Happier: Meditation Reviews

by Chamelion_

I highly recommend Happier as an app for beginners. Their explanations are the best and you can start right away. Within 5 minutes you’ll be meditating and once you feel he stress lets off your body, you’ll feel a lot better.

I came across Happier in 2018 in a very stressful period of my life. I had this work that somehow led to a very anxious and nervous state of my mind and I had no idea how to fix it. The sell point was their 1 minute meditation. I was skeptical at first as I had already tried several meditation apps and didn’t get any of what they were about. But this one was different. I started with 1 minute meditation at home and it worked!then I did it in a subway, at work, even in the toilet. I got used to letting my stress out and it stopped accumulating in my body so easily. I managed to complete the work meditating as much as I could (like 5-8 meditations a day) and the results were great!

Take your mental health very seriously and take care of yourself cause nobody will do it for you.

by Kris CV

Overall, I love Happier. I love that it’s geared toward people who aren’t necessarily spiritually minded, like myself. This approach definitely works much better for me than, say, Deepak Chopra’s approach. And I have nothing against Deepak Chopra. I just love the Everyman vibe of this program. I do have two minor suggestions for improvements, though.

I have noticed that if you rewind part of a video or meditation and watch or listen to that part over again, or fast forward (maybe you watched part of it and are trying to pick up where you left off), the time is counted strangely. It tends to overcount your time. I think it’s counting the time you fast forward through, if you fast forward, for example, instead of the actual time the video is playing. I would love for that to get fixed.

I also recently started downloading some meditation courses, and I noticed that the closed captioning option disappeared after I did that. So the exact same course will have closed captioning if I’m streaming it, but not if it’s been downloaded. Please fix that as well.

by ElanorMc

This is wonderful, possibly the most positive change in my life this year. I have briefly tried other popular meditation apps, and I still think 10% this app is the best. I love the lessons - giving me a sense of progress and guiding me to think about specific issue areas, like relationship and focus, I also use the individual guided recordings all the time for sleep, or when I find some time to meditate during the day. I appreciate that you get to know the names, voices and styles of the teachers - Joseph, Oren... - because meditation shouldn’t be an anonymous, faceless thing. Being aware of the teachers make me appreciate this as an individual journey that we each have to travel alone, but with each other’s help. I came to appreciate Dan’s interactions with them too because his self-deprecating humor makes me feel that I don’t need to be in a rush and even the most fidgety and skeptical of us can get this too. I feel very lucky to find this as my introduction to meditations. Happier is very thoughtful and well-designed, I would certainly recommend it to others!

by Gabino's Mom

Ten percent this app is the best meditation app hands down for me. This is the only app I found myself use consistently, not because of sheer will power but because I am actually very interested in the contents. I have logged over 380 minutes on Happier last time I checked! Each module focuses on a theme, beginners meditation, coping with stress, and forming habits, etc. Each module consists of multiple lessons and is led by an experienced and insightful instructor. A typical lesson begins with a short interview and convo between Dan Harris, the host, and the meditation “guru”. Dan asks questions on behalf of me and other people new to meditation and this format really helps to set the stage. I am being guided through every lesson and usually learn tidbit of new skill each lesson in being able to introspect better. I can’t say thank you enough for the wonderful work the host and the guest speakers have done to deliver this easy to use app; my world has become a little calmer and better every day.

by Anne Moser

I work in healthcare and have taken advantage of your generous free trial. I can’t thank you enough for the gift! I have found Happier immensely helpful in recalibrating mental well-being on tough days and in bolstering my baseline resilience during this pandemic. I would say the free app has turned out to be my personal “silver lining” during the pandemic.

Although I have dabbled in mindfulness and meditation a little bit over the years, neither really “clicked” with me, even after trying other related apps. Happier is different. The variety of teaching formats has made a crucial difference. For instance, the videos that show how meditation and mindfulness can change the brain really helped me, the ADD skeptic, better understand and accept the practice of meditation as legit. I also love the way Dan interacts with his guests and brings his personal experiences to the table.

