Prime Your Gray Cells

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.

Career

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.

Positive Psychology

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.

Cognition

What You Read Matters More Than You Might Think

Susan Reynolds on June 7, 2016

You are what you read: Why deep reading makes you a better writer.

You are what you read: Why deep reading makes you a better writer.

Meditation

Yoga and Kirtan Kriya Meditation Bolster Brain Functioning

Susan Reynolds on June 1, 2016

Fire up your brain in 15 minutes a day: Seven easy steps for performing Kirtan Kriya mediation.

Fire up your brain in 15 minutes a day: Seven easy steps for performing Kirtan Kriya mediation.

Neuroscience

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.

Neuroscience

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.

Intelligence

5 Ways to Crystallize Your Intelligence Around Writing

Susan Reynolds on December 8, 2015

To excel at writing, crystallize intelligence specific to the task, i.e., bolster neuronal connections related to writing and your topic.

To excel at writing, crystallize intelligence specific to the task, i.e., bolster neuronal connections related to writing and your topic.

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.

Neuroscience

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.

Creativity

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.

Creativity

Five Reasons You're Experiencing Writer’s Block

Susan Reynolds on October 28, 2015

Five reasons you're experiencing writer's block, and how you can get your brain back on task.

Five reasons you're experiencing writer's block, and how you can get your brain back on task.

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.