10% Happier with Dan Harris

Combining modern science and ancient Buddhism to treat anxiety, anger, and impatience.

John Makransky is a professor of Buddhism and Comparative Theology at Boston College, AND ordained as a Tibetan Buddhist lama. Paul Condon is an associate professor of psychology at Southern Oregon University and a research fellow at the Mind & Life Institute. Both are the authors of How Compassion Works: A Step-by-Step Guide to Cultivating Well-Being, Love, and Wisdom.

In this episode we talk about:

• The sales pitch for compassion—even at a time when what most of us really want is for other people to be nicer
• The connection between attachment theory and compassion
• Why compassion is our natural state
• How Sustainable Compassion Training helps you access warmth without forcing it
• How to apply compassion practice to burnout, conflict, and difficult emotions

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We're bringing you an episode of one of our favorite podcasts, The Happiness Lab with Dr. Laurie Santos, on which Dan was a guest. We can spend a lot of time working – and it gives us fulfillment, social interaction and fun – but still one in five of us say our workplaces are "toxic". And even the best jobs can sometimes be stressful and draining. So how do we set ourselves up to thrive at work?

Dan joins Dr Laurie Santos to explore strategies to be a happier employee and a better employer.

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Thanks to our sponsor: Airbnb: Your home might be worth more than you think. Find out how much at airbnb.com/host.

Anxiety. Depression. Perfectionism. Dan and meditation teacher Leslie Booker get real about how these challenges show up in their own lives — and how mindfulness, community, and sometimes medication can actually help. Recorded live at New York Insight, this conversation is honest, funny, and surprisingly hopeful.

Related Episodes:

Buddhist Lessons on Anxiety | Leslie Booker Tickets are now available for an intimate live event with Dan on November 23rd as part of the Troutbeck Luminary Series. Join the conversation, participate in a guided meditation, and ask your questions during the Q&A. Click here to buy your ticket!

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Thanks to our sponsor: Airbnb: Your home might be worth more than you think. Find out how much at airbnb.com/host. To advertise on the show, contact [email protected] or visit https://advertising.libsyn.com/10HappierwithDanHarris

Which is the best path to freedom?

Joseph Goldstein is a cofounder of the Insight Meditation Society and the Barre Center for Buddhist Studies, both in Barre, Massachusetts. He is the author of many books including, most recently, Dreamscapes of the Mind.

Sam Harris is a neuroscientist, author, podcaster and the proprietor of the Waking Up app.

In this episode we talk about:

• What the term "non-duality" means — and why it matters to ordinary meditators.
• The multiple meanings of non-duality across Buddhist traditions (Theravāda, Mahāyāna, Vajrayāna).
• How different traditions (and even different teachers within them) define samsara and nirvana.
• The non-duality of the observer and observed — and how that insight can alleviate suffering.
• Whether understanding non-duality is practically relevant for reducing stress and emotional reactivity.
• The evolution of Buddhist teachings over time and how interpretations differ across countries.
• Sam's argument that the non-dual view can be directly experienced in everyday consciousness — and that realizing it ends unnecessary suffering.
• Joseph's emphasis on non-duality as one path among many toward the ultimate goal: the end of suffering.
• How metaphysics and direct experience intersect, and whether doctrinal differences are "self-confirming."
• The concept of "non-clinging" as the real heart of Buddhist practice — and how it relates to non-dual awareness.

Related Episodes:

• How To Suffer Less: Joseph Goldstein, Sam Harris, and Dan Harris on the Buddha's Eightfold Path

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Additional Resources:

• For a 30-day free trial to the Waking Up app, go to wakingup.com/tenpercent

Tickets are now available for an intimate live event with Dan on November 23rd as part of the Troutbeck Luminary Series. Join the conversation, participate in a guided meditation, and ask your questions during the Q&A. Click here to buy your ticket!

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

Thanks to our sponsors: AT&T: Staying connected matters. That's why AT&T has connectivity you can depend on, or they will proactively make it right. Visit att.com/guarantee for details. Fabletics: Treat yourself to gear that looks good, feels good, and doesn't break the bank. Go to fabletics.com/Happier, sign up as a VIP and get 80% off everything.

An expert in Gerontology shares the four core habits for aging well.

Dr. Kerry Burnight is a gerontologist, caregiver advocate, and founder of the Gerontology Institute at UC Irvine. Her new book, Joyspan: The Art and Science of Thriving in Life's Second Half, offers a practical framework for aging not just longer, but better.

