TED Talks Daily | "The daily practice that could rewire your brain"

Speaker: Timm Chiusano
Date: November 27, 2025

Overview of the Episode

In this engaging TED Talk, emotional intelligence coach Timm Chiusano shares a revelatory moment from one of the lowest points in his corporate career and introduces the transformative power of practicing appreciation. Chiusano explains how deliberately focusing on appreciation—distinct from gratitude—became a daily practice that rewired his outlook on life and encouraged him to find joy in the ordinary. He guides listeners through the science and practicality of this mindset shift, demonstrating how anyone can incorporate it into their own life for greater happiness and resilience.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Origin of the Practice: Rock Bottom Meets Discovery

• Context: (03:09–05:02)
  On “one of the top three worst days” of his career—amidst impending layoffs, contentious meetings, and profound overwhelm—Chiusano describes a bizarre moment of noticing a manhole cover:
  • “I go, ooh, a manhole cover. You know, it's pretty cool that somebody figured out that they would be safer if they were circles instead of squares. And I'm pretty sure that they're made in India, too, which is interesting, considering we're in New York City.” (04:03)
  • This trivial observation amidst crisis led to confusion:
    • “Tim, what the fuck? ...How is my brain going from one place to another? Is this the part of my brain that was holding me back?... Is this the part of my brain that is distracting me?” (04:22)

2. Defining “Addiction to Appreciation”

• Realization:
  Chiusano reframes this “distraction” as a gift:
  • “No. This was the realization that I was addicted to appreciation and that without it, life was remarkably less enjoyable because I was seeing the mundane things in this way.” (05:03)
  • Appreciation vs. Gratitude:
    • “Appreciation is foundational. Gratitude is transactional. To show gratitude, you are actually receiving something. Appreciation is something that can just layer into everything that you are doing in just your existence on a day to day basis.” (06:28)

3. How Appreciation Works in Practice

• Day-to-Day Examples:
  • The habit of noticing small, overlooked positives—whether it’s the cleverness of a manhole cover or the benefit of rain on a gloomy day:
    • “Like raining for the third day in a row. Maybe that's good for the reservoirs.” (06:54)
  • Applying it to difficult people:
    • “That arch-nemesis at work... that's somebody to understand better, show up where they need to be met and then you have the upper hand in the relationship simply because you appreciated them more. Please trust me on this one. This one works super, super well.” (07:14)
• Scientific Support:
  • Cites Rutgers University research:
    • “There is a professor from Rutgers that made appreciation a core part of her studies... she concluded that appreciation can be a disposition... that gratitude is actually just one of eight components that makes up what appreciation is.” (07:42)

4. Effects and Social Media Journey

• Personal Transformation:
  • Chiusano’s discovery spread as he chronicled his life online:
    • “At 48 years old, I was making these daily vlogs of my corporate life that were like maniacal... scheduled in fifteen minute time blocking increments. And people like, wow, this is cool and super soothing to watch.” (08:08)
  • Unexpectedly resonated with people:
    • “‘You make growing up less scary... I love the way that you look at life.’ I had no intention of having that path lead me here today, but that's what appreciation has done for me.” (08:53)

5. Appreciation Exercises for Listeners

• Practical Guidance:
  • “Let me show you how you can start to incorporate it into your life too.” (09:01)
  • Object Example:
    • “We're going to go with the light bulb... think about the progress that light bulbs have made over time... Even if you just think, wow, that's dope as a passing thought like that makes a huge difference.” (09:09)
  • People Example:
    • “Maybe the person sitting next to you stole the seat that you thought you were going to sit in... could you ever look at somebody and say, I would have done better with your circumstances, with the entirety of your life up to this moment? No, it's an impossible question to say yes to.” (09:48)

6. The Limits of Appreciation and its Necessity

• Reality Check:

  • “My wife despises mayonnaise and that is fine. This is not absolute. The world is full of horrible, horrible things. Appreciation is not absolute.” (10:08)

• Deeper Impact:

  • “The more we can understand and appreciate what is happening, the more we can appreciate what we are capable of when it comes to change together.”
  • Lists benefits: “Appreciation will make you happier... bring more wonder... be more present... take less for granted. When you show appreciation on a consistent basis, it will allow you to encourage others and see the differences between us as reasons to believe in each other.” (10:27–10:50)

• Call to Action:

  • “Is this something that the world needs right now? A better understanding for the how and why of everything? ... Might this be better for us to take a bit less for granted on a day to day basis? I vote yes.” (11:13)
  • Closes with belief in collective capacity for appreciation: “I firmly believe in what we were capable of collectively when we wholeheartedly lean into how we can appreciate the world that we exist in together.” (11:20)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On corporate burnout vs. noticing beauty:
  • “On a terrible day in 2018...I get off the subway late again for dinner...there's an email from my boss that says, be in the office at 9am tomorrow morning and be prepared for that meeting to suck...As I'm walking home, I go, ooh, a manhole cover.” (03:36–04:03)
• Key philosophical distinction:
  • “Appreciation is foundational. Gratitude is transactional.” (06:28)
• On relatability and social media:
  • “I started to see comments along the lines of, ‘You make growing up less scary. And even though we are from completely different worlds, I love the way that you look at life.’” (08:53)
• Practical takeaway:
  • “When you show appreciation on a consistent basis, it will allow you to encourage others and see the differences between us…as reasons to believe in each other.” (10:46)

Timestamps of Important Segments

• [03:09] Personal story: discovery of appreciation on a dark day
• [05:03] Realization: “Addicted to appreciation”—definition and impact
• [06:28] Difference between appreciation and gratitude
• [07:42] Scientific underpinning: Rutgers professor’s research
• [08:08] Social media: sharing the journey, unexpected resonance
• [09:01] Guided exercises: practicing appreciation with objects and people
• [10:08] Limits and reality: appreciation isn’t about denial of negatives
• [10:27–11:20] Life-wide benefits and final call for collective appreciation

Summary

Timm Chiusano’s talk is a heartfelt, humorous, and practical guide on how consciously practicing appreciation transforms how we see ourselves, others, and the world. Rather than being a vague call for gratitude, he urges listeners to find value and marvel in the everyday—whether that’s a humble manhole cover, a coworker, or something as prosaic as a light bulb—thereby “rewiring” their experience of life.

"Appreciation will make you happier on a consistent basis. It will bring more wonder. You will be more present. You will take less for granted... Is this something that the world needs right now? I vote yes." (10:27–11:13)

Chiusano’s message is clear: by getting “addicted to appreciation,” you can find new energy and resilience, deepen connections with others, and rediscover joy in the ordinary—one noticed detail at a time.