Dan Harris

What To Do When Your Mind Won't Quit | Bart van Melik

Dan Harris — Fri, 03 Apr 2026 07:01:28 GMT

Meditation teacher Bart van Melik leads a live community Q&A — and the questions that come in are ones most meditators have quietly wrestled with for years.

Bart is the guiding teacher at Community Meditation Center in New York, where he leads weekly sessions grounded in Buddhist tradition. In this episode, he takes on four of the most common sticking points in practice: forgiveness, boredom, disconnection from the body, and the spiral of anxious “what if” thinking.

His approach throughout is warm, precise, and grounded — less about achieving a particular state and more about learning to hold whatever arises with curiosity and kindness.

Topics covered:

Forgiveness — why forcing it can backfire, what it means to “bypass” difficult emotions, and the reframe that changes everything: forgiveness as giving up all hope for a better past
Boredom — how to get genuinely curious about it instead of fighting it, and what it can teach you about why you reach for your phone
Getting into your body — why embodiment looks different for everyone, and how to find the activities (yes, even mindful salsa dancing or vacuuming) that make it easier
Worry and “what if” thoughts — the Buddhist framing of worry as an obstacle to clear seeing, and a simple breathwork technique from Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche — exhale heavy, exhale calm — that works even in the hardest moments
Community as practice — the Buddha’s teaching that friendship and community isn’t half the path. It’s the whole thing.

About Bart van Melik: Bart van Melik is a meditation teacher and guiding teacher at Community Meditation Center, a global and local community that meets weekly via Zoom. Monthly sessions are donation-based and open to all. Learn more at https://www.cmc-ny.org/.

Modern Life Is Designed to Leave You Empty. Here's the Antidote. | Arthur Brooks

Dan Harris — Wed, 01 Apr 2026 07:00:11 GMT

Arthur Brooks is a professor at the Harvard Kennedy School and the Harvard Business School, where he teaches courses on leadership and happiness. Brooks is the author of 15 books, including the #1 New York Times bestsellers, Build the Life You Want, co-authored with Oprah Winfrey, and From Strength to Strength: Finding Success, Happiness, and Deep Purpose in the Second Half of Life. His latest book is The Meaning of Your Life: Finding Purpose in an Age of Emptiness.

Additional Resources:

Office Hours with Arthur Brooks

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.

If you care about longevity, you need this

Dan Harris — Mon, 30 Mar 2026 11:03:27 GMT

When most people think about longevity, their minds go directly to diet, sleep, and exercise. All of those things are important, yes, but if you want to live a long and healthy life, the science suggests what you need first and foremost is a sense of purpose.

The good news is: your purpose doesn’t have to be gauzy or grandiose. It also doesn’t have to be the product of a shitload of suffering that earns you hard-won wisdom. It can be very down to earth and practical, and it can change over time. Moreover, purpose is a skill you can develop. And the rewards are immense.

Before I get to the how-to of it, two compelling scientific findings. First, among adults 65 and older, a strong sense of purpose is the single most important psychological predictor of longevity, after controlling for other factors. Second, and maybe more immediately useful, purpose is one of the biggest contributors to resilience, the speed with which you recover from adversity. The stronger your sense of purpose, the faster you bounce back.

Below are three ways to operationalize purpose in your life right now. These come from a pair of scientists named Richie Davidson and Cortland Dahl, who were recently on my podcast.

Reframe the mundane. Before a daily chore — dishes, garbage, laundry — consciously connect it to an altruistic motive. Richie actually does this every night before scooping his cat’s litter box: he reflects on how that action benefits his wife and anyone who walks into the living room, not to mention the cat. The task is identical, but the inner experience is completely different.
The One-Minute Motivation Reset. Before you start a new project, begin a difficult conversation, or embark on anything potentially meaningful, pause for sixty seconds to reset your motivation. Mentally state a brief aspiration, something like “may whatever comes of this do some good in the world” or “may this reach somebody who really needs it.” The point is that purpose isn’t just a warm, fuzzy thought — it’s about linking something you’re actually doing at that moment to a value that’s important to you.
Use adversity as a cue. Often, when we feel anxious or frustrated, we get hijacked and lose our sense of direction. Richie suggests a mental shift: the uncomfortable feeling itself can be the reminder to check back in. Instead of a challenge being an interruption of your purpose, the stress becomes the signal to reconnect with what’s important. Over time difficult moments stop derailing you and start acting as triggers keeping you connected to your purpose and values.

