Best Ten Percent Happier Podcasts (2024)

1
Mindfulness Without All The Effort | Loch Kelly (Co-Interviewed By Matt Harris) 1:14:56

12m ago1:14:56

1:14:56

Loch Kelly is an author, psychotherapist, and nondual meditation teacher. Loch has Master’s Degrees from both Columbia University and Union Theological Seminary. He has his own app, called Mindful Glimpses. Loch is also a very popular teacher on the Waking Up app, run by friend of show, Sam Harris. Free 30 days of the Waking Up meditation app: http…

1
The Science Of Memory: How To Get Better At Remembering And Be Okay With Forgetting | Charan Ranganath 1:16:21

2d ago1:16:21

1:16:21

A neuroscientist’s strategies to help you remember what really matters, and how mood, multitasking and other people can impact our memories Charan Ranganath is a professor at the Center for Neuroscience and Department of Psychology and director of the Dynamic Memory Lab at the University of California at Davis. He is the author of the New York Time…

1
Just Because You Think It, Doesn’t Make It True | Bonus Meditation with Leslie Booker 6:17

5d ago6:17

6:17

Strengthen your ability to know the difference between fact and fiction by using sound to harness a foundational anxiety-taming skill. About Leslie Booker: Booker brings her heart and wisdom to the intersection of Dharma, Embodied Wisdom, and Liberation. Using this framework, she supports folks in creating a culture of belonging through her teachin…

1
The Science Of Crying: Evolutionary Roots, Benefits, And Why So Many Of Us Are Uncomfortable With It | Benjamin Perry (Co-hosted By Dr. Bianca Harris) 1:10:43

7d ago1:10:43

1:10:43

Reverend Benjamin Perry, is the author of Cry, Baby: Why Our Tears Matter. He’s the editorial director at Garrett Seminary, Consulting Minister for Public Theology at Middle Church, and editor of the Queer Faith photojournalism series. He has a masters in divinity from Union Theological Seminary. In this episode we talk about: Why Doty got interest…

1
Why You Always Want More, And How To Fix It | Michael Easter 1:08:38

9d ago1:08:38

1:08:38

Learning how to thrive with enough. Michael Easter is the New York Times bestselling author of Scarcity Brain and The Comfort Crisis. He travels the world to uncover practical ideas that help people live healthier, happier, and more remarkable lives. His ideas have been adopted by institutions ranging from the military to professional sports teams …

1
Arrival | Bonus Meditation with Kaira Jewel Lingo 6:25

18m ago6:25

6:25

Learn to connect with the true home of strength, wisdom, and clarity inside of yourself, a place of safety that no one can take away. About Kaira Jewel Lingo: At the age of twenty-five, Kaira Jewel Lingo entered a Buddhist monastery in the Plum Village tradition and spent fifteen years living as a nun under the guidance of Zen Master Thich Nhat Han…

1
The Things Nobody’s Talking To Jada Pinkett Smith About 44:26

12d ago44:26

44:26

On hitting Rock Bottom, de-armoring, and worthiness. Jada Pinkett Smith is a multifaceted artist whose career spans over 30 years. Raised in Baltimore, she studied dance and theater at the Baltimore School for the Arts before moving to Los Angeles to pursue acting. Her breakthrough came in with the NBC series A Different World, followed by her firs…

1
RuPaul On: Surviving Your Family, Overcoming Addiction, And How To Have Fun (Including “Dirty Charades”) 1:21:14

14d ago1:21:14

1:21:14

The Queen of Drag discusses his new memoir, The House of Hidden Meanings, and makes Dan play an R-rated game. RuPaul Charles became famous in 1993 with the song “Supermodel.” Since then, he’s put out 18 albums, he’s been in more than 50 films and TV shows, including his global hit, “RuPaul’s Drag Race.” He’s put out four books, including his latest…

1
Abby Wambach On: Grief, Addiction, And Moving From External To Internal Validation 51:47

16d ago51:47

51:47

Plus her definition of the oft-dismissed yet game-changing notion of self-love. We caught up with Abby Wambach at a really interesting time. She’s experiencing grief, for reasons we’ll let her explain. And for the first time in her life, she’s grieving while sober—which, in itself, is an interesting story, which she will also tell. As you know, we …

1
Small Wins | Bonus Meditation with Matthew Hepburn 6:35

8d ago6:35

6:35

When the world feels like a dumpster fire, it helps to remember that your contributions to improve things matter—even the small ones. About Matthew Hepburn: Matthew is a meditation and dharma teacher with more than a decade of teaching experience and a passion for getting real about what it means to live well. He emphasizes humor, technique, and au…