In this episode we talk about:

• Misconceptions about the aging process
• The anti-aging industry and what it gets wrong
• Four core habits for aging well
• How to diversify your "social portfolio"
• Coping strategies for adapting in the face of change
• The key question to ask yourself if you want to live a longer and happier life
• The strengths that come with age
• Tools for navigating inevitable psychological dips
• And much more

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Additional Resources:

• Dr. Burnight's social: @the_gerontologist

Tickets are now on sale for a special live taping of the 10% Happier Podcast with guest Pete Holmes! Join us on November 18th in NYC for this benefit show, with all proceeds supporting the New York Insight Meditation Center. Grab your tickets here!

Tickets are now available for an intimate live event with Dan on November 23rd as part of the Troutbeck Luminary Series. Join the conversation, participate in a guided meditation, and ask your questions during the Q&A. Click here to buy your ticket!

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

Thanks to our sponsors: AT&T: Staying connected matters. That's why AT&T has connectivity you can depend on, or they will proactively make it right. Visit att.com/guarantee for details. Northwest Registered Agent: Protect your privacy, build your brand and get your complete business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes. Visit https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/happierfree and start building something amazing. HomeServe: Help protect your home systems and your wallet with HomeServe against covered repairs. Plans start at just $4.99 a month. Go to homeserve.com to find a plan that's right for you.

If you feel like you spend most of your day on edge — not totally panicked, but not exactly calm either — you're not alone. Most of us live in what meditation teacher Dr. Christiane Wolf calls "yellow mode": a state of low-level vigilance that keeps us productive, but also keeps us anxious, reactive, and exhausted.

In this conversation with DJ Cashmere, Christiane unpacks why our nervous systems get stuck in that yellow zone and what we can actually do to shift back into "green mode" — the state of calm alertness where we feel grounded, flexible, and capable of joy.

They explore:

• Why our modern lives constantly trigger fight-or-flight

• The difference between "being chill" and being appropriately responsive

• Simple, science-backed ways to calm your nervous system in seconds

• How trauma and early conditioning make relaxation feel unsafe

• The role of community (sangha), right livelihood, and mindfulness in long-term regulation

Christiane is our Teacher of the Month at DanHarris.com, where she's creating guided meditations to go along with many of our podcast episodes. Join us at DanHarris.com to learn more.

Join Dan's online community here

Follow Dan on social: Instagram, TikTok

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Tickets are now on sale for a special live taping of the 10% Happier Podcast with guest Pete Holmes! Join us on November 18th in NYC for this benefit show, with all proceeds supporting the New York Insight Meditation Center. Grab your tickets here!

Tickets are now available for an intimate live event with Dan on November 23rd as part of the Troutbeck Luminary Series. Join the conversation, participate in a guided meditation, and ask your questions during the Q&A. Click here to buy your ticket!

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

Thanks to our sponsor: Airbnb: Your home might be worth more than you think. Find out how much at airbnb.com/host.

How do you stay calm when the stakes are sky-high — like your kid's health, your partner's wellbeing, or the future of the planet? How do you face chronic pain without falling into self-pity? And how do you actually turn meditation from a good intention into a real habit?

In this bonus episode, Dan sits down with the brilliant meditation teacher and author Sebene Selassie for one of our weekly live sessions — a combo of guided meditation and audience Q&A that usually happens for subscribers over at DanHarris.com. We're sharing this one for free so you can get a taste.

Together, Dan and Sebene dig into:

• Practicing non-attachment when life feels anything but abstract

• Meeting chronic pain and illness with compassion (without spiritual bypassing)

• The real psychology of habit formation — and why it's not your fault if you struggle to "just meditate"

• What the Buddhist teachings actually say about impermanence, rebirth, and the self

You'll also hear a grounding 10-minute guided meditation, some laughter (including a cameo from Sebene's dog, Chacha), and a reminder that you don't have to do this practice alone.

Join Dan live every Tuesday at 4pm ET for these weekly meditations and Q&As — plus access to all our guided meditations — by signing up at DanHarris.com.

Related Episodes:

Sebene Selassie On: Resiliency, Rewriting Your Patterns and Finding a Teacher Who Speaks to You

How To Handle Toxic Thoughts | Sebene Selassie and Jeff Warren

Tickets are now on sale for a special live taping of the 10% Happier Podcast with guest Pete Holmes! Join us on November 18th in NYC for this benefit show, with all proceeds supporting the New York Insight Meditation Center. Grab your tickets here! Tickets are now available for an intimate live event with Dan on November 23rd as part of the Troutbeck Luminary Series. Join the conversation, participate in a guided meditation, and ask your questions during the Q&A. Click here to buy your ticket!

Join Dan's online community here

Follow Dan on social: Instagram, TikTok

Subscribe to our YouTube Channel

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

Thanks to our sponsor: Airbnb: Your home might be worth more than you think. Find out how much at airbnb.com/host.

