10% Happier With Dan Harris

What does it actually mean to "trust life" — especially when life is handing you something genuinely hard? In this Meditation Party episode (originally aired in 2024), Dan, Sebene Selassie, and Jeff Warren dig into that question from multiple angles: as a personal mantra, a philosophical stance, and a daily practice. Plus: listener questions on rumination, work-life balance, and the eternal napping-vs.-meditating debate. "Trust Life" vs. "This Is the Curriculum" — Sebene shares the origin of her tattoo and what the mantra has meant through years of health challenges.  The three timescales of practice — Jeff breaks down how meditation works in the moment, over months and years, and across the arc of a whole life. The third one is where things get interesting. Obsessive thinking / rumination — Practical tools from all three, including one from Sebene involving a trampoline, and one from a clinical psychologist that will make you feel ridiculous in the best way. Sebene Selassie describes herself as a "wr

Strategies for getting out of your head and thriving in a chaotic world. Prentis Hemphill is a writer, political organizer, therapist and somatic facilitator. They are the author of the national bestseller What It Takes to Heal: How Transforming Ourselves Can Change the World, and host of the acclaimed podcasts Finding Our Way and Becoming the People. Prentis is also the Co-founder of The Embodiment Institute (TEI), a training and research organization that applies somatic practices to individual, organizational and collective care through a healing justice framework. In this episode we talk about: What embodiment really means   How our bodies may be communicating more information to our brains than we realize Practices to feel more at home in your body and regulate your nervous system The "head, heart, gut" way of listening to different kinds of intelligence Why so many of us are pulled out of our center in modern life Micro-interdependence  Simple, everyday ways to humanize one another in an era of mass

Practical tools to break "automatic habits" and take back your agency.   Gabor Maté is a retired physician who, after 20 years of family practice and palliative care experience, worked for over a decade in Vancouver's Downtown East Side with patients challenged by drug addiction and mental illness. The bestselling author of five books, including the award-winning In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts, Gabor is an internationally renowned speaker highly sought after for his expertise on addiction, trauma, childhood development, and the relationship of stress and illness.    In this episode we talk about: Practical strategies for dealing with both our addictive tendencies and scattered minds The real question to ask yourself when it comes to addiction  Maté's relationship with ADHD The relationship between ADHD and addiction Tools for conscious harm reduction  The practice of "Compassionate Curiosity" "Re-parenting" practices for your nervous system  And more   Related Episodes: Modern Life Is Making You Sick, bu

Buddhist tools for forgiveness, boredom, worry, and getting out of your head. Meditation teacher Bart van Melik leads a live community Q&A — and the questions that come in are ones most meditators have quietly wrestled with for years. Bart is the guiding teacher at Community Meditation Center in New York, where he leads weekly sessions grounded in Buddhist tradition. In this episode, he takes on four of the most common sticking points in practice: forgiveness, boredom, disconnection from the body, and the spiral of anxious "what if" thinking. His approach throughout is warm, precise, and grounded — less about achieving a particular state and more about learning to hold whatever arises with curiosity and kindness. Topics covered: Forgiveness — why forcing it can backfire, what it means to "bypass" difficult emotions, and the reframe that changes everything: forgiveness as giving up all hope for a better past Boredom — how to get genuinely curious about it instead of fighting it, and what it can teach y

Six steps to reclaim your brain, find purpose, and escape the doom loop.   Arthur Brooks is a professor at the Harvard Kennedy School and the Harvard Business School, where he teaches courses on leadership and happiness. Brooks is the author of 15 books, including the #1 New York Times bestsellers, Build the Life You Want, co-authored with Oprah Winfrey, and From Strength to Strength: Finding Success, Happiness, and Deep Purpose in the Second Half of Life. His latest book is The Meaning of Your Life: Finding Purpose in an Age of Emptiness.  In this episode we talk about: The three essential components of a meaningful life Getting comfortable with boredom  Why we need to be asking questions that google can't answer The neuroscience behind "authentic love"  Strategies for finding meaning in your work  What Arthur means when he says "don't waste your suffering"   Get the 10% with Dan Harris app here Sign up for Dan's free newsletter here Follow Dan on social: Instagram, TikTok Subscribe to our YouTube Chan

