What is Sadness Good For? | Susan Cain

What is Sadness Good For? | Susan Cain

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Many of us may have a reflexive reaction when we notice we’re feeling down: we want it to go away. Maybe we think something is wrong with us and we automatically self medicate in any number of ways. But how do we square this with the fact that many of us may also really like sad movies and music? And making things even more complex, how do we compute the fact that the universe is constantly handing us opportunities to feel awe, gratitude, and joy, often at the exact same moment that sadness arises?


What’s going on with this complex and conflicted relationship we have with a perfectly normal human emotion?


Our guest today Susan Cain has written a whole book about this called Bittersweet: How Sorrow and Longing Make Us Whole. In this book, she explores how the capacity to tune in to the inherent joy and sadness of the human situation can be a superpower for connection.


In this episode we talk about:


  • Whether bittersweetness is a skill you can hone
  • The relationship between bittersweetness and the Buddhist concept of impermanence
  • Why we feel embarrassed about discussing sorrow and longing
  • How sadness can be transmuted into creativity, and how that creativity can lead us out of sadness
  • And how America, a country founded on so much heartache, turned into, in her words, “a culture of normative smiles”




Full Shownotes: https://www.tenpercent.com/podcast-episode/susan-cain-480


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How to Suffer Well – So You Can Suffer Less | Brother Pháp Dung

How to Suffer Well – So You Can Suffer Less | Brother Pháp Dung

Brother Pháp Dung discusses the life and teachings of Vietnamese Zen master, peace activist, poet, and author Thich Nhat Hanh. In January 2022, Thich Nhat Hanh, the Vietnamese Zen master, peace activist, poet, and author passed away. He was the founder of the International Plum Village Community of Engaged Buddhism. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. called him “an Apostle of peace and nonviolence” when nominating him for the Nobel Peace Prize. Thousands of people came out for his funeral.    Brother Pháp Dung is making his second appearance on the show to talk about Thich Nhat Hanh. If you missed it last time he was on, Brother Pháp Dung has an incredible personal story. He was born in Vietnam in 1969 and came to the US at the age of nine. He worked as an architect/designer for four years before becoming a monk. He was very close personally with Thich Nhat Hanh, who he refers to as “Thây,” or teacher, and is now a Dharma teacher himself in Thich Nhat Hanh’s Plum Village tradition. This episode was first published in March 2022. This episode explores: The life of Thich Nhat Hanh: his path to Buddhism in the 1960’s and his exile from Vietnam for opposing the war. The meaning of “wrong view” or wrong perception.  What non-separation and inter-being is.  Thich Nhat Hanh’s view that birth and death are only notions. Grief, and why learning how to suffer will help you suffer less.

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A Radical Question To Put Your Problems Into Perspective | Annaka Harris

A Radical Question To Put Your Problems Into Perspective | Annaka Harris

How to think about consciousness without breaking your brain. Annaka Harris is the New York Times bestselling author of CONSCIOUS: A Brief Guide to the Fundamental Mystery of the Mind and writer and producer of the audio documentary series, LIGHTS ON. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, Nautilus Magazine, the Journal of Consciousness Studies, and IAI Magazine, and she is also an editor and consultant for science writers, specializing in neuroscience and physics.    In this episode we talk about: What consciousness is—and why we should care about it The question of whether or not consciousness is a fundamental aspect of the universe (so literally—is consciousness embedded in the chair I’m sitting in?) Why thinking about this mystery can create a sense of awe (a reliable antidote to suffering) Meditation techniques for exploring consciousness The illusion of the self  The importance of challenging our intuitions And much more   Related Episodes:  The Fundamental Mystery of the Mind | Annaka Harris Susan Kaiser Greenland and Annaka Harris, Teaching Mindfulness to Kids #469. A Mystery That Matters | Anil Seth Pulitzer Prize-Winning Novelist Jennifer Egan On: Panic, Awe, Fetishizing Authenticity, and Our Possible AI Futures   Sign up for Dan’s newsletter here Follow Dan on social: Instagram, TikTok Ten Percent Happier online bookstore Subscribe to our YouTube Channel Our favorite playlists on: Anxiety, Sleep, Relationships, Most Popular Episodes   Additional Resources:  wakingup.com/tenpercent LIGHTS ON The Candy House The Case Against Reality  On Having No Head: Zen and the Rediscovery of the Obvious  Ten Zen Questions: Susan Blackmore

24 Mars 1h 13min

Are You Spending Your Life on Things You Actually Enjoy and Care About? | Jonathan Fields

Are You Spending Your Life on Things You Actually Enjoy and Care About? | Jonathan Fields

And how to figure out what matters most to you. Jonathan Fields is the author of several books, including SPARKED: Discover Your Unique Imprint for Work That Makes You Come Alive. He is also the host of two podcasts, Good Life Project® and SPARKED™. This episode is part of our ongoing Sanely Ambitious series.   In this episode we talk about: What a “sparketype” is and how to use it to help your guide your life and make work decisions Embracing uncertainty Meditation and attention training for uncertainty The role of community in navigating uncertainty  How to make exercise meaningful   Sign up for Dan’s weekly newsletter here Follow Dan on social: Instagram, TikTok Ten Percent Happier online bookstore Subscribe to our YouTube Channel Our favorite playlists on: Anxiety, Sleep, Relationships, Most Popular Episodes   Additional Resources: Sanely Ambitious

21 Mars 1h 18min

Jordan Harbinger On: How To Succeed at Work; How to Network Without Being Gross; And How Not To Succumb To Hustle Culture

