Self-Love Is Not Selfish: The Real Inner Work of Mindful Leaders

In this episode of the Mindfulness Exercises Podcast, we explore how self-love is not a luxury or cliché — it’s a foundational practice of mindful living and teaching.

Through reflections, real-life examples, and guided insights, you’ll learn how cultivating compassion toward yourself isn’t about indulgence — it’s about resilience, truth, and belonging.

Whether you’re a mindfulness teacher, seeker, or someone in the process of healing, this episode reminds us that self-love isn’t the end of the path — it is the path.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• The difference between self-love and self-judgment disguised as motivation • How mindfulness helps us witness ourselves without shame • Why self-love is essential for those who teach or care for others • Breath- and body-based practices to soften resistance and open the heart • How to shift from "fixing" ourselves to befriending who we already are

“You don’t need to become someone else to be worthy of love. You just need to come home to yourself.”

CHAPTERS

00:00 — Why Mindful Leaders Need Self-Love

01:32 — The Hidden Toll of Overgiving05:44 — The 3 Pillars of Self-Love

07:33 — What Inner Resourcing Really Means

10:34 — Guided Practice: Self-Compassion

21:11 — Teaching From Fullness, Not Deficit.

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About the Podcast Mindfulness Exercises with Sean Fargo is a practical, grounded mindfulness podcast for people who want meditation to actually help in real life. Hosted by Sean Fargo — a former Buddhist monk, mindfulness teacher, and founder of MindfulnessExercises.com — this podcast explores how mindfulness can support mental health, emotional regulation, trauma sensitivity, chronic pain, leadership, creativity, and meaningful work. Each episode offers a mix of: • Practical mindfulness and meditation teachings • Conversations with respected teachers, clinicians, authors, and researchers • Real-world insights for therapists, coaches, yoga teachers, educators, and caregivers • Gentle reflections for anyone navigating stress, anxiety, burnout, grief, or change Rather than chasing peak experiences or spiritual bypassing, this podcast emphasizes embodied practice, ethical teaching, and mindfulness that meets people where they are—messy, human, and alive. If you’re interested in: • Mindfulness meditation for everyday life • Trauma-sensitive and co...