In this episode, Molly explores why holiday creativity is far more than a nostalgic pastime. New research highlighted in The Washington Post shows that engaging in creative activities, even at a beginner level, is associated with younger looking brains and stronger cognitive health.

Molly explains how creative acts like crafting, drawing, baking and building stimulate multiple brain networks, reduce stress hormones, and support emotional regulation.

She connects these findings to childhood holiday memories while discussing why those early creative experiences were neurologically important. Molly also shares how creativity can support habit change by providing a healthy reward pathway, reducing urges, and strengthening identity. The episode ends with simple, low pressure ideas for tapping into creativity during the holiday season.

What You’ll Learn

• Why creativity often feels counterintuitive but is deeply supported by neuroscience
• How creative activities activate the motor cortex, prefrontal cortex, reward system and the default mode network
• The connection between creativity, reduced cortisol, and emotional regulation
• Why childhood crafting strengthened attention, fine motor skills and dopamine pathways
• How creativity supports behavior change and identity transformation
• Why the holiday season is a perfect time to reconnect with play and creative exploration
• Simple, nostalgic creative ideas that help the brain settle and feel grounded

Key Ideas from the Episode

• You do not need talent to benefit from creativity; beginners gain the same cognitive advantages
• The brain responds to the creative process, not the quality of the final product
• Holiday crafts from childhood created sensory, emotional and learning experiences that supported brain development
• Creativity provides a self-generated way to shift emotional states and manage urges
• Creative acts reengage curiosity, novelty and presence, which help the holidays feel richer and less overwhelming
• Small creative behaviors can be a meaningful substitute for less helpful coping habits

Practical Creative Ideas Mentioned

• Make a paper snowflake
• Try a salt dough ornament
• Decorate a gingerbread house kit
• Make a single handmade holiday card
• Paint pinecones with simple supplies
• Create a photo collage from the year
• Do a puzzle or coloring page
• Treat cooking as a creative act
• Try a new recipe or texture-based food project

Related Think Thursday Episodes

• The Paradox of Freedom
• Novelty for Habit Change
• Defensive Pessimism
• The Neuroscience of Mental Rest
• Silence Is Golden
• Brain Time: Why the Mind Does Not Experience Minutes the Way the Clock Does

If your brain is telling you, “It’s the holidays, I’ll start in January,” this episode is here to challenge that script. Molly dives into why the belief that we need a perfect time to change our drinking is one of the most misleading and damaging patterns we fall into. In this episode, you’ll discover why December is actually the ideal time to begin changing your relationship with alcohol—and how doing so can help you build real-life skills that stick.

Drawing from neuroscience, behavior science, and lived experience, Molly shows you how to bypass the perfectionism trap and gain momentum before the new year even begins.

What You’ll Learn

• Why “I’ll start after the holidays” is a psychological trap
• The science of temporal discounting and how it sabotages habit change
• How to work with your brain’s neuroplasticity to make change easier
• Why starting now creates more resilient, long-term results
• Practical tools to begin moderating your drinking today

Featured Concepts

• Habit change during high-stress seasons
• Real-life application of the Behavior Map-Results Cycle
• Building skills in real time vs. waiting for “perfect” conditions
• Embracing discomfort as part of sustainable behavior change

Quote to Remember

Low risk drinking guidelines from the NIAAA:

Healthy men under 65:

No more than 4 drinks in one day and no more than 14 drinks per week.

Healthy women (all ages) and healthy men 65 and older:
No more than 3 drinks in one day and no more than 7 drinks per week.

One drink is defined as 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine, or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof liquor. So remember that a mixed drink or full glass of wine are probably more than one drink.

Abstinence from alcohol
Abstinence from alcohol is the best choice for people who take medication(s) that interact with alcohol, have health conditions that could be exacerbated by alcohol (e.g. liver disease), are pregnant or may become pregnant or have had a problem with alcohol or another substance in the past.

Benefits of “low-risk” drinking
Following these guidelines reduces the risk of health problems such as cancer, liver disease, reduced immunity, ulcers, sleep problems, complications of existing conditions, and more. It also reduces the risk of depression, social problems, and difficulties at school or work.

In this special revisited Thanksgiving edition of Think Thursday, Molly reflects on the transformative power of gratitude—how it can reshape your mindset, elevate your mood, and even improve your physical health. Originally aired in 2024, this episode has become a listener favorite for the Thanksgiving holiday and beyond.

With both scientific insight and personal reflection, Molly shares why gratitude is more than a seasonal tradition. It's a practice with real, measurable impact on your brain, your emotions, and your long-term well-being.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• How gratitude impacts your brain and supports long-term change through neuroplasticity
• Research from Dr. Robert Emmons showing gratitude's connection to greater joy, optimism, and emotional resilience
• The link between gratitude and physical health—lower cortisol levels, improved sleep, reduced inflammation, and stronger immunity
• Why a simple gratitude journal can decrease depression and increase happiness in as little as 10 weeks
• What the "gratitude-happiness loop" is and how to use it to shift your mindset
• Molly’s personal story of loss, healing, and why Thanksgiving is an especially meaningful time for reflection

Science Spotlight:

• Functional MRI scans show that gratitude activates the medial prefrontal cortex, a key area of the brain related to learning, decision-making, and reward processing
• Regular gratitude practice can literally reshape neural pathways, strengthening more positive emotional responses over time

Key Quote:

Resources and Mentions:

• Gratitude episode of Live Happier Longer
• Related episode: The Gap and The Gain, focused on reframing your perspective toward growth and appreciation
• Research references to Dr. Robert Emmons’ work on gratitude and positive psychology

Ideal For:

• Listeners dealing with grief, family tension, or emotional overwhelm during the holidays
• Anyone interested in how mindset shapes behavior and long-term change
• People seeking science-based strategies to increase happiness and well-being