Our busy lives rarely afford us time to reflect on what’s truly important. Remembering what matters most empowers us to engage meaningfully.

You've sorted through the embarrassment of riches that is the modern podcast landscape and found me, Rob Brydon, on my podcast.

In this series of Brydon And, I talk to, among others, Harry Hill, Ben Elton, Charlotte Church, Steve Coogan, and Dame Harriet Walter.

We tend to chat for about 45 minutes to an hour, never longer.

It's terrific conversation, reminiscence where appropriate, and exchange of anecdotes.

So do join me, Rob Brydon, wherever you get your podcasts.

New episodes of Brydonland are available early and ad-free on Amazon Music, or by subscribing to Wondery Plus in Apple Podcasts or the Wondery app.

Happy Friday everybody, time for a bonus meditation.

1 of the problems that many of us have, and I'm speaking personally here, is that we can lose a sense of perspective or proportion.

We can get so focused on the problems in our lives, the quote unquote problems, that we Miss the forest for the trees.

What I'm gonna say next will probably not surprise you, but meditation can really help with this.

So let's do a practice specifically designed to help us tune into what actually matters the most.

And our teacher du jour is La Sarmiento, who's the guiding teacher of the Insight Meditation Community of Washington's BIPOC and LGBTQIA plus sanghas, and is a mentor for the Mindfulness Meditation Teacher Certification Program and for Cloud Sangha.

So often our lives are filled with commitments and responsibilities that tend to overwhelm and exhaust us.

How much of our days are filled with what is meaningful for us?

In this meditation, we will reflect on our current experience of being human and explore how remembering what matters most gives us agency over how we engage with life.

Feel free to move or stretch into a posture that your body would most appreciate right now.

Take some fuller breaths as you allow your eyes to close or create a soft gaze downwards.

Let your body feel the support of the surface beneath it.

It may feel like life is happening to us instead of us remembering that we have choice in how we relate to what is happening.

I often ask myself 3 questions to check in with myself.

As you hear each question, take some time to reflect on your experience at this juncture of your life.

If you happen to feel disconnected, dissatisfied, or disempowered, see if it's possible to offer yourself some kindness and compassion.

It can be through phrases like, may I be kind and gentle with myself when I am struggling.

May I trust that I'm doing the best I can.

May I know that it's okay to have feelings.

See if it's possible to connect to or to remember what matters most to you at this time of your life.

We'll explore this by asking a few different questions.

First, What is it that you most want to experience or express right now?

What is it that you want to pay most attention to?

What is your deepest aspiration or intention at this time of your life.

Whether you have a clear sense or not of what matters most, Appreciate yourself for taking the time to begin this contemplation.

You may want to take some time to journal about it if you wish.

Now what could be 1 thing that you could do today that would be in alignment with what matters most to you.

Let your eyes open if they've been closed and gently reorient yourself to your space.

Take good care of yourself and each other out there.

You can find more meditations like this 1 over on the 10% Happier app.

Just download the app wherever you get your apps to get started.

We'll see you right back here on Monday with a favorite episode from the archives.

Hey, Prime members, You can listen to 10% Happier early and ad-free on Amazon Music.

Or you can listen early and ad-free with Wondery plus in Apple podcasts.

Before you go, do us a solid and tell us all about yourself by completing a short survey at wondery.com slash survey.


Speaker 0: Well done. You've sorted through the embarrassment of riches that is the modern podcast landscape and found me, Rob Brydon, on my podcast. In this series of Brydon And, I talk to, among others, Harry Hill, Ben Elton, Charlotte Church, Steve Coogan, and Dame Harriet Walter. And that's just a few. We tend to chat for about 45 minutes to an hour, never longer.

It's terrific conversation, reminiscence where appropriate, and exchange of anecdotes. So do join me, Rob Brydon, wherever you get your podcasts. New episodes of Brydonland are available early and ad-free on Amazon Music, or by subscribing to Wondery Plus in Apple Podcasts or the Wondery app.

Speaker 1: It's the 10 percent happier podcast. I'm your host, Dan Harris. Host Dan Harris. Happy Friday everybody, time for a bonus meditation. 1 of the problems that many of us have, and I'm speaking personally here, is that we can lose a sense of perspective or proportion.

We can get so focused on the problems in our lives, the quote unquote problems, that we Miss the forest for the trees. What I'm gonna say next will probably not surprise you, but meditation can really help with this. So let's do a practice specifically designed to help us tune into what actually matters the most. And our teacher du jour is La Sarmiento, who's the guiding teacher of the Insight Meditation Community of Washington's BIPOC and LGBTQIA plus sanghas, and is a mentor for the Mindfulness Meditation Teacher Certification Program and for Cloud Sangha. Here we go now with La Sarmiento.

Speaker 2: Welcome to another day on the planet. This is La. From the Buddha. Every morning we are born again. What we do today is what matters most.

So often our lives are filled with commitments and responsibilities that tend to overwhelm and exhaust us. How much of our days are filled with what is meaningful for us? In this meditation, we will reflect on our current experience of being human and explore how remembering what matters most gives us agency over how we engage with life. Let's begin. Feel free to move or stretch into a posture that your body would most appreciate right now.

Take some fuller breaths as you allow your eyes to close or create a soft gaze downwards. Let your body feel the support of the surface beneath it. It may feel like life is happening to us instead of us remembering that we have choice in how we relate to what is happening. I often ask myself 3 questions to check in with myself. As you hear each question, take some time to reflect on your experience at this juncture of your life.

Do I feel connected or disconnected? Am I feeling gratified or dissatisfied? Do I feel empowered or disempowered? If you happen to feel disconnected, dissatisfied, or disempowered, see if it's possible to offer yourself some kindness and compassion. It can be through phrases like, may I be kind and gentle with myself when I am struggling.

May I trust that I'm doing the best I can. May I know that it's okay to have feelings. See if it's possible to connect to or to remember what matters most to you at this time of your life. We'll explore this by asking a few different questions. First, What is it that you most want to experience or express right now?

What is it that you want to pay most attention to? What is your deepest aspiration or intention at this time of your life. Whether you have a clear sense or not of what matters most, Appreciate yourself for taking the time to begin this contemplation. You may want to take some time to journal about it if you wish. Now what could be 1 thing that you could do today that would be in alignment with what matters most to you.

Let your eyes open if they've been closed and gently reorient yourself to your space. Take good care of yourself and each other out there.

Speaker 1: Thank you, La. You can find more meditations like this 1 over on the 10% Happier app. Just download the app wherever you get your apps to get started. We'll see you right back here on Monday with a favorite episode from the archives. Episode from the archives.

Hey, Prime members, You can listen to 10% Happier early and ad-free on Amazon Music. Download the Amazon Music app today. Or you can listen early and ad-free with Wondery plus in Apple podcasts. Before you go, do us a solid and tell us all about yourself by completing a short survey at wondery.com slash survey.

See all Ten Percent Happier with Dan Harris transcripts on Applepodcasts

Keeping Things in Perspective | Bonus Meditation with La Sarmiento