10% Happier with Dan Harris

On short-circuiting anxiety, breaking thought loops, and learning how to talk to yourself.
In this live Q&A, Dan covers:
Why action is the best antidote to AI anxiety — and what's actually in your control

How to use your meditation practice inside an MRI (and when it's okay to just get sedated)

Joseph Goldstein's "dead end" technique for breaking out of repetitive thought loops

Why certainty is not an indicator of truth — and how open-mindedness works in a polarized world

The Buddhist take on alcohol, and Dan's surprisingly candid answer about his own relationship with substances

How to stop feeding the need for external approval — without toxic positivity

Why mindfulness in Pali literally means "remembering" — and why you'll always need to hear this stuff again



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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.
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Why you'll never find happiness where you're looking for it–and where to look instead.
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. 

In this episode we talk about:
Why desire and wanting can keep us stuck in cycles of dissatisfaction
The difference between momentary pleasure and deeper happiness
A practical way to watch cravings arise and pass without reacting
Why "not wanting" can feel surprisingly relieving
The Buddhist framework of gratification, danger, and escape
How to think about contentment and the question: how much is enough?
The difference between guilt and wise remorse
How desire, lust, and craving can distort judgment
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. Grab your in-person spot here, or sign up to livestream here!
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Additional Resources: 
Dharma Seed - freely offered talks from Western Buddhist Vipassana teachers

This episode is sponsored by Function Health — 160+ lab tests a year for $365, with the ability to dive deeper into your results through Function's connections to platforms like ChatGPT and Claude. Join at https://www.functionhealth.com/happier or use code HAPPIER25 for a $25 credit toward your membership.
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Manage anxiety, rewire your inner critic, and never worry alone.
Emma Seppälä, PhD is a psychologist and research scientist from Yale, and the author of two books, The Happiness Track and Sovereign.  
Ethan Kross, PhD is a professor at the University of Michigan, where he leads the Institute for Mental Fitness. He is the author of two books, Chatter and Shift. 
In this episode we talk about:
What emotions actually are, and why even anxiety and anger serve a purpose
Why self-criticism backfires, and what the research shows about self-compassion instead
How chronic suppression makes your emotions stronger, not weaker
Regulation tools you can use in the moment to shift emotional states
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Additional Resources: 
Support Christina Feldman's Healing Journey
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. Grab your in-person spot here, or sign up to livestream here!

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This episode is sponsored by:
BetterHelp — Online therapy, matched to your needs. Get 10% off your first month at https://www.betterhelp.com/happier
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The simple practice and surprising benefits of yoga nidra, a guided lying-down meditation. Plus: parts work, core beliefs, and the blind spot effect.

This episode originally aired in December 2022. 
Kelly Boys is a mindfulness trainer and coach. She has helped design and deliver mindfulness and resilience programs for the UN, Google, and San Quentin State Prison. She is also the author of The Blind Spot Effect: How to Stop Missing What's Right in Front of You. 
Today we're going to talk specifically about a type of meditation that Kelly teaches called Yoga Nidra, which has been shown to help you sleep, improve your working memory, and decrease cravings. 
In this episode we talk about:
The difference between Yoga Nidra and mindfulness meditation, and how Kelly seeks to combine them
The value of being able to both observe and high-five your demons 
Working with our "core beliefs" about ourselves and the world
The calming power of drawing your attention to the back side of your body throughout the day
Working with "opposites" as a way to get unstuck in difficult moments
What Kelly means by the blind spot effect
Setting intentions
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. Grab your in-person spot here, or sign up to livestream here! 

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Sara Mednick is a cognitive neuroscientist at the University of California, Irvine, and the author of the book The Power of the Downstate. This episode is part of our month-long "Mental Health Reboot" series to mark Mental Health Awareness Month. 
This episode is from our archives.
In this episode we talk about:
The nuances of napping
Dr. Mednick's definition of the "downstate"
Whether there are practices that can compensate for poor sleep
Why heart rate variability is an important measurement of health
Why sex is so helpful for sleep
And when to take melatonin to best effect
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. Grab your in-person spot here, or sign up to livestream here!
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:
Rosetta Stone — Language learning that's immersive and intuitive. Ten Percent Happier listeners get 20% off a Rosetta Stone Sapphire subscription at https://www.rosettastone.com/happier
Quo — The business communication system built so you never miss a call. Try free and get 20% off your first six months at https://www.quo.com/happier
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