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00:00Okay, Cassie, clear your mind.
00:09Don't think, don't think, don't think.
00:11Wait, does that count as thinking?
00:14Shhh, clear your mind, quiet down.
00:17Hey, who you telling to be quiet?
00:20Well, you're the only one here, aren't you?
00:24What about me?
00:26Don't forget about me.
00:28Everyone, just zip it!
00:31Ahaha, sorry.
00:40Dear Cassie and Moby,
00:41Sometimes my thoughts totally get away from me.
00:44I get stuck thinking about everything I did wrong.
00:47Is there anything I can do?
00:49Your pal, Beth.
00:52I think we've all been there, Beth.
00:54If you really tune into your thoughts,
00:56you'll notice how much they wander.
00:58Thinking about plans for the future,
01:01reliving a strong emotion you experienced in the past,
01:04or maybe focusing on stuff you want or need.
01:08These kinds of thoughts happen automatically,
01:10seemingly out of our control.
01:12They're like your brain's version of biting your nails,
01:15or twirling your hair,
01:17just habits that it repeats for no apparent reason.
01:20Then, without realizing it,
01:21we make decisions based on all this brain chatter.
01:25We might follow an urge or craving we're feeling,
01:28or get stuck reliving some painful memory,
01:31and then react to that
01:32instead of what's happening right in front of us.
01:35Put simply, when you think out of habit,
01:38you act out of habit.
01:40It's not entirely a bad thing.
01:43Habitual thinking lets you multitask almost effortlessly,
01:47like when you walk somewhere along a familiar route.
01:51You don't consciously think about
01:52all the turns you need to make,
01:54or even about avoiding unfamiliar obstacles.
01:57All that stuff runs on autopilot
01:59while you think of other things.
02:01Sometimes, you can't even remember
02:03how you got where you're going,
02:05but there you are,
02:06safe and sound at your destination.
02:09It's an amazing little trick,
02:11but sometimes your brain chatters at you
02:13when you don't need it to,
02:15about stuff you really don't want to be thinking about,
02:19which can distort how you see the world.
02:22But what if you could just learn
02:23to turn down the volume on those thoughts?
02:26One way to do that is by practicing mindfulness.
02:30That means focusing on the present moment without judgment.
02:34It doesn't come naturally to most of us,
02:37but the more you do it, the better you get.
02:41Right, one method to strengthen that skill
02:43is mindful meditation.
02:46Here's one way to do it.
02:48Start by sitting comfortably,
02:50in a chair or on the floor.
02:52Your back should be straight.
02:54Imagine it's a tall stack of coins.
02:57Then relax your body.
02:59Just let everything hang.
03:02Close your eyes and breathe naturally.
03:05Focus your attention on the air
03:07flowing in and out of your nose or belly,
03:09whichever you notice more.
03:12Feel your body pressing against the chair or floor.
03:16Inhale, exhale.
03:20Whenever your mind wanders, and it will wander,
03:23try not to judge yourself.
03:25Just notice it,
03:27and then bring your awareness back to your breathing.
03:30Use your breath to keep you in the present,
03:32moment by moment.
03:34If you haven't meditated before,
03:36set a timer and try it for one minute.
03:38From there, you can work your way up to five minutes,
03:41then 10 or more.
03:43Or if you keep having trouble staying in the moment,
03:45try a guided meditation.
03:47That's when a person or an app walks you through the steps,
03:51kind of like I did just now.
03:54Yep, there are lots of ways to do mindful meditation,
03:57but the goal is always the same,
03:59keeping your attention on the moment.
04:02Once you get the hang of it,
04:03you can approach any activity mindfully.
04:06You can take a mindful walk,
04:08concentrating on feeling your steps and your breath.
04:11You can eat mindfully,
04:13savoring each bite,
04:15focusing on your food's flavor and texture.
04:18After a few months of practice,
04:20it'll get to be second nature,
04:21and you'll find that you can handle difficult situations better.
04:25Your brain might still chatter at you
04:27and stir up difficult emotions,
04:30but instead of reacting to those feelings,
04:32you'll kind of notice yourself having them.
04:35Once you identify them,
04:37they'll be less intense,
04:39and then you'll be able to deal with the situation calmly,
04:42rationally,
04:43mindfully.
04:46Good point.
04:47The goal isn't to disconnect from your feelings.
04:50If anything, you'll be more in touch with your emotions
04:53because you're more aware of them.
04:56And mindfulness is no replacement
04:58for getting help when you need it,
05:00like by sharing problems with people who care about you
05:03or talking to a parent or trusted adult
05:05about bad feelings or experiences.
05:08Instead, think of it as another option
05:11in your toolkit of well-being.
05:13We could all use more of those, right?
05:16Right, Moby?
05:18Hello?