10% Happier with Dan Harris

How To Escape Your Brain's Default Mode Network | Zindel Segal and Norman Farb

Using your senses to reduce overthinking, turn down the voice in your head, and get out of what these scientists call "the house of habit." Dr. Zindel Segal [https://www.utsc.utoronto.ca/labs/mindful-awareness/] is Distinguished Professor of Psychology in Mood Disorders at the University of Toronto Scarborough and a cofounder of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy. Professor Norman Farb, PhD [https://www.radlab.zone/], is an Associate Professor of Psychology at the University of Toronto Mississauga, where he directs the Regulatory and Affective Dynamics laboratory. Together, they are the co-authors of Better In Every Sense: How the New Science of Sensation Can Help You Reclaim Your Life [https://betterineverysense.com/]. In this episode we talk about: * How the brain's default mode network is essential to our survival but also can keep us stuck in rumination and overthinking * Segal and Farb's simple practice of "sense foraging" and why they say it can help break patterns and thoughts that aren't serving us * The differences and the similarities between sense foraging and mindfulness Related Episodes: * Depression and Anxiety: Your Old Enemies, Your Best Friends | Zindel Segal — Ten Percent Happier [https://open.substack.com/pub/danharris/p/how-to-escape-your-brains-default-88a?utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=web] * Gretchen Rubin on: How To Use Your Five Senses To Reduce Anxiety, Increase Creativity, and Improve Your Relationships [https://open.substack.com/pub/danharris/p/gretchen-rubin-on-how-to-use-your-d5d?utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=web] * Why You Can't Pay Attention - And How to Think Deeply Again | Johann Hari — Ten Percent Happier [https://open.substack.com/pub/danharris/p/why-you-cant-pay-attention-and-how-77b?utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=web] Get the 10% with Dan Harris app here [https://app.danharris.com/membership] Sign up for Dan's free newsletter here [http://www.danharris.com/] Follow Dan on social: Instagram [https://bit.ly/3tGigG5], TikTok [https://bit.ly/3FOA84J] Subscribe to our YouTube Channel [https://bit.ly/3FybRzD] To advertise on the show, contact sales@advertisecast.com or visit https://advertising.libsyn.com/10HappierwithDanHarris [https://advertising.libsyn.com/10HappierwithDanHarris]

Trudging Through Your Own Life? Here's the Stoic Fix | Maria Semple

How to do your best work, reframe life's bullshit, and stop making your happiness hostage to outcomes. Maria Semple [https://www.mariasemple.com/] is the bestselling author of Today Will Be Different, Where'd You Go, Bernadette, and This One Is Mine. Before writing fiction, Maria wrote for TV. Her newest book is called Go Gentle [https://www.amazon.com/Go-Gentle-Maria-Semple/dp/B0FJDLY6MH]. In this episode we talk about: * Cognitive reframing tools to shift your mindset * Maria's daily Stoic routine * The limits of Stoicism * What to do when mediating gives you anxiety * The danger of "baited bounties" * How to "get shit done" with non-attachment * Using fantasy as a coping mechanism Related Episodes: * Stoic Practices for Getting Rid of Mental Junk, Your Morning Routine, and Talking to the Dead | Ryan Holiday [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/stoic-practices-for-getting-rid-of-mental-junk-your/id1087147821?i=1000749207909] * Stoic Advice for Handling Setbacks, Insults, and Death | William Irvine [https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/stoic-advice-for-handling-setbacks-insults-and-death/id1087147821?i=1000704274965] Get the 10% with Dan Harris app here [https://app.danharris.com/membership] Sign up for Dan's free newsletter here [http://www.danharris.com/] Follow Dan on social: Instagram [https://bit.ly/3tGigG5], TikTok [https://bit.ly/3FOA84J] Subscribe to our YouTube Channel [https://bit.ly/3FybRzD] Additional Resources: * William Irvine's "A Guide to the Good Life [https://www.amazon.com/Guide-Good-Life-Ancient-Stoic/dp/0195374614]" 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. [https://www.92ny.org/event/dan-harris-with-allison-gilbert] 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. [https://www.eomega.org/workshops/meditation-party#9851] This episode is sponsored by: Rosetta Stone — Language learning that's immersive and intuitive. Start your journey at https://www.rosettastone.com/happier [https://www.rosettastone.com/happier] ButcherBox — 100% grass-fed beef, free-range organic chicken, and wild-caught seafood delivered to your door. New listeners get chicken breasts or top sirloin for a year, or ground beef for life, plus $20 off at https://www.butcherbox.com/happier [https://www.butcherbox.com/happier] To advertise on the show, contact sales@advertisecast.com or visit https://advertising.libsyn.com/10HappierwithDanHarris [https://advertising.libsyn.com/10HappierwithDanHarris]

