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How to Meditate: Meditation 101 for Beginners
10 Science-Backed Benefits of Meditation
What is Meditation?
How to Meditate: Meditation 101 for Beginners
10 Science-Backed Benefits of Meditation
What is Meditation?
Benefits of Mindfulness: Mindful Living Can Change Your Life
Mindfulness 101: A Beginner's Guide
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Hey, welcome back to your Daily Mindfulness. In today's session, we're going to talk about why we're not the best predictors of our own happiness. So in his book, Stumbling On Happiness, the Harvard psychologist, Dan Gilbert starts with the bold assertion that we're the only animals with the ability to predict our future. We're able to imagine scenarios ,good and bad ,that may one day occur. And also imagine how we'll feel when they do occur.
And chances are, you're very familiar with this, seeing what your life could be and what you imagine you'll feel like once you get there. Imagination, though, has some shortcomings. And perhaps of most relevance is that imagination fails to realize that things will often feel different once they actually happen. We have a psychological immune system, emotional immune system that makes bad things feel not so bad as we imagined, and good things often feel not as good as they imagined. Or they have the same intensity of feeling, but it doesn't last as long as we think it will.
So often we spend so much time crafting an idea of the life we want and this feeling of once I get there, it will be like this, often to end up a bit am empty handed. I'm curious if that's ever been your experience, this feeling of once that happens, I'll feel a certain way I'll be a certain way or I'll, I'll just have the happiness that I was looking for. And then you get there and it's different than you imagined, or it doesn't last as long as you imagined. You know, this is a reality that we deal with with as humans, with brains and brains that adapt to circumstances. How do we work with this is the follow-up question.
And for me, I'm still navigating that. To me it's frustrating that I, I can't get to some future moment and have it lead to lasting satisfaction. But it's always a reminder to, to try to lean into this moment as it is right now, to bring full presence to it, full awareness and live it deeply and intimately, knowing that this moment is just as good as any other moment in the future. It might not be exactly as I want, but that future moment that I think I want, it's still going to be me relating to it. And chances are, it's not going to give all of the positive feedback and the wonderfulness and even the bad moments that we think if that happens, it will ruin me, those moments pass as well.
So learning to cultivate an equanimity of mind that allows us to move, move fluidly through all of these moments is a kind of happiness that we can take refuge in. And it's one of the things we start to develop with the meditation practice. So I'll talk to you in our meditation. Thank you for continuing your practice and take care.
Why We Are Bad Predictors of Our Happiness
Personalized support for learning how to integrate mindfulness into your life. Delivered fresh everyday by our world renowned experts. Choose meditation duration:
Duration
Your default time is based on your progress and is changed automatically as you practice.
Hey, welcome back to your Daily Mindfulness. In today's session, we're going to talk about why we're not the best predictors of our own happiness. So in his book, Stumbling On Happiness, the Harvard psychologist, Dan Gilbert starts with the bold assertion that we're the only animals with the ability to predict our future. We're able to imagine scenarios ,good and bad ,that may one day occur. And also imagine how we'll feel when they do occur.
And chances are, you're very familiar with this, seeing what your life could be and what you imagine you'll feel like once you get there. Imagination, though, has some shortcomings. And perhaps of most relevance is that imagination fails to realize that things will often feel different once they actually happen. We have a psychological immune system, emotional immune system that makes bad things feel not so bad as we imagined, and good things often feel not as good as they imagined. Or they have the same intensity of feeling, but it doesn't last as long as we think it will.
So often we spend so much time crafting an idea of the life we want and this feeling of once I get there, it will be like this, often to end up a bit am empty handed. I'm curious if that's ever been your experience, this feeling of once that happens, I'll feel a certain way I'll be a certain way or I'll, I'll just have the happiness that I was looking for. And then you get there and it's different than you imagined, or it doesn't last as long as you imagined. You know, this is a reality that we deal with with as humans, with brains and brains that adapt to circumstances. How do we work with this is the follow-up question.
And for me, I'm still navigating that. To me it's frustrating that I, I can't get to some future moment and have it lead to lasting satisfaction. But it's always a reminder to, to try to lean into this moment as it is right now, to bring full presence to it, full awareness and live it deeply and intimately, knowing that this moment is just as good as any other moment in the future. It might not be exactly as I want, but that future moment that I think I want, it's still going to be me relating to it. And chances are, it's not going to give all of the positive feedback and the wonderfulness and even the bad moments that we think if that happens, it will ruin me, those moments pass as well.
