Many of us wrestle with our attention, struggling to read a book or even watch a TV show without picking up our phones. But what if the way we talk about attention is making things worse? What if we are cheapening something that is sacred? In this episode, Ellen discusses three inspiring ways of thinking about attention, and why it's worth it to make the effort.

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What does wondering have to do with wonder? In this episode, Ellen explores the relationship between the two--how one can lead to the other, and vice versa--and why it's important to do both.

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Did you ever play games as a kid that didn't require any special equipment or the ability to move around? Games that you could play on endless car trips or while waiting in a long line? Such games were our primary line of defense against boredom back in the days before smartphones. Now that we're adults (adults with smartphones, no less), could it still be beneficial to have a few games like this up our sleeve?

In this episode, Ellen Riccio describes four games and activities you can play inside your head, all by yourself, when you want to get out of your head. These games gently coax you out of your thought loop and into having a conversation with the world.

The games:

(5:45) A Hundred Years From Now

(14:35) The Documentary Game

(20:50) This is Not a Tree

(28:55) A Poem

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