Podcast Summary
Mindfulness and Presence: Celebrated actor Ted Danson values mindfulness and presence in his life through formal meditation practices and everyday activities, emphasizing the importance of embracing love and present moments, acknowledging the inevitability of death.
Ted Danson, a celebrated actor known for his work on shows like Cheers, The Good Place, and Damages, values the practice of mindfulness and presence in his life. He has experimented with formal meditation practices like Transcendental Meditation (TM) but also finds value in everyday activities and conversations with loved ones like his wife Mary Steenburgen, who helps ground him when he becomes fearful or neurotic. Danson emphasizes the importance of embracing love and present moments, acknowledging the inevitability of death. He also has a new podcast, "Where Everybody Knows Your Name," co-hosted by Woody Harrelson. Danson's openness and willingness to share his thoughts on meditation, marriage, and personal growth make for an engaging and insightful interview. Listeners can access the full interview on the Wondery app or Apple Podcasts.
Death and present living: Facing death's reality can inspire living in the present and expressing gratitude, with kindness, nurturing, and acknowledging negative emotions.
Facing the reality of death can provide a profound perspective on life. According to the speaker, during his mother's dying days, he realized the importance of living in the present and expressing gratitude. He found that focusing on spiritual and philosophical concepts, while comforting, paled in comparison to the simplicity of being kind, nurturing, and present. The speaker also emphasized the importance of acknowledging and dealing with negative emotions, rather than bypassing them. This realization came from observing his mother's struggle with her own emotions and his own tendency to avoid them. The speaker's reflections on his experiences demonstrate the transformative power of acknowledging mortality and embracing the full range of human emotions.
Aging with humor: Embracing a lighthearted attitude towards aging and finding joy in life's absurdities can help us navigate challenges and inspire positive impact.
Maintaining a sense of humor and staying engaged with life, even in its later stages, is essential for personal growth and happiness. As we age, challenges and discomforts may arise, but they can be faced with resilience and a lighthearted attitude. The ability to laugh at ourselves and find joy in the absurdities of life can help us navigate the ups and downs of aging and inspire us to continue making a positive impact. As Ted put it, "you're gonna die, but don't prepare for it. Prepare for going, you know, making as much of a difference as you can for as long as you can." By staying fully present and embracing the gift of life, we can live ferociously and leave a lasting legacy.
Selfishness and Joy: Being present and attentive to others is the highest form of selfishness, leading to personal happiness and fulfillment. Designing one's life around being useful to others is a form of 'wise selfishness' that fosters meaningful connections and beautiful moments.
Focusing on making others feel better and spreading joy is the highest form of selfishness, leading to personal happiness and fulfillment. The actor Ted Danson emphasizes the importance of being present and attentive to others, as it leads to meaningful connections and beautiful moments. He also shares his belief in the concept of "wise selfishness," which encourages designing one's life around being useful to others. Danson also highlights the significance of a strong and loving relationship, like his own with Mary Steenburgen, as a touchstone for experiencing joy and love, and for pushing through fear and hopelessness. While the conversation did touch upon therapy, it was not the primary focus, and Danson emphasized the importance of self-examination and reciprocity within relationships for building trust and resilience.
Self-awareness and therapy: Self-awareness and therapy played a crucial role in Ted Danson's life as he worked through past dishonesty, recognized the value of acknowledgement, and learned to accept compliments.
Self-awareness and therapy have played a significant role in Ted Danson's life. He acknowledges the importance of being truthful and understanding the root causes of dishonesty. Danson shares his personal experience of going through a period of intense therapy to address lying in a previous relationship. He also emphasizes the importance of recognizing that acknowledgement, whether positive or negative, is about the person giving it and not about the recipient. Danson admits that he has struggled with accepting compliments and acknowledges that it's a high class problem that celebrities face. He encourages embracing moments of acknowledgement and recognizing the value in both positive and negative feedback. Overall, Danson's insights offer a reminder of the importance of self-awareness, truthfulness, and embracing acknowledgement in our lives.
History exploration: Podcasts like 'Black History for Real' and 'Cheers' encourage deeper exploration of history by looking beyond surface-level stories and inviting meaningful conversations with guests about their experiences.
History, whether it's about royal families or significant events like the Vietnam War and civil rights movement, is complex and deserves deeper exploration. Sam and Arisha from the "Black History for Real" podcast encourage listeners to look beyond the surface and understand the full stories of historical figures and events. Similarly, Kelsey Grammer and Woody Harrelson's new podcast, "Cheers," invites listeners to revisit the past and have meaningful conversations with guests about their lives and experiences. Both podcasts offer valuable insights and remind us of the importance of delving deeper into history and getting to know people on a personal level.
Friendship and contrasting personalities: Friendship enriches life with contrasting personalities, providing joy and learning opportunities through shared experiences, even if they involve risks and unexpected outcomes.
Friendship plays a significant role in a good life, as evidenced by the speaker's close relationship with his "brother" and costar, Woody Harrelson, from their time working together on the show "Cheers." Their bond was built on their contrasting personalities, with the speaker being more cautious and Woody taking big risks and living life to the fullest. A memorable experience they shared involved skipping work to take mushrooms on a boat, but the speaker had a terrifying experience, while Woody seemed to enjoy it. Despite their differences, their friendship provided joy and delicious moments for the speaker. The conversation also touched on the importance of taking risks and experiencing new things, even if they don't always turn out perfectly.
Deep connections: Deep connections, whether personal or professional, enrich our lives and provide intense bonding experiences. Ethical behavior is crucial in maintaining these relationships.
According to Ted Danson, he values deep connections, particularly with his wife, but also through work relationships. He believes that these relationships enrich his life and provide intense bonding experiences. Danson also acknowledges the importance of having a strong partnership, but for him, the combination of personal and professional relationships contributes to his overall sense of fulfillment. Additionally, Danson shares that his experience working on "The Good Place" made him more aware of his own capacity for being dishonest and the importance of ethical behavior.
Personal growth and ethical living: The creators of 'The Good Place' prioritized ethics and used it as a tool for teaching young audiences about personal growth and ethical living, inspiring Ted to use his skills to make a positive impact on people's lives.
The importance of striving for improvement each day and leading a purposeful life, as exemplified by the show "The Good Place." The creators of the show prioritized ethics and incorporated them into the writing process, making it a valuable educational tool for young audiences. For Ted, hosting the show has been a positive experience, allowing him to reflect on his actions and inspire others through meaningful conversations. Ted's motivation for creating content is to use his skills to make a positive impact on people's lives rather than focusing on negative news. Overall, the discussion highlights the importance of personal growth, ethical living, and using one's talents to make a difference in the world.
Team behind 10% Happier: The production of '10% Happier' involves a dedicated team of professionals including producers, senior producers, director of audio and post-production, managing producer, and writer.
DanHarris.com is the place to sign up for more information. But beyond that, it's important to acknowledge the hard work of the team behind the show. This includes producers Lauren Smith, Tara Anderson, Colin Lester Fleming, Isabelle Hibbard, Carolyn Keenan, and Juan Beau Wu, senior producer Marissa Schneiderman, director of audio and post-production Kevin O'Connell, and managing producer DJ Cashmere. Nick Thorburn of the Band Islands wrote the theme. If you enjoy "10% Happier," consider joining Wondery Plus in the Wondery app or on Apple Podcasts for early and ad-free listening. Prime members can also listen ad-free on Amazon Music. Before you go, take a moment to fill out a short survey at Wondery.com/survey to tell us about yourself.
