Psychology: Beyond Childhood Trauma to Productivity and Happiness

Many people think psychology is only useful for addressing problems like childhood trauma. However, psychology has always played a vital role in helping people achieve their goals, maintain productivity, and—most importantly—find happiness.

In this article, I want to explore how concepts such as emotional intelligence and mindfulness can enhance both our business and personal lives.

From my previous writings, you may already know that emotional intelligence is the ability to understand and manage not only our own emotions but also the emotions of others to achieve desired outcomes. Simply put, well-developed emotional intelligence helps us better recognize our feelings, regulate them according to the task at hand, read other people’s emotions, and manage their states—motivating or calming them when necessary. In business communication, this skill solves numerous challenges, ranging from effective management and successful negotiations to job satisfaction and stress management.

There are many ways to cultivate emotional intelligence, from reading specialized literature to working with a psychologist. Yet, one fundamental factor underlies all of this: neuroplasticity.

What Is Neuroplasticity?
Neuroplasticity is the brain’s remarkable ability to change and reorganize itself throughout life in response to new experiences, learning, and adaptation.
Strengthening neuroplasticity improves your thinking, perception, logic, memory, focus, and analytical skills. It also enhances your resilience to stress and your capacity to recover from challenges. In my practice, neuroplasticity forms the bedrock of psychological resilience, life satisfaction, and effective goal-setting aligned with your personal mission.

How to Develop Neuroplasticity: Practical Recommendations

1. Prioritize Quality Sleep
Healthy sleep is the foundation of all psychological well-being.

For example, if you wake up with a headache (not related to hangovers), it may mean your body didn’t have enough time to flush toxins from your brain overnight, signaling the need for more quality rest. Without proper sleep, these toxins accumulate, damaging your brain, reducing neuroplasticity, and impairing your cognitive functions.

Interestingly, fatal cases of prolonged sleep deprivation don’t result directly from fatigue or heart failure—they often occur due to complications like stomach hemorrhages. This underscores how your brain regulates and supports bodily functions during sleep. So think twice before going to bed scrolling through social media or pulling an all-nighter.

2. Challenge Your Brain Regularly
Engage your brain with new tasks and experiences—train it like a muscle.

If you allow your brain to be idle and indulge only in comfort, you risk becoming like a relaxed dog whose only goals are to eat, sleep, and occasionally play.

New experiences don’t have to be extreme. Even immersing yourself in beautiful surroundings can stimulate your brain. For instance, grief therapy often involves exposure to beauty, whether through nature (like hiking) or culture (like visiting museums). Choose what resonates with you.

3. Practice Mindfulness

“Be in the moment” might sound like a cliché, but it represents a mental state opposite to multitasking and scattered attention.

You can cultivate mindfulness through meditation and conscious everyday actions, such as eating slowly without distractions, reading attentively, or having focused conversations. Try to concentrate on the process of chewing and savoring the taste of your food. Additionally, spend at least two hours weekly alone with your thoughts.

Break out of autopilot routines—brush your teeth with your non-dominant hand, take a different route to work, go to a movie theater spontaneously, or watch a movie without choosing in advance. These changes “shock” your brain, forcing it to form new neural connections.

Practicing body scan meditation, where you focus attention on each part of your body while taking deep breaths, can also deepen mindfulness. Unlike concentration meditation, mindfulness meditation involves observing a wide range of feelings with acceptance and returning to the present moment without judgment.

Conclusion

These simple mindfulness practices help strengthen neuroplasticity—the foundation for emotional intelligence development. Cultivating this skill leads to greater success, efficiency, and, most importantly, happiness in life.