Looking for Self-Help? Try Some Self-Compassion Instead: A Conversation with Danielle LaPorte

I am honored to bring you this Featured Truthteller conversation with one of my sheroes, Danielle LaPorte. Danielle is an invited member of Oprah’s Super Soul 100, a group who, in Oprah’s words, “is uniquely connecting the world together with a spiritual energy that matters.”

She is the author of the upcoming White Hot Truth: Clarity for keeping it real on your spiritual path—from one seeker to another (a book that is currently dog-eared and highlighted on my nightstand). She also wrote the bestselling books The Fire Starter Sessions, and The Desire Map: A Guide To Creating Goals With Soul; the latter has been translated into eight languages and evolved into a yearly day planner system, a top 10 iTunes app, and an international workshop program with licensed facilitators in 15 countries.

Named one of the “Top 100 Websites for Women” by Forbes, DanielleLaPorte.com is visited by millions of women every month for her daily #Truthbombs and what’s been called “the best place online for kickass spirituality.” I wholeheartedly agree, as I love Danielle’s no-bullshit inspiration on life, love, and so much more.

In this conversation, we discuss her upcoming book, what it means to be ourselves unapologetically, and how women can overcome their addiction to self-help and get off their butts to be of service in the world. The same loving guidance that Danielle brings to her work is evident in our discussion, where she discloses how she learned that doing the “spiritual” thing for the right reason is important…but not always so obvious.

Danielle explains that unhooking ourselves from psychic guidance and external esoteric input is all about willing to be “a bit right and a bit wrong.” Not to mention, it’s about building your discernment muscle and trusting your gut.

“The divine feminine is accepting, fluid, and tolerant. But over-tolerance is the enemy of discernment,” she explains. “It numbs out your senses. You don’t see or feel clearly. In the name of being spiritual, a lot of women take way too much shit.”

Danielle also shares how she is personally working toward a vision of a loving, compassionate world that includes everyone. As she says, “Our key nature is warm, luminous, and friendly.” I hope this conversation will help you connect to your own deep nature.

3:15 Highlights from Danielle’s journey

7:30 It’s expensive to be self-helping all the time, literally and figuratively

10:10 You are your own guru

14:00 You can get the answers by knowing what feels right and what feels wrong in your body

16:30 The power of discernment

21:32 How we can elevate our voices as women and “light workers” and get creative about living our lives in a holistic way

27:43 Why it’s important for Danielle to acknowledge her own occasional self-righteousness

31:00 How to practice self-compassion and make it your medicine