10% Happier with Dan Harris

Latest Episodes:

The Science of Why You Eat When You're Not Hungry–And How to Stop | Judson Brewer Jan 08, 2024

Show notes

New episodes come out every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for free, with 1-week early access for Wondery+ subscribers.

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Dr. Jud breaks down how habits work and how to change them. Plus, insights on stress, boredom, mindfulness, pleasure, satisfaction, and contentment.

Judson Brewer M.D., Ph.D., is an internationally renowned addiction psychiatrist and neuroscientist and a bestselling author. He is a professor in the School of Public Health and Medical School at Brown University. His new book is called The Hunger Habit: Why We Eat When We're Not Hungry and How to Stop.

In this episode we talk about:

The scientific evidence behind Dr. Jud's approach
The difference between satisfaction and contentment
The difference between hedonic and homeostatic hunger
Why changing behavior may not require you to dig into your past
"Unforced freedom of choice"
The "bigger better offer"
The "pleasure plateau"
Habits vs. addictions
"The hunger test"
The Buddha's advice on eating
Whether or not we can still eat gummy worms

Related Episodes:

Full Shownotes: https://www.tenpercent.com/tph/podcast-episode/jud-brewer-hunger

How to Keep Going When Things Get Hard | Bryan Stevenson Jan 05, 2024

Show notes

New episodes come out every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for free, with 1-week early access for Wondery+ subscribers.

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Have you already bailed on your resolutions? Where are you on your other life goals? This episode is a master class on sticking with it, no matter what.

Bryan Stevenson is a public interest lawyer who has dedicated his career to helping the poor, the incarcerated, and the condemned. He is the founder and Executive Director of the Equal Justice Initiative, based in Montgomery, Alabama—an organization that has won major legal challenges eliminating excessive and unfair sentencing, as well as reversals, relief, or release from prison for over 140 wrongly condemned prisoners on death row. He is the author of the bestselling memoir Just Mercy, which was made into a feature film, and the subject of an HBO documentary, True Justice. He is also a MacArthur "Genius," a graduate of Harvard Law School, and a recipient of over 50 honorary doctoral degrees from institutions like Yale, Princeton, and Oxford University.

In this episode we talk about:

Bryan's "non-negotiables," including exercise, music, and mindfulness
The necessity of "proximity"
How he manages fear, anger, and hatred
How he cultivates hope and faith in the face of overwhelming odds

Related Episodes:

Full Shownotes: https://www.tenpercent.com/tph/podcast-episode/bryan-stevenson

Pema Chödrön, Renowned Buddhist Nun, On Her One Non-Negotiable Happiness Strategy Jan 03, 2024

Show notes

New episodes come out every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for free, with 1-week early access for Wondery+ subscribers.

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Chödrön also talks about how to deal with difficult people, set boundaries, and keep a sense of humor in the face of our human foibles and failings.

Pema Chödrön was born Deirdre Blomfield-Brown in New York City. In her mid-thirties, Ani Pema met and studied with Lama Chime Rinpoche, becoming a novice nun in 1974 in London. She received ordination from His Holiness the Sixteenth Karampa during that time. Pema first met her root guru, the teacher with whom she had the most profound connection, Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche, in 1972, and she studied closely with him until his death in 1987. In 1984, at the behest of Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche, Ani Pema moved from Boulder, Colorado to Cape Breton, Nova Scotia to be the director of Gampo Abbey. She currently teaches throughout the United States and Canada and continues her studies and meditative retreat under the guidance of Venerable Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche.

In this episode we talk about:

How to deal with difficult people and set boundaries
Having a sense of humor about our own foibles and failings
Keeping a sense of ok-ness in the face of whatever happens
Why coming from a place of love doesn't preclude us from getting angry or standing up for what we believe in
Keeping a sense of humor when we're setting intentions or taking a vow so we don't set ourselves up for failure
The actual language of the Bodhisattva vow and why admitting how vast and impossible it is to achieve can actually be empowering
Why putting others first doesn't mean leaving yourself out of the equation
How healing yourself can affect your relationships with other people and create a virtuous circle
Taking a "one person at a time" approach to suffering

Related Episodes:

The Dalai Lama's Guide To Happiness

Full Shownotes:https://www.tenpercent.com/tph/podcast-episode/pema-chodron-2024

How to Start (Restart, or Upgrade) Your Meditation Practice: A Master Class | Jon Kabat-Zinn Jan 01, 2024

Show notes

New episodes come out every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for free, with 1-week early access for Wondery+ subscribers.

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Kabat-Zinn on the nitty gritty practicalities of starting a practice, being fully present with no agenda, and letting go of "the story of me."