So learning to cultivate an equanimity of mind that allows us to move, move fluidly through all of these moments is a kind of happiness that we can take refuge in. And it's one of the things we start to develop with the meditation practice. So I'll talk to you in our meditation. Thank you for continuing your practice and take care.
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Just a small sample of the life-changing 5-star reviews we get on a daily basis.
Vidyamala’s tips on catching anger as it’s happening or about to happen are great - clear, practical, and doable.
- Vicoir
The little talks before the meditations are priceless. It's like I've found my peeps. The topics, the quotes, the goals—it all makes so much sense to me, things I want to be thinking and learning about. Most importantly, the meditations are kindness-centered, which I love. It feels like a new way to approach meditation.
- Lauren
Incredible, easy to navigate app. I would highly recommend this app to anyone who wishes to reduce stress and anxiety or simply as an aid to improve overall mental health.
- Kirtus
I love how the app gives me pointers to new things to explore.
- Lydia
So calm and soothing. I love the new bundle with Kelly Boys, she’s brilliant!
- EJ
Better than Headspace. I've had the paid version of both apps, and I must say I enjoy this one better.
- Gina, Plus+ Member
Vidyamala’s tips on catching anger as it’s happening or about to happen are great - clear, practical, and doable.
- Vicoir
The little talks before the meditations are priceless. It's like I've found my peeps. The topics, the quotes, the goals—it all makes so much sense to me, things I want to be thinking and learning about. Most importantly, the meditations are kindness-centered, which I love. It feels like a new way to approach meditation.
- Lauren
Incredible, easy to navigate app. I would highly recommend this app to anyone who wishes to reduce stress and anxiety or simply as an aid to improve overall mental health.
- Kirtus
I love how the app gives me pointers to new things to explore.
- Lydia
So calm and soothing. I love the new bundle with Kelly Boys, she’s brilliant!
- EJ
Better than Headspace. I've had the paid version of both apps, and I must say I enjoy this one better.
- Gina, Plus+ Member
Vidyamala’s tips on catching anger as it’s happening or about to happen are great - clear, practical, and doable.
- Vicoir
The little talks before the meditations are priceless. It's like I've found my peeps. The topics, the quotes, the goals—it all makes so much sense to me, things I want to be thinking and learning about. Most importantly, the meditations are kindness-centered, which I love. It feels like a new way to approach meditation.
- Lauren
Incredible, easy to navigate app. I would highly recommend this app to anyone who wishes to reduce stress and anxiety or simply as an aid to improve overall mental health.
- Kirtus
I love how the app gives me pointers to new things to explore.
- Lydia
So calm and soothing. I love the new bundle with Kelly Boys, she’s brilliant!
- EJ
Better than Headspace. I've had the paid version of both apps, and I must say I enjoy this one better.
- Gina, Plus+ Member
I am very new to meditation, and am so happy that my first introduction to it has been through this app
The first session was fantastic. I feel safe. And supported. Almost like having someone helping me through my difficult time. I’m very grateful for this app.
- Babi
You get a lot of useful tips for handling stress and anxiety in 'real life'.
- Joy
Highly recommend.
- Humanfrst
Kelly Boys is hands down the best. Everytime I click on one of her guided meditations I get excited for the calmness that lies ahead.
-
I am very new to meditation, and am so happy that my first introduction to it has been through this app
The first session was fantastic. I feel safe. And supported. Almost like having someone helping me through my difficult time. I’m very grateful for this app.
- Babi
You get a lot of useful tips for handling stress and anxiety in 'real life'.
- Joy
Highly recommend.
- Humanfrst
Kelly Boys is hands down the best. Everytime I click on one of her guided meditations I get excited for the calmness that lies ahead.
-
I am very new to meditation, and am so happy that my first introduction to it has been through this app
The first session was fantastic. I feel safe. And supported. Almost like having someone helping me through my difficult time. I’m very grateful for this app.
- Babi
You get a lot of useful tips for handling stress and anxiety in 'real life'.
- Joy
Highly recommend.
- Humanfrst
Kelly Boys is hands down the best. Everytime I click on one of her guided meditations I get excited for the calmness that lies ahead.
-
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