12.22 Dr. Caroline Leaf: Cultivating Your Mind

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“Your mind is like a garden. Your thoughts are the seeds. You can grow flowers, or you can grow weeds.” - Dr. Caroline Leaf

How would you measure the quality of your thoughts b

Dr. Caroline Leaf is a cognitive neuroscientist who focuses on how your thoughts shape your brain structure. She once said, “Your mind is like a garden. Your thoughts are the seeds. You can grow flowers, or you can grow weeds.”

Just like a garden, your mind is a space that needs to be cultivated and taken care of. It requires attention, care, and maintenance. Left unattended, it can become overrun with “weeds,” or negative patterns.

She also said, “You can literally change the wiring of your brain by changing your thoughts.”

Mental habits actively shape your brain. Through practices like reflection, mindfulness, journaling, or cognitive exercises, you can intentionally “weed out” harmful thoughts and “plant” helpful ones, literally changing how your brain responds to life.

By paying attention to your thoughts and choosing which to nurture, you can grow a healthier, more resilient mind.

Question of the Day: Which thoughts are you nurturing, and which ones do you need to weed out this week?

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