1
adrienne maree brown — On Radical Imagination and Moving Towards Life 1:20:13

10d ago1:20:13

1:20:13

The wonderful civil rights elder Vincent Harding liked to look around the world for what he called "live human signposts" — human beings who embody ways of seeing and becoming and who point the way forward to the world we want to inhabit. And adrienne maree brown, who has inspired worlds of social creativity with her notions of "pleasure activism" …

1
How to Disentangle from Toxic People | Lindsay C. Gibson 1:13:50

10d ago1:13:50

1:13:50

Emotionally immature people can wreck your life. One of our most popular guests returns to teach you how to make sure they don't. Description: Our relationships are the most important variable in our health and happiness, but they may also be the most difficult. This is especially true when those closest to us turn out to be emotionally immature pe…

1
How to Deal With Emotionally Immature People (Including Maybe Your Own Parents) | Lindsay C. Gibson 1:07:27

23d ago1:07:27

1:07:27

Today’s guest, Dr. Lindsay C. Gibson, gives advice for dealing with emotionally immature people— whether they are your parents, boss, spouse or childhood friend, she offers practical tools to help navigate these difficult relationships. Description: Emotionally immature people (EIP’s) are hard to avoid and most of us, if not all of us, have to deal…

1
An Always-Available Source Of Stability | Bonus Meditation with Oren Jay Sofer 6:17

24d ago6:17

6:17

To find some mental stability, start with physical stability. About Oren Jay Sofer: Oren Jay Sofer teaches mindfulness, meditation and Nonviolent Communication. He has practiced meditation since 1997, beginning his studies in Bodh Gaya, India and is a long-time student of Joseph Goldstein, Michele McDonald, and Ajahn Sucitto, and is a graduate of t…

1
“The End of Poetry” by Ada Limón 1:43

15d ago1:43

1:43

An impassioned plea, a yearning for connection — the poem U.S. Poet Laureate Ada Limón wrote when she says all language failed her. Take in Ada's reading of her piece, “The End of Poetry” — and hear her read more of her work in the On Being episode, “To Be Made Whole.” Ada Limón is the 24th Poet Laureate of the United States. She’s written six book…

1
Ted Danson On: Meditation, Marriage, Grief, Joy, And Doing Shrooms With The Cast Of “Cheers” 1:02:27

26d ago1:02:27

1:02:27

A self-described “silly man” tells us about what’s really important in life. Ted Danson has an acting career spanning over four decades. He rose to prominence in the 1980s with his iconic portrayal of Sam Malone in the long-running sitcom "Cheers," earning him critical acclaim and multiple awards. Danson's charisma and acting prowess have since led…

1
Atul Gawande — On Mortality and Meaning 1:02:48

16d ago1:02:48

1:02:48

We are strange creatures. It is hard for us to speak about, or let in, the reality of frailty and death — the elemental fact of mortality itself. In this century, western medicine has gradually moved away from its understanding of death as a failure — where care stops with a terminal diagnosis. Hospice has moved, from something rare to something ex…

1
Can You Get Fit Without Self-Loathing? | Cara Lai 1:05:50

28d ago1:05:50

1:05:50

Practical tips to stop judging yourself, chill out about exercise, and start taking better care of your body – from a Buddhist teacher who learned the hard way. Description: It’s an urgent question for so many of us: Can we exercise, can we take care of our bodies, without being driven by shame, self-loathing, or noxious comparison to other people?…

1
The Buddhist Case For Laziness (And How It Can Make You More Productive) | Brother Chân Pháp Hữu 1:03:38

1M ago1:03:38

1:03:38

What if one of the often overlooked keys to being productive is being lazy? That’s the case you will hear made today by Brother Pháp Hữu, a very impressive young zen Buddhist monk. Brother Pháp Hữu is a senior Dharma teacher in Thich Nhat Hanh’s International Plum Village Community and abbot of Upper Hamlet, the monks’ community in Plum Village Mon…

1
“Ars Poetica #100: I Believe” by Elizabeth Alexander 1:17

22d ago1:17

1:17

Today, a poem with a poignant question to live: “...and are we not of interest to each other?” Carry Elizabeth Alexander’s reading of her poem “Ars Poetica #100: I Believe” with you — and hear Elizabeth read more of her poetry in the On Being episode, “Words That Shimmer.” Elizabeth Alexander is a poet, author, and educator. Since 2018, she has ser…

