success Traps: Reclaim Your Power and Redefine Success 7:50

2M ago7:50

7:50

Let us know what you enjoy about the show! Have you ever achieved something impressive only to discover it didn't bring the fulfillment you expected? This episode shares the powerful journey of a client (called "Jessie" for privacy) who found herself in exactly this position – working on the most prestigious project of her career yet feeling profou…

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The politics of abundance, with Misha Chellam 1:06:05

2M ago1:06:05

1:06:05

Misha Chellam, a leader in the Abundance movement and co-founder of the Abundance Network, joins The Vital Center to discuss how YIMBYism, state capacity, and Progress Studies relate to abundance. Chellam analyzes the successful alliances of growth-focused Abundants and good-government moderates in San Francisco. He also envisions future Abundance …

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💡 When You're Off Your Game but Don’t Know Why: Understanding Performance Influencers 4:45

2M ago4:45

4:45

Let us know what you enjoy about the show! What truly separates high performers from everyone else? Contrary to popular belief, it's not just raw talent or relentless positivity—it's their ability to identify and manage the specific influencers that affect their performance. During our enlightening conversation, we dive deep into the six critical i…

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🌈 Journey Through the Chakras: Awakening Your Creative Spirit ✨ 20:18

2M ago20:18

20:18

Let us know what you enjoy about the show! Struggling to access your creativity? Feeling disconnected from your inner voice? This chakra meditation offers a beautiful journey back to yourself through energy alignment and guided visualization. We begin by settling into a comfortable position, allowing the breath to naturally deepen as we prepare to …

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Ready to Stop Coasting and Challenge Your Comfort Zone? 💥🚀 11:39

2M ago11:39

11:39

Let us know what you enjoy about the show! What drives you forward when you’re already succeeding? When everyone around you thinks you’re doing great, how do you reconnect with that inner knowing that there’s more—more growth, more potential, more purpose? This episode explores the growth mindset of high performers and challenges the idea that succ…

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🌙 Unwind the Day: A Meditation for Rest 10:47

2M ago10:47

10:47

Let us know what you enjoy about the show! Finding that sweet spot between a busy day and restful sleep can feel impossible when your nervous system hasn't gotten the memo that it's time to power down. This meditation meets you exactly where you are – still buzzing with the day's energy, mind racing, body unable to settle – and guides you gently to…

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Finding Freedom in Limitlessness: The Buddhist Parable of Fudo 5:23

2M ago5:23

5:23

Let us know what you enjoy about the show! A Buddhist parable tells the story of Fudo, a young falcon who learns that true freedom comes from understanding that the sky isn't a boundary to overcome but a reflection of his own limitless nature. This ancient wisdom teaches us that our perception of limitations often creates the very constraints we st…

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🌿 Walking Meditation: A Nine-Minute Reset for Body and Mind 9:44

2M ago9:44

9:44

Let us know what you enjoy about the show! Experience a nine-minute walking meditation journey focused on presence, noticing, and gratitude. This mindful practice transforms ordinary walking into a conscious act of coming home to yourself while deepening your awareness of the world around you. • Standing still to ground yourself before beginning th…

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✨ There Is No Shelf Life for Insight ✨ 7:30

2M ago7:30

7:30

Let us know what you enjoy about the show! 🌿 A reflection on creative worth, momentum, and sharing what still matters. Have you ever created something you're proud of, only to let it fade into the background? That moment when you decide your work has passed its prime—even though its value remains unchanged? Summer mornings by the lake have become m…

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How William Buckley shaped the American right, with Sam Tanenhaus 2:06:24

2M ago2:06:24

2:06:24

Sam Tanenhaus, an esteemed journalist and biographer, joins The Vital Center to discuss his biography of William F. Buckley Jr. Buckley, a towering figure in American conservatism, helped to pave the way for the political realignment that Ronald Reagan accomplished. Tanenhaus exposes Buckley’s darker origins, including his support for racial segreg…

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How to Transform Negative Thoughts and Reclaim Your Energy 10:17

