This post was written by Happy Brain Science intern Noah Jacobson, who has done great work with us on several occasions. Thanks, Noah! “All it takes is one minute for us to build resilience.” It’s that simple to build mindful resilience. At least according to psychotherapist and award-winning author Donald Altman. His 101 Mindful Ways read more…
While it’s a well-known fact that training your brain through mind games and memorization is a great way to promote creativity and engagement, researchers have found that observing nature can also do wonders for the brain.
What is mindsight? In the words of the author, Dr. Daniel Siegel, “Mindsight is a kind of focused attention that allows us to see the internal workings of our minds…without being swept away by them.” Mindsight is essentially Siegel’s term for mindfulness meditation. Focus attention to achieve success Mindsight: The New Science of Personal Transformation teaches us the read more…
Courage is the ability to do something that frightens us, and science tells us that how we face fears has a substantial effect on our well-being. Stress and fear are often found together, and when we get scared or stressed our amygdala can largely take over our brains, deciding between fight, flight or freeze, which isn’t always best for brain function. In the workplace, facing your fears may not only boost your brain, but can also improve relationships, productivity and happiness. How can you overcome the negative effects of fear while boosting your brain at work?
Do you find yourself playing the same scenario over and over again in your head? Do you find yourself fretting about a situation–hypothetical or not– that hasn’t even happened yet? Are ruminations from the work day impacting your home life? Learn the key steps to turn this pattern around.
This strategy is simple, free, and effective. Train your brain by using visualizations to help you boost thriving at work.
A recent study showed that simply paying attention to what’s happening in your brain can change it. Research has found changes in learning and memory processes as well in emotional regulation in as little as 8 weeks. How can you practice focusing your attention to create changes in your own brain? While science has found that read more…
You start an email to your boss, “Dear total moron.” If a minute later you decide not to send it, you have one particular part of your brain to thank: your prefrontal cortex. This part of your brain is prime brain real estate. (It’s roughly speaking just behind your forehead and the thin layer marked in read more…
Note: This article was originally published in Positive Psychology News Daily. Visit the PPND website or contact me for a list of references. Until recent years, the story of your brain was pretty discouraging. When I was getting my degree in Cognitive Science in the 1980s, I was told what you may have heard: you read more…
Note: This is an article I co-wrote with Chris Wilson, a psychologist who integrates mindfulness exercises into his personal and professional life. He also took the two photos you see in this post. You can find out more about him and his work at www.drchristopherwilson.com. The article has originally been published in Positive Psychology News read more…