I have found the meditations that have science-related informational nuggets sprinkled throughout them the most helpful, I think because they engage multiple aspects of my brain, thus holding my attention better. I also really like being able to listen to Happier ’s “Talks,” as an alternative to meditating. I have learned so much!

by Ceasarslimdog

I just listened to Yael’s talk on loneliness after receiving the email from 10% informing me it was a new talk and inviting me to listen. Her openness struck a chord in me - for I became aware about 7 years ago while I was running around, that I was the busiest yet loneliest person I knew. Her talk transformed the chatter in my head of negativity about the feeling and invited me to a new thought - that the real me inside was letting me know that she was still in there and had desires and wants that were not being fulfilled. The funny thing is 7 years ago without knowing - I started that journey back to me. As of today I am far from where I want to be, but knowing that I am heading there and this is a part of that journey to the life I desire has turned that shame I felt and still feel at times - into something magical. Thank you for creating Happier and helping me! I am so excited about where I am headed, at times I am giddy - and knowing 10% is there to help guide me and remind me is comforting. Everyone should get and listen to Happier!!

by Steve From PDX

I had listened to the audio version of Dan Harris’s book 10% this app and enjoyed the story of how a skeptic turned to meditation. Then Happier came along at just the right time during some stressful times, and I figured, “Why not?”

I had dabbled in meditation many years ago, but didn’t develop the habit. Happier has some of the best known meditation instructors in the US plus many you will not have heard of who are fantastic. Step by step it got us trying it each day. Then we started to notice the subtle benefits of mindfulness both during the day and when trying to get to sleep, and we were hooked.

Feedback on latest version: Please add an option to turn off the annoying incrementing statistics and options to “share” my meditation stats. That’s not why I meditate. Also, I was glad when a previous version added the ability to search for particular instructors or meditations. Now it is gone again? There is too much content to make us dig around looking. Thanks.

by Wellsprings

Im recommending Happier to everyone! I recently got Ten Percent this app after listening to their podcasts and hearing one of the teachers (Jay Michaelson) speak. What I like about it is that they face current events (e.g. the pandemic) head on and they are very real. They also have a live session every weekday. I have another popular meditation app, but this one is proving more useful to me these days because they are so honest, direct, and topical. The teachers are diverse. Another cool feature is that you can often choose the length of your meditation depending on your time and attention at the moment. Lots of great sleep meditations, too. My only critique is that after every meditation it gives me a kind of cheer of how well I’m doing and adds up how many times I’ve meditated, and I don’t really need or want that kind of feedback. (Maybe there is a way to turn that off). You can also ask for personal guidance, which I haven’t tried yet. All in all, this is saving my sanity.

by Techman111177

I’ll start by saying before downloading Happier, I was a bit critical of the potential impact of meditation - mainly due to my own bias and lack of knowledge. First few weeks if trying (tried to do so 5 days/week) I was on fence.

Having said that, upon consistent practice and completing over 75 courses in Happier as of time of writing, I’m a believer. I’ve gone through a few lesson plans as well as some singles. Each offers a great new perspective and practice of techniques while at the same time sharing similar underlying trends. Although still a beginner, I've already noticed important changes in my life and am excited to continue my practice in the future.

One note: Again, this is an excellent app with meaningful knowledge from experts in the field of meditation. However, I would preface that if you are a beginner (like myself) I’d recommend trying to make note that ultimately the impact of meditation will be contingent on your consistent practice and commitment - Happier is a great tool to help in such, but it’s ultimately up to you to make it happen.