How not to forget what actually matters.

Soren Gordhamer is the host of Wisdom 2.0, a conference about mindfulness and compassion in the modern age. He's also a Co-Founder and General Partner of Wisdom Ventures, which invests in companies creating a more just and compassionate world. His new book is called THE ESSENTIAL: Discovering What Really Matters in an Age of Distraction.

In this episode we talk about:

• What Soren means by "the essential"
• The current and future impact of AI on the economy, our mental health, and society at large
• What Soren thinks the world looks like in 5, 10, 15 years from now
• Useful strategies for managing technology with an iota of balance and wisdom
• How to get familiar with the unseen stories that run your life—so that they Don't have so much power over you
• The number one question for our time, per Soren
• Whether or not we humans are actually going to do this "essential" work before it's too late
• Whether the people designing these systems have the best interest of the species at heart

Join Dan's online community here

Follow Dan on social: Instagram, TikTok

Subscribe to our YouTube Channel

Tickets are now on sale for a special live taping of the 10% Happier Podcast with guest Pete Holmes! Join us on November 18th in NYC for this benefit show, with all proceeds supporting the New York Insight Meditation Center. Grab your tickets here!

Tickets are now available for an intimate live event with Dan on November 23rd as part of the Troutbeck Luminary Series. Join the conversation, participate in a guided meditation, and ask your questions during the Q&A. Click here to buy your ticket!

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

Thank you to our sponsors: AT&T: Staying connected matters. That's why AT&T has connectivity you can depend on, or they will proactively make it right. Visit att.com/guarantee for details. NOCD: Head over to nocd.com and book a free 15‑minute call with their team, to learn more and start getting help with OCD.

How to focus your "genius energy" on what matters most.

Diana Hill, Ph.D. is a clinical psychologist, international trainer, podcast host, and a leading expert on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)—a revolutionary approach to psychology that is changing our understanding of mental health. She is the author of four books including I Know I Should Exercise, But…, The Self-Compassion Daily Journal, ACT Daily Journal, and her latest, Wise Effort.

In this episode we talk about:

• The concept of "Wise Effort" ( aligning your energy and actions with your core values)
• The practice of diffusing your thoughts
• Three things that get in the way of "Wise Effort"
• The role of radical acceptance
• How to spot "energy depletors"
• A practice she calls "Yes, yes, thank you, thank you"
• And much more

Join Dan's online community here

Follow Dan on social: Instagram, TikTok

Subscribe to our YouTube Channel

Tickets are now on sale for a special live taping of the 10% Happier Podcast with guest Pete Holmes! Join us on November 18th in NYC for this benefit show, with all proceeds supporting the New York Insight Meditation Center. Grab your tickets here!

Tickets are now available for an intimate live event with Dan on November 23rd as part of the Troutbeck Luminary Series. Join the conversation, participate in a guided meditation, and ask your questions during the Q&A. Click here to buy your ticket!

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

Thanks to our sponsors: AT&T: Staying connected matters. That's why AT&T has connectivity you can depend on, or they will proactively make it right. Visit att.com/guarantee for details. Function: Our first 1000 listeners get a $100 credit toward their membership. Visit www.functionhealth.com/Happier or use the gift code Happier100 at signup to own your health.

It's one of those ideas that sounds kind of like a Zen riddle, but actually turns out to be incredibly useful: what's in the way is the way.

If you've ever sat down to meditate and thought, "Ugh, I can't focus — my mind's all over the place," or, "If only this restlessness would go away, then I could really meditate," this one's for you. Christiane's going to show us how those so-called obstacles — the distractions, the boredom, the racing thoughts — can actually become the practice itself.

All this month, we're sharing custom guided meditations from our teacher of the month, Christiane Wolf exclusively available at DanHarris.com. Like any good drug dealer, the first taste is free – so today, we're giving you a sample of what you can expect for the rest of the month.

Related Episodes:

• Is Your Ambition Rooted In Trauma? | Christiane Wolf

• Peak Performance at Any Age | Christiane Wolf (Dharma Teacher/Doctor/Ultramarathoner)

Tickets are now on sale for a special live taping of the 10% Happier Podcast with guest Pete Holmes! Join us on November 18th in NYC for this benefit show, with all proceeds supporting the New York Insight Meditation Center. Grab your tickets here!

Join Dan's online community here

Follow Dan on social: Instagram, TikTok

Subscribe to our YouTube Channel

Thanks to our sponsor: Airbnb: Your home might be worth more than you think. Find out how much at airbnb.com/host.

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