10% Happier with Dan Harris

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, but It Doesn't Have To

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:

• Rethinking ADHD
• The Myth of Normal
• Scattered Minds

Join Dan and Emmy Award-winning journalist Allison Gilbert at 92NY on May 17th for a live conversation about how mindfulness can deepen connection and combat loneliness, available in person and via streaming. Register here.

Join Dan, Sebene Selassie and Jeff Warren for Meditation Party, a 3-day immersive retreat at the Omega Institute in Rhinebeck, NY, October 16–18, 2026. Register here.

To advertise on the show, contact [email protected] or visit https://advertising.libsyn.com/10HappierwithDanHarris

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 you about why you reach for your phone

• Getting into your body — why embodiment looks different for everyone, and how to find the activities (yes, even mindful salsa dancing or vacuuming) that make it easier

• Worry and "what if" thoughts — the Buddhist framing of worry as an obstacle to clear seeing, and a simple breathwork technique from Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche — exhale heavy, exhale calm — that works even in the hardest moments

• Community as practice — the Buddha's teaching that friendship and community isn't half the path. It's the whole thing.

About Bart van Melik: Bart van Melik is a meditation teacher and guiding teacher at Community Meditation Center, a global and local community that meets weekly via Zoom. Monthly sessions are donation-based and open to all. Learn more at https://www.cmc-ny.org/.

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

Join Dan and Emmy Award-winning journalist Allison Gilbert at 92NY on May 17th for a live conversation about how mindfulness can deepen connection and combat loneliness, available in person and via streaming. Register here. Join Dan, Sebene Selassie and Jeff Warren for Meditation Party, a 3-day immersive retreat at the Omega Institute in Rhinebeck, NY, October 16–18, 2026. Register here.

To advertise on the show, contact [email protected] or visit https://advertising.libsyn.com/10HappierwithDanHarris

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 Channel

Additional Resources:

• Office Hours with Arthur Brooks

Join Dan and Emmy Award-winning journalist Allison Gilbert at 92NY on May 17th for a live conversation about how mindfulness can deepen connection and combat loneliness, available in person and via streaming. Register here.

Join Dan, Sebene Selassie and Jeff Warren for Meditation Party, a 3-day immersive retreat at the Omega Institute in Rhinebeck, NY, October 16–18, 2026. Register here.

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

BetterHelp — Online therapy, matched to your needs. Get 10% off your first month at https://www.betterhelp.com/happier

Quō — The smart business phone system with AI call logging and summaries. Try free + 20% off your first six months at https://www.quo.com/happier

Hyperfocus with Rae Jacobson — A podcast exploring ADHD, neurodivergence, and mental health through conversations with scientists, doctors, and researchers. Search for Hyperfocus with Rae Jacobson wherever you get your podcasts.

To advertise on the show, contact [email protected] or visit https://advertising.libsyn.com/10HappierwithDanHarris

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

Related Episodes:

• How a Buddhist Monk Deals With Anxiety | Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche
• The View of American Turmoil from the Other Side of the World | Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche

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

Join Dan and Emmy Award-winning journalist Allison Gilbert at 92NY on May 17th for a live conversation about how mindfulness can deepen connection and combat loneliness, available in person and via streaming. Register here. Join Dan, Sebene Selassie and Jeff Warren for Meditation Party, a 3-day immersive retreat at the Omega Institute in Rhinebeck, NY, October 16–18, 2026. Register here.

This episode is sponsored by:

Fast Growing Trees — America's largest online nursery, with plants guaranteed to arrive healthy. Get 20% off your first purchase with code HAPPIER at https://www.fastgrowingtrees.com

BetterHelp — Online therapy, matched to your needs. Get 10% off your first month at https://www.betterhelp.com/happier

Spark — Clean energy and focus with zero sugar. Get 30% off and free shipping with code HAPPIER at https://www.drinkspark.com

To advertise on the show, contact [email protected] or visit https://advertising.libsyn.com/10HappierwithDanHarris

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 our YouTube Channel

Join Dan and Emmy Award-winning journalist Allison Gilbert at 92NY on May 17th for a live conversation about how mindfulness can deepen connection and combat loneliness, available in person and via streaming. Register here. Join Dan, Sebene Selassie and Jeff Warren for Meditation Party, a 3-day immersive retreat at the Omega Institute in Rhinebeck, NY, October 16–18, 2026. Register here.

