From a Buddhist perspective, an optimal life involves cultivation of ethics (sila), or mindful living, supported by wisdom and compassion. The development of wisdom is, in turn, based in the cultivation of skillful attention–we locate ourselves in choices that reflect our values and stay away from those that do not. The development of compassion arises out of the willingness to fully attend to and acknowledge the suffering of others. From this deep connection emerges a desire to help alleviate suffering for all living beings. Together, wisdom and compassion form the ethics-based foundations of a mindfulness practice. This course uses the Satipatthana Sutta of the Buddha to reflect upon and explore the five skillful habits of respect for life, generosity, healthy boundaries, skillful speech, and mindful consumption. In our reflections, these five skillful habits inform the optimal life of ethics, wisdom, and compassion without falling into empathy fatigue or emotional exhaustion. The learning objectives of the course are: understanding the foundational aspects of mindfulness as a path to wisdom and compassion; using the five skillful habits in everyday life interactions; and exploring skills to reconnect with our life-work in a way that sustains us, protecting us from fatigue and burnout.