Emily Kitazawa

Emily found her love of reading and writing at a young age, learning to enjoy these activities thanks to being taught them by her mom—Goodnight Moon will forever be a favorite. As a young adult, Emily graduated with her English degree, specializing in Creative Writing and TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language), from the University of Central Florida. She later earned her master’s degree in Higher Education from Pennsylvania State University. Emily loves reading fiction, especially modern Japanese, historical, crime, and philosophical fiction. Her personal writing is inspired by observations of people and nature.

Psychology: Where Do Emotions Come From in the Brain?

Where do emotions come from in the brain, according to psychology? Do emotions come from a specific brain region? According to neuroscientist and psychologist Lisa Feldman Barrett, emotions cannot be linked only to a certain part of the brain, like your amygdala. Rather, Barrett has found a more complex explanation for how your brain processes emotion. Keep reading for Barrett’s groundbreaking explanation of where emotions come from in the brain.

3 Good Parenting Skills Every Parent Should Know

Which good parenting skills do the greatest parents use? Of all the good parenting skills, which are most important to know? In Alfie Kohn’s book, Unconditional Parenting, he advocates for “gentle” or unconditional parenting which doesn’t rely on a system of rewards and punishments. Rather, Kohn advises that good parenting skills consist of unconditional support, acceptance, and trying to understand your children’s perspectives. Keep reading to learn the three good parenting skills every parent should know, according to Kohn.

How Our Brains Learn: The Key to Mastering New Skills

How do our brains learn new things? Why does knowing how our brains learn help you master new skills quickly? According to Steven Kotler, elite performers achieve seemingly impossible feats because they consistently perform at the peak of their capabilities and push themselves to exceed their potential. Kotler argues that understanding how our brains learn is the key to unlocking high-performance habits. Keep reading to find out how our brains learn, including how to learn more effectively, according to Kotler.

How Emotions Are Made: Lisa Feldman Barrett’s Answer

Looking for an overview of Lisa Feldman Barrett’s book How Emotions Are Made? What are Barrett’s key takeaways about emotions in psychology? In her book, How Emotions Are Made, Lisa Feldman Barrett challenges the status quo relating to our psychological understanding of emotions. Barrett’s concepts of emotion, while controversial, give new insight into how emotions are made in the brain—and her answers might surprise you. Keep reading for an overview of the key concepts in How Emotions Are Made by Lisa Feldman Barrett.

How to Be a Parent: Alfie Kohn’s 3 Guidelines

Want to know how to be a parent in today’s ever-changing world? What should you know to be a great parent? Author Alfie Kohn argues that mainstream parenting has several potentially damaging disadvantages, including poor self-esteem and depression in children. In Unconditional Parenting, Kohn presents a new approach built on unconditional support, acceptance, and understanding. Keep reading to learn Kohn’s advice about how to be a parent in today’s world.

Social Positive Reinforcement: The Surprising Benefits

What are the benefits of social positive reinforcement in the brain? Why is it easier to achieve goals when you receive social positive reinforcement? According to Steven Kotler, the world’s elite performers are able to achieve seemingly impossible goals thanks to some surprising habits. Kotler’s book, The Art of Impossible, explores the neurobiology behind the success of elite performers and explains why social positive reinforcement is a primary building block for success. Read on to learn the surprising benefits of social positive reinforcement, according to Kotler.

Best Parenting Advice for Raising Confident, Happy Kids

What is the best parenting advice for raising children today? What’s most important to know if you want to raise confident, happy kids? In Unconditional Parenting, author and lecturer Alfie Kohn argues that we should throw away the standard parenting rulebook and replace it with a new approach built on unconditional support, acceptance, and understanding. Kohn’s approach requires rethinking standard parenting, which traditionally emphasizes a system of punishment and rewards when raising children. Read on to learn Kohn’s best parenting advice and why following standard parenting advice might be risky.

How to Define Your Goals: Make Them Meaningful

How can you define your goals to make them actionable? After defining your goals, what next step should you take to achieve them? Goals feel impossible when you see no discernible way to get from where you are to where you want to be. In The Art of Impossible, Steven Kotler draws on extensive neurobiological research to demystify how to define your goals and achieve breakthrough success. Keep reading to learn Kotler’s advice on how to define your goals when you don’t know where to begin.

How to Become a Good Parent: 3 Essential Principles

Want to know how to become a good parent? What are the three principles of great parenting? Author and lecturer Alfie Kohn believes that standard parenting principles are outdated and potentially damaging. To become a good parent, Kohn created his unconditional parenting principles to show parents how to positively discipline and communicate with children. Read on to learn Kohn’s three essential principles for how to become a good parent.

How to Expand Your Knowledge in 25 Minutes

Want to know how to expand your knowledge? What are the benefits of regularly learning new things? Steven Kotler is a bestselling author and award-winning journalist who wrote The Art of Impossible after studying how elite performers achieve extremely difficult goals. To help you expand your knowledge quicker, Kotler reveals the secret habits of elite performers and why they obtain success more often. Read on to learn Kotler’s 25-minute method for expanding your knowledge through a daily routine.