Think Creative People Only Use Their Right Brains? Think Again

There are tons of theories about how highly creative people think outside the box. They’re daydreamers, they know the best creativity-boosting morning rituals and they can even hack into their creativity while they sleep. But underneath all of that, many of us have been taught that being creative is all about how much you use your left brain vs. the right brain. Right? Well, not exactly, according to experts.

Researchers Carolyn Gregoire and Richard Barry Kaufman lay it all out for us in a blog post on Quartz, and what they explain might surprise you: Creativity actually takes the WHOLE brain, not just the right side, like many people believe. Creativity involves “a dynamic interplay of many different brain regions, emotions and our unconscious and conscious processing systems,” Gregoire and Kaufman write.

In particular, creative people’s brains have highly functional default mode networks — or, as the researchers call it, the imagination network. It’s a network of regions of the brain that work together to perform different functions. The imagination network is most active when we’re practicing “self-generated cognition,” AKA daydreaming.

Here’s what makes extra creative people, well, extra creative: Their imagination network works together with another one called the executive network, which controls attention and memory — things we don’t always associate with creativity, but are actually super important.

“The creative brain is particularly good at flexibly activating and deactivating these brain networks, which in most people are at odds with each other,” the researchers write. “In doing so, they are able to juggle seemingly contradictory modes of thought — cognitive and emotional, deliberate and spontaneous. This allows them to draw on a wide range of strengths, characteristics and thinking styles in their work.”

Huh! Guess we’ll start working on our memory skills (we’ve already got the daydreaming down), and stop wasting time taking quizzes about which side of our brain is dominant.

What’s your favorite way to engage your creative brain? Tweet us about it @BritandCo!

(Photo by Getty)

A lot of people pride themselves on being optimists, and TBH, if you canstay positivewith everything that’s going on in the world today, major props to you. For most people who consider themselves the glass-half-full type, it’s a lifestyle. They try to look at everything that comes their way, from relationship troubles to work mistakes, with a positive spin. But a recent study investigated whether optimists still stay more positive than pessimists when things get really tough, and what they found was pretty surprising.


Scientists analyzed nine previous studies to see how both optimists and pessimists brace themselves for receiving important and potentially negative news, like medical test results. They found that even though people who identify as optimists tend to be more positive in general, they too start assuming the worst as the moment of truth about something important nears. It’s easy to understand this instinct, since some people tend to believe that preparing yourself for the worst will ultimately make it less shocking if it happens. On the other hand, some people would rather stay positive whenever possible, since it’s easier to fight off stress and anxiety when you have a sunny outlook. Here, we’ve gathered some of our favorite expert tips for staying optimistic when you’re dealing with some super hard stuff.

How To Stay Positive

1.Learn to reframe negativity. “The trick to positivity is not avoiding pessimism,” says Elaine Taylor-Klaus, a certified professional coach. “It’s really about how quickly you can redirect your focus from negative to positive. Critical thinkers are going to see problems to be solved, but the ability to ‘reframe’ the conversation is the really important skill for people to practice.” She recommends getting into the habit of acknowledging negative thoughts and then asking, “What else is possible here?” This can guide you back into a positive mindset more quickly.

“Bottom line: Negativity happens,” she says. “Positivity is a choice, and the quicker you learn to reframe, the more time you’ll spend in a positive space. Then, over time, the more likely you are to turn directly to a positive interpretation of events.”

2. Ask yourself if this will matter a month or year from now. Sometimes things seem crucial AF in the moment, but might be inconsequential even just a few days after that. Just think about high school drama. “When we can leave the past behind and even know in the present moment that this feeling won’t last, it can help to remind us that time heals and life goes on,” explainsSharon Stokes, life-fulfillment coach.

3.Give back. Volunteering is an amazing way to change your entire perspective, saysLyssa Menard, a clinical health psychologist, founder of Strategies for Changeand assistant professor at Northwestern University’s medical school. “There are many organizations that don’t require an ongoing commitment, so sign up for an event that’s meaningful. Research shows that giving to others is one of the quickest routes toward happiness. While happiness and positivity are different, they’re correlated,” Lyssa says.

