10 Percent Happier by Dan Harris

I have always wanted to learn to meditate. A tennis teacher tried to teach me once. A yoga instructor tried to teach me several times. And a terrific boyfriend once tried to teach me to meditate and salsa dance at different times, but only the salsa steps stuck. I can follow a cross body lead with ease, but mindfulness escapes me every time. So, I have signed up for a meditation class at the San Francisco Zen Center. This class will take place on four Thursdays next month. At the age of 52, you might think that I would be a lost cause when it came to meditation.  However, after reading “10% Happier,” I thought I would give it one more try. You probably recognize today’s author Dan Harris as one of the Saturday morning news anchors on “Good Morning America.” What you probably don’t know about Harris is that he has suffered from anxiety and panic attacks most of his life, and later tried self-medicating with cocaine and ecstasy.  “10% Happier” details the turning point in his life in 2004, when he had a live panic attack on “Good Morning America.” He knew, after that very public hiccup, that he had to figure out a way to become more mindful or lose his career. So, he dove into an exploration of spirituality and self-help gurus that were quite helpful to him. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that along the way mediation also rewarded him with a lovely wife and baby boy. Because I’m the kind of girl who loves a happy ending, this book worked out very well for me. If you are a fan of mediation, or you have always wanted to try it but never have succeeded, this book might work well for you, too. To purchase this book on Amazon click here.