We become what we think; we become the stories we tell ourselves

If you wear a white coat you believe blongs to a doctor, your ability to pay attention increases significantly, according to a study reported in The New York Times.

If you wear the same coat believing it belongs to a painter, your ability to pay attention does not improve.

The New York Times article that reports this study refers to a growing scientific field, embodies cognition, based upon the principle that we think not just with our brains but with our bodies.

Our thought processes are driven by physical experiences setting off associated abstract concepts. Those experiences include the clothes we wear.

I’m reminded of research indicating hospital patients get better faster when they have a view of trees and greenery from their windows.

I’m reminded as well of research suggesting that older people become what they think.