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It's the 10% Happier podcast.

I'm Dan Harris.

Thank you. I'm Dan Harris. Hey, gang, how we doing?

For me, one of the most powerful and game-changing insights in recent years has been that the way I talk to myself has a massive impact on my happiness

and also on how I talk to other people. And moreover, and this is the key part, it is possible

to counter-program against my inner critic to rewire my interior dialogue in really interesting

and really effective ways. And this is not just me making shit up in case you're suspicious.

There is a ton of evidence from researchers like Kristen Neff and Ethan Cross,

strongly suggesting that you can both change the way you talk to yourself

and that those changes impact your happiness

and your relationships with other people, which of course are intertwined.

I say all of this because my guest today went through what he calls a Job year, as in the

book of Job from the Bible. During this time, he lost his mother, he lost a long-term relationship,

and he lost a really important job. And even though this guest is not a happiness expert per se,

he developed some really interesting coping strategies

in the midst of his grief over these losses.

And one of the main techniques, and you'll hear him discuss this,

was to learn how to be his own mentor, which I love.

Sam Sanders is an award-winning reporter, radio host, and podcaster. He currently co-hosts

two podcasts, vibe check with Zach Stafford and Saeed Jones and the Sam Sanders show. Earlier in

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