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Prime Your Gray Cells

Wiring your brain for happiness and success

Coronavirus Disease 2019
Coronavirus and Blocked Writers

Susan Reynolds on May 17, 2020

Unfortunately, with a pandemic, the danger is invisible. Nevertheless, your threat-attuned brain is in overdrive, which makes it a challenge for you.

Unfortunately, with a pandemic, the danger is invisible. Nevertheless, your threat-attuned brain is in overdrive, which makes it a challenge for you.

Creativity
Study Reveals Thought Processes that Foster Creativity

Susan Reynolds on February 8, 2018

What drives the need to create is not creative ability per se, but rather a tendency toward self-reflective pondering and the ability and penchant for letting your mind wander.

What drives the need to create is not creative ability per se, but rather a tendency toward self-reflective pondering and the ability and penchant for letting your mind wander.

Creativity
Empirical Study Reveals 14 Key Components of Creativity

Susan Reynolds on January 31, 2018

While we all have a generic idea of what creativity is and assume we easily recognize creative individuals, defining what makes someone highly creative has eluded many.

While we all have a generic idea of what creativity is and assume we easily recognize creative individuals, defining what makes someone highly creative has eluded many.

Memory
What Creates Superior Brain Connectivity, According to Study

Susan Reynolds on September 19, 2017

Participants on the “positive” side reflected stronger connectivity associated with higher cognitive functions, including memory, language, introspection, and imagination.

Participants on the “positive” side reflected stronger connectivity associated with higher cognitive functions, including memory, language, introspection, and imagination.

Creativity
Tapping Into the Genius of Hamilton's Creator

Susan Reynolds on August 2, 2016

Have you tapped into your creative genius? The creator of Broadway's "Hamilton" reveals eight cognitive strengths that you can mine to bolster your creativity.

Have you tapped into your creative genius? The creator of Broadway's "Hamilton" reveals eight cognitive strengths that you can mine to bolster your creativity.

Persuasion
To Spark Genius, Read Outside Your Comfort Zone

Susan Reynolds on May 31, 2016

Reading works very different from what you're writing and has multiple benefits for your brain. Here are six that will pay off immediately.

Reading works very different from what you're writing and has multiple benefits for your brain. Here are six that will pay off immediately.

Dreaming
6 Ways Reading Fires Up Your Writing Brain

Susan Reynolds on May 27, 2016

Our brains are amazing thinking, dreaming, imagining, and producing machines, reliant upon their masters to program, nurture, guide, and direct them. Luckily, reading does wonders.

Our brains are amazing thinking, dreaming, imagining, and producing machines, reliant upon their masters to program, nurture, guide, and direct them. Luckily, reading does wonders.

Creativity
How Images Can Fire Up Your Writing Brain

Susan Reynolds on January 25, 2016

Stimulation prepping via images lights up the specific neuronal network focused on your particular writing project and fuels imagination and creativity.

Stimulation prepping via images lights up the specific neuronal network focused on your particular writing project and fuels imagination and creativity.

President Donald Trump
7 Ways to Trump Brain Games

Susan Reynolds on January 11, 2016

Now that the shine has been dimmed on “brain games” in staving off aging-related decline, it’s important to revisit scientifically proven ways to keep your brain healthy.

Now that the shine has been dimmed on “brain games” in staving off aging-related decline, it’s important to revisit scientifically proven ways to keep your brain healthy.

Meditation
7 Ways Meditation Supercharges Your Brain

Susan Reynolds on November 20, 2015

Pausing daily, or at least regularly, to meditate can have amazing benefits for your brain, from increasing brain volume, to boosting focus and supercharging neurons. Here’s the lowdown on 7 long-term brain benefits.

Pausing daily, or at least regularly, to meditate can have amazing benefits for your brain, from increasing brain volume, to boosting focus and supercharging neurons. Here’s the lowdown on 7 long-term brain benefits.

Meditation
Fire Up Your Neuronal Network

Susan Reynolds on November 12, 2015

Meditation serves as a gateway between the everyday lives we lead and our innermost selves, that which makes us unique and feels most authentic to who we are—in life, and in art. The more access we have to the innermost, sacred parts of our self, the more we are able to express what matters most to us in our work.

Meditation serves as a gateway between the everyday lives we lead and our innermost selves, that which makes us unique and feels most authentic to who we are—in life, and in art. The more access we have to the innermost, sacred parts of our self, the more we are able to express what matters most to us in our work.

Understanding Twins
Yes, You Can Sculpt Your Brain to Be More Creative

Susan Reynolds on November 4, 2015

Studies have shown that you can sculpt your brain by being more adventurous in exploring your environment. Even identical twins develop unique skills and talents dependent upon how much they embrace and unleash their individual curiosity and pursue particular interests.

Studies have shown that you can sculpt your brain by being more adventurous in exploring your environment. Even identical twins develop unique skills and talents dependent upon how much they embrace and unleash their individual curiosity and pursue particular interests.

Dreaming
Are Your Dreams Keeping You Awake?

Susan Reynolds on November 2, 2015

Dreams are our brain's way to process emotions while we sleep. If you're super stressed and suffering from restless nights, even nightmares, image therapy can be an effective way to "rewrite" your dreams.

Dreams are our brain's way to process emotions while we sleep. If you're super stressed and suffering from restless nights, even nightmares, image therapy can be an effective way to "rewrite" your dreams.

Motivation
Always Reward Your Writing Brain

Susan Reynolds on October 30, 2015

When you feel good, your brain releases and bathes itself in what are called the feel-good chemicals—dopamine, endorphins, serotonin, oxytocin, and others—which is so pleasurable for your brain that it eagerly awaits new opportunities to repeat this experience.

When you feel good, your brain releases and bathes itself in what are called the feel-good chemicals—dopamine, endorphins, serotonin, oxytocin, and others—which is so pleasurable for your brain that it eagerly awaits new opportunities to repeat this experience.

Meditation
Super Bowl: Battle of the Quarterback Brains

Susan Reynolds on February 3, 2012

Both quarterbacks obviously have superior ability to absorb information, process stimuli, and integrate information faster than most of us, and both are able to overrule their emotions under the gun—so which brain wins the trophy?

Both quarterbacks obviously have superior ability to absorb information, process stimuli, and integrate information faster than most of us, and both are able to overrule their emotions under the gun—so which brain wins the trophy?

Fear
Can You Prime Your Brain to Get Rich?

Susan Reynolds on January 23, 2012

Thanks to millions of years of evolution, we are highly intelligent biological organisms, but when it comes to making financial decisions, we can be unduly influenced by ancient brain skills, such as hair-trigger responses to perceived fear.

Thanks to millions of years of evolution, we are highly intelligent biological organisms, but when it comes to making financial decisions, we can be unduly influenced by ancient brain skills, such as hair-trigger responses to perceived fear.