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Are You Here Right Now? The Power of Paying Attention

Darlene Mininni | 11:24

Transcript

So there's a simple question that's completely changed the way I live my life. Are you here? Right? Now? Think about it. Are you really here? Because there's a Harvard study that says for about half of you, your body is in your seat, but your mind is elsewhere. Maybe you're thinking about all the things you need to do, or what you're going to have for lunch. In other words, your mind is probably wandering. So is that a bad thing? 


As a health psychologist, I used to think it was, but it turns out, I was wrong. mind wandering can be good. It's kind of like a mental time travel where you get to imagine an unknown future, or revisit old memories, explore new ideas. But sometimes our mind wandering can get a bit stuck. I know for me, I can think about the same thought over and over, go on autopilot and zone out. Like when I drive home from work, and don't remember how I got to my den to my driveway. Has it ever happened to you? Yeah, I'm from LA.


And we think about driving a lot. The last time I was at a concert, instead of listening to the music, I spent half the show thinking about how I was gonna get out of the parking lot. My body was in the seat, but my mind was already out the door. And you see, that's the thing. When our minds are habitually elsewhere, lost in thought, we stop noticing. And I've come to believe that being able to see the life that is right in front of us can change the way that we live it.


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