What happens when you start thinking fast? What happens when you have racing thoughts and uncomfortable emotions? These are questions Blake Cason asks us in a TEDx talk she did recently. 

Blake explains that we become reactive. She is a professional rock climber and life coach, using climbing to observe her anxious mind and learn how to slow it down to meet the present moment. She also teaches these skills to others. 

Blake’s process improves our mindfulness. Her focus on mindfulness reminds me of Amishi Jha’s book Peak Mind. Amishi is a neuroscientist researcher. She found that mindfulness is the only effective means for improving the use of our attention. That is so important to understand. We tend to use all sorts of techniques to improve our use of attention. Simply being aware–being mindful–of where our attention is, puts us in position to direct it more purposefully. 

Here are some points from her talk: 

• With noticing and acceptance we’re able to slow down, widen our vision, and stay focused.
• The point is not necessarily to fix anything initially, but to let the spinning mind slow so your awareness can steady. 
• When we slow our thoughts we can see reality in more detail. 
• With awareness, we have more ability to choose.
• Integrate more slow thinking into every moment of your life. 
• Reactions to fear and uncertainty create barriers. 
• We begin clearing away those barriers, by observing our fast thinking and choosing to slow down.