Self-sabotage isn’t a lack of discipline—it often begins with an old belief you’ve learned to trust. Discover how Taoist wisdom can help you break the cycle and rebuild trust in yourself.

In this episode of Tao Dialogues, we explore how to stop self-sabotaging and start trusting yourself through the wisdom of Taoism and Inner Child healing. Discover how limiting beliefs, fear, perfectionism and old childhood patterns can drive self-sabotaging behaviour and how the Golden Thread Process can help you uncover the beliefs beneath those patterns. Learn to recognise the difference between the fearful voice of the Inner Child and the quiet wisdom of Shen, rebuild self-trust, and return to truth, honesty and integrity. Through authentic living, we can stop fighting ourselves and begin flowing more naturally with life.

Read the blog post that inspired this episode: https://davidjameslees.substack.com/p/regret-without-ruin (third post on this page)

Our Tao Dialogues are powerful yet gentle teachings about authenticity, spirituality and finding emotional balance and flow in everyday life. These spoken-word episodes draw from David James Lees’ practice as a Taoist monk and teacher, and expand upon popular posts on ‘David’s Journal’, his Substack blog.

You can subscribe to David’s Journal here: https://davidjameslees.substack.com/

Learn more about David’s online consultations, events, books and audio teachings: https://www.wuweiwisdom.com

Other related teachings on our YouTube channel that will help you:

• TAO DIALOGUES PLAYLIST https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9NQ_PWX4zICamFP2zMyey3KGTnfm2aUq&si=AW_ZOUeldKv3nHhF
• SHEN (THE SPIRITUAL SELF) PLAYLIST https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9NQ_PWX4zIBmp50wYcmU7jCBLp1Qvl-j
• INNER CHILD PLAYLIST https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9NQ_PWX4zICGLRS1b7q1HSJhZRash5qq

Is there a question you'd like answered on the show? Submit it at: https://bit.ly/askusyourquestion

Join our free Wu Wei Wisdom Community Facebook support group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/wuweiwisdomcommunity

If you love our work, you can now make a small donation to help fund the continued production of our weekly teachings by buying us a 'virtual coffee'! https://www.buymeacoffee.com/wuweiwisdom

Book an online Golden Thread Process & Inner Child Consultation with David: https://www.wuweiwisdom.com/therapies-for-body-mind/

Follow us on Instagram: @wuweiwisdom

Sign up to receive a relaxing guided meditation gift, plus our weekly newsletter + offers via email: https://www.wuweiwisdom.com/signup

-

Disclaimer: This podcast and any associated teaching and comments shared are not a substitute for professional therapy, mental health care, crisis support, medical advice, doctor diagnosis, or professional healthcare treatment. Our show episodes provide general information for educational purposes only and are offered as suggestions for you and your professional therapist or healthcare advisor to consider and research.

Music by Earth Tree Healing

Rejection does not define your worth. This guided meditation will help you release the need for external validation, heal rejection wounds and return to inner peace - with Taoist monk and teacher, David James Lees.

In this guided meditation for rejection and self-worth, discover how to let go of the need for approval, overcome people-pleasing and reconnect with your true value. Drawing on Taoist philosophy and Inner Child healing practices, this calming meditation explores how rejection can become redirection—and why your worth can never be given or taken away by another person. Release external validation, self-doubt and fear of rejection as you build self-acceptance, inner peace, emotional resilience and trust in yourself and the flow of life.

⚠️ PLEASE DO NOT LISTEN TO THIS MEDITATION WHILE DRIVING OR OPERATING MACHINERY

Learn more about David’s online consultations, events, books and audio teachings: https://www.wuweiwisdom.com

Subscribe to David’s FREE Journal: https://davidjameslees.substack.com/

Other teachings and guided meditations you may enjoy:

• GUIDED MEDITATION PLAYLIST https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9NQ_PWX4zIA12P7BftG6a18lIWFDjL35&si=bWWub6YyoZpXhFub
• LOVE & RELATIONSHIPS PLAYLIST https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9NQ_PWX4zID3yxrdCbbZFuKHCwgV6qhX&si=-zdah_z6MiSZIl0t

Is there a question you'd like answered on the show? Submit it at: https://bit.ly/askusyourquestion

Join our free Wu Wei Wisdom Community Facebook support group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/wuweiwisdomcommunity

If you love our work, you can now make a small donation to help fund the continued production of our weekly teachings by buying us a 'virtual coffee'! https://www.buymeacoffee.com/wuweiwisdom

Book an online Golden Thread Process & Inner Child Consultation with David: https://www.wuweiwisdom.com/therapies-for-body-mind/

Follow us on Instagram: @wuweiwisdom

Sign up to receive a relaxing guided meditation gift, plus our weekly newsletter + offers via email: https://www.wuweiwisdom.com/signup

-

Disclaimer: This podcast and any associated teaching and comments shared are not a substitute for professional therapy, mental health care, crisis support, medical advice, doctor diagnosis, or professional healthcare treatment. Our show episodes provide general information for educational purposes only and are offered as suggestions for you and your professional therapist or healthcare advisor to consider and research.

