10% Happier with Dan Harris

Goldie Hawn, an Academy Award-winning actress and the founder of MindUP, delves into her journey with meditation, which helped her tackle panic attacks. She discusses the transformative power of curiosity and the significance of 'brain breaks' for mental fitness. Hawn shares insights on nurturing long-lasting romantic relationships, the corrosive nature of jealousy, and how mindfulness can support children's emotional health. Her experiences highlight the joy found in self-discovery and the importance of fostering emotional connections.

Cara Lai is a multifaceted meditation teacher, artist, and wilderness guide with a rich background in social work. She shares her profound insights from a year-long silent meditation retreat, exploring the emotional challenges and transformative lessons learned along the way. The conversation delves into embracing solitude, navigating discomfort, and the power of mindfulness in everyday life. Cara discusses the significance of community and connection, revealing how these experiences resonate with universal struggles and personal growth.

In this engaging conversation, Michael Norton, a Harvard Business School professor and author of The Ritual Effect, explores how transforming habits into rituals can significantly improve various aspects of life. He discusses the distinction between habits and rituals, emphasizing their role in enhancing emotional experiences and creativity. Norton also shares insights on introducing meaningful rituals in the workplace to boost team dynamics and communication. Additionally, he highlights how personal rituals can help in managing anxiety and strengthen relationships.

Explore the journey of self-compassion through the lens of a life-changing panic attack. Discover how meditation transformed not only the speaker’s life but also their relationships. Learn about the powerful impact of loving-kindness meditation in battling self-criticism and promoting emotional well-being. With humor and insight, the speaker shares the science behind nurturing a kinder internal dialogue, making you more pleasant to those around you.

Devin Berry, a Dharma teacher at Spirit Rock and IMS, shares his transformative journey from skeptic to meditation expert. He discusses how mindfulness alone isn’t sufficient, emphasizing the power of metta, or loving-kindness, as a vital practice. Devin recounts the Buddha's origins of metta, illustrating its role in fostering compassion in our fractured world. He also dives into the practice of Dana (generosity), reflecting on his year-long experiment and highlighting how these teachings combat fear and anxiety, promoting emotional well-being.

Dr. James R. Doty, a Stanford neurosurgeon and compassion researcher, discusses the science behind manifestation and offers an intriguing perspective that mixes intention setting with neurological insights. He reveals his six steps to manifesting, emphasizing the importance of understanding our desires versus needs. Doty explores how caring influences our brain's functions and shares practical tips for embedding intentions into our subconscious. This thought-provoking conversation critiques popular misconceptions around manifestation and highlights the transformative power of human connection.

Loch Kelly, an author and psychotherapist, shares insights on 'effortless mindfulness' while Matt Harris co-interviews. They tackle common meditation challenges, urging a curious approach to non-duality. Kelly explores transforming conventional mindfulness into a more effortless awareness, emphasizing the deep connections between emotions and experiences. The duo discusses the power of language in shaping consciousness and the importance of tailoring mindfulness techniques to individual learning styles, fostering mental clarity and connection.

Charan Ranganath, a UC Davis neuroscientist and author of "Why We Remember," discusses the fascinating science of memory. He explains how mood and multitasking can drastically alter what we remember. Forgetting is framed as a necessity for efficiency rather than a flaw. Ranganath shares practical strategies like chunking, distinctiveness, and the importance of sleep in enhancing memory retention. He also emphasizes that mistakes can actually boost learning, challenging the traditional view of memory as an accurate archive.

Reverend Benjamin Perry, author of "Cry, Baby: Why Our Tears Matter" and an expert on crying's emotional impact, joins to delve into the complexity of tears. He discusses the evolutionary roots of crying and how societal norms shape emotional expression, especially in men. The conversation reveals crying's transformative power in processing grief and vulnerability within relationships. They also explore how childhood experiences affect adult emotional exchanges, emphasizing the importance of empathy and support for genuine connections.

Michael Easter, a New York Times bestselling author known for 'The Comfort Crisis' and 'Scarcity Brain,' dives into the struggle between our ancient instincts and modern excess. He discusses the 'scarcity loop'—how it drives our cravings and behaviors in today's world. Michael shares tactical advice for breaking free from overconsumption and embracing discomfort for personal growth. He emphasizes that confronting challenges can lead to true satisfaction, making the case for a more mindful approach to happiness.