[Music] [Applause]
I’m here so I want to tell you a story
I’m here so I want to tell you a story there’s an old librarian that lives in
there’s an old librarian that lives in
there’s an old librarian that lives in my head I like to call her Ethel
my head I like to call her Ethel
my head I like to call her Ethel her job is to tend to decades of
her job is to tend to decades of
her job is to tend to decades of memories and file them away
memories and file them away
memories and file them away appropriately in the event that I should
appropriately in the event that I should
appropriately in the event that I should need to recall this information again in
need to recall this information again in
need to recall this information again in the future
the future
the future Ethel is very good at both filing and
Ethel is very good at both filing and
Ethel is very good at both filing and retrieving unless it comes to people’s
retrieving unless it comes to people’s
retrieving unless it comes to people’s names and birthdays huh you with me
names and birthdays huh you with me
names and birthdays huh you with me yeah sometimes it takes dearest Ethel a
yeah sometimes it takes dearest Ethel a
yeah sometimes it takes dearest Ethel a hot minute to run to the back to recall
hot minute to run to the back to recall
hot minute to run to the back to recall what it is I need and she does not much
what it is I need and she does not much
what it is I need and she does not much care that I should probably remember my
care that I should probably remember my
care that I should probably remember my dates name before I go to say good night
dates name before I go to say good night
dates name before I go to say good night that’s a true story
so while Ethel’s rummaging around in the
so while Ethel’s rummaging around in the back I’m there to fill space with
back I’m there to fill space with
back I’m there to fill space with awkward caveman-like noises like some of
awkward caveman-like noises like some of
awkward caveman-like noises like some of us are aware of our own Ethel’s but not
us are aware of our own Ethel’s but not
us are aware of our own Ethel’s but not many of us these incredible little
many of us these incredible little
many of us these incredible little lightning-fast brain librarians that
lightning-fast brain librarians that
lightning-fast brain librarians that recall precise information out of a near
recall precise information out of a near
recall precise information out of a near infinite archive of data stored in our
infinite archive of data stored in our
infinite archive of data stored in our head now usually we retrieve thoughts
head now usually we retrieve thoughts
head now usually we retrieve thoughts very automatically and haphazardly but
very automatically and haphazardly but
very automatically and haphazardly but today I am here to facilitate a unique
today I am here to facilitate a unique
today I am here to facilitate a unique experience I call mindful metacognition
experience I call mindful metacognition
experience I call mindful metacognition where we will mindfully observe the
where we will mindfully observe the
where we will mindfully observe the curious retrieval process of our Ethel’s
curious retrieval process of our Ethel’s
curious retrieval process of our Ethel’s and the curious way our mind attaches
and the curious way our mind attaches
and the curious way our mind attaches thoughts emotions and memories to a word
thoughts emotions and memories to a word
thoughts emotions and memories to a word I will show you how one word can spark
I will show you how one word can spark
I will show you how one word can spark in your mind a thousand pictures
now one would assume that because a word
now one would assume that because a word has a clear definition that it means the
has a clear definition that it means the
has a clear definition that it means the same thing to everyone but that’s not
same thing to everyone but that’s not
same thing to everyone but that’s not entirely true let’s take for instance
entirely true let’s take for instance
entirely true let’s take for instance the words I love you I’m sorry and I
the words I love you I’m sorry and I
the words I love you I’m sorry and I promise would you say that those words
promise would you say that those words
promise would you say that those words have the same meaning and value to
have the same meaning and value to
have the same meaning and value to everyone no it’s because of our life
everyone no it’s because of our life
everyone no it’s because of our life experience that words have different
experience that words have different
experience that words have different connotations for all of us let’s go a
connotations for all of us let’s go a
connotations for all of us let’s go a little bit further with this idea and
little bit further with this idea and
little bit further with this idea and explore the term high-schooler
recall you all just recalled something
recall you all just recalled something explore the term high school now we all
explore the term high school now we all
explore the term high school now we all know what this word means
know what this word means
know what this word means but what we recall what Ethel recalls
but what we recall what Ethel recalls
but what we recall what Ethel recalls when we hear this word is something
when we hear this word is something
when we hear this word is something different altogether
different altogether
different altogether now this variations of this technique
now this variations of this technique
now this variations of this technique were once used by Freud called free
were once used by Freud called free
were once used by Freud called free association or word association now
association or word association now
association or word association now maybe you have fond memories of high
maybe you have fond memories of high
maybe you have fond memories of high school and you recall lovely things
school and you recall lovely things
school and you recall lovely things great memories like you’re popular and
great memories like you’re popular and
great memories like you’re popular and you’re voted prom king like me or or
you’re voted prom king like me or or
you’re voted prom king like me or or maybe you were bullied and you have less
maybe you were bullied and you have less
maybe you were bullied and you have less fond memories of the Piranha tank they
