Ted Danson recently experienced a “health scare” that made him reevaluate his lifestyle.
“The last thing that kind of hit me that was very liberating was I had a bit of a health scare. I’m totally fine, but it was like, ‘Oh, well, that’s real,’” the “Cheers” alum revealed on his “Where Everybody Knows Your Name” podcast on Wednesday.
“And it was humbling and, oh, mortality is … it’s the real deal, you know. It’s not just a rumor. Ted Danson doesn’t get a free pass. Love his work, but…,” the Emmy winner, 78, quipped.
The “Good Place” actor also noted that he “hadn’t f–ked up in some way” so the health scare came as a surprise to him.
“It was very humbling and calming, and I’m fine,” he assured, without elaborating on what the health issue was. “I think it was the best thing that could have happened to me, and I’m doing some things differently.”
“I am meditating now twice a day with Mary,” the “Man on the Inside” star said, referring to his longtime wife, Mary Steenburgen.
Danson said he’d always thought improving his lifestyle and prioritizing healthy habits but, after the scare, he is actually going to follow through with it now.
“It’s like, wow, I’ve always talked about it and lied about it,” he laughed about taking up meditation.
Danson also revealed what his biggest takeaway from the health scare was and how he is using it as a learning lesson.
“What it’s done for me, the biggest gift of all [is] you can be curious about other people,” he told guest Valerie Bertinelli.
Danson said his health scare taught him “you can listen and you can be supportive, caring” and he believes that’s “the best thing” he can offer for the rest of his life.
Danson concluded: “It just means but you have experienced allowing so much pain to get to the joy and all that.”