Actively seek and engage with a community of meditators (Sangha) to counteract disconnection, gain support in your practice, and normalize what can sometimes feel like a strange pursuit. This community fosters deeper human connection and allows for authentic sharing.
Engage in authentic and honest sharing within your community to foster deeper human connection and avoid shutting down. Aim to share from “scars” (healed experiences with perspective) rather than “wounds” (raw, current pain) to avoid overwhelming others, but seek help from trusted individuals for open wounds.
Cultivate a gratitude practice to powerfully shift perspective, recognize positive aspects of life, and change negative thought patterns, especially during challenging times. Start by being grateful for easy things, then gradually extend it to include difficulties and “gray days.”
Integrate various gratitude practices into your daily life, such as daily gratitude texting with friends, journaling gratitude lists periodically, or mentally shifting negative thought patterns to a list of things you’re grateful for.
Actively seek and lean on support from many people, including friends, family, doctors, pets, or even nature, rather than trying to navigate difficult times in isolation. Our nervous systems are designed to interact with other nervous systems, making community vital.
When experiencing chronic or severe pain, allow yourself space for ease, including movement, rocking, or other soothing actions, rather than forcing stillness. This approach prioritizes self-love and self-care over rigid adherence to traditional sitting meditation.
In conflicts or grievances, prioritize your freedom from emotional entanglement over the need to be “right.” Engage in a process of forgiveness, which aims to release the emotional hold of past wrongs without condoning the actions.
When experiencing anger, explore its underlying causes and core emotions through self-inquiry, meditation, therapy, or somatic work, allowing yourself to feel and process these energies for transformative change. For deeper, core emotional issues, recognize when your own agency is not enough and seek professional support.
Challenge the notion of a long-term relationship ending as a “failure.” Instead, reframe it as an evolution, recognizing that relationships can conclude without negating their past value and that multiple partnerships are common in adult life.
Practice Mudita, or sympathetic joy, by consciously wishing happiness for others, even those who have caused you pain or moved on. This “pro move” can be a powerful tool for personal healing and releasing negative emotions.
Engage in a “humbler, reality-based” form of manifestation by setting healthy intentions and desires (controlling causes), then releasing attachment to specific outcomes (recognizing you cannot control effects). Focus on doing your best while acknowledging impermanence.
When setting intentions, visualize your desired future as if it has already happened, allowing this feeling to deeply sink in through equanimity. This practice can influence your actions, priorities, and the opportunities you notice, making your goals more likely to materialize.
Consciously cherish and appreciate your physical ability to move, recognizing it as a profound privilege that can be easily taken for granted.
Recognize that meditation and mindfulness practices should be adapted for individuals with different brain types and challenges, moving beyond a “one size fits all” approach to better support neurodiverse people.
Engage with your children’s current obsessions and interests, even if they are outside your usual sphere, as a powerful and enjoyable way to bond and foster conversation.
Broaden your understanding of “meditation” and “party” to include all aspects of life, both joyful and difficult, fostering a sense of celebration and fun. This means embracing life in its fullness, including the ups and downs.
Provide feedback on the podcast (e.g., new theme music, episode format) via Twitter or the 10% Happier website to help the creators improve the show.
Explore using the “10% with Dan Harris” app for guided meditations, live community sessions, and ad-free podcast access, or attend their meditation retreat for a community experience.