[Music] As a psychologist, I have the privilege of listening to people's deepest longings and wishes. And in the hours I've spent in the chair, I've noticed a distinct trend. This trend relates to something so fundamental, so basic, and crucial that I believe it's at the heart of everything we want in life. And if I was asked to give you a summary of what that is, it would be simply this. I want more connection in my life. Connection is at the heart of everything that we experience while we're living and it ...

Core Argument - Dance transcends physical exercise and artistic expression, offering an embodied way of knowing oneself and others [5][6] - Movement reveals profound influences of experience, bodily memories, culture, and communities [3][4] - Dancing together fosters interpersonal connection, understanding, and compassion, leading to a more caring world [6][21] Examples of Embodied Dialogue - Shared dance experience with the speaker's father, using a red ribbon, deepened their connection and activated memories [7][8][9][10] - Dancing with the speaker's son allowed experiencing the world from his perspective, fostering intergenerational dialogue [11][12] - The dance film "The Weight of Sugar" activated a grandmother's memory of racial discrimination, leading to a powerful emotional moment of shared trauma and resilience among the dancers [13][14][15][16] Intercultural Dialogue through Movement - Ako Otaki's performance, displaying empathy for comfort women, and Wii's gesture of covering her with a robe, demonstrated intercultural dialogue and healing beyond national borders [17][18][19] - Simple gestures and stillness, performed with sincerity, can open doorways for engaging with painful histories and fostering peace [20] Key Takeaways - Embodied dialogue through dance requires presence, suspending judgment, and active listening on a bodily level [20] - Dancing together allows sharing history and experience while being open to receiving and experiencing another person [20] - Dance shifts awareness from the mind to the body, from thinking and analyzing to being and experiencing [21]

Core Argument - The traditional methods of controlling children through anger, threats, and hitting have limited effectiveness and can backfire, especially as children grow older [2][3][33][34] - Connection, built on positive interactions, is a more effective and sustainable approach to influencing children's behavior and fostering cooperation [7][8][9][34] Connection and Influence - Influence is defined as children making decisions in favor of their parents, choosing to cooperate more often [7] - Connection is the key to influence, leading children to feel understood, accepted, and respected, which in turn makes them more receptive to parental guidance [8][14] - Disconnection manifests as children consistently not listening, requiring anger to get things done, feeling misunderstood, or expressing feelings of not being loved [10] Positive vs Negative Interactions - Relationships are built on interactions, and it's crucial to balance positive and negative interactions with children [15][16] - Negative interactions often involve correcting, scolding, comparing, and instructing, while positive interactions involve empathizing, validating, understanding, listening, accepting, praising, laughing, and playing [17][18] - Relationship researcher John Gottman suggests a magic ratio of 5:1 positive to negative interactions to maintain a connected relationship [18] Strategies for Enhancing Connection - Choose your fights: Reduce unnecessary corrections, focusing only on important issues that could cause harm [19][20][21] - Regulate your behavior: Manage your own emotions and avoid taking out stress on your children [22][23] - Listen to children with curiosity: Focus on understanding and validating their feelings rather than immediately offering solutions or explanations [26][27][28][29] - Play with children without distraction: Dedicate 20-30 minutes daily to engage in child-led play, focusing on fun and relationship building rather than instruction [30][31][32] Long-Term Perspective - Parenting involves both a child-adult relationship for the first 18 years and an adult-adult relationship thereafter, emphasizing the importance of investing in connection for the long term [35] - Connection-based parenting does not mean abandoning discipline or boundaries but rather establishing them on a foundation of mutual understanding and respect [35]

This chair represents someone. Someone waiting, waiting to be seen, waiting to be heard, waiting to be loved. We walk past people like this every day.Sometimes, let's be honest, we are that person. The one on the outside looking, the one sitting at the edge of a conversation, scrolling on their phones aimlessly. We've been taught something about community.We're told, "Go out and find your people." Which people is there a website called find your people. com. There is no framework to find the right community ...