2M ago10:17

10:17

Let us know what you enjoy about the show! Ever found yourself exhausted from battling negative thoughts? You're not alone. What if those pesky inner critics weren't actually your enemies, but misguided protectors you could transform into powerful allies? Throughout this episode, I dive into the counterintuitive approach to handling the negative vo…

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🌀 Can’t Sleep Because Your Mind Won’t Stop? This One's For You💤 11:21

3M ago11:21

11:21

Let us know what you enjoy about the show! This guided meditation helps you release the mental weight of hopes, dreams, and expectations that keep you awake, teaching you to temporarily set aside both worries and positive anticipations to make space for restful sleep. • Identifying how hope itself can sometimes become a burden that prevents present…

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🕸️ The Artist at My Door: What I Learned from a Spider’s Web 7:03

2M ago7:03

7:03

Let us know what you enjoy about the show! A simple morning ritual sparked a profound realization about perception, gratitude, and finding beauty in life's small annoyances. What began as frustration with a persistent spider web across my doorway evolved into a daily practice of mindful appreciation. Walking you through my morning routine—making co…

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💡 Stop Proving Yourself and Start Believing In Yourself! 3:38

3M ago3:38

3:38

Let us know what you enjoy about the show! We unpack what it means to truly own your worth without performing it, proving it, or apologizing for it. This conversation explores the difference between authentic confidence and performative self-worth. • The misconception that client interactions are about proving ourselves rather than delivering value…

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✨ Reignite Your Creative Spark: A Guided Meditation ✨ 14:35

3M ago14:35

14:35

Let us know what you enjoy about the show! We explore the importance of reconnecting with our creative essence and overcoming the blocks that dim our inner spark. This meditation guides you through remembering your creative self, beyond judgment and beyond comparison. • Creativity exists beyond resumes or past achievements – it's about tapping into…

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🌍 Where You Come From Matters —and it isn't a place 💫 6:42

3M ago6:42

6:42

Let us know what you enjoy about the show! A chance encounter on a train becomes a moment to challenge assumptions about nationality and kindness. When an elderly couple attributes my patience to being Canadian, I return to clarify that values, not citizenship, define our interactions with others. • Reassuring an anxious elderly couple that their p…

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The libertarian prophet of the abundance movement, with Virginia Postrel 1:05:29

3M ago1:05:29

1:05:29

The intellectual-political discussion of the so-called abundance movement typically is described as a debate taking place almost entirely on the left. But in fact many of its major themes were being discussed in right-leaning circles decades ago. Virginia Postrel, a libertarian thinker and journalist who was the former editor-in-chief of Reason mag…

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🪷 Breathing Through Burnout 🪷 13:49

3M ago13:49

13:49

Let us know what you enjoy about the show! This meditation creates a safe space for anyone navigating unknown territory, feeling burnout, or carrying the weight of worry and stress. It offers practical techniques to release tension and reconnect with your center, reminding you that uncertainty doesn't mean you're lost—it means you're still becoming…

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Kristen Anderson-Lopez: Layers, Laughter & Living Intentionally 1:11:03

3M ago1:11:03

1:11:03

Let us know what you enjoy about the show! What happens when a creative powerhouse learns to embrace all facets of herself? Kristen Anderson-Lopez—the brilliant songwriter behind Frozen's "Let It Go," Coco's "Remember Me," and WandaVision's "Agatha All Along"—opens up about the delicate dance between artistic ambition and motherhood, revealing how …

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💡The Gift on the Other Side of Resistance 3:47

3M ago3:47

3:47

Let us know what you enjoy about the show! Have you ever wondered what might happen if you allowed yourself to truly look inward? What truths might you discover if you moved beyond surface-level engagement with yourself? During a recent book club gathering for "The Places When There Are Spaces," something extraordinary happened. A participant—someo…

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Chakra Alignment Meditation: Reconnect with Your Inner Wisdom 🔴🟠🟡🟢🔵🟣⚪️ 12:36

3M ago12:36

12:36

Let us know what you enjoy about the show! Discover a sanctuary of inner peace with this transformative chakra meditation designed to reconnect you with the wisdom that resides within your body, not your mind. For the next 13 minutes, you'll journey through your seven main energy centers, gently awakening and harmonizing each one as you remember yo…

