Dr. Ellen Langer

There's two dogs here. Exactly, exactly. You'll notice. Mm-hmm. without having to do any work. And that's the important thing because in the way I keep differentiating mindfulness as I study it with meditation, meditation is a practice. For some people to sit still 20 minutes twice a day is work. Mindfulness as I study it is what you're doing when you're having fun.

You can't have fun unless you're actively noticing. So, in fact, this act of noticing is energy begetting, not consuming. So it feels good. It's the essence of what you're doing when you're having the most fun. It's good for you. And it's so easy that, you know, I can't see any reason why anybody wouldn't embrace it. You know, that it's good for you.

You can't have fun unless you're actively noticing. So, in fact, this act of noticing is energy begetting, not consuming. So it feels good. It's the essence of what you're doing when you're having the most fun. It's good for you. And it's so easy that, you know, I can't see any reason why anybody wouldn't embrace it. You know, that it's good for you.

You can't have fun unless you're actively noticing. So, in fact, this act of noticing is energy begetting, not consuming. So it feels good. It's the essence of what you're doing when you're having the most fun. It's good for you. And it's so easy that, you know, I can't see any reason why anybody wouldn't embrace it. You know, that it's good for you.

When you're mindful, people find you more appealing, charismatic. When you're mindful, the products you produce are enhanced and it's healthier.

When you're mindful, people find you more appealing, charismatic. When you're mindful, the products you produce are enhanced and it's healthier.

When you're mindful, people find you more appealing, charismatic. When you're mindful, the products you produce are enhanced and it's healthier.

It's one way, and I'm not demeaning it. I did some research in the 80s on meditation. It's wonderful. It's just different. And they're not mutually exclusive. You can do both. And part of the advantage of meditating... possibly has nothing to do with the meditation. You know, why are you going to meditate? You say you want to be a kinder, nicer person.

It's one way, and I'm not demeaning it. I did some research in the 80s on meditation. It's wonderful. It's just different. And they're not mutually exclusive. You can do both. And part of the advantage of meditating... possibly has nothing to do with the meditation. You know, why are you going to meditate? You say you want to be a kinder, nicer person.

It's one way, and I'm not demeaning it. I did some research in the 80s on meditation. It's wonderful. It's just different. And they're not mutually exclusive. You can do both. And part of the advantage of meditating... possibly has nothing to do with the meditation. You know, why are you going to meditate? You say you want to be a kinder, nicer person.

You could just be kinder or nicer, but now if you're going to go to this trouble 20 minutes twice a day, you're going to sit up and take notice and be a kinder, nicer person.

You could just be kinder or nicer, but now if you're going to go to this trouble 20 minutes twice a day, you're going to sit up and take notice and be a kinder, nicer person.

You could just be kinder or nicer, but now if you're going to go to this trouble 20 minutes twice a day, you're going to sit up and take notice and be a kinder, nicer person.

But they're not mutually exclusive. So I'm not denying some of the more inherent properties, let's say. But there's this other piece to it.

But they're not mutually exclusive. So I'm not denying some of the more inherent properties, let's say. But there's this other piece to it.

But they're not mutually exclusive. So I'm not denying some of the more inherent properties, let's say. But there's this other piece to it.

There's so much there. I don't know where to go. I mean, we want to talk about that, the research. Yeah, let's talk about the study. Before we go to the study, though, let's go to the reason for the study, way back when. All right, so there's so many paths I can take here. Let's take them all. Okay, we'll start with one. So I did some research back in the 70s with people in nursing homes.

There's so much there. I don't know where to go. I mean, we want to talk about that, the research. Yeah, let's talk about the study. Before we go to the study, though, let's go to the reason for the study, way back when. All right, so there's so many paths I can take here. Let's take them all. Okay, we'll start with one. So I did some research back in the 70s with people in nursing homes.

There's so much there. I don't know where to go. I mean, we want to talk about that, the research. Yeah, let's talk about the study. Before we go to the study, though, let's go to the reason for the study, way back when. All right, so there's so many paths I can take here. Let's take them all. Okay, we'll start with one. So I did some research back in the 70s with people in nursing homes.

Why did I do that? Because I had somebody in the family who was in a nursing home. It was very distressing to see people just sitting there doing nothing and barely existing. So we had the idea that if we gave people choices— that might get them more engaged in their living. And so we did that.