10% Happier

Dr. Tara Narula is a board-certified cardiologist at Lenox Hill Hospital in Manhattan and Chief Medical Correspondent for ABC News. Her new book is The Healing Power of Resilience: A New Prescription for Health and Well-Being. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.danharris.com

A conversation with Jay Michaelson, our Teacher of the Month for February, about his path to meditation, navigating multiple identities, and why he calls himself a “cynical, sarcastic b***h.”Jay Michaelson is a meditation teacher, journalist, rabbi, and author. In this conversation with executive producer DJ Cashmere, Jay gets candid about his unconventional path into meditation—driven initially by greed for mystical experiences rather than a desire to reduce suffering—and how his practice has evolved over 25 years.We talk about:* Why Jay identifies as a “greed type” in Buddhist psychology (and what that means)* How to balance worldly activism with contemplative practice without getting “hollowed out”* The concept of creating a “permission structure” to live the life you actually want* That moment of spaciousness between stimulus and response (and how it saved Jay when he got heckled during LGBTQ activism)* Whether meditation can help save humanity—and why Jay is both cynical and hopeful about this* How neurotic Jay still is after 25 years of practice (spoiler: he’s less reactive, but still neurotic)* “Micro-moments” of awareness—five-second practices for people who can’t go on long retreatsJay’s guided meditations and live sangha sessions are available throughout February in the 10% Happier app. You can also find him at jaymichaelson.substack.com, where he writes Both/And, a newsletter about the intersection of spirituality, meditation, and politics. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.danharris.com

A conversation with celebrated author George Saunders about his new novel, Vigil, and what fiction can teach us about empathy, self-awareness, and mortality.George Saunders is the bestselling, award-winning author of Lincoln in the Bardo, Tenth of December, and many other books. His new novel, Vigil, tells the story of a woman who died in 1976 and has spent the decades since comforting the dying—until she encounters a former oil executive responsible for early climate change denial.In this conversation, Dan and George talk about:* Why George keeps writing about ghosts and the afterlife (hint: it’s not just about mortality dread)* The lavish empathy at the heart of Vigil—and whether we should extend that empathy even to people doing civilizational damage* What George calls “warm metacognition”—the practice of dropping back out of your thought loops to examine what kind of goggles you’re wearing* How fiction can turn your mind into a “reconsideration machine” (and why that matters in real life)* The difference between kindness and niceness* George’s relationship with death anxiety, which he’s had since childhood and which has only intensified with age* What George has learned about listening from teaching and hosting his Substack, Story Club* Why the older he gets, the more important it is to stretch himself creatively* His advice for dealing with stuckness (in writing and in life): curiosity over self-accusationGeorge’s new novel Vigil is out January 27th from Random House. Check out his Substack, Story Club, where he discusses classic short stories with an incredibly thoughtful community.Related Episodes:* George Saunders on “Holy Befuddlement” and How to Be Less of a “Turd” This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.danharris.com

Maya Shankar is a cognitive scientist and creator of the podcast A Slight Change of Plans, previously named “Best Show of the Year” by Apple. She served as a Senior Policy Advisor in the Obama White House and was also appointed as the first Behavioral Science Advisor to the United Nations. She is the author of The Other Side of Change: Who We Become When Life Makes Other Plans.Related Episodes:* The Science of Handling Uncertainty | Maya Shankar This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.danharris.com

Daniel Pink is the author of seven bestselling nonfiction books on a range of topics, from human motivation to the science of timing to a graphic novel career guide. His books include the New York Times bestsellers The Power of Regret, A Whole New Mind, and When—as well as the #1 New York Times bestsellers Drive and To Sell is Human.Additional Resources:* Daniel’s books This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.danharris.com

Bart van Melik is a guiding teacher at the Community Meditation Center in New York and our Teacher of the Month for January. In this conversation with executive producer DJ Cashmere, he gets refreshingly honest about his own tendency to worry — and shares a bunch of practical tools for when your mind won’t stop spinning through worst-case scenarios.We talk about:* Why mindful breathing sometimes doesn’t work (and what to do instead)* The practice phrase “this wants to be seen right now”* How to work with your aversion to worrying (which can be worse than the worry itself)* Why talking about your fears with other people is so crucial* The question “what is this?” as a low-barrier entry point to awareness* How the Buddha’s teaching on clinging shows up in anxious thinking* Why community and sangha aren’t optional extrasIf you want more from Bart, check out the 10% with Dan Harris app where he’s got meditations and live sessions throughout January. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.danharris.com

Tim Ferris is the author of five #1 New York Times bestsellers, including The 4-Hour Workweek and Tools of Titans. He’s also the host of The Tim Ferriss Show podcast. Most recently, he has collaborated with Exploding Kittens to create COYOTE, a fast and hilarious card game.Additional Resources:* The New Frontiers of Mental Health — Brain Stimulation, Rapid-Acting Tools for Depression, and More* All Things Ketones, How to Boost Cognition, Sardine Fasting, Diet Rules, & More — Dr. Dom D’Agostino* TED: Why you should define your fears instead of your goals* Tim Ferriss, Host of ‘The Tim Ferriss Show,’ Author This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.danharris.com

Claudia Hammond is an award-winning writer and broadcaster. She is Visiting Professor of the Public Understanding of Psychology at the University of Sussex and is the presenter of BBC Radio 4’s All in the Mind. Her latest book is Overwhelmed: Ways to Take the Pressure Off.Related Episodes:* If You Want To Be More Productive, You Need More Rest. Here’s How To Get It. | Claudia HammondAdditional Resources:* The Art of Rest: How to Find Respite in the Modern Age* The Keys to Kindness* Time Warped: Unlocking the Mysteries of Time Perception* Mind over Money: The Psychology of Money and How to Use It Better* Emotional Rollercoaster: A Journey Through the Science of Feelings* Claudia’s BBC Podcasts This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.danharris.com

Anne-Laure Le Cunff conducts research into the neuroscience of learning and curiosity at King’s College London, and also runs Ness Labs. She is the author of Tiny Experiments: How to Live Freely in a Goal-Obsessed World. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.danharris.com

A short, gentle body scan meditation from Bart van Melik, our Teacher of the Month for January.This isn’t about fixing anything or achieving some special state. It’s about finding one small place in your body that feels okay—not great, just okay—and seeing what happens when you meet that experience with a little bit of kindness.Bart is a meditation teacher and psychotherapist who has trained in Insight Meditation and Buddhist psychology. He’s worked extensively in clinical settings with people dealing with stress, anxiety, and harsh self-talk. He’s the guiding teacher for the Community Meditation Center in New York City.Check out more meditations from Bart throughout January in the 10% with Dan Harris app.Related episodes:Buddhist Strategies for Protecting Yourself from Everyday Chaos | Bart van MelikJoin Dan’s online community hereFollow Dan on social: Instagram, TikTokSubscribe to our YouTube ChannelTo advertise on the show, contact sales@advertisecast.com or visit https://advertising.libsyn.com/10HappierwithDanHarris This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.danharris.com