Music by Earth Tree Healing

Rejection hurts—but it doesn’t define your worth. Discover the Taoist way to stop chasing validation, let go with dignity, and find peace when life says no.

Discover why rejection can trigger self-doubt, childhood wounds, fear of abandonment and people-pleasing—and how to stop seeking external validation or trying to force people and situations to align.

Learn how non-attachment, self-acceptance and wu wei can help you process rejection, protect your self-worth and emotional wellbeing, and trust that sometimes rejection is redirection towards a more authentic path.

With your hosts, David James Lees (ordained Taoist monk, emotional and spiritual health teacher) and Alexandra Lees (mindset and business coach).

Learn more about David’s online consultations, events, books and audio teachings: https://www.wuweiwisdom.com

Subscribe to David’s FREE Journal: https://davidjameslees.substack.com/

Other related teachings on our YouTube channel that will help you:

• Our INNER CHILD PLAYLIST https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9NQ_PWX4zICGLRS1b7q1HSJhZRash5qq
• LOVE & RELATIONSHIPS PLAYLIST https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9NQ_PWX4zID3yxrdCbbZFuKHCwgV6qhX

Is there a question you'd like answered on the show? Submit it at: https://bit.ly/askusyourquestion

Join our free Wu Wei Wisdom Community Facebook support group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/wuweiwisdomcommunity

If you love our work, you can now make a small donation to help fund the continued production of our weekly teachings by buying us a 'virtual coffee'! https://www.buymeacoffee.com/wuweiwisdom

Follow us on Instagram: @wuweiwisdom

Sign up to receive a relaxing guided meditation gift, plus our weekly newsletter + offers via email: https://www.wuweiwisdom.com/signup

Music by Earth Tree Healing

Disclaimer: This podcast and any associated teaching and comments shared are not a substitute for professional therapy, mental health care, crisis support, medical advice, doctor diagnosis, or professional healthcare treatment. Our show episodes provide general information for educational purposes only and are offered as suggestions for you and your professional therapist or healthcare advisor to consider and research.

Let go of regret, but learn the life lesson.

In this episode of Tao Dialogues, you’ll discover how to let go of regret, guilt and self-criticism without losing the wisdom your past experiences can teach you. Drawing on Taoism, spirituality and Inner Child teachings, we explore how to break free from emotional patterns, self-punishment and the past. Learn how authentic reflection, self-acceptance and the ‘power of three’ — truth, honesty and integrity — can transform regret into wisdom, confidence and personal growth. You don’t honour yesterday by living there — you honour it by learning from it.

Read the blog post that inspired this episode: https://davidjameslees.substack.com/p/regret-without-ruin (first blog post on this page)

Our Tao Dialogues are powerful yet gentle teachings about authenticity, spirituality and finding emotional balance and flow in everyday life. These spoken-word episodes draw from David James Lees’ practice as a Taoist monk and teacher, and expand upon popular posts on ‘David’s Journal’, his Substack blog.

You can subscribe to David’s Journal here: https://davidjameslees.substack.com/

Learn more about David’s online consultations, events, books and audio teachings: https://www.wuweiwisdom.com

Other related teachings on our YouTube channel that will help you:

• TAO DIALOGUES PLAYLIST https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9NQ_PWX4zICamFP2zMyey3KGTnfm2aUq&si=AW_ZOUeldKv3nHhF
• SHEN (THE SPIRITUAL SELF) PLAYLIST https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9NQ_PWX4zIBmp50wYcmU7jCBLp1Qvl-j
• INNER CHILD PLAYLIST https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9NQ_PWX4zICGLRS1b7q1HSJhZRash5qq

Is there a question you'd like answered on the show? Submit it at: https://bit.ly/askusyourquestion

Join our free Wu Wei Wisdom Community Facebook support group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/wuweiwisdomcommunity

If you love our work, you can now make a small donation to help fund the continued production of our weekly teachings by buying us a 'virtual coffee'! https://www.buymeacoffee.com/wuweiwisdom

Book an online Golden Thread Process & Inner Child Consultation with David: https://www.wuweiwisdom.com/therapies-for-body-mind/

Follow us on Instagram: @wuweiwisdom

Sign up to receive a relaxing guided meditation gift, plus our weekly newsletter + offers via email: https://www.wuweiwisdom.com/signup

-

Disclaimer: This podcast and any associated teaching and comments shared are not a substitute for professional therapy, mental health care, crisis support, medical advice, doctor diagnosis, or professional healthcare treatment. Our show episodes provide general information for educational purposes only and are offered as suggestions for you and your professional therapist or healthcare advisor to consider and research.