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Here's the TEA About Reactive Behavior ☕️⚡️🧠 7:18

3M ago7:18

7:18

Let us know what you enjoy about the show! Have you ever wondered why you keep falling into the same reactive patterns? The answer lies in understanding the TEA method—Thought, Emotion, Action—and how these three elements flow together when we're operating on autopilot. When we react without awareness, there's virtually no space between our thought…

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💡 Stop Over-Explaining, Start Inviting — The Art of Clear Communication 5:09

3M ago5:09

5:09

Let us know what you enjoy about the show! We explore how the desire to connect can transform into over-explaining and dilute our message when we're driven by the need to be understood, validated, and accepted. • The coach identifies a pattern of tangential explanations stemming from worry about listeners' perceptions • Client recognizes her habit …

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🌙 Release the Day: A Meditation for Deep, Restorative Rest 😴 15:46

3M ago15:46

15:46

Let us know what you enjoy about the show! A guided meditation designed to release daily tension and ease you into deep, restorative rest through body scanning and visualization techniques. We create a safe space where you can let go of anxious thoughts, allow yourself to be held, and trust that everything will be okay. • Settling into a comfortabl…

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🌱 Never Assume That It Goes Without Saying: Love Out Loud 💜 8:00

3M ago8:00

8:00

Let us know what you enjoy about the show! We explore how the common phrase "it goes without saying" creates missed opportunities for meaningful connection and how explicitly expressing our feelings strengthens our relationships. • Examining the dangers of assuming our feelings are understood without expression • Why important emotions like love, p…

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Populism and working-class nostalgia for the 1950s, with Alan Ehrenhalt 53:32

4M ago53:32

53:32

Donald Trump’s most resonant political slogan has always been the one he borrowed from Ronald Reagan: “Make America Great Again.” Trump rarely has been pushed to define when exactly he believes America experienced the greatness he promises to recapture. But many of his followers believe that America’s golden age — particularly for its working class…

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💡 From “I Should” to “I Could”: Releasing Shame and Reclaiming Choice 4:21

3M ago4:21

4:21

Let us know what you enjoy about the show! Have you ever noticed how a simple shift in language can completely transform how you feel? In this enlightening episode, I share a powerful insight from my conversation with the incredibly talented Kristen Anderson Lopez about what I call "energetic choice." We dive deep into the transformative power of s…

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🌙 “Yesterday Is but Today’s Memory…”: Wisdom from Khalil Gibran 4:23

4M ago4:23

4:23

Let us know what you enjoy about the show! Have you ever considered that our obsession with measuring time might be missing the point entirely? Khalil Gibran's masterpiece "The Prophet" offers us a profound alternative perspective that could transform how we experience each moment of our lives. Today I felt moved to share a beautiful passage from "…

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🌱 Embracing Imperfection: Messy Can Be Beautiful 5:00

4M ago5:00

5:00

Let us know what you enjoy about the show! Perfectionism keeps us small. It holds us captive with the false belief that we must be polished and complete before showing our work to the world. Today, I'm breaking free from that trap by sharing something vulnerable - an unfinished chapter from my upcoming book, "I Get To: The Power of Energetic Choice…

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💡 What Envy Can Teach Us About Ourselves 4:15

4M ago4:15

4:15

Let us know what you enjoy about the show! In this powerful and honest episode, Lisa shares a candid conversation that took place during a book club she hosted for fellow coaches. When one respected peer opened up about feeling jealous after learning he had written a book—something he had long aspired to do—it sparked a meaningful dialogue about co…

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🌧️✨ From Storm to Sunlight (A Guided Meditation for Moving Through Darkness Into Light) 10:11

4M ago10:11

10:11

Let us know what you enjoy about the show! A guided meditation designed to help you move through emotional heaviness using the imagery of a storm transforming into sunlight and a rainbow. This visualization mirrors life's natural cycles of darkness and light, reminding us that transformation often begins in unexpected places. • Beginning in the mid…