The Dalai Lama's longtime collaborator on achieving fundamental okayness, transforming daily annoyances, and rewiring your brain. Richard J. Davidson, PhD, is a Professor of Psychology and Psychiatry at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He is also the Founder & Director of the Center for Healthy Minds and Founder of the non-profit Humin. Cortland Dahl, PhD, is a scientist, author, translator, and meditation teacher for the Tergar community.  Davidson and Dahl's latest book is Born to Flourish. They also author the Substack newsletter, Dharma Lab. In this episode we talk about: What it really means to flourish  How difficult emotions like anxiety, fear, or grief can coexist with well-being Why flourishing is a trainable skill set, not a personality trait or a self-improvement project An introduction to the Healthy Minds Framework and its four pillars: awareness, connection, insight, and purpose Why short, informal "micro-practices" can be just as effective as formal meditation How to cultivate purpose

What if the most meaningful thing you did for your mental health wasn't something new — but a return to what already brings you joy? Dan recently sat down with journalist and broadcaster Sam Sanders on the Sam Sanders Show to explore exactly that idea. Sam has a concept he calls "modern scriptures": the movies, albums, and TV shows you return to again and again because they ground you, center you, and remind you what matters. Dan shares the pop culture that never fails to lift his spirits — and along the way, the two get into why beauty and art are actually central to human flourishing, why Ferris Bueller is more Buddhist than you might think, and what the research says about making resolutions stick — including the one upstream habit that makes everything else easier. The Sam Sanders Show is a co-production of KCRW and Sam Sanders Productions. Sign up for Sam's newsletter for behind-the-scenes extras from every episode. Join Dan's online community here Follow Dan on social: Instagram, TikTok Subscribe to o

Plus, how the bestselling author writes his way out of despair.   John Green is the award-winning, #1 bestselling author of books including Looking for Alaska, The Fault in Our Stars, Turtles All the Way Down, and The Anthropocene Reviewed. With his brother, Hank, John has co-created many online video projects, including Vlogbrothers and the educational channel Crash Course. His most recent book is Everything Is Tuberculosis.   In this episode we talk about: John's toolkit for managing thought spirals and dispair Why he wrote a whole book about the thing that terrifies him  How he maintains hope in a chaotic and unfair world Finding the "self"  Shame reduction through naming What John learned from his time as a chaplain in a pediatric hospital  His current view of God And the question of how much––or how little––we should be sharing about ourselves with other people   Get the 10% with Dan Harris app here Sign up for Dan's free newsletter here Follow Dan on social: Instagram, TikTok Subscribe to our YouTube

Practical strategies for navigating difficult relationships and building new connections.   Shankar Vedantam is host of the Hidden Brain podcast and radio show, where he explores the hidden patterns that drive human behavior. He is the author of the books, The Hidden Brain: How Our Unconscious Minds Elect Presidents, Wage Wars, Control Markets and Save Our Lives, and Useful Delusions: The Power and Paradox of the Self- Deceiving Brain.   In this episode we talk about: How to stop trying to change your partner Useful tools for overcoming conflict The challenging practice of "eating the blame"  The concept of "useful delusions" How to manage a breakup (of any kind) The real secret to finding closure The value of micro interactions with strangers And more   Related Episodes: The Surprising Upsides of Self-Deception   Get the 10% with Dan Harris app here Sign up for Dan's free newsletter here Follow Dan on social: Instagram, TikTok Subscribe to our YouTube Channel   Additional Resources:  Shankar's TED

Let go of your thoughts, stop getting caught in your stories, and try the ancient practice of walking meditation. Walking meditation is one of the most practical and underrated tools in mindfulness — and in this episode, Dan shares a guided practice from his new audiobook, Even You Can Meditate (co-authored with Sebene Selassie), out now on Audible. The practice is led by Sebene herself. The premise is simple: walk slowly and deliberately, pay attention to the sensations of each step, and when your mind wanders — just start again. It bridges the gap between formal sitting practice and everyday life, and it's a genuine game-changer for fidgeters, restless types, and anyone who finds stillness unbearable. In this guided practice, Sebene leads you through: Grounding yourself before you take your first step Tuning into the physical sensations of lifting, moving, and placing each foot Expanding awareness to include your whole body and your surroundings Letting thoughts come and go — without getting caught

