Ellen Langer Science of Mindlessness and Mindfulness

Published: Nov. 2, 2017, 4:20 p.m.

b'Her unconventional studies have long suggested what neuroscience is now revealing: Our experiences are formed by the words and ideas we attach to them. Naming something play rather than work \\u2014 or exercise rather than labor \\u2014 can mean the difference between delight and drudgery, fatigue or weight loss. What makes a vacation a vacation is not only a change of scenery, but the fact that we let go of the mindless everyday illusion that we are in control. Ellen Langer says mindfulness is achievable without meditation or yoga. She defines it as \\u201cthe simple act of actively noticing things.\\u201d'