10% Happier: How I Tamed the Voice in My Head, Reduced Stress Without Losing My Edge, and Found Self-Help That Actually Works by Dan Harris Published by It Books on March 11, 2014
Genres/Lists: Memoir, Non-Fiction, Science/Technology/Psychology
Pages: 256
Read synopsis on Goodreads
Buy the book: Amazon/Audible (this post includes affiliate links)
I could probably write a pretty lengthy review about 10% Happier: How I Tamed the Voice in My Head, Reduced Stress Without Losing My Edge, and Found Self-Help That Actually Works by Dan Harris, but at the end of the day it would be mostly babble. That’s because there are very straightforward reasons that anyone with a bit of anxiety in their lives should read it. I started out with a lot of the same preconceived notions about meditation and skepticism about authors like Eckhart Tolle, and I was glad to find someone who was in the same boat. So, I’m taking a page out of Leah at Books Speaks Volumes’ book and offering up 10 reasons to read 10% Happier:
- The author is honest. He has no problem discussing his past drug use or the fact that he thinks organized religion is “bunk”.
- It mentions 50 Cent, who reportedly meditates, which is good enough for me.
- He’s not preachy. He openly discusses how he was not impressed with Eckhart Tolle or Deepak Chopra and thinks their ability to always be in the moment is a complete lie.
- His knowledge about Buddhism prior to trying it out was limited to the stereotypes.
- He’s the reporter from this video:
- The book is funny and will actually make you laugh out loud.
- He acknowledges that sometimes the only thing you can think about while meditating is that you look silly or have an itch in your ear and that’s okay.
- He takes the time to debunk the myths surrounding meditation, including his own reluctance to tell people that he did it for a very long time.
- He genuinely believes in the power of meditation, even though he doesn’t necessarily buy into the rest of Buddhism.
- He turned out okay, so it’s kind of motivational.
“Mindfulness provides space between impulse and action, so you’re not a slave to whatever neurotic obsession pops into your head.” – Dan Harris