For more on how to train your sense of purpose and the science of flourishing, listen to the full episode with Richie Davidson and Cortland Dahl.

Also out this week is my episode with bestselling author John Green who shares his toolkit for a noisy mind.

Over on the 10% with Dan Harris app:

Join me for a live meditation and Q&A tomorrow (Tuesday, March 31 at 4 p.m. ET) on Zoom. Drop your questions for me in the event post on the app here.

Upcoming events in person:

On May 17, join me for a conversation with Allison Gilbert at 92NY in NYC about how self-awareness and self-compassion can transform not only our inner lives but our relationships. Get tickets here.

Tickets for the next Meditation Party are available here! Jeff Warren, Sebene Selassie, and I are doing another version of our annual retreat this Oct. 16-18. It’s at the Omega Institute in upstate NY. Think four big sessions of meditation, conversation, and Q&A—with plenty of free time to hike the 240-acre campus, play some pickleball, shoot hoops, or just relax by the lake. You can also drop into yoga or tai chi classes, and on Saturday night there’s even a dance party (totally optional, I promise).

Paid subscribers to the new 10% with Dan Harris app get:

Guided Meditations: A library of guided sessions to help with stress, anxiety, focus, sleep, annoying people, and more.
Meditation Challenges: Structured programs to deepen your practice with clear goals, daily guidance, and community support.
Live Meditation and Q&A Sessions: Every week, meditate live with me and some of the best meditation teachers on earth. Ask questions. Get actual answers.
The 10% Happier Podcast: Subscribers get access to ad-free versions of my pod. Both the new episodes and the entire archive, stretching back almost 10 years.
Community Connection: Join conversations with thousands of other practitioners who get it. Share your struggles, celebrate wins, get support when you need it.

Join the party.

The Neuroscience of Flourishing: Four Practices for Turning Stress and Anxiety Into Clarity and Calm | Richard Davidson and Cortland Dahl

Dan Harris — Mon, 30 Mar 2026 10:02:51 GMT

Richard J. Davidson, PhD, is a Professor of Psychology and Psychiatry at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He is also the Founder & Director of the Center for Healthy Minds and Founder of the non-profit Humin.

Cortland Dahl, PhD, is a scientist, author, translator, and meditation teacher for the Tergar community.

Davidson and Dahl’s latest book is Born to Flourish. They also author the Substack newsletter, Dharma Lab.

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.

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.

Stop Trying to Become Someone New: Get Past Constant Comparison and Return to What Works For You | Sam Sanders

Dan Harris — Fri, 27 Mar 2026 07:02:39 GMT

What if the most meaningful thing you did for your mental health wasn’t something new — but a return to what already brings you joy?

Dan recently sat down with journalist and broadcaster Sam Sanders on the Sam Sanders Show to explore exactly that idea. Sam has a concept he calls “modern scriptures”: the movies, albums, and TV shows you return to again and again because they ground you, center you, and remind you what matters. Dan shares the pop culture that never fails to lift his spirits — and along the way, the two get into why beauty and art are actually central to human flourishing, why Ferris Bueller is more Buddhist than you might think, and what the research says about making resolutions stick — including the one upstream habit that makes everything else easier.

The Sam Sanders Show is a co-production of KCRW and Sam Sanders Productions. Sign up for Sam’s newsletter for behind-the-scenes extras from every episode.

A Toolkit for a Noisy Mind: How John Green Manages Anxiety, Depression, and Intrusive Thoughts

Dan Harris — Wed, 25 Mar 2026 07:01:46 GMT

John Green is the award-winning, #1 bestselling author of books including Looking for Alaska, The Fault in Our Stars, Turtles All the Way Down, and The Anthropocene Reviewed. With his brother, Hank, John has co-created many online video projects, including Vlogbrothers and the educational channel Crash Course. His most recent book is Everything Is Tuberculosis.

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.

