Name: 【TEDx】Why Aren't We Teaching You Mindfulness | AnneMarie Rossi | TEDxYouth@MileHigh
Uploaded: 2016-02-27T07:04:18.000Z
Duration: 14 min 27 s
Description: Thousands of YouTube videos with English-Chinese subtitles! Now you can learn to understand native speakers, expand your vocabulary, and improve your pronunciation...

looking for what made someone successful.

What common characteristic or trait was seen in a successful individual?

It wasn't their race, what language they spoke,

what neighbourhood they grow up in, or how much money their parents had.

It wasn't how well they did on standardized tests, or even their IQ.

Those who were successful, who had good careers, financial stability,

loving relationships, and physical health,

pay attention, and regulate their emotions.

They were the ones to practice mindfulness.

It doesn't matter if I give you all the shiniest new iPads,

and Stephen Hawkings is teaching you Math, if you can't focus and pay attention,

Mindfulness is the foundation for all other learning,

for all success you will have throughout your entire life.

that this is the single most important predictor of success for human beings,

Mindfulness exercises are designed to train your brain to have focus,

There's mindful listening, eating, breathing, movement;

it's a way of engaging in the present moment,

Mindfulness is grounded in more than 30 years of scientific study,

most major universities in the world, Harvard, MIT, Stanford, Yale,

Oxford and Cambridge, just to name a few, teach and/or research this practice.

In fact, Oxford has a Master's Degree in mindfulness.

This isn't religion, this isn't hippie nonsense,

this isn't some idea I came up with in my backyard.

There exist literally thousands of studies

that show us that mindfulness practice decreases depression, anxiety, and stress;

increases overall feelings of well-being, happiness, focus,

So, I ask you again: why if we know this,

why aren't we teaching mindfulness to you?

our phones, our tablets, all the sights and sounds that surround us.

The never ending dialogue our brain is having with itself.

The ability to focus on one thing at a time for an extended period

and you're pretty sure you heard the teacher say the words

But then that girl you met over the weekend texted

but not too interested, I mean you're not desperate.

And then a breeze blows through the window and whoa, what is that smell?

She's got pretty hair. Man, I like a girl that smells good!

Did I put on deodorant today? Am I sweating?

Sweating is weird. It's like your body's crying smelly tears.

And then the bell rings and you have missed all of class

and you definitely have absolutely no idea what's important and what's on the quiz.

The ability to turn your attention to the class,

to focus on something that frankly might not be that interesting

that they don't need to practice mindfulness,

Really that is so strange because I'm pretty sure

Kobe Bryant already knows how to play basketball,

Mindfulness isn't just about the ability to focus and pay attention,

it's also able to feel emotions like pain, anger, frustration, anxiety, and fear

Mindfulness gives us space between our emotions and our responses,

Sometimes we forget that our emotions are ever-changing,

that joy and pain come and go like ocean waves.

Mindfulness allows us to surf, rather than drown.

And sometimes we forget that we're not the only ones feeling pain.

Look around the room, look at the person next to you,

Every one of you have all experienced pain.

We may not be able to choose all the uncontrolled circumstances

that life presents with us any more than we can choose the weather, right?

But we can choose not to be victims to our circumstances,

Pain and anger, well, they’re just not good excuses

because they're a part of every human experience.

If we respond to anger with anger, we only make the situation worse.

The harsh truth is that it doesn't matter

how righteous and justifiable your emotions may be,