Jordan Harbinger On: How To Succeed at Work; How to Network Without Being Gross; And How Not To Succumb To Hustle Culture

Career advice from a man who has walked the walk.  Jordan Harbinger is a Wall Street lawyer turned podcast interviewer with an approachable style and knack for securing high-profile guests. His podcast, The Jordan Harbinger Show, was selected as part of Apple’s “Best of 2018.” This episode is part of our ongoing Sanely Ambitious series.   In this episode we talk about: How to engage in networking without being gross. He has lots of interesting techniques here, including something called Gmail roulette He also has a cardinal rule that I found compelling We also talk about: The ripple effect of generosity How to ask for a raise The strategic value of asking for advice How to deal with a bad boss How to persuade and negotiate And the many problems with hustle culture   Sign up for Dan’s newsletter here Follow Dan on social: Instagram, TikTok Ten Percent Happier online bookstore Subscribe to our YouTube Channel Our favorite playlists on: Anxiety, Sleep, Relationships, Most Popular Episodes   Additional Resources:  Sanely Ambitious

19 Mars 1h 17min

You Should Be Taking More Risks. Here’s How To Get Over Your Fear And Do It. | Sue Ashford

You Should Be Taking More Risks. Here’s How To Get Over Your Fear And Do It. | Sue Ashford

How to reduce perfectionism and boost confidence so you can be more effective in every area of your life. Susan (Sue) Ashford is an award-winning scholar and Professor at the University of Michigan, Stephen M. Ross School of Business. Her passion for helping people to be maximally effective in their work lives has driven her teaching and research work on self-management, proactivity, change from below, and leadership and its development.  This episode is part of our ongoing Sanely Ambitious series.    In this episode we talk about: The concept of “flexing” The pernicious role of fear and anxiety The crucial difference between a performance mindset and a learning mindset Practical tools for changing your mindset What it means to unleash your inner scientist The importance of getting feedback (and why some people struggle asking for it) The concept of re-storying (reframing negative perspectives)  Why we should  savor successes How to be interpersonally successful And much more   Sign up for Dan’s newsletter here Follow Dan on social: Instagram, TikTok Ten Percent Happier online bookstore Subscribe to our YouTube Channel Our favorite playlists on: Anxiety, Sleep, Relationships, Most Popular Episodes   Additional Resources: The Power of Flexing Ari Weinzweig  Reboot by Jerry Colonna Ego Free Leadership

17 Mars 1h 15min

What’s It Like To Be You Right Now? | Bonus Meditation with Dan

What’s It Like To Be You Right Now? | Bonus Meditation with Dan

This one's simple and easy -- and features some of Dan's favorite instructions from Joseph Goldstein. This meditation was originally part of one of Dan’s recent Ask Me Anything sessions on Substack – join us as a paid subscriber at DanHarris.com to be a part of these live online events as Dan guides a short meditation then takes your questions.

14 Mars 12min

How To Get Past Your Past | Yung Pueblo

How To Get Past Your Past | Yung Pueblo

Lessons learned from 12 years of serious meditation. Diego Perez is a meditator and #1 New York Times bestselling author who is widely known by his pen name, Yung Pueblo. His writing focuses on the power of self-healing, creating healthy relationships, and the wisdom that comes when we truly work on knowing ourselves.    In this episode we talk about: How to burn off your mind’s conditioning The suffering that comes from clinging in a world characterized by relentless change What selfless listening is, and how to do it The liberation that comes from equanimity Some of the incredibly valuable lessons he’s learned from 12 years of meditation How to make better decisions for your future self How to have boundless compassion without being a pushover Why  being able to see perspectives outside of your own is a sign of intelligence and mental strength And much more Related Episodes: Jack Kornfield & Yung Pueblo On: How To Meditate When You’re Freaking Out, the Limits of the Thinking Mind, & Balancing Self-Interest with Compassion The Dharma of Instagram     Follow Dan on social: Instagram, TikTok Subscribe to our YouTube Channel Our favorite playlists on: Anxiety, Sleep, Relationships, Most Popular Episodes   Additional Resources:  How To Love Better The Inward Trilogy Yung Pueblo on Substack  Yung Pueblo on Instagram Insight Meditation Society Dhamma.org

12 Mars 1h 10min

Stress Reduction: 5 Free, Quick, Science-Backed Strategies | Dr. Aditi Nerurkar

Stress Reduction: 5 Free, Quick, Science-Backed Strategies | Dr. Aditi Nerurkar

A Harvard doctor on how she went from stress patient to stress expert.   Dr. Aditi Nerurkar is a Harvard stress expert, and the author of The 5 Resets: Rewire Your Brain and Body For Less Stress and More Resilience.   In this episode we talk about: Healthy stress vs. unhealthy stress  The distinction between stress and burnout What Dr. Nerurkar calls “toxic resilience” Finding quiet in a noisy world  The relationship between scrolling and sleeping The gut-brain connection Key breathing exercises Dealing with your inner critic  How to avoid what she calls “revenge nighttime procrastination”  Exercises to help you get into your “future self” The rule of two strategy And much more   Related Episodes: Jon Kabat-Zinn, Creator of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Stress Better, Modupe Akinola How to Thrive Under Stress | Elizabeth Stanley, PhD The Science Of Journaling: How Writing Reduces Overthinking, Rumination, And Anxiety | Dr. James Pennebaker (Co-Interviewed By Dr. Bianca Harris)   Follow Dan on social: Instagram, TikTok Subscribe to our YouTube Channel Our favorite playlists on: Anxiety, Sleep, Relationships, Most Popular Episodes   Additional Resources:  Aditi on Substack

10 Mars 1h 6min

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