Episode Overview

Podcast: 10% Happier with Dan Harris
Episode Title: How To Make Time for the Things You Actually Care About | Vinny Ferraro
Date: September 21, 2025
Guests: Vinny Ferraro (Dharma teacher) & DJ Kashmir (Executive Producer, interviewer)

This episode explores one of the most persistent modern dilemmas: how to make time for meditation and mindfulness amidst our busy lives. Vinny Ferraro, celebrated Dharma teacher, candidly tackles the excuse of "not having enough time" for meditation, reframing practice as both immediately accessible and deeply necessary for being truly present. Practical advice, memorable metaphors, and intimate personal stories weave throughout the dialogue, making it both a compassionate pep talk and a practical guide.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Core Excuse: "I Don't Have Time to Meditate"

• Ferraro's Take:

  • Critiques the mindset behind this excuse, likening it to a grown-up version of “the dog ate my homework.”
    • "I don't have time to meditate is basically the adult version of the dog ate my homework. It's like an excuse." (Vinny Ferraro, 02:52)
  • Emphasizes that presence, not perfection or productivity, is where satisfaction is felt.

• Reframing Meditation:

  • Meditation isn't just another task to check off your to-do list—it's about not leaving yourself behind amidst the chaos of modern life.

2. The Practice of Presence

• Everyday Mindfulness:

  • Encourages integrating mindfulness into daily routines rather than seeing it as an inaccessible, time-consuming ritual.
  • “You need a way to connect to something deeper than the hamster wheel of thought.” (Vinny Ferraro, 03:13)
  • Examples include feeling the bristles during teeth brushing, savoring coffee without multitasking, letting the fork hit the plate before moving mentally to the next agenda item.

• All-Terrain Practice:

  • "These are not throwaway moments. These are pattern breakers, interruptions in the mind's usual playlist." (Vinny Ferraro, 05:17)
  • Mindfulness is portable and can be practiced in brief pauses: waiting in line, taking a breath before speaking, feeling your feet on the floor.

3. Life Doesn’t Calm Down—You Do

• Letting Go of ‘Later’:

  • The world teaches us to postpone arrival, waiting for the perfect moment, but Ferraro insists, "Presence isn't some kind of reward for getting it all done." (06:30)
  • The real practice is arriving here and now, whatever your life looks like.

• Personal Anchoring Practices:

  • Taking a breath, slowing down, allowing oneself to arrive into the present.
  • Practice can be as simple as feeling feet on the floor, taking a pause for the heart to catch up.

4. Real-life Applications and Stories

• DJ Kashmir’s Story:

  • Shares an anecdote about almost missing meaningful moments with his daughter on a trip because of mental distractions, then consciously making a shift to be more present (07:43).
  • The act of kneeling in the water to meet his daughter at eye level became a powerful, grounding gesture.

• Ferraro’s Advice for Interrupting Autopilot:

  • “Life is better because I’m here for it. So it's not about not leaving. It's about really beginning again, beginning again, beginning again.” (Vinny Ferraro, 09:50)
  • "You don't have enough time not to [meditate]." (Vinny Ferraro, 10:32)
  • Treat your attention as the precious, front-row seat to your own life.

5. Formal vs. Informal Practice

• Two Threads of Practice:

  • Informal: Mindful pauses ingrained throughout the day.
  • Formal: Setting aside even 10 minutes daily for intentional meditation is beneficial and "trains the heart to open" (Vinny Ferraro, 04:38).

• Building a Habit:

  • Ferraro shares his transition from an inconsistent practice to making it not-optional, like brushing teeth. The transformation came from shifting mindset: "I don't have to do that. I get to do that." (Vinny Ferraro, 11:54)
  • Occasional reluctance is normal, but once sitting down, the body remembers and the resistance fades.

• Tactical Approaches:

  • Between meetings or activities, closing eyes, placing a hand on the chest or belly, and feeling grounded are Ferraro’s go-to resets (13:13).
  • It doesn’t need to look any special way; the key is reconnecting with your body and presence.

6. The Role of Teachers and Community

• Encouragement until Practice Becomes Natural:

  • Echoing fellow teacher Matthew Brensilver, DJ Kashmir notes that teachers act as supportive cheerleaders "until sitting is the same as brushing your teeth" (15:27).
  • Having hand-holding from a teacher or community increases the chance that meditation becomes a steady part of life.

• The Deeper Point:

  • “Practice is not what we think it is. It’s basically taking our life back and saying...there’s a way I can be present and actually be with what is. There’s something deeply satisfying about that.” (Vinny Ferraro, 16:28)

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• On the Excuse of Busyness:

  • “I don't have time to meditate is basically the adult version of the dog ate my homework.” (Vinny Ferraro, 02:52)

• On the Real Value:

  • “Your life deserves more than half your attention.” (Vinny Ferraro, 05:55)

• On Multitasking:

  • “Brushing your teeth and actually feeling the bristles. You know, drinking the coffee without gulping down three emails on the side. You know, taste the damn food, let the fork hit the plate before the mind bolts to the next meeting, you know?” (Vinny Ferraro, 05:15)

• On Returning to Presence:

  • “It’s not about not leaving. It’s about really beginning again, beginning again, beginning again.” (Vinny Ferraro, 09:50)

• On the Importance of Attention:

  • “Your attention is the most valuable thing you got. You know, we got to treat it like we got front row seats to our own life.” (Vinny Ferraro, 10:36)

• On Making Practice Non-Optional:

  • “Maybe 12 years ago when I realized, wow, I’m teaching meditation. But…there wasn’t enough consistency for me, so I was like, all right, how about if I switch this and made it not optional, like brushing my teeth or eating or taking a shower…” (Vinny Ferraro, 14:09)

• On Practice as Reclamation:

  • “It's basically taking our life back and saying, okay, there's a way I can be here for it, a way I can be present and actually be with what is. There's something deeply satisfying about that.” (Vinny Ferraro, 16:28)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:04 — Dan Harris introduces the episode’s focus: making time for meditation.
• 01:35 — DJ Kashmir asks Vinny Ferraro how to address “not enough time to meditate.”
• 01:59–03:26 — Ferraro introduces his main thesis about the true importance of presence and critiques the “not enough time” excuse.
• 04:28–06:15 — Ferraro explains practical, everyday mindfulness and the necessity of bringing attention to ordinary moments.
• 07:43–09:04 — DJ Kashmir’s story about being present with his daughter; Ferraro’s response about learning to “arrive” throughout the day.
• 10:53–11:46 — DJ Kashmir summarizes Ferraro’s two-pronged approach—formal sitting and informal mindfulness; Ferraro agrees and expands.
• 13:00–13:44 — Ferraro shares tactical ways he grounds himself during short breaks.
• 14:09–15:23 — Ferraro’s journey to making meditation non-optional, and how he sustains daily practice.
• 15:23–16:27 — Discussion of the teacher’s role as supportive cheerleader.
• 16:27–16:56 — Ferraro’s closing note on practice as reclaiming one’s life.

Conclusion

This episode presents a compassionate, realistic approach to meditation for busy people. Vinny Ferraro dispels the myth that mindfulness requires significant time or perfect circumstances and urges listeners to see practice as a way to reclaim their lives—moment by meaningful moment. Whether through brief pauses or a daily formal meditation, the heart of the practice is showing up for the life you’re living, right now.

Listen if you want:

• Permission to let go of perfectionism about practice
• Practical, lived wisdom on bringing mindfulness into messy, real life
• A reminder that presence—more than productivity—is what truly matters