Music by Earth Tree Healing

A guided meditation to help you break free from self-sabotage, reconnect with your Inner Child and take the first calm step towards your true potential - with Taoist monk and teacher, David James Lees

Feeling stuck, procrastinating, or trapped in self-sabotage? This guided meditation combines Taoist wisdom, Inner Child healing, mindfulness and self-compassion to help you release fear, overcome perfectionism, reconnect with your inner spiritual wisdom, and move forward with calm confidence. Through gentle visualisation, affirmations and breathwork, you'll learn to replace old protective patterns with authentic, aligned action—one peaceful step at a time.

⚠️ PLEASE DO NOT LISTEN TO THIS MEDITATION WHILE DRIVING OR OPERATING MACHINERY

This meditation can be practised daily or whenever you need it.

Learn more about David’s online consultations, events, books and audio teachings: https://www.wuweiwisdom.com

Subscribe to David’s FREE Journal: https://davidjameslees.substack.com/

Other teachings and guided meditations you may enjoy:

• GUIDED MEDITATION PLAYLIST https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9NQ_PWX4zIA12P7BftG6a18lIWFDjL35&si=bWWub6YyoZpXhFub
• LOVE & RELATIONSHIPS PLAYLIST https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9NQ_PWX4zID3yxrdCbbZFuKHCwgV6qhX&si=-zdah_z6MiSZIl0t

Is there a question you'd like answered on the show? Submit it at: https://bit.ly/askusyourquestion

Join our free Wu Wei Wisdom Community Facebook support group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/wuweiwisdomcommunity

If you love our work, you can now make a small donation to help fund the continued production of our weekly teachings by buying us a 'virtual coffee'! https://www.buymeacoffee.com/wuweiwisdom

Book an online Golden Thread Process & Inner Child Consultation with David: https://www.wuweiwisdom.com/therapies-for-body-mind/

Follow us on Instagram: @wuweiwisdom

Sign up to receive a relaxing guided meditation gift, plus our weekly newsletter + offers via email: https://www.wuweiwisdom.com/signup

-

Disclaimer: This podcast and any associated teaching and comments shared are not a substitute for professional therapy, mental health care, crisis support, medical advice, doctor diagnosis, or professional healthcare treatment. Our show episodes provide general information for educational purposes only and are offered as suggestions for you and your professional therapist or healthcare advisor to consider and research.

Music by Earth Tree Healing

Feeling stuck in life? Discover how to break free, stop living beneath your potential, and begin flourishing.

Why do so many capable people feel stuck in life, despite working hard and doing everything they're "supposed" to do? In this video, we explore the hidden psychology of self-sabotage, revealing how unresolved Inner Child issues create procrastination, perfectionism, people-pleasing, fear of failure and emotional stagnation.

You’ll discover how limiting childhood beliefs can keep you trapped in familiar patterns and practical steps to help you overcome these, stop repeating the same emotional cycles, and begin making decisions from integrity rather than fear.

With your hosts, David James Lees (ordained Taoist monk, emotional and spiritual health teacher) and Alexandra Lees (mindset and business coach).

Learn more about David’s online consultations, events, books and audio teachings: https://www.wuweiwisdom.com

Subscribe to David’s FREE Journal: https://davidjameslees.substack.com/

Other related teachings on our YouTube channel that will help you:

• Our INNER CHILD PLAYLIST https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9NQ_PWX4zICGLRS1b7q1HSJhZRash5qq
• Our GOLDEN THREAD PROCESS PLAYLIST https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9NQ_PWX4zIAsS_wgdRN7QGBKIk54sbyD

Is there a question you'd like answered on the show? Submit it at: https://bit.ly/askusyourquestion

Join our free Wu Wei Wisdom Community Facebook support group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/wuweiwisdomcommunity

If you love our work, you can now make a small donation to help fund the continued production of our weekly teachings by buying us a 'virtual coffee'! https://www.buymeacoffee.com/wuweiwisdom

Follow us on Instagram: @wuweiwisdom

Sign up to receive a relaxing guided meditation gift, plus our weekly newsletter + offers via email: https://www.wuweiwisdom.com/signup

Music by Earth Tree Healing

Disclaimer: This podcast and any associated teaching and comments shared are not a substitute for professional therapy, mental health care, crisis support, medical advice, doctor diagnosis, or professional healthcare treatment. Our show episodes provide general information for educational purposes only and are offered as suggestions for you and your professional therapist or healthcare advisor to consider and research.

What if your destiny isn't something to figure out—but something to trust? Discover the Taoist path from overthinking and anxiety to peace, presence, and effortless flow.