by Settle Me Brrrh

A colleague and I challenged each other to raise morale at work. I searched for a podcast and found Ten Percent this app and gave it a try. I was skeptical, however, 3 years later I am still listening and feel like I have grown exponentially in my approach to mindfulness and self care, which I did not even realize I needed. As an executive who has worked for fortune 500’s to start ups, I am amazed at how much I have decluttered my thoughts and how I can recognize, appreciate, make space for, and own my feelings. All good things to declutter and enjoy the things that matter to you in life. I set out to find a scalable app to reach a large audience, or share clips to kick off meetings, and found a more personal app to support my own mindfulness, start a meditation practice, get better sleep, and listen to some insightful podcasts. Thanks Dan and the amazing contributors and the team that makes the podcast and app, in relevant, current, bite sized, digestible formats that meet me where I am at the moment!

by DrJ-Mo

I dare say if you were able to quantify how much “bang for your buck” you can get out of any app out there - This has to be #1. I can’t even begin to describe how effective this little gem has been at helping me learn the basics of meditation, manage my stress, learn more about myself as a human and increase my overall well being. I purchased this in May of 2019, it is now January 2020 and I will without a doubt renew next years subscription. I have a very stressful but rewarding job and was in the verge of burnout. Now, I feel in control and have been more productive than ever. I just found that taking time each morning for the practice lead to a better day. I am now taking a beginners meditation class with a group at a Dharma center and it’s lead me down a path I didn’t even fully understand I needed and could use but I’m glad to be on it. The hardest part for me was getting in the habit of using this daily. Luckily they have SO MANY ways to integrate meditation and mindfulness into your daily life and tips to help you do it. The videos are wonderfully produced, sound quality is top notch, the teachers are very knowledgeable diverse and insightful. They are also funny and relatable and not just all a bunch of “new-agey woo-woo!” I have my favorites and you will too. This was the best app investment I’ve ever made. I highly recommend.

by LN W.

I’m a RN and I used to work in an HIV Clinic that was opened Monday through Friday. I’ve always watched Dan Harris on GMA on the weekends and I loved watching him and Paula Farris. They are my favorite anchor people (although Paula Farris has left sometime back). I’ve always enjoyed hearing Dan Harris talk about the “ten percent” but never gave Happier much thought. Now that covid-19 has hit our communities hard, the need to learn how to stay mindful is key. It’s even harder because covid-19 hasn’t just taken away our form of being (going to concerts, eating out, going to a movie theater, studying at a coffee shop) it’s taken away our sense of reality. The only way to get that back learning to be “mindful” and learning to stay in the moment and knowing that we need to respond and not react, that’s the only way we’re gonna keep our sanity through covid. Dan Harris does a nice job of connecting us with the right people at the right time. It’s an awesome set up and nicely done to teach us how to be mindful. Dan Harris teaches us in baby steps, if that is what your profile calls for, its great!

by TPH Teacher Form

Happier has changed my life! I found myself slipping into a dark place shortly after our schools shutdown in March of 2020. My purpose in life was slowly dying. I was overwhelmed with teaching Kindergarten remotely, trying to contact uncooperative parents, recording videos of myself each day while battling the “comparing mind,” not ever really unplugging from work, and simultaneously helping my three children do their own schoolwork through a new platform none of us were accustomed to at that time. I found Happier through the podcast 10% this app which I listen to faithfully! Dan has high quality guests that he interviews with insightful topics. I love his sarcasm, sense or humor, and devil’s advocate role Dan plays to shed light on the doubters. It has helped me become more equanimous, practice self compassion and loving-kindness. Thanks to Dan Harris and the gang at TPH, I am about 10% this app, and a little nicer to others, especially my husband, children, & my students! I would highly recommend Happier to anyone in need of a tool to help juggle life and feel more at peace with oneself and the world around them!

by KnowMatter

After 1 week, I am sold. Simply taking a few minutes out of my day to reflect and focus my thoughts has made for an interesting experience. When I first started, I couldn’t see past the restlessness I felt inside; I found myself focusing too deeply on the back and forth rocking sensation I felt as my heart beat, and was surprised by how much motion was still occurring beyond my control as I intentionally attempted to be still and clear my mind. Today, I am finding myself more aware of many other sensations going on inside me — the rocking motion, I can still feel but only as I focus my awareness on my heart beating instead of my nostrils flaring or my wandering thoughts. I’ve been so impressed with meditation, I’ve convinced my wife to give it a try as well, and now we both plan time before bed to be guided through the basics of meditation. Now she’s hooked as well! I know this is only the beginning, but I’m very excited to see where this leads. If I can feel this way after only a week, I can only assume the benefits of making it a regular practice. So very glad I was introduced to Happier, and I highly recommended it!

