Why Did Dan Harris Start Meditating After a Live TV Panic Attack—and Can a 2-Minute Mindfulness Habit Reduce Anxiety?

Can Mindfulness Meditation Improve Decision-Making and Stress in Just 3 Minutes a Day? A 10% Happier Podcast Summary

Dan Harris shares how a live TV panic attack led him to mindfulness meditation. Learn the proven benefits, a simple 2–3 minute daily starter routine, and how meditation supports calmer focus, better decisions, and a more positive mindset.

Keep reading for the exact 2–3 minute “start today” routine, plus practical ways to stick with it (even if your mind won’t quiet down) and apply mindfulness to stress, social comparison, and everyday choices.

Recommendation

Best-selling author and former news host Dan Harris was on live national television when he suffered a panic attack that changed his life. In this episode of The Rational Reminder podcast, Harris chats with hosts Benjamin Felix and Cameron Passmore about the experience that led him to try mindfulness meditation. He delves into the benefits of meditation for improving happiness and reducing stress. Learn how to start your own mindfulness meditation practice in just a couple of minutes a day, and increase your self-awareness and ability to make good decisions.

Take-Aways

• Practicing mindfulness meditation boosts self-awareness and focus and reduces stress.
• Adopt a mindfulness meditation habit by starting with a daily two-to-three-minute practice.
• Meditation improves decision-making and helps you cultivate a more positive mindset.

Summary

Practicing mindfulness meditation boosts self-awareness and focus and reduces stress.

For a long time, former TV news host Dan Harris dismissed meditation as “hippie nonsense.” His view changed drastically after suffering a panic attack on live television. Looking for tools to manage his stress and anxiety, Harris discovered a life-changing practice when he tried mindfulness meditation. This simple yet powerful practice derived from Buddhism centers on paying attention to the present moment, like the feeling of your breath or your body sitting, and noticing distractions without judgment.

Mindfulness meditation helps improve your self-awareness, creates a sense of calm, and boosts your focus. Research suggests that daily practice also decreases blood pressure, enhances immunity, and reduces activity in the areas of your brain associated with stress. Consider meditation like a “bicep curl” for your brain: you’ll begin to feel its benefits only with consistent practice.

“[Mindfulness] allows you to respond wisely to things instead of reacting reflexively, and I think, to me, that’s the biggest benefit.” (Dan Harris)

When you start your meditation practice, you’ll probably hear a great deal of chatter in your head. Random urges, thoughts, and emotions will flit through your mind. With practice, you’ll learn to become more aware of these thoughts and feelings and capable of observing them without being controlled by them. While Harris initially found the secular nature of mindfulness meditation attractive, he now sees the value of a Buddhist approach to life — notably, the importance of becoming comfortable with change and uncertainty. Clinging to anything in a constantly changing world leads to suffering and unhappiness. Mindfulness helps you embrace life’s impermanence and cultivate a calmer, more focused, and content mind.

Adopt a mindfulness meditation habit by starting with a daily two-to-three-minute practice.

When Harris tried to jump-start his meditation practice at a 10-day silent retreat, his biggest obstacle was his desire to “win” by quickly becoming a top-notch practitioner. Meditation won’t have the desired effects if you try too hard or force it. It requires a relaxed, receptive mindset. Tuning into the sensations of the present moment — like the sounds of birds or the taste of something in your mouth — and noticing your thoughts as they arise helps you understand how your mind functions and leads to a deep sense of calm and joy.

“The first hindrance in meditation is desire. If you’re trying to make something happen, it definitely won’t happen.” (Dan Harris)

You don’t need to go to a retreat to start a meditation habit. Begin by meditating for just two to three minutes a day. You might want to pair your practice with an established habit, making integrating meditation into your daily routine easier by attaching it to something you already do regularly. For example, perhaps you commit to meditating for two minutes before or after you brush your teeth. To start your mindfulness meditation practice, find a comfortable seated position and close your eyes. Connect to your body and surroundings, turning your attention toward your breath or the sounds you hear around you. Pay attention to your thoughts, noticing when you find yourself getting distracted and gently redirecting your mind back to the present moment.

Meditation improves decision-making and helps you cultivate a more positive mindset.

Meditation can powerfully transform your life in the following ways:

• Improved decision-making — When you meditate, you become more aware of your impulses. This enhanced self-knowledge allows you to make more intentional and considerate choices — enabling you, for example, to resist the urge to make a reckless financial decision or blurt out something that would harm a valued relationship.
• Less comparison — Social comparison can lead individuals to feel their lives are lacking because they don’t have what others have. This mindset breeds discontent and can damage your self-worth. Social media exacerbates the instinct to compare yourself with others. Mindfulness meditation makes you aware of negative feelings sparked by social comparison and can help you direct your mental energy elsewhere.
• Increased contentment — While many things in life are beyond your sphere of influence, you have agency over your personal happiness. Meditation helps you become aware of the thoughts and behaviors that fuel unhappiness, allowing you to consciously engage in practices that lead you toward a more positive mindset. The goal is to become “10% happier” — not find perfect happiness — through incremental, meaningful improvements.

About the Podcast

Dan Harris is the host of the 10 % Happier podcast and the best-selling author of books including 10% Happier: How I Tamed the Voice in My Head, Reduced Stress Without Losing My Edge, and Found Self-Help That Actually Works — A True Story. Benjamin Felix and Cameron Passmore are Portfolio Managers at PWL Capital in Ottawa, Ontario. Together, they host The Rational Reminder podcast.