EPISODE · May 1, 2025 · 48 MIN
You’re Not Stuck — A Harvard Mindfulness Expert Explains Why: Dr. Ellen Langer
from Hack Your Happiness · host Small Bits of Happiness
Your mindset shifts your reality. In this week's episode, Mercedes and Anastasia sit with Dr. Ellen Langer. Dr. Langer is the first woman to reach tenure in psychology at Harvard, and she's known as the 'mother of mindfulness'. She joins us to share her definition and hacks to mindfulness, why most of us are operating on autopilot (and how/why we can change this), and why fun is essential to mindfulness. Dr. Langer also describes some of her most famous studies and research, extrapolating what can be learned from each of these studies. Listen in for hacks to becoming more mindful, overcoming the dangerous scarcity mindset, and how to shape your mind for a happier lifestyle. Shop our Happiness Products: https://smallbitsofhappiness.com/gifts-for-teenagers-shop-all/Support Us:https://smallbitsofhappiness.com/welcome-to-hack-your-happiness/Visit Dr. Ellen Langer's website: https://www.ellenlanger.me/Visit the Small Bits of Happiness Website + Join The Happiness Family! https://smallbitsofhappiness.com/Ready to Hack Your Happiness some more? Listen to our interview with professor and bestselling author, Dr. Cal Newport. In this episode you'll discover how to tap into your fullest potential, easy ways to reduce distractions, and hacks to being more organized + productive: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3yK4ppaHTvtfYfvNRnjNEm?si=C_dYTj1kREaR_tvktOMRRg(00:00) Intro(01:48) How Dr. Langer Got Started(04:25) The Chance Aspect(06:35) Dr. Ellen Langer's Definition of Mindfulness(08:04) How Can I Become Mindful?(10:09) What Is 1+1? How Can I Find Out If I'm Mindless?(12:36) We Pretend We Know - But We Don't!(13:40) How Can I Embrace Uncertainty?(15:20) The Moment That Changed Dr. Langer's Life(16:17) THIS Will Change Your Perspective On Everything(17:23) For Every Negative, There's A Positive(18:43) How Can I Better Understand People?(20:29) Understand: Everything Is Up To Our Perception(21:08) How Can I Be Happy, In Any Situation?(25:54) Dr. Langer On Mind-Body Unity(33:37) Which Study Is Dr. Langer's Favorite?(37:48) The Scarcity Mindset & Its Dangers(42:18) Here's Why You're Insecure(43:50) Nothing Is Absolute(44:57) The Negative Is The Positive, And Vice-Versa(45:45) Dr. Ellen Langer To Her Teen Self(46:46) Key Takeaways
What this episode covers
Your mindset shifts your reality. In this week's episode, Mercedes and Anastasia sit with Dr. Ellen Langer. Dr. Langer is the first woman to reach tenure in psychology at Harvard, and she's known as the 'mother of mindfulness'. She joins us to share her definition and hacks to mindfulness, why most of us are operating on autopilot (and how/why we can change this), and why fun is essential to mindfulness. Dr. Langer also describes some of her most famous studies and research, extrapolating what can be learned from each of these studies. Listen in for hacks to becoming more mindful, overcoming the dangerous scarcity mindset, and how to shape your mind for a happier lifestyle. Shop our Happiness Products: https://smallbitsofhappiness.com/gifts-for-teenagers-shop-all/Support Us:https://smallbitsofhappiness.com/welcome-to-hack-your-happiness/Visit Dr. Ellen Langer's website: https://www.ellenlanger.me/Visit the Small Bits of Happiness Website + Join The Happiness Family! https://smallbitsofhappiness.com/Ready to Hack Your Happiness some more? Listen to our interview with professor and bestselling author, Dr. Cal Newport. In this episode you'll discover how to tap into your fullest potential, easy ways to reduce distractions, and hacks to being more organized + productive: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3yK4ppaHTvtfYfvNRnjNEm?si=C_dYTj1kREaR_tvktOMRRg(00:00) Intro(01:48) How Dr. Langer Got Started(04:25) The Chance Aspect(06:35) Dr. Ellen Langer's Definition of Mindfulness(08:04) How Can I Become Mindful?(10:09) What Is 1+1? How Can I Find Out If I'm Mindless?(12:36) We Pretend We Know - But We Don't!(13:40) How Can I Embrace Uncertainty?(15:20) The Moment That Changed Dr. Langer's Life(16:17) THIS Will Change Your Perspective On Everything(17:23) For Every Negative, There's A Positive(18:43) How Can I Better Understand People?(20:29) Understand: Everything Is Up To Our Perception(21:08) How Can I Be Happy, In Any Situation?(25:54) Dr. Langer On Mind-Body Unity(33:37) Which Study Is Dr. Langer's Favorite?(37:48) The Scarcity Mindset & Its Dangers(42:18) Here's Why You're Insecure(43:50) Nothing Is Absolute(44:57) The Negative Is The Positive, And Vice-Versa(45:45) Dr. Ellen Langer To Her Teen Self(46:46) Key Takeaways
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You’re Not Stuck — A Harvard Mindfulness Expert Explains Why: Dr. Ellen Langer
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