How to get in fewer arguments (and fight better when you do)

Dan Harris — Mon, 23 Mar 2026 11:03:13 GMT

As someone whose career involves studying human happiness, I am continuously struck by the fact that the single most important variable for our mental and physical health is the quality of our relationships. And yet, we’re almost never taught any form of interpersonal hygiene. We are left to wing it in our romantic partnerships, friendships, and work relationships.

My friend Shankar Vedantam, host of the excellent podcast Hidden Brain, recently joined me to talk about why conflict is inevitable in long-term relationships, and what to do about it. Below are three strategies from our conversation for when you find yourself in the briar patch of conflict with someone you care about.

Externalize the “monster.” When a recurring disagreement pops up, give the problem a name or a personality. For example, if you prefer your home spotless and your partner is a bit more “relaxed” about chores, you might say, “Here’s that Cleaning Monster again.” By labeling the conflict as an “it,” you shift the perspective from “you are the problem” to “we have a shared problem.”
Eat the blame. When we feel under attack, our personal “bodyguards” (e.g. our capacity for anger, defensiveness, and diminishment) come out to protect us. But if your bodyguards are just brawling with your partner’s bodyguards, the “us” gets caught in the crossfire. Sometimes the most effective practice is “eating the blame”, which means offering a sincere apology even if you feel you were the one wronged. In a marital context, you may have heard it cheekily put as “you can either be right, or you can be married.”
Lean into the paradox of acceptance. It’s a Buddhist concept: our desire to change the other person is actually the source of our own suffering. Paradoxically, when you truly accept your partner as they are, the tension diminishes and a feeling of safety emerges. This safety is the ground where real, creative change can actually happen.

An important caveat: employing these strategies does not mean you need to accept abusive behavior or otherwise become a doormat. They’re for personality quirks and the meaningful differences that make us human.

To learn more practical strategies for navigating difficult relationships and building new connections, listen to the full episode with Shankar Vedantam.

Also out this week is my episode with Buddhist monks Ajahn Kovilo Bhikkhu and Ajahn Nisabho, who share wisdom on how to keep your cool in a stressful world, live with less shame and regret, and cultivate “the opposite of depression.”

Over on the 10% with Dan Harris app:

The Even You Can Meditate Challenge starts today! Each day this week through Friday, we’re dropping a new meditation from Teacher of the Month Sebene Selassie. The Challenge is a kind of sampler, showcasing five different types of meditation. It’s designed to introduce beginners to a variety of styles, as well as inspire regular meditators who may want to shake things up. Kicking things off today with Even You Can Meditate with Your Breath.

Join Sebene and me for a special Challenge live session tomorrow (Tuesday, March 24 at 4 p.m. ET) on Zoom. Drop your questions for us in the event post on the app here.

Seb will also be live this Friday, March 27 at 4 p.m. ET, to close out the Challenge.

If you’re not a paid subscriber to the app, now is the time to sign up. Get a 14-day free trial that includes the Even You Can Meditate Challenge.

Upcoming events in person:

I’ll be speaking at the Jung Center in Houston tomorrow (March 24) for their annual Spring Benefit. Tickets are available here.

On May 17, join me for a conversation with Allison Gilbert at 92NY in NYC about how self-awareness and self-compassion can transform not only our inner lives but our relationships. Get tickets here.

Paid subscribers to the new 10% with Dan Harris app get:

Guided Meditations: A library of guided sessions to help with stress, anxiety, focus, sleep, annoying people, and more.
Meditation Challenges: Structured programs to deepen your practice with clear goals, daily guidance, and community support.
Live Meditation and Q&A Sessions: Every week, meditate live with me and some of the best meditation teachers on earth. Ask questions. Get actual answers.
The 10% Happier Podcast: Subscribers get access to ad-free versions of my pod. Both the new episodes and the entire archive, stretching back almost 10 years.
Community Connection: Join conversations with thousands of other practitioners who get it. Share your struggles, celebrate wins, get support when you need it.

Join the party.

Handling Difficult People, Healing Breakups, and the Science of Talking to Strangers | Shankar Vedantam

Dan Harris — Mon, 23 Mar 2026 07:01:50 GMT

Shankar Vedantam is host of the Hidden Brain podcast and radio show, where he explores the hidden patterns that drive human behavior. He is the author of the books, The Hidden Brain: How Our Unconscious Minds Elect Presidents, Wage Wars, Control Markets and Save Our Lives, and Useful Delusions: The Power and Paradox of the Self- Deceiving Brain.

