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Melissa Hughes
Feb 133 min read
The Fake Dopamine Trap
Our world is built to flood your brain with fake dopamine. The problem is fake dopamine burns out quickly and keeps you chasing another hit.
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Melissa Hughes
Jan 312 min read
The Spotlight Effect: How to Stop Thinking Everyone Is Watching You
The human brain is wired for self-relevance. When we evaluate social situations, our default setting is to assume people are watching us.
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Melissa Hughes
Dec 25, 20244 min read
The Power of Visualization
There is solid scientific evidence that we can actually rewire the brain with the power of visualizing our success.
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Melissa Hughes
Dec 16, 20243 min read
How Holiday Music Makes Us Spend More
Holiday music has a sneaky way of making us open our wallets a little wider. According to science, retail therapy is a thing.
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Melissa Hughes
Dec 15, 20243 min read
From "Fake it 'til you Make it" to "You've Got This!"
Confidence can be elusive and there are times we all wish we had more. You’re stronger than you think—and your brain is already on board.
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Melissa Hughes
Dec 11, 20244 min read
Why we Fear Change (and how to overcome it)
The brain hates change! We typically react to new experiences with fear. There are some easy ways to overcome that fear and embrace change.
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Melissa Hughes
Nov 20, 20243 min read
The Power of Hope
Hope is powerful. It doesn't just profoundly change the way we see the world, it also changes the structure and function of the brain.
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Melissa Hughes
Nov 4, 20243 min read
Brain Overload? 6 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.
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Melissa Hughes
Nov 1, 20244 min read
The Butterfly Effect of Kindness
A small act of kindness can set off a chain of significant events. The things that change the world are the tiny things.
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Melissa Hughes
Oct 8, 20244 min read
The Emoji Effect: What those little symbols are doing to your brain
Emojis have become a universal language, transcending age, language, and culture. But have you ever wondered what they do to your brain?
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Melissa Hughes
Sep 1, 20245 min read
The Goldilocks Principle: Finding the Sweet Spot Between Burnout and Boredom
It's no secret that stress is bad for us. But not enough stress may be just as bad. The Goldilocks Rule is key for maximum productivity.
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Melissa Hughes
Jul 1, 20246 min read
Brainy Secrets to Boost Creativity
Scientists have been exploring the brain regions involved with creativity, one very simple secret might surprise you!
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Melissa Hughes
Apr 2, 20244 min read
How Bias Changes the Brain
Understanding how bias changes the brain - quirks in the way we think and the way we think we think.
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Melissa Hughes
Mar 22, 20242 min read
How Fear Hijacks the Brain
Have you ever had a "what was I thinking moment?" that you regretted later? Chances are pretty good that you were not thinking at all.
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Melissa Hughes
Mar 4, 20243 min read
Leveraging Stress for Success
We all experience stress and the psychological effects it has on us. But what if we could actually use stress to our advantage?
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Melissa Hughes
Feb 23, 20243 min read
The Power of the "Pet Effect"
Since the mid-1980's, there has been a wealth of research comfirming the positive physiological effects of social interaction with animals.
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Melissa Hughes
Feb 7, 20244 min read
The Scientific Reality of Reality TV
There is no better way to escape our own than by tuning into someone else’s drama. But there is science behind why we love reality TV.
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Melissa Hughes
Jan 19, 20243 min read
Quit your bitching; Complaining makes you dumb.
The average person complains about 20 times a day. Research shows that it negatively affects more than our mood. It actually makes us dumber
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Melissa Hughes
Jan 8, 20243 min read
Psychological Safety Fuels Performance
Psychological safety isn't just a nice-to-have; it's a must-have for a vibrant and healthy company culture and peak performance.
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Melissa Hughes
Jan 5, 20242 min read
The Most Productive (and Unproductive) Time of Day
Productivity is more of a science than you might think. Studies show time of day explains 20% of the variance of cognitive performance.