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Melissa Hughes
Jan 1, 20245 min read
The Power of Optimism
Research is clear about the positive impact optimism has on depression, mental illness, stress, anxiety, physical health and even success.


Melissa Hughes
Dec 23, 20233 min read
Outsmarting your Instant Gratification Seeker
We all have an instant gratification seeker who makes rational thought go out the window when "we want what we want when we want it."


Melissa Hughes
Dec 21, 20233 min read
4 Scientific Secrets to Happiness
There is a vast body of research exploring what makes us happy and identifying key elements that are scientifically linked to happiness.


Melissa Hughes
Dec 21, 20235 min read
7 Habits for a Healthy Brain
It's not a secret that our physical health has everything to do with lifestyle. But lifestyle choices also impact our brain health.


Melissa Hughes
Dec 18, 20233 min read
Neurogenesis: It's a Brain Changer
For a long time, we believed that once the brain had fully developed, we had all the brain cells we'd ever have. Now we know differently.


Melissa Hughes
Dec 15, 20233 min read
Pay Attention to What You Pay Attention To
Is your glass half full or half empty? What we pay attention to has great influence over our thoughts, behaviors and brain chemistry.


Melissa Hughes
Dec 13, 20233 min read
Albert Einstein's Wild Ride
Albert Einstein's brain was amazing. The story about what happened to it after his death is even more amazing!


Melissa Hughes
Dec 9, 20233 min read
The Rule of Three
Have you ever noticed how many things come in threes? The 3 little pigs, 3-ring circus, 3rd time is a charm. The brain loves threes!

Melissa Hughes
Dec 1, 20234 min read
Put a Pencil in Your Mouth... Seriously
We'd all like to think our thoughts and decisions result from a conscious deliberate process. But, research says otherwise.


Melissa Hughes
Nov 30, 20233 min read
The Science Behind Earworms: Why Certain Songs Get Stuck in Your Head
Certain songs are "stickier" than others. Scientists have a word for songs you just can't get out of your head and how to conquer them.

Melissa Hughes
Nov 4, 20234 min read
Brain Overload? 5 Ways to Reboot
The human brain is amazing, but you don’t have to be a neuroscientist to know when you're on overload. Here are 5 scientific ways to reboot.

Melissa Hughes
Nov 2, 20233 min read
Can't Sleep? Hide the Credit Cards
Have you ever wondered if those late-night infomercials actually work? Neuroscience tells us why we really need those cheesy products.


Melissa Hughes
Oct 21, 20234 min read
Do the Hardest Workers Kill Company Culture?
Engaged employees increase revenue and create a profitable company. But the hardest workers may actually be killing organizational culture.


Melissa Hughes
Oct 5, 20233 min read
The Pleasure-Pain Balance
In simplest terms, pleasure and pain guide everything we do - avoid pain or gain pleasure. We need both to survive.

Melissa Hughes
Oct 1, 20233 min read
Are You a Victim of the "Costco Effect"?
Have you ever walked into Costco planning to buy just one or two things and walked out with a cart full of stuff you don't need?


Melissa Hughes
Sep 24, 20233 min read
Storytelling Changes our Brain and our Behavior
Do you think a scientist could predict how generous someone is likely to be simply from examining brain chemistry? Recent studies say YES!


Melissa Hughes
Sep 13, 20235 min read
Embodied Cognition: Mind Games that Trick the Brain
The brain thinks in metaphors that have a powerful influence on the way we think and act. It's called embodied cognition and it's powerful


Melissa Hughes
Sep 11, 20234 min read
Is Emotional Contagion Hijacking your Team?
Comprehensive research has discovered “emotional contagion.” Simply put, we don't just coexist; we share the human condition.


Melissa Hughes
Sep 11, 20232 min read
Putting Gratitude to Work in the Workplace
Just like in our personal lives, a sense of gratitude can improve self-esteem, optimism, a sense of unity, and overall well-being at work.


Melissa Hughes
Sep 4, 20235 min read
Unmet Expectations or Magical Thinking?
Our expectations influence our reality as well as our interactions with those around us.