Related Episodes:

The Surprising Upsides of Self-Deception

Additional Resources:

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.

A Practice for Fidgeters, Restless Minds, and Anyone Who Hates Sitting Still | Meditation with Sebene Selassie

Dan Harris — Fri, 20 Mar 2026 07:59:34 GMT

Let go of your thoughts, stop getting caught in your stories, and try the ancient practice of walking meditation.

Walking meditation is one of the most practical and underrated tools in mindfulness — and in this episode, Dan shares a guided practice from his new audiobook, Even You Can Meditate (co-authored with Sebene Selassie), out now on Audible.

The practice is led by Sebene herself. The premise is simple: walk slowly and deliberately, pay attention to the sensations of each step, and when your mind wanders — just start again. It bridges the gap between formal sitting practice and everyday life, and it’s a genuine game-changer for fidgeters, restless types, and anyone who finds stillness unbearable.

In this guided practice, Sebene leads you through:

Grounding yourself before you take your first step
Tuning into the physical sensations of lifting, moving, and placing each foot
Expanding awareness to include your whole body and your surroundings
Letting thoughts come and go — without getting caught in them
Closing with a moment of gratitude for your body and this moment of awareness

The Even You Can Meditate (audiobook) by Dan Harris and Sebene Selassie is available now at audible.com/danharris. And mark your calendar for the Even You Can Meditate 5-Day Challenge — running March 23–27 on the 10% with Dan Harris app. Each day features a different guided practice, plus two live online events with Dan and Sebene. Download the app at danharris.com

Buddhist Monks On: Letting Go of Shame, The Opposite of Depression, and Dealing With Criticism | Ajahn Kovilo and Ajahn Nisabho

Dan Harris — Wed, 18 Mar 2026 07:01:05 GMT

Ajahn Kovilo Bhikkhu and Ajahn Nisabho are North American-born, Theravada monks who founded Clear Mountain Monastery in Seattle, Washington.

How to stop comparing yourself to other people

Dan Harris — Mon, 16 Mar 2026 11:03:21 GMT

I recently deleted Instagram from my phone, and it was one of the smartest mental health moves I’ve made in a long while.

Here’s why: I’m fully aware I lead an incredibly charmed and privileged life. And yet, somehow, when I looked at Instagram, I consistently felt like an old, unhealthy, unhip loser in a world where everybody was going to a party that I was not invited to.

(And yeah, to be clear, I still post on Instagram. But I’m lucky/privileged enough that I have colleagues who can do it for me.)

But back to my point. Comparing yourself to other people is one of the most reliable routes to unhappiness. And what’s crazy about social media is that you’re not just comparing yourself to other people, you’re comparing yourself to a highlight reel that other people have carefully curated. Five minutes on Instagram is enough to convince you that everyone else is on a more photogenic vacation, eating more artisanal sourdough, and living a life seemingly unencumbered by the work, chores, and obligations that fill your days.

I recently spoke about this with Marc Brackett, founding director of the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence. He points out that because humans are wired with a negativity bias, we tend to breeze past the pleasant parts of our day and fixate on what we lack. Social media pours gas on that tendency, conditioning us to make social comparisons that leave us feeling miserable.

Here is Marc’s protocol for breaking the cycle of “compare and despair” on social media:

Catch the trigger: Use the exact moment you catch yourself in a social comparison as a wake-up alarm bell.
Use gratitude to interrupt the spiral: As soon as that alarm goes off, pause and name three good things in your own life. Keep it concrete and real. This isn’t a forced positivity ritual; it’s a cognitive reset that helps loosen the grip of self-comparison.
Take the middle path: A quick warning from the research—don’t overdo it with the gratitude. If you try to list ten things you’re grateful for every single day, it can actually backfire when you run out of ideas. Stick to a middle path of just a few things. Pause and savor them.

If you find that even with these strategies you’re still being sucked into the spiral, getting off social media entirely is worth a try. A massive 2025 study from Northeastern University found that even temporarily deactivating Facebook or Instagram leads to a meaningful boost in emotional well-being.

