Turned me into a meditation fanatic. Highly highly recommend this fantastic book! Gives tips and tricks on meditation, so even though I was hesitant before this really explained the benefits thoroughly and made it easy for anyone to understand how to begin a practice.

Autobiographical account of a man seeking relief from his hectic and stressful career. This book provides useful tools and tips for those seeking to begin using meditation as a way to decrease their own stress.

This is a very specific book, and I requested it for a specific need. It did fit the need of giving me insight and ideas for colleagues and students on their journey with mindfulness meditation, but it felt like it was missing something... maybe that's because it is such a niche book, or because I am a regular meditation junky. Good book for people who need it.

I have always wanted to start meditating as studies now show that it is helpful to learn to still our minds and accept the present moment. This book is a wonderful guide to beginners as well as experienced meditators. I highly recommend it. The writing style is easy to follow and the suggestions are helpful.

This book makes meditation easy to fit into your daily schedule. I know I need meditation to reduce my stress. I struggle with sitting still, therefore, I struggle with meditation. Dan encourages meditation in small increments until you become more proficient. I liked the section on the 30-second meditation.

I received this galley from NetGalley.

Overall, I found the information in this book to be useful. The main reason I don't have a fully written out review is because I wasn't the 'fidgety skeptic' that this was aimed at, so there was a lot of information that I already knew. It was redundant for me, which makes it not all that fair for me to try to review it. I'll say this - if you're a meditation expert, this isn't for you. If you aren't, maybe you'll find some help here.

Dan Harris makes the practice of meditation easy for the person who can’t fathom sitting still. It’s written in an entertaining and conversational way that could convince even the most skeptical naysayers to at least give it a few chapters.

As someone who read Harris’ first book about meditation, 10% Happier, I found Meditation for Fidgety Skeptics to be a well-timed reminder and refresh to a practice that I already believed in, but one that I tend to move to the back burner when life gets too busy. That, of course, is when meditation can be the most beneficial!

This series of books are those that I often recommend to friends who express interest in meditation, but claim they won’t be able to do it or aren’t sure how to get started.

If you’re thinking about giving meditation a try, the 10% Happier app complements these books very well, and offers more free (and relatable, down to earth) guided meditations than others in the App Store like Headspace.

Meditation for Fidgety Skeptics A 10% Happier How-to Book by Dan Harris
Book Review by Dawn Thomas

288 Pages
Publisher: Spiegel & Grau, an imprint of Random House
Release Date: December 26, 2017

Self-Help, Health & Fitness, Meditation, Happiness

When I first saw this book, I was very intrigued. This book is more than meditation. It is a road trip in a bus across the country explaining the benefits of meditation to people. There were many skeptics in the bunch, especially the police officers. Dan explains how meditation can help you become 10% happier by meditation even a few minutes a day. I have always had difficulty meditating. It seems I have monkey mind and have a hard time shutting it off. Reading Dan’s tips along with Jeff’s meditations was the trick.

The book also has an app associated with it 10% Happier. I downloaded it from the Google Play store, and it is now my go-to app for meditations. The meditations from the book are listed as lessons along with other meditations based on activity or time.

The writing is easy to read and will make anyone struggling with meditation feel better about themselves. There is no intimidation or statement that you have to meditate this way for it to be effective. I have recommended the book and the app to many of my friends.

I am lax in writing posting this review. I read the book about a year ago and have been using it ever since. With the beginning of the New Year, the 10% Happier app held a 21-day meditation challenge. I am proud to say I completed the challenge meditating all 21 days.

Meditation advice that’s applicable to real, busy people (and real busy people) to get you started on this habit.

Good read! This is one fo the first self-help/instructional books I have read which really give you permission to fail, then take your new knowledge and start all over. It really is a good lesson for life, not just for meditations. I also like the 10% happier claim, rather than this bok will solve all of your problems. This type of writing resonates with people like me.

#MeditationForFidgetySkeptics #NetGalley

An honest book about meditation. The authors are able to demystify the main issues of common people that are not able to mediate. The approach is innovative with a wonderful blend of educational and personal experience sharing. A very easy to digest book.

This was a great book for someone like me who's interested in meditation but not so sure about it at the same time.

Easy to follow, conversational style. A great starting point for those who feel like they are not made for meditation.

Good tips for beginning meditation but with a personal twist which is appreciated. Felt a little long and dragged on at times but overall a good book.

I've often tried to meditate, but found it very difficult in this chaos of a world of mine. This book helped me learn how to tune out the world and work on myself.

The book consists of 50% of Dan Harris's experiences (morning TV host and journalist) with the positive effects of mediation on his hyper-stressful lifestyle and 50% guided meditation mini-instructions by Jeff Warren, aconvincing meditation teacher.
I found Dan's parts/his narration annoyingly glib and cheerful (I don't like morning tv) but absolutely loved the soothing voice and meditative content of Jeff Warren's teachings.

