--- title: How to Build Healthy Brain Habits for a Happier Life description: Learn keys to brain health that leads to a healthy and happy life. Discover how the brain changes according to your thoughts, emotions, and environment. image: https://blog.heartmanity.com/hubfs/Mind-Stream-478274620_3600x2700-thumb.jpeg --- [![Heartmanity](https://heartmanity.com/wp-content/files/heartmanity-logo-web.png "Heartmanity")](https://heartmanity.com) [Schedule a Conversation](https://heartmanity.as.me/schedule.php?appointmentType=30172362) [Shop](https://heartmanity-services-products.myshopify.com/) [Join the Community](https://heartmanitycommunity.mn.co/) [Get In Touch](https://heartmanity.com/contact/) - [Home](https://heartmanity.com/) - [Our Focus and Expertise](https://heartmanity.com/our-focus-and-expertise/) - [BrainFitness](https://heartmanity.com/brain-fitness/) - [Emotional Intel](https://heartmanity.com/emotional-intel/) - [Habits for Health](https://heartmanity.com/habits-for-health/) - [Relationship Mastery](https://heartmanity.com/relationship-mastery/) - [About](https://heartmanity.com/about/) - [Individuals](https://heartmanity.com/individuals/) - [No-Nonsense Coaching](https://heartmanity.com/no-nonsense-coaching/) - [Return to Serenity](https://heartmanity.com/return-to-serenity/) - [One-Year Makeover](https://heartmanity.com/one-year-makeover/) - Couples - [Drama-Free Marriage](https://heartmanity.com/drama-free-marriage/) - [Marriage Tune-Up](https://heartmanity.com/resources/drama-free-resources/#tune-up) - [Couples Mentoring](https://heartmanity.com/resources/drama-free-resources/#mentoring) - [Premarital Coaching](https://heartmanity.com/resources/drama-free-resources/#coaching) - [Drama-Free Weddings](https://heartmanity.com/resources/drama-free-resources/#weddings) - Parents - [HeartPrints® Parenting](https://heartmanity.com/heartprints-parenting/) - [Parent Coaching](https://heartmanity.com/resources/heartprints-resources/#coaching) - [Family Coaching](https://heartmanity.com/resources/heartprints-resources/#visits) - [WombPrints](https://heartmanity.com/heartprints-parenting/#wombprints) - [Professionals](https://heartmanity.com/professionals/) - [Heartmanity for Business](https://heartmanity.com/business/) - [Heartlead Business](https://heartmanity.com/heartmanity-for-business/) - [MomPreneurs](https://heartmanity.com/mompreneurs/) - [Resources](https://heartmanity.com/resources/) - [Heartlead Resources](https://heartmanity.com/resources/heartlead-resources/) - [Drama-Free Resources](https://heartmanity.com/resources/drama-free-resources/) - [HeartPrints® Resources](https://heartmanity.com/resources/heartprints-resources/) - [Personal Growth Resources](https://heartmanity.com/resources/personal-growth-resources/) - [Blog](https://blog.heartmanity.com/) - [Emotional Intelligence & Fitness](https://blog.heartmanity.com/topic/emotional-intelligence-fitness) - [Leadership and Business](https://blog.heartmanity.com/topic/leadership-and-business) - [Love, Marriage, and Relationships](https://blog.heartmanity.com/topic/love-marriage-and-relationships) - [Parents: Permission to Be Imperfect](https://blog.heartmanity.com/topic/parents-permission-to-be-imperfect) - [Brain Fitness, Mindfulness and Perspective](https://blog.heartmanity.com/topic/brain-fitness-mindfulness-and-perspective) - [Communication & Interpersonal Skills](https://blog.heartmanity.com/topic/communication-interpersonal-skills) - [Habits for Health](https://blog.heartmanity.com/topic/habits-for-health) Heartmanity's Blog Search Search - There are no suggestions because the search field is empty. Topics: Select a topic... All Emotional Intelligence & Fitness Leadership and Business Love, Marriage, and Relationships Parents: Permission to Be Imperfect Brain Fitness, Mindfulness and Perspective Communication & Interpersonal Skills Habits for Health Heartmanity Webinars, Classes, and Events Filters # [*How to Build Healthy Brain Habits for a Happier Life*](https://blog.heartmanity.com/how-to-build-healthy-brain-habits-for-a-happier-life) Each Spring, when the annual trend of cleaning closets and windows rolls around, why not use the fresh season’s regenerative energy to re-energize your brain? While[three-quarters of Americans report cleaning their homes](https://www.statista.com/statistics/251230/us-spring-cleaning-frequency/) each spring, it is also a prime time to scrub old mental patterns and lay ground for new neural pathways. *Estimated reading time: 3 minutes* #### ![Our brains are not static, they are pliable](https://blog.heartmanity.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Mind-Stream-478274620_3600x2700.jpeg?width=600&name=Mind-Stream-478274620_3600x2700.jpeg "Our brains are not static.") “Normal brain development is a staggeringly beautiful and wondrous thing,” says Kendal Broadie, Ph.D., a Professor of Neurobiology, Biological Sciences, and Pharmacology at Vanderbilt University in a powerful Vanderbilt article titled *The Fine Art of Brain Development*. #### “The brain is not static, it constantly changes itself in response to its environment.” Changing your environment—whether that is cleaning, setting up new routines, or beginning different practices—changes your brain, too.  “Your heart doesn’t do that. Your liver doesn’t do that. That’s the property that makes it so special. That’s what makes the brain, the brain,” says Broadie. Around 86 billion neurons run throughout your brain, communicating information through electrical and chemical signals. In a process called Neurogenesis, new neurons are constantly forming, and new thoughts and actions are constantly creating new neural pathways. The point is this: your brain changes. Your thoughts, actions, and habits will directly affect your brain function. So, how do you use this “staggeringly beautiful and wondrous” power to Spring-clean your mind? With a smart plan and mindful practice, you can change the pathways of your brain, cleaning out the tired, habitual patterns and building new ones that serve you better. Think of it as a clean sweep for your mind. **Related reading:** "[5 Ways Brain Fitness and Behavioral Health Are Optimized by Healthy Habits](https://blog.heartmanity.com/5-ways-brain-fitness-and-behavioral-health-are-optimized-by-healthy-habits)." ## Fundamentals for Building a Healthier Brain Heartmanity will focus on the four fundamentals for building new brain habits. Check out these topics as well as tips for implementing them into your everyday life: [**Dream Big; Start Small**](https://blog.heartmanity.com/building-healthy-brain-habits-dream-big-start-small) - how to turn your dreams into achievable steps. [**Make Your Plan Powerful**](https://blog.heartmanity.com/step-2-of-building-healthy-brain-habits-plan-and-visualize) - why visualization should be one of your first steps. [**Build Your Own Momentum**](https://blog.heartmanity.com/step-3-of-building-healthy-brain-habits-build-momentum) - why repetition is vital for a healthy brain. [**The Willpower Effect**](https://blog.heartmanity.com/the-fourth-step-of-building-healthy-brain-habits-willpower) - how making decisions can make, or break, your success. Stay tuned for more on brain health and healthy brain habits! Here's to your mental health and brain fitness. To get specialized support or for more information about Heartmanity programs, please visit our [resources page.](https://heartmanity.com/resources/) ### Like the article? Help us spread the word and share it! Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn **![Enid R. Spitz / Heartmanity Contributor](https://blog.heartmanity.com/hs-fs/hubfs/EnidRSpitz.jpeg?width=225&name=EnidRSpitz.jpeg)[Enid R. Spitz / Heartmanity Contributor](https://blog.heartmanity.com/author/enid-r-spitz)** Enid Spitz is a writer, yoga instructor, and works at the popular Lululemon. She previously lived in Portland, OR and Seattle, WA, where she was a newspaper editor and researched yoga for Traumatic Brain Injury. Heartmanity combines Enid's passions for social well-being, neuroscience, and yoga. When not writing or on the yoga mat, she is an avid traveller, and loves being outdoors. ### You may also like: ![The Social Brain: Why Deep Human Connection Is the Best Brain Health Practice](https://blog.heartmanity.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Two%20women%20having%20coffee%20at%20a%20coffee%20shop_SM_Compressed.png?width=250&height=150&name=Two%20women%20having%20coffee%20at%20a%20coffee%20shop_SM_Compressed.png) [The Social Brain: Why Deep Human Connection Is the Best Brain Health Practice](https://blog.heartmanity.com/the-social-brain-why-deep-human-connection-is-the-best-brain-health-practice) ![Why You Already Know What to Do—and Still Don't Do It!](https://blog.heartmanity.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Change%20CHANCE%20to%20CHANGE%20with%20tiny%20shifts%20and%20consistent%2c%20small%20actions..jpeg?width=250&height=150&name=Change%20CHANCE%20to%20CHANGE%20with%20tiny%20shifts%20and%20consistent%2c%20small%20actions..jpeg) [Why You Already Know What to Do—and Still Don't Do It!](https://blog.heartmanity.com/why-you-already-know-what-to-do-and-still-dont-do-it) ![Decision Paralysis? A Surprising Link Between Old Regrets and Your Brain’s ‘Stuck’ Mode](https://blog.heartmanity.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Repatterning%20Brain_AdobeStock_407295049_SM%20Compressed.jpeg?width=250&height=150&name=Repatterning%20Brain_AdobeStock_407295049_SM%20Compressed.jpeg) [Decision Paralysis? A Surprising Link Between Old Regrets and Your Brain’s ‘Stuck’ Mode](https://blog.heartmanity.com/decision-paralysis-regrets) ![The Neuroscience of Mindfulness: How 10 Minutes a Day Rewires Your Brain for Calm](https://blog.heartmanity.com/hs-fs/hubfs/AI-Generated%20Media/Remix%20Images/A%20colorful%20illustration%20of%20a%20brain%20sitting%20in%20lotus%20position..jpeg?width=250&height=150&name=A%20colorful%20illustration%20of%20a%20brain%20sitting%20in%20lotus%20position..jpeg) [The Neuroscience of Mindfulness: How 10 Minutes a Day Rewires Your Brain for Calm](https://blog.heartmanity.com/the-neuroscience-of-mindfulness) Posted in [Brain Fitness, Mindfulness and Perspective](https://blog.heartmanity.com/topic/brain-fitness-mindfulness-and-perspective) © Heartmanity 2026 [Back to Blog](https://blog.heartmanity.com) ### Free Newsletter! 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[Sitemap](https://heartmanity.com/sitemap/) | [Privacy Policy](https://info.heartmanity.com/privacy-policy) ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "NewsArticle", "author" : [ { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Enid R. Spitz / Heartmanity Contributor", "url" : "https://blog.heartmanity.com/author/enid-r-spitz" } ], "dateModified" : "2024-02-07T22:56:36", "datePublished" : "2017-03-28T16:00:00", "headline" : "How to Build Healthy Brain Habits for a Happier Life", "image" : [ "https://info.heartmanity.com/hubfs/Mind-Stream-478274620_3600x2700-thumb.jpeg" ] } ```