Plus, staying sane in a crazy world, giving tough feedback, and how to orient to the dumpster fire of the news. Ajahn Kovilo Bhikkhu and Ajahn Nisabho are North American-born, Theravada monks who founded Clear Mountain Monastery in Seattle, Washington.  In this episode we talk about: How to get stuff off your chest How to live with less shame and regret How to give feedback without pissing people off too much How to accept feedback without getting pissed off or getting defensive How to stay sane in a crazy news cycle Why being miserable about the state of the world doesn't actually help anything How to cultivate the opposite of depression Get the 10% with Dan Harris app here Sign up for Dan's free newsletter here Follow Dan on social: Instagram, TikTok Subscribe to our YouTube Channel This episode is sponsored by:  LinkedIn Ads — Reach the right professionals with precision targeting. Spend $250 and get a $250 credit at http://www.linkedin.com/happier Fast Growing Trees — America's largest online nursery

Yale emotional intelligence expert on how to deal with other people's emotions (and your own). Marc Brackett, Ph.D. is the author of Dealing with Feeling: Use Your Emotions to Create the Life You Want and the bestselling Permission to Feel. He is the founding director of the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence and a professor in the Child Study Center at Yale University. You can watch Marc's podcast interviews here.  In this episode we talk about: How to deal with stress, anxiety and anger How to use gratitude in moments of compare and despair, like when you're on Instagram comparing yourself to other people's lives  How to talk to yourself in moments of high stress How to talk to other people when they're experiencing powerful emotions themselves Get the 10% with Dan Harris app here Sign up for Dan's free newsletter here Follow Dan on social: Instagram, TikTok Subscribe to our YouTube Channel Thanks to our sponsors: FitBod — Personalized workout plans that adapt as you improve. Get 25% off or try free

What Anderson learned from losing everyone he loved, what we owe our parents, and how grief shapes all of us--a conversation from the podcast "IMO." On IMO, siblings Michelle Obama and Craig Robinson aim to bring you candid perspectives on the everyday questions shaping our lives, relationships and the world around us. Each week, they're joined by a guest to tackle real questions from real folks just like you offering practical advice, personal storytelling, and plenty of laughs. In this episode, Anderson Cooper shares what he's learned about holding space for grief. The three talk about how they managed (or avoided) the grieving process and how their moms prepared their kids to live without them. Plus Anderson shares his thoughts on the Vanderbilts inspiring an episode of "The Gilded Age." You can hear more episodes of IMO at https://lnk.to/imomichellecraigTH   Join Dan's online community here Follow Dan on social: Instagram, TikTok Subscribe to our YouTube Channel   To advertise on the show, contact sales@a

Practical Buddhist strategies to focus the mind.   Shaila Catherine is a dharma teacher and author of the book titled "Beyond Distraction: Five Practical Ways to Focus the Mind." She authored two additional books on the concentration practices called jhana and approaches to insight meditation. She has practiced for more than 45 years, including nine years, cumulatively, of silent retreat. Shaila has been leading meditation retreats for 30 years, and has developed an array of in-depth online courses offered through BodhiCourses.org.   In this episode we talk about: The Buddha's struggles with distraction Shaila's attempts to make the teachings of the Buddha accessible to contemporary minds The importance of getting to know your own thought patterns the counterintuitive strategy of "avoid it, ignore it, forget it," Replacing seduction with mindfulness Developing a flexibility of mind And why we're vulnerable to our own tendencies when we're not mindful   This episode originally aired June 29th, 2022.   Relate

Plus: How to "turn down the volume" on suffering, how to reframe your problems, and the clinical evidence for "stopping and smelling the roses."   Eric Garland, PhD, LCSW is Endowed Professor in Health Sciences at the Sanford Institute for Empathy and Compassion, Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and the Center for Addiction Science and Treatment at University of California San Diego (UCSD), and Director of UCSD ONEMIND (Optimized Neuroscience-Enhanced Mindfulness Intervention Design). Dr. Garland researches treatments for addiction and chronic pain, and is the developer of an innovative, mind-body therapy founded on insights derived from cognitive, affective, and neurobiological science, called Mindfulness-Oriented Recovery Enhancement (MORE).    In this episode we talk about: The three parts of his MORE protocol Simple practices for dealing with everyday addictions Mindfulness techniques for dealing with pain  What pain actually is How to reframe negative thought patterns Practical tools for regain

