Mindful Metacognition: How One Word Can Spark A Thousand Stories | Tyler Boyle | TEDxCollingwood

[Music]

[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]