An easy and fun twist on chronic illness and aging mindset, from Ellen Langer PhD, Stanford will give you energy. It will not take it away.

Langer’s  recent studies apply this mindset approach to aging and chronic illness mindsets. She says we need to know about it to set ourselves free. 

Now 67 years old, and known as “the mother of mindfulness” her approach is remarkably simple. Her secret for a younger and healthier mindset is to notice new things.

This is the Twist

Langer says the more you notice, the more engaged you become.  The more engaged you are, the more mindful you are – instantly.

 She gives us the mindset here:  ” it’s the way we are when we are traveling, you expect to see new things, so you look and you enjoy it.

It’s the way we are when we are at leisure, or right before we laugh at some joke. The joke is only funny because first we understood it one way and then we realize oh! That something has another meaning that I had not expected.”

This she says is the essence of engagement. She wants us to keep a mindset of uncertainty. And to keep in mind the things can be understood in many ways.

All You Need to Do Is Notice Things 

This Twist On Mindset Lets You See Opportunity. 

She says that actively noticing is enlivening. You come to see that you did not know what you thought you knew.

And when you are engaged you see opportunity.

This Is Not Meditation – It is Instant and Direct  

 Here she sets her mindfulful approach part from meditation: 

“For example when you are meditating you are supposed to focus on your breath, a mantra—it depends on the meditation. And then thoughts come in. When the thoughts come in, you are supposed to see them as garbage in some sense and just let them pass. And over time you come to realize that these thoughts aren’t really real.

Now, the way we study mindfulness, you take that thought and rather than ignore it, you attack and you ask yourself “How is it a good thing? How is it a bad thing? How do you know if it’s even going to happen?” and so on.

And at the end of this, the thought that had captured you, to which you had previously been only reactive, now you can look at and be responsive if you want. But certainly you are back in the driver’s seat. Not the thought. “

Our neurons fire in new ways, our minds open, and we have a new soft awareness.

Now Our Outside Mindset Is Even More Robust 

So now we have the Ellen Langer tools of noticing new things and keeping a mindset of not knowing everything to help us engage even more with the benefits of getting outdoors.

The Proven Physical Health Benefits of Tree Atmosphere

We know that tree air travels continents to reach you. We know from previous TreesMendus posts that medicinal compounds of tree aerosols are released like rockets into the air “The Seven Health Benefits of Tree Air” and that Tree Air is A Natural Pharmacy.

The Proven Mental Health Benefits of Tree Atmosphere

And we have learned that we are also happier the minute we step outside. This study based on UK economist equipping thousands of people with geolocation and asking them how they felt, showed that  “We are Happiest Outside Near Trees” . 

And we also know that science (The Max Planck Institute in Germany)  shows “Our Brains Like Trees.”

Let’s Add Ellen Langer’s “Noticing” to Our Happy Outside Mindset 

Our outside mindset just got even more robust — more open, with more opportunity. We know that noticing brings us right to the present when we are outside. We don’t want to know it all. We want that mindset of wonder, awe and uncertainty. We want to have fun. And we want it to be easy and simple. We don’t want to be “not there” and on automatic pilot. We want to be “here.” 

Try This When You Go Outside Today:

Today, I asked my facebook group members to bend down and touch a plant.

I did this and noticed a new smell. It was a juniper, low to the ground and somewhere near my little red leafed plant that I was bending down to touch.

At this time of the year, there are so many plant compounds in the air close to the ground. I must remember to take a deep breath when I squat down to the plants next time.

Please tell me if you have bent down to touch a plant today. Or if you managed to notice something new. 

Superficial Self Esteem