Dr. Ellen Langer

And is it better or worse than the last time I called?

And why?

And that's the crucial question.

Okay, so what happens now?

First, most of us, when we have chronic illnesses, feel helpless and are waiting, especially for what's the next thing the medical world is going to give.

So now all of a sudden we're doing something for ourselves.

That feels good.

Now when we're noticing the symptoms and we see it got a little better, that feels good because we thought it was only moving in one direction.

Now when we ask the question, why?

Why did it feel better or even worse from the moment before?

That engages us in a mindful search.

And that mindfulness is good for our health.

The neurons are firing.

It's...

It's good for us even if it doesn't tell us what the actual cause is of the symptom changing.

All right.

And I believe that you're going to be more likely to find a solution if you're actually looking for one.

People who are stressed think they're stressed all the time.

Nobody is anything all the time.

So I call you periodically.