30 Seconds To Mindfulness – TED Talk*
By Redcoatlondongirl
Art graduate, Medical Student, UK
Reading Time:
2 minutes
I came across this TED Talk by Phil Boissière, a psychotherapist who practices in Silicon Valley, here are parts:
“Mindfulness. It’s really become quite the buzzword in recent times even though mindfulness practices have been used for millennia.
There’s abundant research illustrating the positive effects that mindfulness practices have on quality of life, improved focus, and decreased stress. From Fortune 500 companies to elementary schools, mindfulness practices are being used every day in practical application and controlled studies with wonderful outcomes.”
“What if I told you that the benefits of mindfulness could be obtained in as little as 30 seconds in almost any setting?
You might think that I’m selling snake oil or, at a minimum, it’s too good to be true. The reality is it is true and is being done regularly by people that I’ve trained in the method that I’m about to share with you, ranging from elite athletes to doctors to parents.”
“…until I paired one of the most basic breathing techniques alongside one of the most basic mindfulness techniques. That’s when it clicked. That was the game changer. My heart rate began to drop consistently. My psychological responses to stressors in the environment were significantly altered. Thus, “The 3×3 Method” was born.”
“The 3×3 Method is extremely simple
All you’re going to do is identify one physical object in the environment, name it, and take one deep breath, and repeat it three times.”
“So I want you to find – think of and find three physical objects in your environment
It can be anything: it can be your desk, someone sitting next to you, your computer screen, a lamp. Literally anything. So you’re simply going to say, “That’s a tool.” Nothing else. When you name the object, you’re going to do so in your mind, not out loud.”
“So, what is the future of the 3×3 Method?
I have an elite runner using it during long races to keep stamina; a spine surgeon using it during complex procedures to stay calm; even a CEO using it right before making big decisions. Really, anyone can use it in almost any setting – from parents to business people to doctors to athletes.”