by Bri-Bri101

This is hands down the best meditation app experience I’ve ever had, and I’ve tried a considerable number of them. I was continually cycling through intro videos for a long time. They’re so kind to beginner meditators and are instructional in ways that were incredibly helpful to my easily distracted self.

When the COVID outbreak began and 10 Percent offered free full access to essential employees, I was beyond happy. As a stressed-out hospital employee and last semester grad student in NYC, this was one of the most meaningful and caring things I could have gotten. I have been able to meditate longer than I ever thought was possible before. I’ve been able to decompress and wind down after long, high stress days. It has truly improved my quality of life in one of the most tumultuous times I’ve ever experienced.

I never write reviews. But I really had to say, from the bottom of my heart, thank you for making this phenomenal program. I can’t imagine how much time and energy you all have poured into making this as excellent as it is and I’m incredibly grateful for each moment you spent on it.

by Jess41185

I have never been one to “imagine myself by the ocean” or find any use of guided imagery and guided meditation was always the same. I found myself getting more and more stressed with work, 2 small children, and my own high expectations. A friend mentioned Happier, so I said I would try it, knowing that I probably wouldn’t. She asked one day how I liked it and I lied and said it was great. She then asked if I had just gone through my course or jumped into any of the other content as well. I didn’t know what to say so I said i had to run and i would catch up with her later. I decided the only way to get myself out of this mess was to actually download Happier and give it a go. I completed the first two sessions of my course that morning and went on to explore the other content and found myself enthralled in Happier for more than an hour. There were so many topics and stories that I saw that I knew I needed to hear. The meditation is actually TAUGHT and not just “guided”. I truly feel like I am learning to regulate myself and my days have never started so well and relaxed. Do yourself (and your friends and family) a favor and get Happier. You won’t regret it.

by 907Cali

The 10% this app book was recommended to me as I was struggling deeply with anxiety and depression. I started reading the book but, as I am an extremely slow reader, at a certain point in the book (once you realize that it’s meditation that makes Mr. Harris 10% this app), I wanted to know how to utilize it in my life. At that point, the thought of being left alone in silence in my own head seemed like a terrifying idea. “I already spend too much time in there,” I thought. However, I decided to do the 7 day free trial and see what it was all about. I was told that Happier might be better received by men, but I’m a young woman that prefers Happier over others that I was told would be geared more toward women. I LOVE the fact that every session has an intro video for the person to hear about the meditation they’re about to practice. I’m so happy to report that the hype in my head that this would be a scary experience, was in fact wrong. Happier has become my GO TO for relaxation, acceptance of my feelings, and the tool to help me process my thoughts and emotions. It seems a little spendy at first, but when you break that year subscription down by month, it’s really not bad and also, worth every penny!

by Dogmind

I find this program to be rich with workable options and opportunities to learn about (and manage, bit by bit) my mind and entrenched mental habits. It has helped me in several ways, maybe because it gets straight to a point without any pseudo-spiritual “fluff”. It is not about stopping thought. Rather, I see it as helping users to notice and learn about one’s habitual thoughts, emotions and responses. For example I notice feeling less scattered, and less reactive since starting 10%H a year+ ago. It is a subtle vs dramatic shift.
The speaker/guides are racially and culturally diverse and have very different styles and approaches to choose from.
10% H coach Joshua has enhanced my ability to navigate the sessions with timely, personal, practical suggestions. Happier keeps developing as a work in progress which I like.
10% this app is a realistic name for Happier. I hope it is increasingly available to folks who have different kinds of devices other than iPhones. I recommend it highly. Thank you Dan Harris, Joseph Goldstein, Joshua and all of you who design and teach this practical approach to meditation. You have made a very positive difference not only for me but also for others to whom I have gifted your program.
Well done.

