I will be speaking on Tuesday, September 29th from 4-5:30 pm as a guest lecturer at MIT in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The topic is tied to one of my most popular books, “Managing the Worry Circle” (How to Improve Your Life by Worrying Less). The public is invited and there is no charge to attend.
I began my work and research on the topic of Worry back in the mid-1980s. The idea germinated as the result of marital problems one of my best friends was grinding through. After four hours of golf spent listening to him moan about how bad things were at home I left that day with one simple question running through my mind: How could two people meet, fall in love, and then fall back out of it over their opposite views on how to handle what they should and did worry about?
Over the next several years I asked thousands of students I worked with what they worried about. I cataloged their answers and sorted them into topics. From that research came a series of curiosity points I sought to learn more about. Over time I built and began teaching a life skills program specifically designed to help people manage their heads more effectively.
Since then I have had the great good fortune of traveling the world and teaching Worry Circle principles to people from all walks of life and cultural backgrounds. Many — too many to count — have taking the techniques to heart and improved their lives. Good Worry Circle managers have better command of their between-the-ears air space and live happier, more fulfilling, and less cluttered lives, so hearing their stories is heartwarming and inspiring.
The speech at MIT will be broken up into two halves, the first covering the back story and learning principles behind the Worry Circle management approach. The back half will overlay with the impact of technology — for better and worse — and how tools and their dependence impact the mind. Attendees will leave the session equipped with instantly usable tricks to help de-clutter their minds. I also hope they will “pay it forward” by teaching these techniques to others.
The audience will be comprised of interested students and attendees, plus many members of the Media Lab technology research team — brilliant forward-thinkers who continue to help shape society’s wellness through innovation and ideas.
The MIT Media Lab is located at 20 Ames Street, Cambridge, MA 02142. I am very grateful to Dr. Agnis Stibe and his team for inviting me. The session will be recorded for on-line viewing, so if you have a curiosity or interest the topics we will cover, make sure to check back soon for a live link that will take you there.
Best regards,
Ocean Palmer