How to get off the hamster wheel

Plus: a guided meditation on letting go of outcomes

Do you ever get the sense that you're hurtling through life, that all of your activities are designed solely to get you to the next thing? That you are a perpetual state of toppling forward, never inhabiting the here and now?

We can bring this attitude to everything from errands to eating to exercise. The meditation teacher Cara Lai describes our inner dialogue thusly: “This workout is totally worth it for the Oreos I’m gonna eat at the end.” And then we’re like, “The outside part of this Oreo is just a crunchy barrier between me and the cream filling.”

It’s a never-ending hamster wheel, fueled by the lie that as soon as we fulfill our current agenda, we will finally be able to rest. But there’s always a new agenda.

There’s no miracle cure for this mental stance, which is embedded deep in our wiring. But, in my experience, it is possible to chip away at it.

For example, try this little exercise, which I do on the regular:

• Next time you notice yourself rushing, try to pause.

• Get curious: what does haste feel like? Swarm of bees in the chest? Restless thoughts?

• Don’t fight it, just check it out—journalistically.

• Take a deep breath or two.

• Repeat as needed.

You can also practice dropping the agenda in formal meditation. The aforementioned Cara Lai recorded a guided meditation, now available for paying subscribers. Cara’s meditation is designed to accompany today’s episode of the 10% Happier pod, in which NPR’s Marielle Segarra and I discuss (among other things) how to approach your wellness regimen with less of an emphasis on outcomes.

Paid subscribers can get the ad-free podcast here, plus a cheatsheet below with a list of takeaways and a full transcript.

As you may know, we’re in the midst of a month-long series on the pod, called Get Fit Sanely. It’s all about how to take care of your body without losing your mind. Paid subs will get a guided meditation from Cara for every episode.

Smash the button below to subscribe.

In addition to getting the 10% Happier podcast ad-free, paid subs get a cheatsheet for each episode (below, with key takeaways, time-coded highlights, and a transcript), can comment on posts, access subscriber chats, and join our twice-monthly live video sessions, in which I guide a meditation and take questions. Join the party.

Episode cheatsheet

The big takeaway

Marielle Segarra, award-winning NPR journalist and host of Life Kit, brings a practical take on health and wellness. She shares science-backed, bite-sized strategies she uses in her own life for exercise, sleep, and play, emphasizing the power of matching wellness habits to real-world schedules and embracing flexibility, joy, and self-compassion over rigid routines.

Get Fit, Stay Sane: Science-Backed Habits for a Healthier, Happier Life