Are you constantly overthinking your future, worrying about making the wrong decision, or wondering whether fate has already determined your life? In this episode of Tao Dialogues, we explore the timeless Taoist question of fate versus flow and discover why peace comes not from predicting the future, but from trusting yourself to meet it. You’ll learn how to let go of anxiety about the future, stop overthinking every decision, and embrace life's unfolding path with greater calm and confidence.

Read the blog post that inspired this episode: https://davidjameslees.substack.com/p/universal-integrity [first blog post on this page]

Our Tao Dialogues are powerful yet gentle teachings about authenticity, spirituality and finding emotional balance and flow in everyday life. These spoken-word episodes draw from David James Lees’ practice as a Taoist monk and teacher, and expand upon popular posts on ‘David’s Journal’, his Substack blog.

You can subscribe to David’s Journal here: https://davidjameslees.substack.com/

Learn more about David’s online consultations, events, books and audio teachings: https://www.wuweiwisdom.com

Other related teachings on our YouTube channel that will help you:

• TAO DIALOGUES PLAYLIST https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9NQ_PWX4zICamFP2zMyey3KGTnfm2aUq&si=AW_ZOUeldKv3nHhF
• SHEN (THE SPIRITUAL SELF) PLAYLIST https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9NQ_PWX4zIBmp50wYcmU7jCBLp1Qvl-j
• INNER CHILD PLAYLIST https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9NQ_PWX4zICGLRS1b7q1HSJhZRash5qq

Is there a question you'd like answered on the show? Submit it at: https://bit.ly/askusyourquestion

Join our free Wu Wei Wisdom Community Facebook support group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/wuweiwisdomcommunity

If you love our work, you can now make a small donation to help fund the continued production of our weekly teachings by buying us a 'virtual coffee'! https://www.buymeacoffee.com/wuweiwisdom

Book an online Golden Thread Process & Inner Child Consultation with David: https://www.wuweiwisdom.com/therapies-for-body-mind/

Follow us on Instagram: @wuweiwisdom

Sign up to receive a relaxing guided meditation gift, plus our weekly newsletter + offers via email: https://www.wuweiwisdom.com/signup

-

Disclaimer: This podcast and any associated teaching and comments shared are not a substitute for professional therapy, mental health care, crisis support, medical advice, doctor diagnosis, or professional healthcare treatment. Our show episodes provide general information for educational purposes only and are offered as suggestions for you and your professional therapist or healthcare advisor to consider and research.

Music by Earth Tree Healing

A calming meditation to help you stop people pleasing without guilt, set healthy boundaries, and learn to say no with kindness and confidence - with Taoist monk and teacher, David James Lees.

If you struggle to say no, constantly put others first, or feel guilty for setting boundaries, this guided meditation is for you. Drawing on Taoist wisdom, Inner Child healing, mindfulness, and gentle visualisation, this meditation helps you release people-pleasing patterns, overcome boundary guilt, and reconnect with your self-worth. Through calming breathing, affirmations, and compassionate reflection, you'll learn that healthy boundaries are not rejection—they are self-respect in action.

⚠️ PLEASE DO NOT LISTEN TO THIS MEDITATION WHILE DRIVING OR OPERATING MACHINERY

This meditation can be practised daily or whenever you need it.

Learn more about David’s online consultations, events, books and audio teachings: https://www.wuweiwisdom.com

Subscribe to David’s FREE Journal: https://davidjameslees.substack.com/

Other teachings and guided meditations you may enjoy:

• How to Set Boundaries Without Guilt - The Shift From People Pleasing to Self-Respect https://youtu.be/lrAjVE5ezbI
• GUIDED MEDITATION PLAYLIST https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9NQ_PWX4zIA12P7BftG6a18lIWFDjL35&si=bWWub6YyoZpXhFub
• LOVE & RELATIONSHIPS PLAYLIST https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9NQ_PWX4zID3yxrdCbbZFuKHCwgV6qhX&si=-zdah_z6MiSZIl0t

Is there a question you'd like answered on the show? Submit it at: https://bit.ly/askusyourquestion

Join our free Wu Wei Wisdom Community Facebook support group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/wuweiwisdomcommunity

If you love our work, you can now make a small donation to help fund the continued production of our weekly teachings by buying us a 'virtual coffee'! https://www.buymeacoffee.com/wuweiwisdom

Book an online Golden Thread Process & Inner Child Consultation with David: https://www.wuweiwisdom.com/therapies-for-body-mind/

Follow us on Instagram: @wuweiwisdom

Sign up to receive a relaxing guided meditation gift, plus our weekly newsletter + offers via email: https://www.wuweiwisdom.com/signup

-

Disclaimer: This podcast and any associated teaching and comments shared are not a substitute for professional therapy, mental health care, crisis support, medical advice, doctor diagnosis, or professional healthcare treatment. Our show episodes provide general information for educational purposes only and are offered as suggestions for you and your professional therapist or healthcare advisor to consider and research.

Music by Earth Tree Healing