To advertise on the show, contact [email protected] or visit https://advertising.libsyn.com/10HappierwithDanHarris

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 Channel

Join Dan and Emmy Award-winning journalist Allison Gilbert at 92NY on May 17th for a live conversation about how mindfulness can deepen connection and combat loneliness, available in person and via streaming. Register here.

Join Dan, Sebene Selassie and Jeff Warren for Meditation Party, a 3-day immersive retreat at the Omega Institute in Rhinebeck, NY, October 16–18, 2026. Register here.

This episode is sponsored by:

Paleo Valley — 100% grass-fed beef sticks made without preservatives or additives. Get 15% off at https://www.paleovalley.com/happier or use code HAPPIER at checkout

Square — Business tools with AI, smart reporting, and payments all in one place. Get up to $200 off Square hardware at https://www.square.com/go/happier

Gainbridge — Guaranteed-rate financial products with no hidden fees. Learn more at https://www.gainbridge.com

LinkedIn Ads — Reach the right professionals with precision targeting. Spend $250 and get a $250 credit at http://www.linkedin.com/happier

To advertise on the show, contact [email protected] or visit https://advertising.libsyn.com/10HappierwithDanHarris

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 Talks
• Hidden Brain Live Tour

Join Dan and Emmy Award-winning journalist Allison Gilbert at 92NY on May 17th for a live conversation about how mindfulness can deepen connection and combat loneliness, available in person and via streaming. Register here.

Join Dan, Sebene Selassie and Jeff Warren for Meditation Party, a 3-day immersive retreat at the Omega Institute in Rhinebeck, NY, October 16–18, 2026. Register here.

To advertise on the show, contact [email protected] or visit https://advertising.libsyn.com/10HappierwithDanHarris

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 in them

• Closing with a moment of gratitude for your body and this moment of awareness

The Even You Can Meditate (audiobook) by Dan Harris and Sebene Selassie is available now at audible.com/danharris. And mark your calendar for the Even You Can Meditate 5-Day Challenge — running March 23–27 on the 10% with Dan Harris app. Each day features a different guided practice, plus two live online events with Dan and Sebene. Download the app at danharris.com

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:

Samsara — AI-powered fleet safety and operations platform. Request a free demo at https://www.samsara.com/happier

Fatty 15 — The first essential fatty acid discovered in over 90 years, designed to support healthy aging at the cellular level. Get 15% off a 90-day starter kit at https://www.fatty15.com/happier with code HAPPIER

To advertise on the show, contact [email protected] or visit https://advertising.libsyn.com/10HappierwithDanHarris

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, with plants guaranteed to arrive healthy. Get 20% off your first purchase with code HAPPIER at https://www.fastgrowingtrees.com

Tonal — Smart home strength training with real-time coaching. Get $200 off with promo code HAPPIER at https://www.tonal.com

Northwest Registered Agent — LLC formation, registered agent service, and free business resources at https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/Happier-free

To advertise on the show, contact [email protected] or visit https://advertising.libsyn.com/10HappierwithDanHarris

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 for 7 days at fitbod.me/tenpercent

ZipRecruiter — Find qualified candidates fast. Try free at ziprecruiter.com/tenpercent

Gainbridge — Guaranteed-rate financial products with no hidden fees. Learn more at gainbridge.com

Henson Shaving — Aerospace-precision razors with 100 free blades included. Visit hensonshaving.com/happier or use code HAPPIER at checkout.

Wix — Build a pro-grade website with AI and drag-and-drop tools. Try Wix Harmony at wix.com/harmony

To advertise on the show, contact [email protected] or visit https://advertising.libsyn.com/10HappierwithDanHarris