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From The Puzzler with A.J. Jacobs | Dan Harris

Feb 2, 2024 13m 11s 13 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>---</p> <p>We're dropping a fun little treat in your feed today: it's an episode of The Puzzler, a new podcast from writer A.J. Jacobs, who was <a href="https://www.tenpercent.com/tph/podcast-episode/how-to-reframe-your-problems-as-puzzles-aj-jacobs-688" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">my guest on Ten Percent Happier at the beginning of December</a>. His new book, also called The Puzzler, is all about his exploration of the world of puzzles – everything from word games to jigsaw puzzles to Sudoku and beyond – and how what he calls "the puzzle mindset" can really improve your life.</p> <p>So then he asked me to be his guest on <a href="https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1119-the-puzzler-with-aj-jacob-114688861/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Puzzler</a>, a daily podcast that he hosts, with so-called "celebrity" guests trying to do puzzles. I've said before that I'm not really a puzzle guy, but A.J. is a delight and it was a lot of fun getting to be on his show – and that's the episode we're sharing with you today. You can find "The Puzzler with A.J. Jacobs" wherever you get your podcasts. And thanks, A.J., for having me. </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><strong>For tickets to Dan Harris: Celebrating 10 Years of 10% Happier at Symphony Space: </strong><a href="https://www.symphonyspace.org/events/vp-dan-harris-10-happier-10-year-anniversary" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>click here</strong></a></p> <p><br /></p> <p><strong>Additional Resources:</strong></p> <ul> <li>Download the Ten Percent Happier app today: <a href="https://10percenthappier.app.link/install" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://10percenthappier.app.link/install</a></li> </ul> <p><br /></p>
Actionable Insights

1. Reframe Problems as Puzzles

Turn your problems into puzzles to positively affect your mental health, making you less stressed, more creative, and a clearer thinker.

2. Practice Meditation

Engage in meditation as a great tool for making people happier, even for fidgety skeptics.

3. Address Mental Suffering

Actively address issues like anxiety, depression, and stress to alleviate suffering and improve overall well-being.

4. Avoid Negative Bias

Learn and practice techniques to avoid negative bias, which can contribute to a more positive mental state.

5. Embrace Experimentation

Engage in experimentation to discover upsides and potentially beneficial ‘happy accidents’ in various aspects of life.

6. Manage Money Anxiety

Learn to effectively handle anxiety and ‘weirdness’ around money to reduce financial stress.

7. Get Fit Sanely

Pursue physical fitness in a way that is sustainable and healthy for your mind, avoiding extreme or stressful approaches.

8. Explore Secular Buddhism

Consider exploring secular Buddhism as a framework, as it offers various ways to improve your life.

9. Have Better Arguments

Develop skills and strategies to engage in ‘better arguments,’ which can improve communication and relationships.

10. Read The Puzzler Book

Read ‘The Puzzler’ by A.J. Jacobs for a fun and funny history of puzzles, including an original puzzle hunt.

11. Visit The Puzzler Website

Go to thepuzzler.com for all your puzzling needs and resources.

12. Subscribe to The Puzzler

Subscribe to The Puzzler Podcast if you are enjoying it, to continue listening to daily puzzles.

13. Recommend The Puzzler

Tell a friend, acquaintance, or whoever about The Puzzler Podcast if you are enjoying it.