A neuroscientist’s guide to reclaiming your brain | Nicole Vignola

Your brain is wired to repeat the familiar. Change this wiring, and it will change your life.

Nicole Vignola, a neuroscientist and organizational psychologist, explains how deeply rooted beliefs can limit our potential and keep us trapped in patterns of thought. These perceptions, often shaped by our upbringing and environment, aren’t necessarily our own—but they can be changed.

Nicole shares how the brain’s natural biases, like negativity bias and confirmation bias, reinforce these limiting beliefs. However, with the right approach, it’s possible to reshape our mental patterns. By practicing metacognition—observing and naming our thoughts—we can start to rewire our perception and create new, empowering narratives.

Our brains are capable of change at any age. By focusing on small wins and challenging automatic thoughts, we can break free from old beliefs and begin using a mindset that better serves ourselves and our futures.

We created this video in partnership with Unlikely Collaborators.

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About Nicole Vignola:

Nicole Vignola is a neuroscientist, author and corporate consultant. With a BSc in Neuroscience and an MSc in Organizational Psychology, Nicole works with companies and individuals worldwide, educating them on the science of human optimisation, health and longevity, and how to enable employees to perform better in their daily lives and in turn, bring peak performance to the workplace. Recent clients include Lloyds Bank, Makers Mark and Smeg Ltd.

[noahcrawford]

I struggled for a long time on how to let go of intrusive thoughts. The way she describes “naming” thoughts is exactly how I’ve gotten over them. If someone is struggling with this I recommend journaling and logically trying to deduce what is going on in your brain. I personally found writing thoughts on paper allow me to think about them in a more critical way instead of emotionally.

[reallyforreal]

What you'll do :
- Notice the small win
- Labeling your thoughts
- Self-reflect your narrative about the world

[LordBrittish]

I have been using the self-awareness of my driving anxiety and the frustration I used to get with other drivers.
Picturing every slow driver in front of me as my mom or grandma helped quite a bit.

[chrisbenoit]

Psychedelics are just an exceptional mental health breakthrough. It's quite fascinating how effective they are against depression and anxiety. Saved my life.

[luanaturchi]

From a person who has experienced trauma and deep rooted self hate all her life and is now mastering the rewiring of her brain trust me: this ability WILL change your life. She explained something that I’ve dealt with for years and that is so complex in such a simple and well spoken way. bravo!!

[EvergreenFlame]

This helps me realize why people's positive comments about me haven’t really had an effect on my negative self perception. I couldn't internalize what they said because it didn’t fit the box i was in. Thanks for this

[ugurkeles]

Today Ive written this and this video came up

I recently learned the word “remedial, ” and I constantly strive to improve my life in that sense. For me, it’s about shifting my perspective. If I can change the way I view things, I believe I can reach a different level of understanding and existence. I often think of my mind as a box that I’m confined within. Sometimes it scares me to realize that I might hold false beliefs or that I’ve misunderstood aspects of life. It’s a daunting task to break free from established ways of thinking and see things from a completely new angle.

However, there’s a downside to this approach—life doesn’t always allow for too much skepticism. It can hit you hard when you start questioning everything, making it difficult to simply accept things as they are. While I haven’t yet fully grasped the depth of this, I’m committed to exploring and understanding it.

[angelgirl]

This is great. I realisd the other day the reason I avoided weighing myself was my mothers reaction to an increase on the scales and I decided I wasn't going to react like that anymore. I will weigh myself and it is just a number. An indication of progress. I won't avoid myself any longer because of my mothers insecurities

[lindokuhlemkhize]

This is true. Moreover, the subjective narrative is your own experience. Therefore, the goals and visions we hold are entirely our own. So choosing a positive narrative is in a way, our individualistic-Subjective choice or experience, and continuously adding or building on that experience, encourages a positive snowball effect. With that, the brain possibly gets addicted to the positive pull, and rewire the perception we have about ourselves, i.e., the individual you.

[GhANeC]

Her smile alone can change someone else. I can only imagine het expertly thought out and educated seed-planting casual questions.

[louisguerin]

I started finding more value in the things I am doing when I started to take some time and think about what my "roles" and "identity" were (friend, musician, rationalist, reader, playful, curious...) and looked at each of them to find how they really connected emotionnaly to my intrinsic value (courage, integrity, connexion with others, care, happiness...). It has been eye opening and made me connect much more deeply to life (starting new activity or engaging differently with existing one to notice and focus on the part I care/value the most).
Hopes it help !

[alisha.k.a]

Videos like this are what make living better

[camariehowell]

I have struggled with anxiety and depression at such a young age and it is hard for me to step outside of myself to change that narrative as a grown adult. I've been in and out of therapy for the last several years trying to change. This video was very helpful information and I would like to see more of her on Big Think. Thank you!

[nyuchu]

This is so true. Some people can do this earlier than others, which is why siblings brought up in the same household (esp with difficulties) can turn out different.

[embracingchangeone]

The thoroughness of your research and the clear passion you have for the subject make your channel an incredible resource for anyone wanting to dive deeper into neuroscience

[GladysGraces]

When I had worst anxiety, observing my thoughts were really my breakthrough, and understanding I can change my narrative if I wanted to really nice vid

[crazyashlii]

Thank you.
I really needed to hear these words today.
I can change, my pre-programming is not my narrative, I can and will determine who I am and what my story is.
Thank you so much again, this really saved me from my blackhole suicide ideation spiral.

[wewannafocuson......]

This vedio reached me at the right time. Time to work on myself.

[MAureliusHiggs]

As individuals, we are asked to bring our attention to our small wins to stack them. Yet we have our negative bias. Nicole Vignola flipped that on it's head, as a the exterior friend who brings your attention to your wins. That's why surrounding yourself with the right people is important.

[wewannafocuson......]

I overanalyse everything i do and feel.I am very well aware of tge biases and weaknesses i have.