GET CREATIVE WITH A GROUP

With budget cuts looming at work, you can’t help but worry that you’ll be laid off. When you’re fearful of the future, Left Emotion brain is in the driver’s seat. Explains Bolte Taylor, “Fear, worry and self-doubt all arise in this part of your brain.”

To curb anxiety, take comfort in the playful, creative Right Emotion brain. “This region is all about innovation and feeling connected to others,” says Bolte Taylor. While fear-based Left Emotion tries to protect you from danger and focuses on scarcity, the innovation and curiosity of Right Emotion focuses on abundance. Whether you’re conjuring a new cookie recipe with your grandkids or taking a watercolor painting class with pals, flexing your imagination as a group dials down worries faster than doing so solo because collaboration lights up more brain regions, boosting the spirit of connection that lets you feel truly rich and able to handle life’s curveballs.