1
Pain Is Inevitable. Suffering Is Optional. Here’s How To Draw The Line. | Bonus Meditation with Sharon Salzberg 6:20

1M ago6:20

6:20

While we may want to conquer physical pain, it’s actually observing the sensations and knowing when to take a break that’s the key to relief. About Sharon Salzberg: Sharon Salzberg is a meditation pioneer, world-renowned teacher, and New York Times bestselling author. She is among the first to bring mindfulness & lovingkindness meditation to mainst…

1
Luis Alberto Urrea — On Our Belonging to Each Other 59:10

23d ago59:10

59:10

We humans have this drive to erect barriers between ourselves and others, Luis Alberto Urrea says, and yet this makes us a little crazy. He is an exuberant, wise, and refreshing companion into the deep meaning and the problem of borders — what they are really about, what we do with them, and what they do to us. The Mexican-American border was as cl…

1
Weighing The Extraordinary Benefits And Disturbing Risks Of The New Weight Loss Drugs | Johann Hari 1:09:51

1M ago1:09:51

1:09:51

On this show, we talk a lot about ways to stop the interpersonal and intrapersonal violence of obsessing about thinness. Today’s episode, though, is a bit of a departure… because this whole dynamic and debate has been deeply disrupted by the advent of Ozempic and other new weight loss drugs, which are technically called GLP1s. This is a controversi…

1
The Last Podcast You Ever Need To Hear About Exercise | Shannon Palus 1:16:27

1M ago1:16:27

1:16:27

Five takeaways from a year's reporting on fitness, and why this journalist says it's time to go easier on yourself. Shannon Palus is a features editor at Slate covering heath, science, and human interest. In 2023, she edited Slate's year-long fitness column, Good Fit, about exercise. Her writing has also appeared in the New York Times' Wirecutter, …

1
The Ultimate Relaxation Meditation | Bonus Meditation with Jeff Warren 6:19

1M ago6:19

6:19

After an intense day, try this simple meditation to decompress and de-stress by getting comfy and putting your feet up. About Jeff Warren: Jeff is an incredibly gifted meditation teacher. He's trained in multiple traditions, including with renowned teacher Shinzen Young. Jeff is the co-author of NY Times Bestseller "Meditation for Fidgety Skeptics,…

1
Ross Gay — On the Insistence of Joy 59:05

30d ago59:05

59:05

In our world of so much suffering, it can feel hard or wrong to invoke the word "joy." Yet joy has been one of the most insistent, recurrent rallying cries in almost every life-giving conversation that Krista has had across recent months and years, even and especially with people on the front lines of humanity's struggles. Ross Gay helps illuminate…

1
The Science Of Motivation: How To Make Habits That Actually Stick | T. Morgan Dixon and Dr. Gary Bennett 1:00:49

1M ago1:00:49

1:00:49

How to overcome inertia and research-backed plans that actually work. Dr. Gary G. Bennett is Dean of the Trinity College of Arts & Sciences at Duke University. He is also a professor of psychology & neuroscience, global health, medicine, and nursing, and is the founding director of the Duke Digital Health Science Center. He has authored nearly 200 …

1
Longevity Secrets (And Controversies) From The Blue Zones | Dan Buettner 1:13:40

1M ago1:13:40

1:13:40

Insights from the places on the planet where people apparently live the longest and healthiest lives. Dan Buettner is an explorer, National Geographic Fellow, and journalist. He has written a series of bestselling books, including The Blue Zones of Happiness and The Blue Zones Kitchen: 100 Recipes for Living to 100. He is also the host of the Netfl…

1
You Don’t Have To Sit Still To Meditate | Bonus Meditation with Dawn Mauricio 6:21

2M ago6:21

6:21

Mindful movement is an excellent way to integrate and even invigorate mindfulness while cultivating the power of curious awareness. About Dawn Mauricio: Dawn Mauricio discovered the practices of Buddhist meditation in 2005, and from then on, did what any well-intentioned perfectionist would do — plunge in head first! Since then, she's graduated fro…

1
Our Top Takeaways From A Year Of Trying To Get Fit Sanely | Behind The Scenes with 10% Producer DJ Cashmere 49:24

2M ago49:24

49:24

How to pursue fitness without succumbing to the “subtle aggression of self-improvement.” The kickoff episode for the latest installment of an occasional series we do here on the show, called Get Fit Sanely (listen to past – and future – episodes here). In this candid conversation, managing producer DJ Cashmere talks with Dan about how they manage t…