Jon Kabat-Zinn, PhD, is professor of medicine emeritus at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. Back in the 1970s, he came up with something called Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction, or MBSR, which is a secular way of teaching Buddhist meditation. He's written many books, including Full Catastrophe Living; Wherever You Go, There You Are; and Coming to Our Senses. His latest book is called Mindfulness Meditation for Pain Relief.

In this episode we talk about:

The nitty gritty practicalities of starting a practice
How he's learned to be more relaxed about his practice—including advocating for meditating in bed
How to practice being fully present with no agenda
How investigating your motivations—something most people don't do— can help you be more mindful
How to practice letting go of "the story of me"

Related Episodes:

Tripping Out with a Legend: Jon Kabat-Zinn on Pain vs. Suffering, Rethinking Your Anxiety, and the Buddha's Teaching in a Single Sentence

Jon Kabat-Zinn | Meditation as a Love Affair

Jon Kabat-Zinn, Creator of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction

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Our favorite playlists on: Anxiety, Sleep, Relationships, Most Popular Episodes

Full Shownotes: https://www.tenpercent.com/tph/podcast-episode/jon-kabat-zinn-2024

Bill Hader on Anxiety, Imposter Syndrome, and Leaning into Discomfort Dec 29, 2023

Show notes

New episodes come out every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for free, with 1-week early access for Wondery+ subscribers.

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The star of SNL and Barry discusses how he channels his anxiety into his work. Plus, an imitation of Joseph Goldstein.

Bill Hader has made the transition from being a master of stand-out characters and impressions on eight seasons of Saturday Night Life to becoming a true multi-hyphenate by creating, directing, writing, producing and starring as a burned-out assassin trying to break into Hollywood as an actor in HBO's award-winning and critically lauded dark comedy, Barry.

In this episode we talk about:

How Bill deals with anxiety
His panic attack on live television
His love of directing and the importance of having the right collaborators

Full Shownotes:https://www.tenpercent.com/tph/podcast-episode/bill-hader

Additional Resources:

Download the Ten Percent Happier app today: https://10percenthappier.app.link/install

Esther Perel on the One Thing That Will Improve the Quality of Your Life Dec 27, 2023

Show notes

New episodes come out every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for free, with 1-week early access for Wondery+ subscribers.

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The renowned psychotherapist talks about the importance of accountability in generosity in her own life, and the one thing you can do right now, today, to make yourself happier.

Esther Perel is a psychotherapist and bestselling author. She has a therapy practice in New York City and serves as an organizational consultant for Fortune 500 companies around the world. Her TED Talks have garnered more than 40 million views and her books, Mating in Captivity and The State of Affairs, are huge bestsellers. Esther is also the host of the hit podcast Where Should We Begin?

In this episode we talk about:

How to get around the obstacles that hinder connection with other people
The role of conflict in relationships and why we shouldn't be afraid of it
Ways to get better at experiencing anxiety or discomfort so that you can better handle the ups and downs of life
And the simple thing you can do right now to make yourself happier

Related Episodes:

Can Anxiety Be a Gift? | Dr. David Rosmarin

Lessons From the World's Longest Scientific Study of Happiness | Dr. Robert Waldinger

How to Keep Friendships From Imploding | Esther Perel

Mating in Captivity | Esther Perel

Love in the Time of COVID | Esther Perel

Esther Perel: Turning Conflict Into Connection

Esther Perel on the Other A.I.: Artificial Intimacy (SXSW 2023)

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Subscribe to our YouTube Channel

Our favorite playlists on: Anxiety, Sleep, Relationships, Most Popular Episodes

Full Shownotes: https://www.tenpercent.com/tph/podcast-episode/esther-perel-non-negotiables

Additional Resources:

Download the Ten Percent Happier app today: https://10percenthappier.app.link/install

The Science of Making — and Keeping — New Year's Resolutions | Hal Hershfield Dec 25, 2023

Show notes

New episodes come out every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for free, with 1-week early access for Wondery+ subscribers.

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A leading behavioral psychologist reveals practical strategies to help you actually make the changes you want to make this new year (and beyond).

Hal Hershfield is a professor of marketing, behavioral decision-making, and psychology at UCLA's Anderson School of Management, and the author of Your Future Self: How to Make Tomorrow Better Today. His research on future selves has been featured in the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post, as well as the Harvard Business Review and Psychology Today.