by Analog Relic

I really like Happier for several reasons. The first being that many of the foremost teachers are represented. Also, two things relating to content and presentation. One, there are apps out there that boast about ‘40,000 free meditations’. The problem is that some of them sound like they were recorded on my father’s cassette recorder from 1967, from across tge room. Poor sound quality is difficult to excuse in 2020, as are noise from traffic, conversations in the distance, air conditioning etc.

Unless you need the digital waterfalls, digital birds cirping, cavernous reverb on the teacher’s voice and the like, you might prefer-as do I- the simple, minimalistic presentation and crystal clear recordings that are the hallmarks of Ten Percent. To me, that other stuff starts out as a distraction and quickly becomes an annoyance.I sort of think of guided meditations as training wheels anyway, something that gets you started. Ultimately, you might want to meditate in a circle with other people or without recorded guidance, at least some of the time. Try meditating without the overproduction for a month and see what you think. Lately, it’s either 10% or a simple timed meditation for me. Recommended

by Dickins Cyder

I’ve not actually engaged in Happier as of yet. But i plan to, and am excited about doing so. My correction question is, isn't the person that the description talks about Sam Harris not Dan Harris. I would think you are aware of the error by now but you never know. i could be mistaken, but that is not likely, as i try to see and hear as much of Sam Harris as i can. When i first came across his efforts i was and i guess still am listening to Alan Watts. Sam was maybe the third person in my life that spoke my language. That is, he would often confirm for me ideas and conclusions i had knocking around in my head for a long time and newer thoughts as well. Soon as that kind of thing happens, well, thats a friend of mine. Anyway, its amazing to me how after he lectures, people can still find ways to fool themselves in order to continue believing something that is so clearly inaccurate. If the statements in this article about Dan Harris are in fact true, allow me the convenience of saying thank you Sam, you are appreciated to the extreme. Please continue in your roll as the leader of our crusade.
Peace to you and yours

by Gordon's Mom

Love Happier. I’ve tried to start meditating many times, but quickly became bored or wondered if I was doing it right. Having a teacher guide you through a meditation helped me begin a practice. I started with the free options as a resource to help me fall asleep. After my success with that, I was open to try some of the other meditations offered, purchased Happier and was pleasantly surprised that I was able to fit an additional meditation or two into my day. After a short amount of time, I was able to notice a change in my approach to the frustrations and stress in my life. Only one recommendation - consider developing an app for iPads too. Would be a nice addition for people - like me - who use the guided meditations for a more restful sleep. Other than that, this is a exceptionally good app, and I would recommend it for anyone who has been frustrated with the process of meditation. I’d also suggest listening to Dan Harris’ weekly podcast to hear how others fit meditation into their lives.

by Not To Busy To Relax

10% this app offers options for the newbies as well as the more seasoned meditators through a variety of topics it addresses as well as the formats these topics are introduced to the audience. The courses, that’s what the series of sessions facilitated by experienced and well-known meditation gurus are called, explore universal topics through a brief two-minute conversation with the teacher that leads to a guided meditation part. There are daily sessions that vary in topics that they address with duration options that the audience can select, usually ranging from five minutes up to half an hour.

After a year of having the 10% this app app on my phone, and being able to access the meditation sessions through the WiFi or after downloading them, I have created a daily routines that include meditation, and I am looking forward to meditating anywhere and anytime. Convenient, well-organized and practical, 10% this app supports my learning in mindfulness daily.