Wonderfully informative and humorous guide to Meditation!
Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for the opportunity to read and review Meditation for Fidgety Skeptics by Dan Harris and Jeff Warren. I chuckled at the Table of Contents and how accurate the section and chapter titles were when applied to human nature. Some of the headings are “I Don’t Have Time for This”, “If I Get Too Happy, I’ll Lose My Edge” and “People Might Think I’m Weird”. So great and opens up the path for humor in its pages. I was excited to discover the app that accompanies the instructional meditation given in this book. The commentary is full of humor and deals with thoughts that swirl through our minds as we try to relax and meditate. Short and easily doable meditations are introduced along with helpful, concise cheat sheets. I love the “RAIN”, “Walking Through Sound” and “Ten Good Breaths”! This quote captures the true essence of this practical and useful book, “Meditation is basically the end of boredom.” I was surprised and disturbed by the results of the study “Pandora’s Box” where people were left alone in a room with no stimulus, except a button that produced an electric shock. Many of the participants chose to give themselves electric shocks because of their discomfort of being quietly alone. Wonderfully informative instructional guide on meditation for anyone who wants to try but is skeptical of meditating, 5 stars!

Like many of us meditate, I began reading book and then set it aside to focus on other duties and obligations. Fans of Dan Harris' media presence (especially those of us who invite him into our homes each weekend) will enjoy his thoughts and efforts to encourage others to give meditation a try. I enjoyed this book better than his first one.
It did take a team to write this book. There are many examples of ways to meditate and how it is benefited an assortment of persons and personalities. The book covers medical benefits, reduction in worries, lowered anxiety, increased happiness and gratitude plus more. It tackles the question of usefulness.

I enjoyed hearing about the promotional bus tour and stops made to teach audiences (and unsuspecting passers by) about meditation and Dan's book. Jeff is the guru, Dan the word scholar (geek.) The book has amusing, entertaining moments and passages. And honesty. I would have liked to read the acknowledgements and mentions but they were nearly as long as the book.
Do not take offense over what Dan says about Schnauzers. We can appreciate he is a cat fancier.

Clowder of cats, colony of bats, murder of crows, richness of ravens, tidings of magpies... just remind yourself that when you catch your mind wandering, return it to its upright position and begin again.

This book did something I didn't anticipate from the outset, it changed my view on meditation. The "fidgety skeptics" in the title fits me perfectly: I'm very skeptical but I also know that when things are not right, then things need to change or at least be reconsidered. The book made me willing to do both. I have seen the recommendations of the health benefits of meditation and even had colleagues and friends swear by it. Yet, I wasn't moved to try it. I am now.
The book is funny, has an easy tone and you can easily imagine the authors, the journalist from ABC and his meditation guide tell the reader how to go about it. The concept of starting with one minute rather than committing to half an hour or so appeals to me. It seems manageable. Now, of course, I just have to get started and be consistent with it.. That start is today. I want not only to be 10% happier, but also have more inner peace and joy as well as enjoying the health benefits of meditation.

Dan Harris, the very same one you see on ABC News and Good Morning America, is on a mission to change our beliefs. We believe that meditation is hard. We believe that meditation is about stopping our thoughts. We believe that meditation is only for spiritual gurus and teachers. We believe that meditation is difficult and time-consuming and we're too busy and important to make room for it in our lives. 

And this is where Dan Harris tells us that we're wrong. In his latest book, Meditation for Fidgety Skeptics, he offers honest insight into how much meditating can help with anxiety and depression, help lower blood pressure, and improve productivity. Although he's not a typical meditation expert, his co-author Jeff Warren is the kind of guy you think of with the word "meditation." 

With lots of honest stories from his own life and fancy illustrations that Harris himself drew, Meditation for Fidgety Skeptics is the perfect introduction to meditation for, well, skeptics who don't like the idea of sitting still. Harris takes a look at all the reasons we have for not meditating, like that people would think you were weird or that you can't do it or that you might lose you edge. He knows all the reasons not to meditate, because he's used them all too. But after a very public panic attack, Harris started making changes in his life, and meditation has made a huge difference for him. 

Here's the thing: meditation doesn't have to be a big, scary life change. It's just a few minutes a day paying attention to your breath. All you have to do is breathe. And when your mind wanders, and it will, just remember to go back to your breath. That's all it is. 

But if you want more than just those basics, read the book. Harris is talking to us all about how much meditation can help. Even if you don't have panic attacks on national television. Even if you're worried about coming across like a freak. Even if you only have a few minutes a day. Even if you're scared. Even if you don't believe. Even if you hate to sit still. All you have to do is breathe. 



Galleys for Meditation for Fidgety Skeptics were provided by Random House Publishing Group through NetGalley, with many thanks.