Prioritizing mental energy is a goal-slaying goldmine.

The excitement and motivation associated with setting new year's resolutions are intoxicating.

So, why do we suddenly feel our momentum slow?

Pursuing those goals becomes more challenging as that rush of dopamine dips, and your motivation dips right along with it. Mental overload is kicking in from the process of planning, which involves making numerous decisions. Given the brain’s innate biases, using effective time management systems to simplify can create sustainable and healthy work practices and diminish mental fatigue.

The scaffold of a resilient system begins with big picture thinking.

The New Year is off with a bang, and once again we have a fresh new calendar year ahead. Vision board parties and resolutions are plentiful, but in reality a full 43% of people expect to fail at their New Year’s resolutions before February. As it turns out, only 9% of people succeed with their efforts to start fresh in the New Year.

So, why is it so difficult? Planning fallacy plays a large role.

Time is one of our most valuable assets.

Whether working as your own boss or in a corporate role, strong time management skills make room for time prosperity. As we plan a new year, incorporating the best habit systems can be highly effective.

Self reflection is insightful when assessing your personal and professional growth.

To reflect effectively requires time, deep thought, and a clear window into your past life. Memory is fallible. Events can be modified, perceived differently, and vanish like a morning fog.

And yet, to reflect on your own behavior and thoughts is powerful feedback.

Gifts at the holidays are complicated. We have all experienced opening that gift from Aunt Mabel while she beams at you across the room and felt our heart sink as we pull out something we would Never…EVER…have bought for ourselves. Yet we put a smile on our face and thank her for the lovely thought.

So, why do we give gifts?

Most of the “grab-and-go” foods favored by kids, college students, and rushed adults satisfy cravings driven by the ancient brain.

Centuries ago we desperately needed salt, fat, and sweet foods to survive.

They were hard to find, so our instincts drove us to search them out.

Scientific research shows that:

the more processed the food, the greater the risk to your brain and mental health.

Based on an extensive body of evidence, the statistics are staggering.

Making decisions based in fear is our default setting. The mental practice of gratitude rewires our mind to see potential not threat.

Great! So, why don’t we do it?

While the benefits of an attitude of gratitude are substantial, it takes practice to shift to that mindset. We live in a world full of negativity, bias and tragedy, and it can be a slog to see silver linings when things hit the fan.

Is the Attitude of Gratitude just a platitude?

A cliché? Or something risque? Is it really worth my time?

When in doubt, my strategy is always to search it out!. Scientific studies suggest that gratitude can improve your sleep, enhance your romantic relationships, protect you from illness, and boost your happiness, among many other benefits.

As a neuro sleuth, I needed to understand why. I zeroed in on the neurobiology of gratitude with a more specific question in mind:

Can our brain activity reveal anything about how gratitude achieves its significant benefits?

A puzzle lies on the table. Its pieces live with colors and shapes that don’t make sense alone. Placed together they take on new meaning, fitting together as they were meant to all along, in harmony with the world in pieces around them, falling into place as they should.

Memory is like that.

Memory is one of the most mysterious mental activities of the human mind. Memory builds our life’s narrative. It is a story of who we embody each day, what we know, and who we were in the past.

Your legacy is built one memory at a time in a process much like the construction of a puzzle, yet it is never complete.

Feel like you are losing your mind at times? You might be.

The truth is that none of us are immune to the effects of stress or aging on our brain. The idea that we can neglect the care of our mental and physical health without negative consequences is without logic. We know this and may fully intend to find time… tomorrow.

“Tomorrow” keeps shifting and our hustle calender just doesn’t have space. Until, burnout finally raises its ugly head and we hit a wall, OR we live on the knife edge of exhaustion, never fully functioning at our best. We push through to the next deadline thinking we will find time after “ Fill-in-the-Blank .”

The good news is, the reverse is also true and we can take steps to improve our brain function and decrease our risk of further cognitive decline. If we are honest, we do have time to take small, strategic steps towards a better brain.

We all eat and drink, and this is a great place to start.

Hello again!

The beauty of directing your attention and priming it with curiosity and problem-solving is that answers come.

The thing you need to hear finds your focus.

It has always been there. Unseen. Unheard. Unrecognized.

Regular exercise can boost mood, reduce stress, and improve cognitive function, but who has time?

This, my friends, is a massive error in perspective.

We know that sitting behind a desk all day negatively impacts our mental clarity and overall well-being. It is mentally exhausting, which makes it harder to concentrate, make decisions, and think clearly.

Have you lost your sense of wonder?

Play is not just for children; it can also have significant benefits for adults, including professionals. Forgoing play might actually hinder your mental performance and love for life.

Most of our problem-solving is done in the deep.

Surprisingly, 90-98% of our mind operates in the unconscious realm.

I routinely use art, nature, and the writings of thinkers I admire to inspire deep thought; to delve into the realms of my mind in shadow.

Many professionals are drawn by the lure of travel, imagining jet-setting around the world with designer luggage and seeing all the world’s greatest monuments. The reality is quite different.

Travel is grueling. It is hard on your mind and body primarily because it disrupts your biological clock.

Your work environment has a tremendous impact on your ability to focus. Understanding the neuroscience of focus can be incredibly valuable for remote workers or a solopreneur running their own business. Focus is essential for productivity, decision-making, and achieving your business goals. So how can you unleash optimal focus?

The mind is a powerhouse. So why does it feel like your brain has taken a sabbatical?

Your amazing brain is made of approximately “100 billion microscopic cells called neurons—so many it would take you over 3,000 years to count them all. Whenever you dream, laugh, think, see, or move, it's because tiny chemical and electrical signals are racing between these neurons along billions of tiny neuron highways.”

In the week following International Dog Day, I have been reflecting on our interaction with the world outside ourselves. Emotional intelligence is a key factor in professional and personal success, but I am not sure we give our pets credit for the role they play in our mental and social health.

Have you ever wondered why so many people have a fascination with the apocalypse?

I believe our real concern lies in whether we are mature enough to save ourselves from ourselves.

When faced with an interesting question, like most modern humans, I decided to Google it. I got over 14 million results. Humankind is literally obsessed with the end of the world. Being forever curious, I delved deeper into this phenomenon.

In our complex world, nothing is uncomplicated.

To-do lists are a godsend in a sea of overwhelming tasks. We all prioritize differently but often the most important things take a back seat to the squeaky wheel issues of the day.

I wanted to share a big life lesson intended to remind you not to neglect your foundational life and death TO-DOs. Your family's well-being and even your dog's may depend on it.