For more on the science of emotion regulation, including tips for stopping the cycle of rumination, listen to the full episode with Marc Brackett.

Also out this week is my episode with dharma teacher Shaila Catherine who shares practical Buddhist strategies to be less distracted and find focus.

Over on the 10% with Dan Harris app:

Tomorrow (Tuesday, March 17 at 4 p.m. ET) Teacher of the Month Sebene Selassie is going live for a guided meditation and Q&A on Zoom. Drop your questions for her in the event post on the app here.

And starting next week, join the Even You Can Meditate Challenge! From March 23–27, we’ll be dropping a new meditation from Sebene each day. The Challenge is a kind of sampler, showcasing five different types of meditation. It’s designed to introduce beginners to a variety of styles, as well as inspire regular meditators who may want to shake things up.

If you’re not a paid subscriber to the app, now is the time to sign up. Get a 14-day free trial that includes the Even You Can Meditate Challenge.

Upcoming events in person:

I’ll be speaking at the Jung Center in Houston on March 24 for their annual Spring Benefit. Tickets are available here.

On May 17, join me for a conversation with Allison Gilbert at 92NY in NYC about how self-awareness and self-compassion can transform not only our inner lives but our relationships. Get tickets here.

Paid subscribers to the new 10% with Dan Harris app get:

Guided Meditations: A library of guided sessions to help with stress, anxiety, focus, sleep, annoying people, and more.
Meditation Challenges: Structured programs to deepen your practice with clear goals, daily guidance, and community support.
Live Meditation and Q&A Sessions: Every week, meditate live with me and some of the best meditation teachers on earth. Ask questions. Get actual answers.
The 10% Happier Podcast: Subscribers get access to ad-free versions of my pod. Both the new episodes and the entire archive, stretching back almost 10 years.
Community Connection: Join conversations with thousands of other practitioners who get it. Share your struggles, celebrate wins, get support when you need it.

Join the party.

The Science of Emotion Regulation: Strategies for When You’re Anxious, Angry, or Comparing Yourself To Others | Marc Brackett

Dan Harris — Mon, 16 Mar 2026 07:01:30 GMT

Marc Brackett, Ph.D. is the author of Dealing with Feeling: Use Your Emotions to Create the Life You Want and the bestselling Permission to Feel. He is the founding director of the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence and a professor in the Child Study Center at Yale University. You can watch Marc’s podcast interviews here.

Anderson Cooper and Michelle Obama: Navigating Grief, Making Loss Less Lonely, and How to Know the People You Love Before It’s Too Late

Dan Harris — Fri, 13 Mar 2026 07:03:07 GMT

Sharing a podcast from Michelle Obama and her big brother Craig Robinson, called IMO. On IMO, Michelle and Craig aim to bring you candid perspectives on the everyday questions shaping our lives, relationships and the world around us. Each week, they’re joined by a guest to tackle real questions from real folks just like you offering practical advice, personal storytelling, and plenty of laughs. In this episode, Anderson Cooper shares what he’s learned about holding space for grief. The three talk about how they managed (or avoided) the grieving process and how their moms prepared their kids to live without them. Plus, Anderson shares his thoughts on the Vanderbilts inspiring an episode of “The Gilded Age.”

You can hear more episodes of IMO at https://lnk.to/imomichellecraigTH

Five Ways to be Less Distracted | Shaila Catherine

Dan Harris — Wed, 11 Mar 2026 07:02:43 GMT

Shaila Catherine is a dharma teacher and author of the book titled “Beyond Distraction: Five Practical Ways to Focus the Mind.” She authored two additional books on the concentration practices called jhana and approaches to insight meditation. She has practiced for more than 45 years, including nine years, cumulatively, of silent retreat. Shaila has been leading meditation retreats for 30 years, and has developed an array of in-depth online courses offered through BodhiCourses.org.

Related Episodes:

How to Focus | Shaila Catherine

Additional Resources:

Do this the next time you have an urge to mindlessly scroll, shop, eat, etc.

Dan Harris — Mon, 09 Mar 2026 11:02:15 GMT

We’ve all had that “zombie arm” moment where your hand reaches for your phone or a bag of chips without a conscious command from your brain. Before you know it, you’re three posts deep into a stranger’s social media feed or clicking “add to cart” on something you don’t actually need.

