← 10% Happier with Dan Harris

A Candid Conversation With The Rapper Common On: Self-Worth, Fitness, Trauma, And The Evolution Of Vulnerability In Hip-Hop

Aug 7, 2024 54m 40s 18 insights
<p><em>New episodes come out every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for free, with 1-week early access for Wondery+ subscribers.</em></p> <p><em>---</em></p> <p>This multi-hyphenate opens up about his four pillars of health and success</p> <p>Common is an Oscar, Golden Globe, Emmy, and Grammy Award–winning music artist. He is an actor and producer, and has appeared in numerous critically acclaimed films, as well as hit TV series. He is the author of <em>One Day It'll All Make Sense</em> and <em>Let Love Have the Last Word</em>, which were both <em>New York Times</em> bestsellers. He was raised in Chicago and currently resides in Brooklyn.</p> <p><br /></p> <p><strong>In this episode we talk about:</strong></p> <ul> <li>Common's relationship with self esteem growing up, and where he eventually found his own self worth.</li> <li>What it's like dealing with rejection as an artist</li> <li>His book <em>'And Then We Rise'</em></li> <li>The four different wellness pillars in his book; food, the body, the mind, and the soul</li> <li>The positive impact that therapy has had on his life</li> <li>What his meditation practice looks like</li> <li>The evolution of vulnerability in hip hop</li> <li>The evolution of vulnerability in his life</li> <li>And his relationship with spirituality</li> </ul> <p><br /></p> <p><strong>Related Episodes:</strong></p> <p><a href="https://www.tenpercent.com/tph/podcast-episode/ofosu-jones-quartey" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Rewire How You Talk To Yourself | Ofosu Jones-Quartey</a></p> <p><a href="https://www.tenpercent.com/tph/podcast-episode/mike-diamond-597" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#597. Mike D On: The Value of Failure, the Addictive Power of Adrenaline, and How a Beastie Boy Got Into Lovingkindness</a></p> <p><a href="https://www.tenpercent.com/tph/podcast-episode/karamo-311" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#311 Karamo: How To Actually Do Self-Love</a></p> <p><br /></p> <p><strong>Sign up for Dan's weekly newsletter</strong> <a href="https://bit.ly/3QtGRqJ" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>here</strong></a></p> <p><strong>Follow Dan on social:</strong> <a href="https://bit.ly/3tGigG5" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>Instagram</strong></a><strong>,</strong> <a href="https://bit.ly/3FOA84J" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>TikTok</strong></a></p> <p><strong>Ten Percent Happier online</strong> <a href="https://bit.ly/46TZglY" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>bookstore</strong></a></p> <p><strong>Subscribe to our</strong> <a href="https://bit.ly/3FybRzD" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>YouTube Channel</strong></a></p> <p><strong>Our favorite playlists on:</strong> <a href="https://spoti.fi/3Qa8kMT" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>Anxiety</strong></a><strong>,</strong> <a href="https://spoti.fi/3MjtMxF" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>Sleep</strong></a><strong>,</strong> <a href="https://spoti.fi/3QvyA5J" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>Relationships</strong></a><strong>,</strong> <a href="https://spoti.fi/3QxZASc" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>Most Popular Episodes</strong></a></p> <p><br /></p> <p><strong>Full Shownotes:</strong> <a href="https://www.tenpercent.com/tph/podcast-episode/common" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.tenpercent.com/tph/podcast-episode/common</a></p> <p><br /></p>
Actionable Insights

1. Cultivate Inherent Self-Worth

Understand and believe your value comes from who you are divinely created to be, not from external achievements, popularity, or societal measures of success. This helps you maintain self-esteem even when external validation is absent or challenged.

2. Seek Therapy for Cycles & Trauma

Engage in therapy to identify and address recurring negative patterns, fears, commitment issues, and past traumas that may be impacting your relationships and overall well-being. Therapy provides tools to work through these issues and foster a more empowered life.

3. Practice Mudita (Sympathetic Joy)

When facing rejection or envy, consciously send love and light to those who have found success, wishing them continued happiness. This Buddhist practice helps overcome jealousy, blockages, and allows for quicker recovery from disappointment.

4. Embrace ‘Trust Life’ Philosophy

Adopt the belief that difficult experiences are meant to happen for your growth, allowing you to understand yourself more deeply and evolve into your higher self. This perspective helps in learning from challenges rather than being defeated by them.

5. Find Value in the Process

Learn to appreciate the effort and experience of a task, such as doing your best in an audition, even if the desired outcome isn’t achieved. Recognizing the “gems” in the journey itself can provide growth and satisfaction beyond just the goal.

6. Make Step-by-Step Diet Changes

Begin your wellness journey with small, incremental changes to your diet, like removing one type of food at a time or increasing water intake. Observe how these adjustments make you feel to build sustainable, beneficial eating habits.

7. Engage in Daily Exercise

Incorporate some form of physical activity into your daily routine, even a walk, to reduce stress, improve your mood, and gain a different perspective on life’s challenges. Exercise also contributes to overall physical and mental well-being.

8. Develop a Meditation Practice

Find a quiet space to practice meditation by breathing deeply, setting intentions, and gently letting thoughts come and go to achieve a still and quiet mind. Experiment with different durations and styles to discover what works best for you.

9. Tap into Your Soul’s Purpose

Connect with your spirituality and divine self to discover and align with your unique purpose on this planet. Offering your authentic self and gifts at the highest level can inspire others and bring profound fulfillment.

10. Share Beneficial Life Information

If you’ve been introduced to beneficial life practices or information, consider it your duty to share these insights with others, especially those in communities who may not have had similar exposure. This helps spread wellness and growth.

11. Overcome Resistance to Change

Acknowledge initial resistance to new wellness practices or lifestyle changes, but listen to your inner desire for self-improvement. Take small, conscious steps to implement changes, observing the positive effects they have on other areas of your life.

12. Light Palo Santo for Centering

Use Palo Santo by lighting it to bring in good energy, remove bad energy, and create a sense of calm and centeredness. This ritual can be a simple way to set a positive atmosphere or prepare for reflection.

13. Practice Body Self-Love

Alongside physical movement and exercise, actively cultivate love and appreciation for your body. This holistic approach ensures that physical wellness is complemented by a positive self-image and acceptance.

14. Maintain Openness to Spirituality

Explore and respect diverse spiritual paths, such as Buddhism, Islam, Judaism, and Christianity, recognizing that different traditions can lead to similar values of love and connection to a higher power. This fosters a broader understanding of spirituality.

15. Ration Alcohol Intake

Be mindful of and ration your alcohol consumption, especially if there is a history of alcoholism in your family. This practice contributes to overall health and well-being by avoiding excess.

16. View Therapy as Ongoing Support

Understand that therapy is not necessarily a one-time fix but a valuable, ongoing resource to revisit whenever you need support, guidance, or help navigating life’s challenges. This allows for continuous personal growth and healing.

17. Use Walking for Brain Health

Incorporate regular walks into your routine, as they can be beneficial for cognitive function and help alleviate symptoms like brain fog. This simple activity offers both physical and mental health advantages.

18. Learn from Heartbreak’s ‘Why’

When experiencing heartbreak or significant difficulties, actively seek to understand the underlying ‘why’ behind these events. This process can unveil crucial lessons and ‘jewels’ that contribute to building stronger character and a more resilient self.