10% Happier with Dan Harris

Here's What I Learned From Writing A Whole Book About Meditation | Dan Harris

Feb 26, 2024

DJ Cashmere and Lauren Smith, producers of the hit podcast, sit down with Dan Harris to dive into his journey of writing a transformative book on meditation. They discuss Dan's panic attack on live television and how it reshaped his perspective on mental health. The conversation highlights themes like responding versus reacting, the capacity for change, and the myth-busting of meditation practices. Dan opens up about overcoming imposter syndrome and embracing authenticity, making meditation accessible to skeptics. It's a candid and enlightening dialogue!

01:11:10

Creator website

Episode guests

Lauren Smith

DJ Cashmere

AI Summary

Highlights

AI Chapters

Episode notes

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

Writing '10% Happier' transformed Dan's life, leading to his shift towards mental health advocacy.

Meditation aids in managing 'monkey mind', promoting self-awareness and decision-making.

Practicing 'respond, not react' through mindfulness fosters personal growth and behavior change.

Deep dives

Journalistic Career and Personal Struggles

Dan reflects on his risky career move of writing '10% Happier' where he openly shared his personal struggles with depression and substance abuse, leading to a panic attack on live television. Despite initial uncertainties, the book's success allowed him to transition away from his news career into a focus on mental health and happiness.

Cultivating Mindfulness for Mental Health Benefits

01:11

There’s no perfection, only Continuous Improvement

01:16

Previewing an Exciting Series Celebrating the Book's 10th Anniversary

03:28

Exploration of Default Modes and Personal Conditioning

03:05

Intro

4min

Upcoming Live Events and Personal Connections

3min

Reflecting on a Decade: The Journey Begins

6min

Meditation and the Struggles Within

24min

Debunking Meditation Myths

9min

Navigating Self-Awareness and Power Dynamics

10min

Understanding Default Mental States and Personal Growth

5min

Embracing Authenticity in Meditation

15min

Celebrating Conversations and Upcoming Guests

4min

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

---

The tables have turned: Dan is interviewed by two of his producers.

This is the kickoff episode of our upcoming series celebrating the 10th anniversary of Dan’s book, where two of Dan’s producers, DJ Cashmere and Lauren Smith, interview him.

We talk about the story behind the book, what it was like to have a panic attack on national television, why Dan decided to admit it publicly, how the success of the book utterly transformed his life, and what he learned… Both while writing the book and subsequently.

We talk about concepts such as “Respond, not react,” why our faults aren’t our fault (but they are our responsibility), and whether we all have the capacity to change. DJ and Lauren will even weigh in on how they think Dan’s doing on the score.

To order the revised tenth anniversary edition of 10% Happier: click here

For tickets to Dan Harris: Celebrating 10 Years of 10% Happier at Symphony Space: click here

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/736-10th-anniversary

Additional Resources:

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

Remember Everything You Learn from Podcasts

Save insights instantly, chat with episodes, and build lasting knowledge - all powered by AI.

10% Happier with Dan Harris

Here's What I Learned From Writing A Whole Book About Meditation | Dan Harris

Episode guests

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

Deep dives

Journalistic Career and Personal Struggles

Discovery of Meditation

Practicing Mindfulness

Continuous Growth and Acknowledging Imperfections

Importance of Intellectual Humility

Evolution into a Quasi Self-Help Guru

Cultivating Mindfulness for Mental Health Benefits

There’s no perfection, only Continuous Improvement

Previewing an Exciting Series Celebrating the Book's 10th Anniversary

Exploration of Default Modes and Personal Conditioning

Remember Everything You Learn from Podcasts