Dr. Ellen Langer

So what?

And so that you immediately breathe a sigh of relief.

Now, next time you're stressed, do this.

Ask yourself, what are three?

Because stress requires two things.

It requires a belief that something is going to happen.

And when it happens, it's going to be awful.

Okay, so you're stressed.

Give yourself three, four reasons why it won't even happen.

Now, you're immediately less stressed because it was definitely going to happen, and maybe it will, maybe it won't.

Now the harder part.

Let's assume it does happen.

How is that actually an advantage?

And once you do that, okay, so we did an early, early study with people about to undergo major surgery.

And so I taught them this procedure essentially.

And then I said to them to see if they understood it.

Okay, so let's say the doctor tells you the surgery has to be delayed so you have to spend another few days in the hospital.

The people who think they got it but didn't would say, it's all right, I'll tolerate it.

No, it's a good thing.

So what are the advantages to my being in the hospital?