Plus: How to find practices that work for you, what "mindfulness" actually means, and a new audiobook out now. Sebene Selassie has been meditating for decades, survived cancer three times, and still says the practice isn't a magic bullet. That honesty is kind of the point. Today we're sharing a sneak preview of Dan's new audiobook, Even You Can Meditate, co-authored with Sebene. Think of it as a practical rescue plan for anyone who feels too distracted, overwhelmed, or skeptical to start (or restart) a meditation practice. In this preview, Dan and Seb cover: Why "mindfulness" is actually a bit of a misnomer — and what the practice is really about What meditation can and can't do for you (it won't solve everything, but the benefits tend to kick in faster than you'd expect) How to find the style that works for your specific brain, body, and life — including if sitting still feels impossible The role of intention, and why getting clear on your "why" can become a surprisingly powerful engine for keeping a

The comedian on: connecting instead of separating, feeling whole, and the upside of being an affirmation addict. Pete Holmes is a stand-up comedian, writer, and actor. He created and starred in HBO's Crashing and hosted The Pete Holmes Show on TBS. He has released stand-up specials on HBO, Netflix, and Comedy Central, hosts the popular You Made It Weird podcast, and is the author of Comedy Sex God. This episode is a live conversation recorded in NYC as part of a benefit for the amazing organization New York Insight Meditation Center.  In this episode we talk about: How Pete Holmes's evangelical upbringing shaped his early ideas about fear, morality, and God Psychedelics, awareness, identity and consciousness   Mysticism and metaphor versus literal belief Meditation and different paths of practice What meditation reveals about awareness, forgetting, and remembering Being an affirmation addict Service and helping others Happiness versus peace of mind Get the 10% with Dan Harris app here Sign up for Dan's fr

The brain benefits of self-disclosure, the costs of staying silent, and how to know what to reveal and when. Leslie John is the James E. Burke Professor of Business Administration at the Harvard Business School. Her new book is called Revealing: The Underrated Power of Oversharing. In this episode we talk about: Why self-disclosure can feel risky but is often socially rewarding The psychological and physiological costs of keeping secrets How putting feelings into words can reduce rumination and anxiety Why validation is often more helpful than advice Why undersharing leads to missed opportunities in relationships, work, and life Get the 10% with Dan Harris app here Sign up for Dan's free newsletter here Follow Dan on social: Instagram, TikTok Subscribe to our YouTube Channel LinkedIn |  Spend $250 on your first campaign on LinkedIn ads and get a $250 credit for the next one. Just go to http://linkedin.com/happier Fast Growing Trees | Get 20% off your first purchase at http://fastgrowingtrees.com, using the

If you struggle with the terrifying reality that everything changes, this conversation is for you. Bart van Melik is a meditation teacher, psychotherapist, and our Teacher of the Month for January. In this live session recorded on Zoom with subscribers to the 10% with Dan Harris app, Bart and Dan explore one of Bart's favorite teachings: "Keep calmly knowing change"—four words that supposedly distill all 84,000 of the Buddha's teachings. We talk about: Why attuning to the flow of things brings peace (even though change is terrifying)—and what the Buddha said on his deathbed about impermanence How to introduce meditation to kids without making it seem difficult or boring  The three dimensions of mindfulness: internal (your own mind), external (noticing other people's breath on the subway), and relational (the field we're all co-creating together) Whether connecting through venting and complaining is harmless or something to examine more closely "Useless speech" (sampappalāpa)—the Pali term for saying

Plus, making the mundane sacred, meditating in a cave, and lowering the ego walls. Michael Pollan is the author of ten books, all of which were New York Times bestsellers. His latest book is A World Appears: A Journey Into Consciousness. In this episode we talk about: How to get over yourself How to reduce rumination How to lower the ego's walls How to elevate mundane tasks The value of what Zen practitioners call "don't know mind" How to reclaim your attention from Big Tech (what Michael calls the "colonizers of consciousness") The value of MDMA-assisted therapy Michael's experiences meditating in a cave Related Episodes: Don't Let This Crisis Go To Waste | Roshi Joan Halifax Get the 10% with Dan Harris app here Sign up for Dan's free newsletter here Follow Dan on social: Instagram, TikTok Subscribe to our YouTube Channel To advertise on the show, contact sales@advertisecast.com or visit https://advertising.libsyn.com/10HappierwithDanHarris