Teaching Philosophy - The "Control Z" model of teaching emphasizes connection, humor, respect, lifting with feedback, and zero barriers to learning [1][14][15] - Connection requires presence and is a significant predictor of academic performance [1][2] - Humor reduces fear, improves memory, and opens cognitive doors, enhancing the learning experience [2][3][6] - Respect means valuing each student's voice and recognizing the unique values and principles of Gen Z [7][8][9] - Feedback should focus on potential and skill development rather than highlighting inadequacies, encouraging students to use AI as a tool for skill-building [9][10][11] - Zero barriers involve removing both academic and emotional obstacles to ensure equity and inclusion, meeting students where they are [12][13] Practical Application - Educators should strive to connect with students emotionally, creating a space where they feel seen and understood [1][2] - Incorporating humor into lessons can make learning more engaging and memorable [2][3][6] - Respecting students' perspectives and values fosters a more inclusive and participatory classroom environment [7][8][9] - Providing constructive feedback that focuses on potential can empower students to overcome challenges and develop their skills [9][10][11] - Implementing flexible policies and accommodations can help remove barriers to learning and ensure equity for all students [12][13]

[Applause] When I was a little kid, I really loved to play game video games. Uh, and sometimes it got so bad that I would sneak the Game Boy with me to bed and play for hours on end to get the most out of it. And I was a very impatient kid.So when I was playing those games, the only thing I wanted to do was compete it as quickly as possible and start with the next one. But uh as I grew up, gaming became more of a fun thing that I occasionally got to do. And I found that to make it more enjoyable, sometimes ...

Core Principles of Restorative Practices - Restorative practices emphasize understanding harm, identifying needs, and involving stakeholders in making things right, shifting from blame and punishment to responsibility and dignity [2] - Connection replaces isolation, fostering a sense of value and belonging within communities [2][6] - Restorative practices and peacebuilding represent a shift in mindset from reacting to reflecting, and from shutting down to showing up [5][6] Benefits and Impact - Schools implementing restorative conferencing have experienced an 18% reduction in out-of-school suspensions and a 35% decrease in student arrests, demonstrating real data-driven results [3] - Connection leads to healing for everyone involved, creating a better path forward instead of pushing students out [3] - Investing in connection leads to safer schools, stronger workplaces, and more compassionate communities [6] Implementation and Approach - The process involves human conversation, accountability, and compassion as the foundation for change [7] - Communities should focus on creating environments where people feel seen, heard, and valued [6] - Instead of blaming, the focus shifts to how to repair harm [6]

[Music] [Applause] What if I told you that everything you knew about connection was incomplete. That true connection, the kind that transforms lives and communities, is not about sameness, but about our willingness to bridge the gaps between us. We often think of connection as something that happens naturally through shared experiences, backgrounds, or beliefs.And the media thrives in making the collective belief there's an us and a them. And we're not supposed to trust each other. But the most profound con ...

Core Argument - Humanity's strength lies in its diversity and ability to adapt and make meaning through culture, which includes symbols, structures, practices, stories, rituals, values, art, music, and jokes [2][3][4] - The arts and humanities are essential for life, providing tools for survival in a chaotic world by helping to name the chaos and create space for sensemaking [4][28][29] - Despair and hope are intertwined, and facing crises requires connection and collective sensemaking, not control or certainty [13][14][17] Societal Challenges & Responses - Society faces challenges such as war, division, political issues, and misinformation, leading to feelings of despair and helplessness [7][8][9] - Retreating from the world through social media and disengagement leads to passivity and conformity, hindering progress [19][20] - The solution lies in scaling deep by fostering human relationships, practicing presence, vulnerability, and connection over control [21][22][23] Call to Action - Individuals should create "bubbles of hope" by immersing themselves in culture, engaging in self-reflection, and connecting with others, even those with differing views [30][31] - It is important to value conversations where people feel heard, workplaces where difference is not feared, and rituals that embrace the mess [31] - Recognize that progress is possible because humanity has overcome challenges before and can do so again [25][26][32]