10% Happier with Dan Harris The Joys of Insignificance | Ron Siegel
Mar 16, 2022
In this insightful discussion, Ron Siegel, a Harvard Medical School psychology professor and mindfulness expert, shares his wisdom on the pressures of self-evaluation and societal expectations. He argues that embracing our insignificance can be liberating and offers strategies like mindfulness and self-compassion to combat self-criticism. The impact of evolutionary roots on our self-perception is explored, along with the importance of genuine connections over self-preoccupation. Siegel encourages listeners to find meaning beyond fleeting pleasures and to redefine true success aligned with personal values.
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Compulsive Self-Evaluation
- During walking meditation, a meditation teacher assessed his performance after each step.
- He realized he'd spent his life in compulsive self-evaluation and wept.
Evolutionary Roots of Self-Evaluation
- Self-evaluation stems from our evolutionary concern with social hierarchies.
- This manifests as thoughts about our status relative to others.
Self-Kindness
- Be kind to yourself about self-evaluation, it is a universal human experience.
- Recognize it is not a personal failing.