Top 10 Neuroscience-Backed Tips for a Stronger Brain | Wendy Suzuki and Amishi Jha

Plus: maximizing the benefits of sleep, exercise, and meditation. To celebrate the show's 10th anniversary, we're producing episodes that share top 10 lists of practices, strategies and more from our favorite experts. A heartfelt thank you to everyone who has listened and supported the show over the years. None of this would be possible without you. Amishi Jha, PhD [https://amishi.com/] is the Director of Contemplative Neuroscience and a Professor of Psychology at the University of Miami. She is also the author of the bestselling book Peak Mind [https://a.co/d/01fyGGay] and the creator of the app Pushups for the Mind [https://peakmind.media/]. Wendy Suzuki, PhD [https://www.wendysuzuki.com/] is the Dean of New York University College of Arts & Science and a Professor of Neural Science and Psychology at New York University. She is the author of the books Healthy Brain, Happy Life [https://www.wendysuzuki.com/the-book-healthy-brain-happy-life] and Good Anxiety [https://www.wendysuzuki.com/good-anxiety]. In this episode: * What neuroplasticity is, and why your brain is not fixed * How exercise changes your brain, including mood, memory, and attention * Reframing the burden of optimization * The minimum effective dose for meditation to improve attention * Why sleep is essential for memory, brain cleanup, and long-term brain health * The myth of multitasking * How anxiety can be used as a tool instead of just something to avoid * How your daily habits are shaping the brain you'll have tomorrow Get the 10% with Dan Harris app here [https://app.danharris.com/membership] Sign up for Dan's free newsletter here [http://www.danharris.com/] Follow Dan on social: Instagram [https://bit.ly/3tGigG5], TikTok [https://bit.ly/3FOA84J] Subscribe to our YouTube Channel [https://bit.ly/3FybRzD] 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. [https://www.92ny.org/event/dan-harris-with-allison-gilbert] 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. [https://www.eomega.org/workshops/meditation-party#9851] This episode is sponsored by: Gainbridge — Guaranteed-rate financial products with no hidden fees. Learn more at https://www.gainbridge.com [https://www.gainbridge.com] Warby Parker — Prescription glasses, contacts, and sunglasses with virtual try-on. Buy one prescription pair and get 20% off additional pairs at https://www.warbyparker.com/happier [https://www.warbyparker.com/happier] BetterHelp — Online therapy, matched to your needs. Get 10% off your first month at https://www.betterhelp.com/happier [https://www.betterhelp.com/happier] To advertise on the show, contact sales@advertisecast.com or visit https://advertising.libsyn.com/10HappierwithDanHarris [https://advertising.libsyn.com/10HappierwithDanHarris]

The Science of Talking: Boost Your Mood, Sharpen Your Mind, and Protect Against Dementia | Maryellen MacDonald

