I stumbled on a great podcast recently: People I (Mostly) Admire by Steve Levitt of Freakonomics fame. It’s not new – I may be late to the party on this one.
Either way, I want to share two great episodes for your listening pleasure.
Anyone with a brain should listen to this episode.
I came across Ellen Langer’s work about 10 years ago when I was studying positive psychology.
She did a SUPER cool study captured in the book Counterclockwise. The 1979 study placed eight men in their 70s in a retreat setting designed entirely as if it were 1959. Subjects wore the same clothes they would have in 1959. The TV shows, magazines and topics of conversation were all as if these men were 20 years younger (not simply reminiscing about the good old days). They were transported back in time. After just one week, the participants showed improvements in physical measures like strength, posture, dexterity, and vision, as well as in cognitive functions like memory and intelligence test scores. They even appeared younger in photographs, according to independent judges.
Her latest book, The Mindful Body: The Science of Change and the Art of Living, captures decades of like research.
Bottom line: When it comes to aging, I think we’ve got it all wrong. We’re fascinated with all the ways and things that could go wrong, which actually might be making it worse. For anyone out there aging, maybe it is time to live in the past.
Next up: Anyone who breathes…should listen to this one.
James Nestor is a science journalist who’s written a couple really cool books, but the one on how we breathe should be must read for…anyone.
I first heard of this book a couple years ago from a client of ours after I opened a meeting with a breathing exercise. Thanks Doug Dougherty!
Combining ancient wisdom with modern science, the book gives us practical ways to breathe better, including the importance of nose breathing and the impact on conditions like sleep apnea.
Bottom line: you’re likely NOT breathing right a lot of the time. 😉
Why do I love podcasts? Because you can get so much about a topic in a short period of time while on the move – driving, walking, running, doing dishes. If you don’t have time to read the book, just grab your headphones and listen. You’ll be almost as smart after.
Now…if I only had a heart. I’ll keep searching.
Mary
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