According to researcher and addiction expert Eric Garland, this isn’t a personal failing—it’s a product of how our brains evolved. Our ancient ancestors had to be incredibly efficient at detecting threats and seeking rewards like high-calorie food to survive. When a behavior was rewarded, the brain learned to reinforce it so we could repeat it without burning precious mental energy.

But in a world of endless scrolling and one-click shopping, that same efficiency becomes a trap. With enough repetition, the behavior becomes “automatized”. It starts happening entirely outside of conscious intention or even awareness. Before you know it, you are on full autopilot.

The good news? You can de-automatize these habits by making the unconscious conscious.

Eric developed a protocol called MORE (Mindfulness-Oriented Recovery Enhancement) to help people with everything from chronic pain to severe addiction, but its core tools work just as well for our everyday compulsions.

One of the practical tools Eric recommends is a practice called S.T.O.P. Try it the next time you feel that itch to scroll, shop, or eat mindlessly:

S: Stop. The moment you feel the compulsion to scroll, shop, or eat, literally pause before you engage in the habit.
T: Take a mindful breath. Spend 30 to 60 seconds focusing on the sensation of air moving in and out of your body. This isn’t just relaxing—it’s a physiological reset that creates a gap between the urge and the action.
O: Observe. Look at the craving as if you’re a scientist. Notice the tightness in your chest or the restless energy in your fingers. Realize that the craving is just a temporary physical event in the body. It isn’t a command you have to obey.
P: Proceed with intention. Now that you’re no longer on autopilot, you can choose what to do next. If you still choose to engage in the behavior, do it mindfully and give it your full attention, rather than doing it like a zombie.

What many people discover is that by simply interrupting the loop with these four steps, the desire often weakens and loses its power over time.

For more on the neuroscience of reducing chronic pain and everyday addictions, listen to the full interview with Eric Garland.

Also out this week is a new episode from my hilarious conversation with the comedian Pete Holmes recorded in NYC as part of a benefit for the amazing organization New York Insight Meditation Center.

Over on the 10% with Dan Harris app:

Tomorrow (Tuesday, March 10 at 4 p.m. ET) Teacher of the Month Sebene Selassie is going live for a guided meditation and Q&A on Zoom. Drop your questions for her in the event post on the app here.

And later this month, join the Even You Can Meditate Challenge! From March 23–27, we’ll be dropping a new meditation from Sebene each day. The Challenge is a kind of sampler, showcasing five different types of meditation. It’s designed to introduce beginners to a variety of styles, as well as inspire regular meditators who may want to shake things up.

Upcoming events in person:

I’ll be speaking at the Jung Center in Houston on March 24 for their annual Spring Benefit. Tickets are available here.

On May 17, join me for a conversation with Allison Gilbert at 92NY in NYC about how self-awareness and self-compassion can transform not only our inner lives but our relationships. Get tickets here.

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Paid subscribers to the new 10% with Dan Harris app get:

Guided Meditations: A library of guided sessions to help with stress, anxiety, focus, sleep, annoying people, and more.
Meditation Challenges: Structured programs to deepen your practice with clear goals, daily guidance, and community support.
Live Meditation and Q&A Sessions: Every week, meditate live with me and some of the best meditation teachers on earth. Ask questions. Get actual answers.
The 10% Happier Podcast: Subscribers get access to ad-free versions of my pod. Both the new episodes and the entire archive, stretching back almost 10 years.
Community Connection: Join conversations with thousands of other practitioners who get it. Share your struggles, celebrate wins, get support when you need it.

Join the party.

The Neuroscience of Reducing Chronic Pain and Everyday Addictions | Eric Garland

Dan Harris — Mon, 09 Mar 2026 07:02:09 GMT

Eric Garland, PhD is Endowed Professor in Health Sciences at the T. Denny Sanford Institute for Empathy and Compassion, Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at University of California San Diego (UCSD), and Director of UCSD ONEMIND (Optimized Neuroscience-Enhanced Mindfulness Intervention Design). He has published more than 260 scientific manuscripts and received more than $90 million in research grants to conduct clinical trials of mindfulness for addiction and chronic pain.

