How To Stay Open and Curious Even When You’re Exhausted or Annoyed | Sarah Ruhl
Release Date: 10/29/2025
10% Happier with Dan Harris
Anxiety. Depression. Perfectionism. Dan and meditation teacher Leslie Booker get real about how these challenges show up in their own lives — and how mindfulness, community, and sometimes medication can actually help. Recorded live at New York Insight, this conversation is honest, funny, and surprisingly hopeful. Related Episodes: Tickets are now available for an intimate live event with Dan on November 23rd as part of the Troutbeck Luminary Series. Join the conversation, participate in a guided meditation, and ask your questions during the Q&A. Click to buy your ticket! Join Dan’s...
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Which is the best path to freedom? is a cofounder of the and the , both in Barre, Massachusetts. He is the author of many books including, most recently, . is a neuroscientist, author, podcaster and the proprietor of the Waking Up app. In this episode we talk about: What the term “non-duality” means — and why it matters to ordinary meditators. The multiple meanings of non-duality across Buddhist traditions (Theravāda, Mahāyāna, Vajrayāna). How different traditions (and even different teachers within them) define samsara and nirvana. The non-duality of the observer and...
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An expert in Gerontology shares the four core habits for aging well. is a gerontologist, caregiver advocate, and founder of the Gerontology Institute at UC Irvine. Her new book, , offers a practical framework for aging not just longer, but better. In this episode we talk about: Misconceptions about the aging process The anti-aging industry and what it gets wrong Four core habits for aging well How to diversify your “social portfolio” Coping strategies for adapting in the face of change The key question to ask yourself if you want to live a longer and...
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If you feel like you spend most of your day on edge — not totally panicked, but not exactly calm either — you’re not alone. Most of us live in what meditation teacher calls “yellow mode”: a state of low-level vigilance that keeps us productive, but also keeps us anxious, reactive, and exhausted. In this conversation with DJ Cashmere, Christiane unpacks why our nervous systems get stuck in that yellow zone and what we can actually do to shift back into “green mode” — the state of calm alertness where we feel grounded, flexible, and capable of joy. They explore: Why our modern...
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How not to forget what actually matters. is the host of Wisdom 2.0, a conference about mindfulness and compassion in the modern age. He’s also a Co-Founder and General Partner of Wisdom Ventures, which invests in companies creating a more just and compassionate world. His new book is called . In this episode we talk about: What Soren means by “the essential” The current and future impact of AI on the economy, our mental health, and society at large What Soren thinks the world looks like in 5, 10, 15 years from now Useful strategies for managing technology with an iota of...
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It’s one of those ideas that sounds kind of like a Zen riddle, but actually turns out to be incredibly useful: what’s in the way is the way. If you’ve ever sat down to meditate and thought, “Ugh, I can’t focus — my mind’s all over the place,” or, “If only this restlessness would go away, then I could really meditate,” this one’s for you. Christiane’s going to show us how those so-called obstacles — the distractions, the boredom, the racing thoughts — can actually become the practice itself. All this month, we’re sharing custom guided meditations from our teacher...
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We’re sharing an episode of on which Dan was a guest. Here’s Paula’s introduction: From theological debates to newsroom banter, Dan Harris and I couldn't be more different — I grew up in a Midwest Conservative Christian home, while Dan grew up as an East Coast Liberal who had a Bar Mitzvah for the money (his words!). But our unlikely friendship as co-anchors on Good Morning America became a lesson in empathy, curiosity, and the beauty of bridging divides. In this candid and hilarious reunion, Dan and I talk about media bias, religious differences, and how pushing each other made us...
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Plus: How to take your thoughts less seriously and be the calmest person in the room. GuoGu (AKA Dr. Jimmy Yu) is the founder of the and a Professor of Buddhism and East Asian religions at Florida State University. He is the author of several books, including (2012), (2016), and (2021). In this episode we talk about: Embodied experiencing How words and language shape our reality The practice of wonderment Body scan meditation The importance of relaxation — and how to do it if you have pain The 4 things you need in order for meditation to do...
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Sarah Ruhl is an award-winning American playwright, author, essayist, and professor. Her latest book is Lessons from My Teachers: From Preschool to the Present.
In this episode we talk about:
- How to orient towards the world with an eagerness to learn
- How to approach our lives not only as students, but also as teachers
- Unpacking the moment when “the student becomes the master”
- What does it mean to have a meditation teacher?
- Being open to synchronicity or signs from the universe
- Is everything magic?
- What Sarah’s learned from the venerable psychiatrist Dr. Mark Epstein
- What it means to “leave an emotion alone”
Related Episodes:
- A Deeply Healthy Kind of Perfectionism | Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo
- How To Find Joy In an Anxious World |Sara Bareilles and Dacher Keltner
- Sara Bareilles: Anxiety, Anger, and Art
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