Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience

I know this is nothing new but we need our brain in order to function. We are all just trying to do the best we can. The good thing is, science says we can do more to improve our brain, thoughts and cognitive abilities. The Tailored Brain was so insightful and educational. I think many would find it beneficial. From teachers, to employees, to psychologists, to parents and so on. I will be recommending this to many people.

If ever there is a book I wish I read when I taking my undergraduate studies in Psychology then it's this one because of how rich in content it is. It not only explores how the brain works but also gives insight on neurons, connections our brains make to our environment, food, senses and how it does this- so much so that I do not blame myself for some things I experience or how I react to things and remember some things.
Oh, and something that I learned that still goes to show how awesome we can be is that in reading fiction, we can increase our social cognition, no wonder the world of books calls out to me! I loved that most in this book!
Also about working out, about physical activity and what it means for memory and cognitive flexibility- so now that 30 day fitness challenge app is definitely going to be put in use every morning- I just have to start.
Thanks Netgalley for the eARC.

"How understanding the way your brain works can help you control anger and aggression."

These words stuck in my mind.  I found this line as a book subtitle of Ronald Potter-Efron's Healing the Angry Brain that gave me an idea that if I understood how my brain works, then I could handle negative emotions.

I'm only human. I was very angry at one point in my life. Let's just say that there were things in life that I couldn't accept.  In hopes of understanding myself and changing my mindset, I searched for an explanation why humans get angry.  My curiosity led me to finding the book mentioned earlier. Then,  I got more curious. I bought two more books about brain science: Brain Rules and The Brain that Changes Itself. Basically, I just wanted to understand my mind so  I could change my life. Reading these books didn't make me an expert who knows the right ways in dealing with emotions, however, their impact on my life couldn't be denied. Gradually, I got to understand myself, and this understanding steered me to exercise self-compassion and acceptance that lessened my reactivity to any triggering situations. The journey to self-healing is not linear, though; there are good days and bad days, but I am getting better at handling my emotions than before.

When I saw The Tailored Brain Book on Netgalley, I downloaded it right away.  The difference between this book and the other books I read is the emphasis on social connection as a factor in improving one's brain health. Improving our brain involves being around other humans.

There are so many things to learn from this book, both the technical side and the practical side. One of the things that I found helpful is understanding the three networks of our brain. The first one is the default mode network or DMN that works when we are not present, when we are daydreaming, or going down memory lane. The second network is the Central Executive Network or CEN that holds the information in front of us at the present time and deals with it to solve the problem at hand.  The third is the salience network that works like a switch or a lever; when we are daydreaming or remembering the past and imagining the future, the salience network turns on the DMN, when our attention is on what we see, smell, hear, feel or taste in the now, the salience network turns on the CEN.

The DMN and CEN are said to be anticorrelated; when the DMN is operating, the CEN is muted, and vice-versa.  This is why when we go to sleep, we think of hundreds of things because we don't use our CEN anymore. Knowing this, I practice being more compassionate with myself because I know when my mind thinks of a thousand thoughts, it's my DMN working. I let the thoughts swirl in my head, trying not to react, just letting them be, or I recall other things that don't trigger me such as the events of the novel I have read until I fall asleep.

The things I shared above are only the basics. The author explains further how these systems work when we use our attention and memory, when we do creative and non-creative things, when we are stressed and anxious,  and when we collaborate with other people.

The author also explores the different interventions that addressed attention, memory, and mental health conditions. She is not imposing her own conclusions on the readers, but rather she encourages them to do more researches and to be wary in reading neuroscience studies. She also recommends seeking professional help for mental health conditions.

Other things I learned:

- The Intelligent Quotient (IQ) is not the sole measurement of a person's capability, even though it predicts the person’s success in adulthood.

- Reading fiction books can increase social cognition. Hurray for bookworms!

- Physical activity promotes better "working memory, cognitive flexibility, and inhibitory control." I finally decided to go for a walk every day for 30 minutes.

The Tailored Brain is the best book I've read on brain health so far as it offers practical tips and meaningful insights. Even though it's challenging for me to read the technical part, I still enjoyed reading it. Actually, I'm going to read it again to fully understand the important and helpful sections.

The author said that reading this book is "encountering the things she had in her brain." She hopes that the readers' interaction with her through her book will be useful in the end. Yes, Emily Willingham, it's useful and it changed my life. It changed the way I look at interacting with others even though I'm an introvert, it changed the way I look at exercising, and it changed the way I look at my own capability as a human being.

Thank you Emily Willingham, Perseus Books, Basic Books, Basic Books, and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.