Dan Harris, author of 10% Happier, joins Dr. Rick and Forrest on the Being Well Podcast for a wide-ranging, open, and personal conversation. They explore dealing with anxiety and fear, sustaining a mindfulness practice, and accepting our nature while leaning into a new version of ourselves.
Along the way they talk about the benefits and drawbacks of purely secular approaches to mindfulness, Dan’s recent time with the Dalai Lama, and why an “anti-sentimentalist” is writing a book about love.
About our Guest: Dan Harris is the author of the best-selling memoir 10% Happier, about a fidgety, skeptical news anchor who finds meditation. He’s also the host of the Ten Percent Happier podcast and the cofounder of the Ten Percent Happier meditation app. For 21 years, he worked at ABC News, where he anchored such shows as Nightline and the weekend editions of Good Morning America.
Key Topics:
- 0:00: Introduction
- 1:05: Dan’s history with panic attacks, and using exposure therapy
- 6:15: Pros and cons of mindfulness in a secular frame
- 9:15: Moving away from a purely secular frame
- 12:10: Dan’s current meditation practice
- 16:15: Sustaining practice, and the pros and cons of stubbornness
- 20:15: Passion and purpose without attachment
- 27:50: Dan’s takeaways from the Dalai Lama
- 30:45: Caring, sharing, and marking your virtuous moments
- 33:30: An ‘anti-sentimental’ look at love
- 44:50: Recognizing personal change
- 47:55: If you can’t be cheesy, you can’t be free
- 51:40: Recap
