If you've ever found yourself overwhelmed by emotions, you don’t quite understand—or exhausted by a constant undercurrent of stress and disconnection—this episode is for you.
Today on the You World Order Showcase, I sat down with Derek Lakin, a mindfulness teacher and creator of The Peace Pathway, to talk about how we can stop running from our emotions and finally come home to ourselves.
Derek’s work isn’t about bypassing discomfort with positivity or pretending we’re fine when we’re not. Instead, it’s about slowing down, tuning in, and learning to listen—really listen—to what our emotions, thoughts, and physical symptoms are trying to tell us.
🔑 The #1 Way to Shift the World? Know Yourself.
Right off the bat, Derek dropped a truth bomb:
“The most impactful thing we can do to shift the world is to truly know ourselves.”
In a culture wired for distraction—scrolling, numbing, overworking—it’s revolutionary to pause and ask, “How am I really feeling? “ yet, this act of inner honesty is what sets the foundation for authenticity, empathy, and meaningful impact.
🌬️ Emotions Are Messengers, Not Enemies
Derek shared his personal journey with lifelong depression and how he began to shift his relationship with pain by embracing emotions instead of suppressing them.
“I like to personify my emotions in meditation. If fear shows up, I picture hugging it and asking, ‘What do you want me to know?’”
Whether it’s fear, anger, grief, or anxiety—our emotions often start in the body. That tension in your shoulders? That pit in your stomach? It’s communication. And when we learn to decode it, everything starts to change.
💡 Try This: The next time you feel something uncomfortable in your body, pause. Breathe. Ask, “What are you trying to show me?”
🧠🌀 The Mind-Body Disconnect Is Draining Us
We dove into how chronic physical issues—like fatigue, tension, or pain—are often rooted in unprocessed emotions. Derek isn't making medical claims, but he does offer powerful anecdotal evidence from his clients:
“When people begin reconnecting their emotions to their physical symptoms, the confusion clears. They stop spiraling and start healing.”
The first step? Simply noticing.
“Mindfulness isn’t about stopping your thoughts. It’s about noticing them with curiosity—without judgment—and building micro-moments of pause.”
🍃 Mindfulness Isn’t Complicated. It’s a Practice of Presence.
So, what is mindfulness really?
According to Derek, it’s this simple:
Pause.
Breathe.
Observe with curiosity.
It’s not about sitting cross-legged on a cushion for hours. It’s about bringing awareness into your real life: chopping vegetables, walking your dog, even folding laundry. Every moment holds the opportunity to come home to yourself.
“You don’t need to change the channel of your mind—you can just lean in and learn from what’s already playing.”
✨ Introducing The Peace Pathway: A 12-Week Journey Back to You
Derek’s program, The Peace Pathway, is a gentle, guided roadmap for those ready to reconnect with their inner world. The first month is all about remembrance—rediscovering your natural state of presence and peace.
He also offers a free tool called the Mindful Moment Method Worksheet—a quick, practical way to start your mindfulness practice today. You can download it here: mindfulnesschangeslives.com
🌎 Be the Change (and Feel Better Doing It)
At the end of our chat, we circled back to something that feels especially
important for coaches, healers, and changemakers:
Self-awareness isn’t selfish. It’s a service to the planet.
When you tend to your own emotional ecosystem, your relationships shift. Your energy shifts. The way you show up in your business, your family, and your mission shifts. You stop reacting and start responding—with clarity, compassion, and presence.
🎧 Listen to the full conversation
You'll walk away feeling grounded, inspired, and reminded that peace is always available when you pause to remember who you really are.
📥 Free Mindfulness Worksheet: mindfulnesschangeslives.com
P.S. If you're a coach, healer, or spiritual entrepreneur ready to share your voice and mission through podcasting & Substack, I’d love to help you get visible and aligned. Subscribe today and come join us for the next Cohort of Substack Alchemy the 4-week intensive to help you amply your voice and monetize your message with Substack.
Because when you get visible, you amplify your impact.
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