The way you talk to other people (and yourself) can reduce dysregulation and distraction--and lead to better decisions. Maryellen MacDonald [https://www.maryellenmacdonald.com/] is the Donald P. Hayes Professor (emerit) of Psychology and Language Sciences at the University of Wisconsin−Madison. She is a cognitive scientist with a focus on psycholinguistics, the study of how we comprehend, produce, and learn languages. Her latest book is More Than Words: How Talking Sharpens the Mind and Shapes Our World [https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/724046/more-than-words-by-maryellen-macdonald-phd/]. In this episode we talk about: * The hidden benefits of talking, including self-talk and writing * How talking helps focus attention and clarify your thinking * Why talking can help regulate emotions and improve decision-making * Why talking is actually harder than listening * Why we shouldn't rush to finish other people's sentences * How deliberate talking can help protect against dementia * Why understanding something doesn't necessarily mean you've learned it * How talking about new information helps your brain remember it * Why explaining things to other people deepens your own learning * Why kids need chances to talk and not just watch screens * Why you shouldn't judge people by how they talk Related Episodes: * The Science Of Journaling: How Writing Reduces Overthinking, Rumination, And Anxiety | Dr. James Pennebaker (Co-Interviewed By Dr. Bianca Harris) [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-science-of-journaling-how-writing/id1087147821?i=1000677296672] Get the 10% with Dan Harris app here [https://app.danharris.com/membership] Sign up for Dan's free newsletter here [http://www.danharris.com/] Follow Dan on social: Instagram [https://bit.ly/3tGigG5], TikTok [https://bit.ly/3FOA84J] Subscribe to our YouTube Channel [https://bit.ly/3FybRzD] 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. [https://www.92ny.org/event/dan-harris-with-allison-gilbert] 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. [https://www.eomega.org/workshops/meditation-party#9851] To advertise on the show, contact sales@advertisecast.com or visit https://advertising.libsyn.com/10HappierwithDanHarris [https://advertising.libsyn.com/10HappierwithDanHarris]

What To Do When Life Won't Let Up | Sebene Selassie and Jeff Warren

What does it actually mean to "trust life" — especially when life is handing you something genuinely hard? In this Meditation Party episode (originally aired in 2024), Dan, Sebene Selassie [https://sebeneselassie.com], and Jeff Warren [https://jeffwarren.com] dig into that question from multiple angles: as a personal mantra, a philosophical stance, and a daily practice. Plus: listener questions on rumination, work-life balance, and the eternal napping-vs.-meditating debate. * "Trust Life" vs. "This Is the Curriculum" — Sebene shares the origin of her tattoo and what the mantra has meant through years of health challenges. * The three timescales of practice — Jeff breaks down how meditation works in the moment, over months and years, and across the arc of a whole life. The third one is where things get interesting. * Obsessive thinking / rumination — Practical tools from all three, including one from Sebene involving a trampoline, and one from a clinical psychologist that will make you feel ridiculous in the best way. Sebene Selassie describes herself as a "writer, teacher, and immigrant-weirdo." She teaches meditation on the ten percent happier app and is the author of a great book called You Belong [https://bookshop.org/p/books/you-belong-a-call-for-connection-sebene-selassie/15303288?aid=96317&ean=9780062940667&listref=dan-harris-favorite-books&]. She's based in Brooklyn. Jeff Warren is also a writer and a meditation teacher. He and Dan co-wrote the book, Meditation for Fidgety Skeptics [https://bookshop.org/p/books/meditation-for-fidgety-skeptics-a-10-happier-how-to-book-dan-harris/11375696?aid=96317&ean=9780399588969&listref=books-on-ten-percent-happier]. He also hosts the Consciousness Explorers podcast. He's based in Toronto. Related episodes: How to Stay Calm No Matter What's Happening | Sebene Selassie and Jeff Warren [https://open.substack.com/pub/danharris/p/how-to-stay-calm-no-matter-whats-4c8?utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=web]Science-Based Tools for When You're Stressed, Obsessed, or Overthinking | Dr. Jenny Taitz [https://open.substack.com/pub/danharris/p/science-based-tools-for-when-youre-271?utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=web] Get the 10% with Dan Harris app here [https://app.danharris.com/membership]Sign up for Dan's free newsletter here [http://www.danharris.com/]Follow Dan on social: Instagram [https://bit.ly/3tGigG5], TikTok [https://bit.ly/3FOA84J]Subscribe to our YouTube Channel [https://bit.ly/3FybRzD] To advertise on the show, contact sales@advertisecast.com or visit https://advertising.libsyn.com/10HappierwithDanHarris [https://advertising.libsyn.com/10HappierwithDanHarris]