08/09/2026
Things I won’t do after studying neuroscience
Not because I believe we can “positive-think” our way through everything — but because what we repeatedly expose our brains to matters.
🎧 I won’t live on sad songs when I’m already low.
Music engages brain networks involved in emotion, reward, memory and arousal. It can be an incredibly useful tool for emotional regulation — so I’m more intentional about what I put on repeat. (ScienceDirect)
I won’t make negative self-talk my default language.
The way we talk to ourselves influences emotional and cognitive processing. Research on self-compassion also consistently links a kinder response to ourselves with better psychological wellbeing and less self-criticism. (Nature)
I won’t underestimate my environment.
Our brains don’t operate in isolation. Relationships, stress, experiences, music, conversations and the environments we repeatedly inhabit all contribute to how we regulate emotion and behave.
Neuroplasticity doesn’t mean “think happy thoughts and your brain magically changes.”
It means the brain is dynamic and responsive to experience.
So I’m choosing my repetitions a little more carefully.
What are you putting on repeat in your brain?
PsychologyMalaysia MentalWellbeing EmotionalRegulation SelfTalk BrainScience DrNivaMohan