In Behave, Robert Sapolsky offers insightful strategies for overcoming unhealthy habits and making better choices. We found his key idea—that we should train our brains to automatically choose healthier options—particularly impactful. Sapolsky emphasises that each indulgence reinforces the temptation, making future resistance harder. He suggests reappraisal (reframing situations) and distraction (like physical activity) as more effective tools than sheer willpower alone.

His message? Building new habits takes time and patience, so be kind to yourself during the process. A must-read for anyone struggling with self-control!

My top ten recommended reads from 2024 📚

⭐ The Immune Mind (Dr Monty Lyman)
⭐ Tiny Traumas (Dr Meg Arroll).
⭐ The Biology of Belief (Bruce H. Lipton Ph.D.)
⭐ The Phone Fix (Dr Faye Begeti).
⭐ The Way Out (Alan Gordon)
⭐ Thinking, Fast and Slow (Daniel Kahneman)
⭐ Feeling & Knowing (Antonio Damasio).
⭐ Psychology of Money (Morgan Housel).
⭐ Things No One Taught Us About Love (Vex King).
⭐ Homecoming (Dr Thema Bryant).

Explore our feedback on these top ten books of 2024, covering psychology, health, and personal growth, all available for review below.

After reading The Way Out by Alan Gordon, he discusses that these signs could indicate that a patient’s chronic pain may be neuroplastic and potentially reversible:

• Pain began during a stressful period
• Pain appeared without injury or clear physical cause
• Symptoms are wide-ranging, inconsistent, or moving
• Pain intensifies with fear, anxiety, or stress
• A history of childhood trauma or adversity
• Pain triggers aren’t linked to the body’s structure
• Traits like anxiety or perfectionism

Gordon explains that neuroplastic pain arises from learned neural pathways in the brain. This pain, though real, can be unlearned through psychological support. His Pain Reprocessing Therapy offers a promising approach to addressing and potentially alleviating this type of chronic pain.

P.s. It’s worth noting here, that it’s also possible to have none of these signs present and still be experiencing neuroplastic pain. Equally, you might relate to multiple signs and have a physical cause for your pain which has not yet been identified. But the brain and body work closely as one, so there will likely always be a combination of factors when thinking about our pain experience.

In Vex King’s latest book, “Things No One Taught Us About Love,” he is challenging some of these ideas by calling upon us to question our understanding of love and of the work we need to put in to both our own sense of self-worth and our relationships.

According to Vex King, connection is not just something that we feel or don’t feel in our long-term, committed relationships. Rather, it’s about putting the work in to sustain what you have, intentionally closing any distance and making a conscious choice to be together and cultivate closeness.

The Psychology of Money by Morgan Housel explores how our emotions and experiences shape financial decisions. Using historical stories, Housel shows how factors like ego, risk, and patience impact success with money. He offers simple, practical advice: invest for the long term, save regularly, and avoid flashy spending. This bestselling book makes financial wisdom easy to understand and apply.

Did you know that we spend on average 4 hours a day online? That’s 25% of our waking time!

This equates to the average person picking up their smartphone around 96 times per day … every 10 minutes!

Why are we so tied to our devices? How have we formed these negative device habits? And why are they so difficult to break?

In The Phone Fix, neuroscientist Dr Faye Begeti answers all these questions and more. The book delves into the brain’s mechanisms that drive our digital habits and offers practical strategies for cultivating healthier relationships with our devices.

I’d recommend ‘The Phone Fix’ to anyone seeking to gain a deeper understanding of the neuropsychology behind their digital habits and looking for effective, science-based strategies to improve their relationship with technology.