1
Janine Benyus and Azita Ardakani Walton — On Nature's Wisdom for Humanity 1:16:20

1M ago1:16:20

1:16:20

In this all-new episode, Krista engages biomimicry pioneer Janine Benyus in a second, urgent conversation, alongside creative biomimicry practitioner Azita Ardakani Walton. Together they trace precise guidance and applied wisdom from the natural world for the civilizational callings before us now. What does nature have to teach us about healing fro…

1
How To Escape Your Brain's Default Mode Network | Zindel Segal and Norman Farb 1:04:15

2M ago1:04:15

1:04:15

Using your senses to reduce overthinking, turn down the voice in your head, and get out of what these scientists call "the house of habit." Dr. Zindel Segal is Distinguished Professor of Psychology in Mood Disorders at the University of Toronto Scarborough and a cofounder of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy. Professor Norman Farb, PhD, is an Ass…

1
This Neurobiologist Wants You To Ask One Question To Reframe Anxiety, Depression, And Trauma | Dr. Bruce Perry (Co-Interviewed by Dan's Wife, Bianca!) 1:16:08

2M ago1:16:08

1:16:08

The radical shift in perspective that can come when we change our question from “what’s wrong with you” to “what happened to you?” Dr. Bruce D. Perry, M.D., Ph.D. is the Principal of the Neurosequential Network and a Professor (Adjunct) at the School of Allied Health, Human Services and Sport, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria Australia. Ove…

1
Befriend Your Body: A Compassionate Body Scan 11:16

1M ago11:16

11:16

In a time of stress, uncertainty, and isolation, Christine Runyan turns our attention to what often evades our awareness — the response of our nervous systems. As part of On Being’s 2021 Midwinter Gathering, she offered this brief, practical, gently guided practice as an invitation to befriend your beleaguered body, to “blanket it with a little bit…

1
A Meditation For When You Need To Make A Big Decision | Bonus Meditation with Oren Jay Sofer 6:58

2M ago6:58

6:58

When you feel anxious about a difficult decision, meditation can help take the edge off and put you in touch with your own wisdom as a guide. About Oren Jay Sofer: Oren Jay Sofer teaches mindfulness, meditation and Nonviolent Communication. He has practiced meditation since 1997, beginning his studies in Bodh Gaya, India and is a long-time student …

1
Christine Runyan — On Healing Our Distressed Nervous Systems 1:01:11

1M ago1:01:11

1:01:11

The years of pandemic and lockdown are still working powerfully on us from the inside. But we have trouble acknowledging this, much less metabolizing it. This conversation with Christine Runyan, which took place in the dark middle of those years, helps make sense of our present of still-unfolding epidemic distress — as individuals, as communities, …

1
Rethinking Success | Mia Birdsong 1:06:17

2M ago1:06:17

1:06:17

Radical advice on rethinking success, individualism, and the American dream. Mia Birdsong is a pathfinder, culture change visionary, and futurist. She is the founding Executive Director of Next River, a think tank and culture change lab for interconnected freedom. In her book How We Show Up: Reclaiming Family, Friendship, and Community, Mia maps sw…

1
What Happened When A Skeptical Reporter Decided To Investigate The Afterlife | Sebastian Junger 1:11:36

2M ago1:11:36

1:11:36

The surprisingly common experience of near death experiences and what science still can't explain about them. Sebastian Junger is the #1 New York Times Bestselling author of The Perfect Storm, Fire, A Death in Belmont, War and Tribe, and In My Time of Dying. As an award-winning journalist, a contributing editor to Vanity Fair and a special correspo…

1
“Joy is the Justice (We Give Ourselves)” by J. Drew Lanham 14:26

2M ago14:26

14:26

We are overjoyed to share this heart-stirring performance with you, which transpired when we invited the ornithologist/poet/former On Being guest J. Drew Lanham to offer some poetry at a live On Being event in January 2024. We could not have imagined the lightning in a bottle that unfolded — a live adaptation of the title poem that appears in Drew'…

1
For When You Have Trouble Getting Out Of Bed | Bonus Meditation with Alexis Santos 6:48

2M ago6:48

6:48

Explore the preciousness of a new day with greater joy and ease while giving plenty of space to feel grumpy about it all. About Alexis Santos: Alexis has practiced and taught Insight Meditation in both the East and West since 2001. He has been a long-time student of Sayadaw U Tejaniya (a well respected meditation teacher in Burma whose teachings ha…