fond memories of the Piranha tank they
fond memories of the Piranha tank they call an educational institution also
call an educational institution also
call an educational institution also like me or maybe as a result you’re very
like me or maybe as a result you’re very
like me or maybe as a result you’re very confused about all your feelings and
confused about all your feelings and
confused about all your feelings and have a very expensive therapist like me
have a very expensive therapist like me
have a very expensive therapist like me but either way what we associate with
but either way what we associate with
but either way what we associate with the word is completely different based
the word is completely different based
the word is completely different based on our own unique life experiences so
on our own unique life experiences so
on our own unique life experiences so let’s try to create a mindful
let’s try to create a mindful
let’s try to create a mindful metacognitive experience that is to say
metacognitive experience that is to say
metacognitive experience that is to say thinking about our thinking but
thinking about our thinking but
thinking about our thinking but mindfully in a similar way that a
mindfully in a similar way that a
mindfully in a similar way that a magician pulls a rabbit out of a hat
magician pulls a rabbit out of a hat
magician pulls a rabbit out of a hat I’m gonna pull completely random
I’m gonna pull completely random
I’m gonna pull completely random thoughts from your subconscious and put
thoughts from your subconscious and put
thoughts from your subconscious and put them on replay for you in your conscious
them on replay for you in your conscious
them on replay for you in your conscious mind now just observe what Ethel brings
mind now just observe what Ethel brings
mind now just observe what Ethel brings up for you a thought a memory
up for you a thought a memory
up for you a thought a memory a feeling even a physical reaction an
a feeling even a physical reaction an
a feeling even a physical reaction an opinion and remember you can’t get this
opinion and remember you can’t get this
opinion and remember you can’t get this wrong if nothing comes up for you at all
wrong if nothing comes up for you at all
wrong if nothing comes up for you at all don’t panic it doesn’t mean you’re Ethel
don’t panic it doesn’t mean you’re Ethel
don’t panic it doesn’t mean you’re Ethel is dead or broken just be mindful and
is dead or broken just be mindful and
is dead or broken just be mindful and observe whatever it is that comes up for
observe whatever it is that comes up for
observe whatever it is that comes up for you don’t dismiss a thought no matter
you don’t dismiss a thought no matter
you don’t dismiss a thought no matter how trivial no matter how foolish just
how trivial no matter how foolish just
how trivial no matter how foolish just receive what Ethel has to offer you so
receive what Ethel has to offer you so
receive what Ethel has to offer you so let’s try this relax your shoulders take
let’s try this relax your shoulders take
let’s try this relax your shoulders take a deep breath that one’s for me but you
a deep breath that one’s for me but you
a deep breath that one’s for me but you can have one too now I want you to
can have one too now I want you to
can have one too now I want you to downcast your eyes or close them
downcast your eyes or close them
downcast your eyes or close them altogether just listen for the sake of
altogether just listen for the sake of
altogether just listen for the sake of mindfulness novelty and curiosity to see
mindfulness novelty and curiosity to see
mindfulness novelty and curiosity to see what your Ethel pulls up for you happy
what your Ethel pulls up for you happy
what your Ethel pulls up for you happy place
Trump Oh what did that pull you out well
Trump Oh what did that pull you out well welcome back everyone now I know that I
welcome back everyone now I know that I
welcome back everyone now I know that I think of a card game I used to play with
think of a card game I used to play with
think of a card game I used to play with my grandma when I hear the word Trump
my grandma when I hear the word Trump
my grandma when I hear the word Trump but you all went somewhere else I think
but you all went somewhere else I think
but you all went somewhere else I think Ethel brought up for you laughter and
Ethel brought up for you laughter and
Ethel brought up for you laughter and shot your eyes up to me right away how
shot your eyes up to me right away how
shot your eyes up to me right away how interesting is that thanks Ethel now
interesting is that thanks Ethel now
interesting is that thanks Ethel now through this process of mindful
through this process of mindful
through this process of mindful metacognition I have shown you how one
metacognition I have shown you how one
metacognition I have shown you how one word can spark in your mind a thousand
word can spark in your mind a thousand
word can spark in your mind a thousand stories but I proposed to you today is
stories but I proposed to you today is
stories but I proposed to you today is this why not share in exchange these
this why not share in exchange these
this why not share in exchange these stories in my own life I’ve been gun
stories in my own life I’ve been gun
stories in my own life I’ve been gun using word prompts to create interesting
using word prompts to create interesting
using word prompts to create interesting deep rich conversation just curious to
deep rich conversation just curious to
deep rich conversation just curious to find out what other people’s Ethel’s
find out what other people’s Ethel’s
find out what other people’s Ethel’s brought up for them the theme of today’s
brought up for them the theme of today’s
brought up for them the theme of today’s TEDx talks is wait what try using this
TEDx talks is wait what try using this
TEDx talks is wait what try using this as a prompt with your fellow TEDx
as a prompt with your fellow TEDx
as a prompt with your fellow TEDx delegates and see what moment from their
delegates and see what moment from their
delegates and see what moment from their lives or listen to what moment even from
lives or listen to what moment even from
lives or listen to what moment even from today comes up for them thank you
today comes up for them thank you
today comes up for them thank you [Applause]
”
Be First to Comment