In this episode we talk about:

What he means by a future self, and why thinking about your future self will help you make better decisions
How to think about your future self without neglecting the present moment
The importance of commitment devices, and what they are — including some which you can even adopt right now
The importance of breaking down big goals to make them achievable
How to reframe commitments so that you actually stick to them
The role of mental time travel to help you actually do what you say you want to do

Related Episodes:

How to Change Your Habits | Katy Milkman

Atomic Habits | James Clear

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Ten Percent Happier online bookstore

Subscribe to our YouTube Channel

Our favorite playlists on: Anxiety, Sleep, Relationships, Most Popular Episodes

Full Shownotes: https://www.tenpercent.com/tph/podcast-episode/hal-hershfield

Additional Resources:

Download the Ten Percent Happier app today: https://10percenthappier.app.link/install

How to Actually Be Present | Matthew Brensilver Dec 22, 2023

Show notes

New episodes come out every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for free, with 1-week early access for Wondery+ subscribers.

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Tackling one of the best known contemplative clichés: being in the present moment and "inhabiting the now."

Matthew Brensilver, MSW, PhD, teaches retreats at the Insight Retreat Center, Spirit Rock and other Buddhist centers.He was previously program director for Mindful Schools and for more than a decade, was a core teacher at Against the Stream Buddhist Meditation Society. Before committing to teach meditation full-time, he spent years doing research on addiction pharmacotherapy at the UCLA Center for Behavioral and Addiction Medicine. Each summer, he lectures at UCLA's Mindful Awareness Research Center on the intersections between mindfulness, science and psychotherapy. Matthew is the co-author of two books about meditation during adolescence and continues to be interested in the unfolding dialogue between Buddhism and science.

In this episode we talk about:

What being present actually means
What to do when Buddhist teachings or meditation instructions feel out of reach
What to do when a memory arises in meditation, especially a difficult one
The brain's, at times, exhausting, evolutionarily wired tendency toward constant prediction
The benefits of going on meditation retreats
Distinguishing between true alarms and false alarms

Related Episodes:

Why Self-Hatred Makes No Sense | Matthew Brensilver

Follow Dan on social: Instagram, TikTok

Ten Percent Happier online bookstore

Subscribe to our YouTube Channel

Our favorite playlists on: Anxiety, Sleep, Relationships, Most Popular Episodes

Full Shownotes: https://www.tenpercent.com/tph/podcast-episode/matthew-brensilver-rerun-2023

For the Burned Out, Fried, and Exhausted | Emily & Amelia Nagoski Dec 20, 2023

Show notes

New episodes come out every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for free, with 1-week early access for Wondery+ subscribers.

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A slew of evidence-based, ready-to-try-today interventions we can use to "complete the stress cycle."

Emily Nagoski is the award-winning author of the New York Times bestseller Come as You Are: The Surprising New Science That Will Transform Your Sex Life. She has a MS in counseling and a PhD in health behavior, both from Indiana University. She's also the co-author of Burnout: The Secret To Unlocking The Stress Cycle.

Amelia Nagoski holds a DMA in conducting from the University of Connecticut. An assistant professor and coordinator of music at Western New England University, she regularly presents educational sessions discussing the application of communications science and psychological research for audiences of other professional musicians, including "Beyond Burnout Prevention: Embodied Wellness for Conductors." She is the co-author of Burnout: The Secret To Unlocking The Stress Cycle

In this episode we talk about:

The three characteristics of burnout
The difference between addressing stressful circumstances in our lives and dealing with the actual physical experience of stress
What they call the "real enemy"
How to create a "bubble of love"
The evidence-based interventions you can try right away

Related Episodes:

Optimizing Your Stress | Modupe Akinola

Follow Dan on social: Instagram, TikTok

Ten Percent Happier online bookstore

Subscribe to our YouTube Channel

Our favorite playlists on: Anxiety, Sleep, Relationships, Most Popular Episodes

Full Shownotes: https://www.tenpercent.com/tph/podcast-episode/nagoski-2023-rerun

The Science of Training Your Attention | Dr. Amishi Jha Dec 18, 2023

Show notes

New episodes come out every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for free, with 1-week early access for Wondery+ subscribers.

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How to stay focused, fight distraction, and function at your peak.

Dr. Amishi Jha is a professor of psychology at the University of Miami. She serves as the Director of Contemplative Neuroscience for the Mindfulness Research and Practice Initiative, which she co-founded in 2010. Dr Jha is the author of the national bestseller, Peak Mind.

In this episode we talk about:

What peak mind is
Why meta awareness is important to practice and achieve peak mind
The suite of mindfulness-based attention training practices
Why humans developed attention in the first place
Using the flashlight and floodlight metaphors to help us understand different types of attention
The mental pushup for attention: focus, notice, and redirect
The attention benefits for high stress populations who engage in contemplatives practices
Multitasking vs. monotasking
The real life and death consequences of confirmation bias
Part of the reason why we may be experiencing a crisis of attention
Giving our mind the freedom to choose where it goes next