1
Lyndsey Stonebridge and Lucas Johnson — On Love, Politics, and Violence (Channeling Hannah Arendt) 1:15:26

2M ago1:15:26

1:15:26

Here is a stunning sentence for you, written by Lyndsey Stonebridge, our guest this hour, channeling the 20th-century political thinker and journalist Hannah Arendt: "Loneliness is the bully that coerces us into giving up on democracy." This conversation is a kind of guide to generative shared deliberations we might be having with each other and ou…

1
The Science Of Speaking Up For Yourself | Elaine Lin Hering (Co-Hosted By Dan's Wife, Bianca!) 1:10:11

2M ago1:10:11

1:10:11

How to find your voice when you need to be heard, learn when it's smart to choose silence, and communicate better with the people who matter most. Elaine Lin Hering is a former Lecturer on Law at Harvard Law School. She works with organizations and individuals to build skills in communication, collaboration, and conflict management. She has served …

1
New From Poetry Unbound: A Series on Conflict and the Human Condition 11:09

2M ago11:09

11:09

A taste of a special mini-season of Poetry Unbound — bringing contemplative curiosity and the life-nurturing tether of poetry to the very present matter of conflict in our world. In this first offering, Pádraig introduces the intriguing idea of poems as teachers and ponders Wisława Szymborska’s “A Word on Statistics," translated by Joanna Trzeciak.…

1
The Science Of Getting Out Of Your Head | Annie Murphy Paul 57:22

2M ago57:22

57:22

An acclaimed science writer on how to upgrade your mind by using more than your head. When you think about thinking, most of us think of it as a supremely solo pursuit. You’re in your head, concentrating and cogitating, all by yourself. But the science shows that if you want to improve your thinking, you need to get out of your head. Today we’re go…

1
On Having Your Own Back | Bonus Meditation with Jess Morey 7:41

2M ago7:41

7:41

Connecting to self-compassion can be really tough. Ease the struggle by imagining your loved ones sending care & support your way. About Jess Morey: Jess Morey is a lead teacher, cofounder and former executive director of Inward Bound Mindfulness Education which runs in-depth mindfulness programming for youth, and the parents and professionals who …

1
Colette Pichon Battle — On Knowing What We're Called To 1:02:38

2M ago1:02:38

1:02:38

There is an ecological transformation unfolding in the places we love and come from. On a front edge of this reality, which will affect us all, Colette Pichon Battle is a singular model of brilliance and graciousness of mind and spirit and action. And to be with her is to open to the way the stories we tell have blunted us to the courage we’re call…

1
Three Buddhist Practices For Getting Your Sh*t Together | Vinny Ferraro 1:06:26

2M ago1:06:26

1:06:26

Practical advice from a straight-talking former criminal and occasionally profane dharma teacher. Vinny Ferraro is the Guiding Teacher of the Big Heart City Sangha in San Francisco and has led a weekly sitting group for almost two decades. As a fully empowered Dharma Teacher thru Spirit Rock/IMS, he has taught residential retreats at Spirit Rock, I…

1
The Science Of Overcoming Perfectionism | Thomas Curran 1:11:18

2M ago1:11:18

1:11:18

Actionable advice on working with one of the few socially acceptable vices. Whilst striving for perfection might seem logical on some level, it’s not actually attainable. And the research shows it can lead to burnout, stress, anxiety, depression, relationship problems, reduced productivity, and reduced resilience. Thomas Curran is a professor in th…

1
What Is Happiness Anyway? | Bonus Meditation with Jay Michaelson 7:13

2M ago7:13

7:13

What is happiness? Investigate how happiness is created, what it’s really like, and learn to access the simple happiness of right now. About Jay Michaelson: Rabbi Dr. Jay Michaelson is the author of ten books, including his newest, The Secret That Is Not A Secret: Ten Heretical Tales. In his “other career,” Jay is a columnist for The Daily Beast, a…

1
Dua Lipa On: Radical Optimism, Falling On Stage, And “Writing Yourself Into A Good Idea” 58:24

3M ago58:24

58:24

Talking creativity and sanity with one of the world’s biggest pop stars. British-Albanian singer-songwriter Dua Lipa emerged as a global pop sensation with her captivating blend of sultry vocals, empowering lyrics, and infectious beats. Born in London in 1995 to Albanian parents, Lipa's musical journey began at a young age, inspired by her father's…

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