Ep. 188: Deciding to Rewire Your Mind: How Conscious Choices Change Your Brain with Dr. Caroline Leaf

What if changing your life didn’t start with habits, but with rewiring how you think?

In this episode of Decidedly, we sit down with Dr. Caroline Leaf – cognitive neuroscientist, bestselling author, and pioneer in the field of neuroplasticity – to explore how conscious choices reshape your brain, your beliefs, and your entire reality.

From the power of family business to the neuroscience of decision-making, Dr. Leaf shares powerful stories, from working with traumatic brain injury survivors to teaching hope in apartheid-era South Africa. Her research proves what many only suspect: your brain can change, but it starts with you choosing to.

If you’ve ever felt stuck in patterns, frustrated by self-doubt, or wondered if you really have control over your thoughts, this one’s for you.

KEY TOPICS

• The difference between the conscious and unconscious mind

• How to rewire your brain through intentional thought

• What most people misunderstand about neuroplasticity

• Decision-making and belief formation

• Working with family and navigating tough dynamics

• Stories of healing from traumatic brain injury

• Balancing hope with realistic expectations

• The surprising science behind mindset and change

• How your environment impacts your mental health

• Practical tools to start changing your thoughts today

  
  

CHAPTERS

• 00:00 Introduction

• 03:27 Introducing Dr. Caroline Leaf: A Neuropsychology Pioneer
• 04:43 Family Business Dynamics: Working with Loved Ones
• 12:00 Navigating Nepotism in Family Businesses
• 16:58 Dr. Leaf's Early Career and Neuroplasticity Research
• 26:12 Transformative Stories from South Africa
• 29:55 Balancing Hope and Reality in Healing
• 32:24 Understanding Hope and Change
• 32:59 The Science of Habit Formation
• 33:57 Balancing Possibilities and Probabilities
• 35:15 The Power of a Positive Mindset
• 38:00 Embracing Parenthood with Gratitude
• 41:29 The Mind-Brain Connection
• 58:11 The Neuro Cycle for Decision Making
• 01:04:02 Final Thoughts and Takeaways

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MAKING A FINANCIAL DECISION?

At Decidedly Wealth Management, we focus on decision-making as the foundational element of success, in our effort to empower families to purposefully apply their wealth to fulfill their values and build a thriving legacy.

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CONNECT WITH DR. CAROLINE LEAF

• Website: https://drleaf.com/ 

• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drcarolineleaf

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drcarolineleaf

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drleaf/ 

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drcarolineleaf/
  

Dr. Caroline Leaf is a communication pathologist and cognitive neuroscientist with a Ph.D. in Communication Pathology and a BSc in Logopaedics, specializing in psychoneurobiology and metacognitive neuropsychology. Since the early 1980s, she has been a pioneer in neuroplasticity research, focusing on the mind-brain connection, mental healt