by Gidgers

I first read Dan Harris’s book of the same name and was so impressed by his no-nonsense approach to meditation and quickly found both the podcast and Happier . I have been a casual fan of meditation for 10 years, but have always been turned off by the hippy, metaphysical and woo woo aspects of it. However I still wanted to deepen my practice. My heritage is southeast Asian and so meditation is a common practice in my family. But the insights, data-driven applications to real world examples gave me a much deeper appreciation for the benefits of my practice. And that quantitative approach was hugely appealing to the skeptic in me! I also appreciate how encouraging the curated experts are. They speak in plain English and there are zero crystals involved! And the best part is I am 100% happy to share Happier with others and open a dialogue about meditation without fear of being judged (See what I did there?) but honestly, the first app that I am not embarrassed to share with others!

by Meditating In Maine

I stumbled upon the free version and thought “maybe I should try something like this”. I found myself really appreciating the one minute meditations. And then I started exploring Happier and each time I do I find a new instructor or new category that I seem to like even more. I signed up for a monthly subscription “thinking oh I I’ll get bored with it after a few weeks.” I stopped the subscription because I was trying to save money but quickly found I missed it. I have now purchased the yearly subscription. I view it as a small investment in myself. I really have come to rely on these guided meditations. Before I reach for crap and junk food, I can turn to the mindful eating meditations and check in with myself. At night I really appreciate a little bit of the downtown offered through meditation before going to bed. And just this morning I discovered a gratitude meditation that’s a perfect way to start my day. Thanks for creating this.

by MJ Murph

I love Happier. It’s really helping me to feel better about how I meditate. I’m definitely one of the those highly fidgety people. Not skeptical but quieting my mind has always been a challenge. What I love most, is this is teaching me so much about mindful meditation which is sooo different from other meditations I’ve studied like TM. Its just so doable in practice.
As an EFT Tapping Practitioner it really helps me in my life and in helping my clients as well. I LOVE the use of Mental Noting thank you Joseph Goldstein and I feel like Dan Harris is my brother from another mother. I so relate to him and his way of being.
There are so many great teachers and I love the humor that is brought to this and I love the courses that are available.
It’s so worth the investment. I’ve paid tens of thousands of dollars for my personal coaching which has all been great and the investment for Happier and all that is given is really amazing. Sooo happy to know there are others who have felt like me as well. Feels like a functional funny home.

by Schazz

I’ve tried creating a meditation habit multiple times over the last few years, using other apps and other methods I’ve been exposed to. It never stuck. Using Happier, I’ve consistently meditated over the past 5 weeks, 4 or 5 days per week, sometimes more than once per day. I’ve also carried over some of the skills I’ve learned from the courses/meditations into my life. For example when I’m thinking about something random and pointless and notice it, I label it “thinking” and am present again. I also more quickly notice when I’m thinking negative thoughts or feeling negative emotions, and use a couple other tools I have learned to turn them around. It’s also becoming easier for me during meditation to focus on my breath and to notice when my attention is elsewhere.

I don’t think I’m necessarily the main target market for Happier. I’m not type A and I’m not a skeptic. I was already sold on the benefits of meditation. But I love the way Happier is executed.

I’ve used a few of the standalone meditations, but I’ve mostly followed the courses. I like the format of a short video covering a FAQ or meditation concept or skill, followed by an audio intro that leads into the main guided meditation. I’ve finished a few courses and they’ve all been useful.

In short, if you’re serious about wanting to meditate but have had difficulty sticking with it in the past, I think Happier could be what you’re looking for.

by Simmjen

I have been practicing meditation on (and off and on and off) for 3 years and Happier has been enormously helpful. I still need the support of guided meditation and I love the huge range of meditations led by phenomenal experts. This course structure is also fantastic- it helps you focus on certain aspects of what meditation can bring to your life- focus, compassion, etc. over the period of a week or two. The structure reminds me of sports practices. Delve into one aspect of the game intensely, and then test out how you’re going to implement the skill for yourself. The videos are also so helpful. With raging ADD, it has been a very effective way to capture my attention and make the task of returning daily a lot less work. Happier has reminder notifications and other common tricks like a streak counter to help with motivation. But the vast library of effective meditations and getting to hear from mindfulness gurus makes this so worth the annual fee. Thanks 10% this app!