Additional Resources:

How To Stop Getting Dragged Around By Your Anxieties, Thought Loops, and Insecurities | Sebene Selassie

Dan Harris — Fri, 06 Mar 2026 08:00:56 GMT

Plus: How to find practices that work for you, what “mindfulness” actually means, and a new audiobook out now.

Sebene Selassie has been meditating for decades, survived cancer three times, and still says the practice isn’t a magic bullet. That honesty is kind of the point.

Today we’re sharing a sneak preview of Dan’s new audiobook, Even You Can Meditate, co-authored with Sebene. Think of it as a practical rescue plan for anyone who feels too distracted, overwhelmed, or skeptical to start (or restart) a meditation practice.

In this preview, Dan and Seb cover:

Why “mindfulness” is actually a bit of a misnomer — and what the practice is really about
What meditation can and can’t do for you (it won’t solve everything, but the benefits tend to kick in faster than you’d expect)
How to find the style that works for your specific brain, body, and life — including if sitting still feels impossible
The role of intention, and why getting clear on your “why” can become a surprisingly powerful engine for keeping a practice going
The five hindrances — the predictable challenges that come up for almost every meditator — and how to work with them instead of against them

Even You Can Meditate is out now on Audible. Listen now at audible.com/danharris.

And mark your calendar: Dan and Seb are running a free five-day meditation challenge March 23–27 on Dan’s app, 10% with Dan Harris. Download it at app.danharris.com.

The Funniest Conversation You'll Ever Hear About Achieving Inner Peace | Pete Holmes

Dan Harris — Wed, 04 Mar 2026 08:01:13 GMT

Pete Holmes is a stand-up comedian, writer, and actor. He created and starred in HBO’s Crashing and hosted The Pete Holmes Show on TBS. He has released stand-up specials on HBO, Netflix, and Comedy Central, hosts the popular You Made It Weird podcast, and is the author of Comedy Sex God.

This episode is a live conversation recorded in NYC as part of a benefit for the amazing organization New York Insight Meditation Center.

How to reclaim your attention from our tech overlords

Dan Harris — Mon, 02 Mar 2026 12:02:43 GMT

I’m embarrassed to admit that even after all these years of meditation (and even going on many, many long retreats), I still frequently multitask during daily activities. I’ll catch myself watching TV while I eat, or listening to a podcast while putting away laundry or brushing my teeth.

But whenever I actually remember to stop the noise and simply be mindful, it makes the tasks, and my whole life, much better.

The writer Michael Pollan refers to this as “the sacredness of the everyday.” According to him, practicing this kind of presence isn’t just a life-enhancement tool; it’s a revolutionary act. We live in an era where powerful forces are working overtime to hijack our attention. (Pollan calls them the “colonizers of consciousness.”) When you can remember to stay mindful, you reclaim your attention—in effect, you take back your own mind.

To help with this, Pollan shares a simple mantra he “stole” from meditation teacher Joseph Goldstein:

“Just this.”

You can drop that phrase into your mind while you’re doing the dishes or eating your food. It serves as a gentle nudge to stop the mental time-traveling and reconnect with the raw data of your physical sensations.

Michael Pollan is out with a new book on consciousness. Check out our podcast episode, where we talked about: how to reduce rumination, how to get over yourself, the value of MDMA-assisted therapy, and more.

Also out today is my episode with Harvard Business School professor Leslie John on building trust, reducing regret, and the underrated power of oversharing.

Over on the 10% with Dan Harris app:

Tomorrow (Tuesday, March 3 at 4 p.m. ET) I’m going live with Teacher of the Month Sebene Selassie for a guided meditation and Q&A on Zoom. Drop your questions for us in the event post on the app here.

Paid subscribers to the new 10% with Dan Harris app get:

Guided Meditations: A library of guided sessions to help with stress, anxiety, focus, sleep, annoying people, and more.
Meditation Challenges: Structured programs to deepen your practice with clear goals, daily guidance, and community support.
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Harvard Business School Professor on Building Trust, Reducing Regret, and the Underrated Power of Oversharing | Leslie John

Dan Harris — Mon, 02 Mar 2026 08:00:44 GMT

Leslie John is the James E. Burke Professor of Business Administration at the Harvard Business School. Her new book is called Revealing: The Underrated Power of Oversharing.