NEW YORK (1010 WINS) It may not make you 10 percent happier in these challenging times, but it will likely help you be at least 10 percent more centered, calm, cool, collected and prepared to face what comes your way as we all stare down the coronavirus.
Have the folks at 1010 WINS lost their minds, you ask? NO. 1010 WINS (or at least me, anchor Susan Richard) is talking about the benefits to the mind — of meditation — and what a fellow broadcast journalist is doing to help healthcare workers on the front lines of the coronavirus response.
Dan Harris of ABC News, author of the memoir 10 Percent Happier, and founder of the 10 Percent Happier meditation app, is offering the app for free to healthcare workers.
Very cool.
But before I tell you about that, indulge me for a second. My own journey with meditation began about three years ago in response to some relationship drama in my own life. (Men!) Today that feels like ten lifetimes ago, and while I have no doubt that time served as a healer, so did this secular form of mental exercise in which you focus your attention on your breath, sound, counting numbers (or sheep! or cats!), using words like inhale/exhale, etc. The whole game is to notice when your mind wanders onto something else and just return to the original focus — without beating yourself up.
Let me repeat: without beating yourself up. Easy to say, challenging to do — but worth your time.
Dan explains it much better. Check out our conversation below which includes a 30 second demonstration so you can even try it out. He’s also giving the app for free to healthcare workers. If that’s you, email care@tenpercent.com. For everyone, he’s got a 10 Percent Happier Coronavirus Sanity Guide HERE.