4. Role play to be more objective. Playing a little mind trick on yourself can work wonders, says Lori Scherwin of Strategize That, a career coaching service. “We’re often better at helping others than ourselves,” she notes. “Make the situation more objective and less personal to you. For example, consider if it were anyone else in the situation (like your best friend, partner or colleague). How would you see the same ‘problem?’ What advice might you give them to get out of it?” she asks. This will help you shift from being super hard on yourself to more objective, and most likely, more positive.

5. Make changes to things that are within your control. Spending time worrying about something that you can’t change isn’t really worth the effort. Instead, “Focus on areas where you have agency,” suggests Holly Burton, a career coach for women in male-dominated industries. “You may be stuck in a role you don’t love at work, but you could probably work a few extra hours a week and take on a project that interests you. You could also schedule some proactive meetings with your boss to make an action plan to develop the skills you need to make a lateral move,” she says. In most situations, whether they’re career-related or not, it’s possible to take actions to make things better for yourself.

6. Practice radical acceptance. Some professional coaches suggest trying out the idea of radical acceptance, which is basically accepting the things you cannot change, even if they’re not right or you don’t agree with them.

7.Try this gratitude challenge. First, journal about one event each day for seven days that made you feel happy and/or thankful and include the specifics of why it made you feel that way, going deep into the details. Second, send one random thank you email or text to someone each day, either personally or professionally. This message should include what they did and why it’s worthy of the shout out. Detailed gratitude journals are proven to improve your life satisfaction, so try to stick to a gratitude practice, even in the good times!

What do you do when you’re trying to stay optimistic? Have you tried any of these techniques? Tell us about it @BritandCo!

This article has been updated.

10 Things I Hate About You and The Office fans listen up! There's a new project coming to Netflix from Kate Hudson and Mindy Kaling, and you NEED to know about it. Just like the best female-led TV shows, Running Point promises to be empowering, hilarious, and just a lot of fun. Keep reading for everything you need to know about the new TV show — including the release date!

Here's everything you need to know about Running Point on Netflix!

What is 'Running Point' about?

Netflix

This new TV show follows Isla Gordon (played by Kate Hudson), who becomes President of the Los Angeles Waves basketball team after a scandal means her brother has to retire. In the male-dominated world of sports, Isla will have to prove to everyone around her — her brothers, the board, and the fans — that she can balance work AND play.

When does 'Running Point' come out?

Netflix

Running Point is coming to Netflix in on February 27, 2025!

Who's in the 'Running Point' cast?

Netflix

Running Point stars Kate Hudson, Brenda Song, Drew Tarver, Scott MacArthur, Fabrizio Guido, Toby Sandeman, Chet Hanks, Max Greenfield, Keyla Monterroso Mejia, Roberto Sanchez, Uche Agada, and Dane DiLiegro.

Is there a trailer for 'Running Point' yet?

Netflix

There's no trailer yet, but we're definitely keeping our eye out for it!

I am so excited to see another show written by Mindy Kaling, especially one that stars Brenda Song and Kate Hudson! Let us know what you're currently binge watching on Facebook.

It's fun to learn more about ourselves and to feel understood — that's why we take personality tests so incessantly. And since we live in an age of increased self-awareness, we can apply those tests to so many things, like our Hogwarts house and makeup preferences. Clearly, knowing thyself has taken on a whole new meaning lately, and we love the things that these tests can tell us — but did you ever wonder how your personality might affect your dreams? In a new study, Best Mattress Brand set out to discover whether specific types of people had particular types of dreams. Read on for their fascinating results.

The test explored each component of the Myers-Briggs types, which can be broken down into eight characteristics:

Extraversion or Introversion: This is the way you focus your energy. Extroverts focus on the outside world, and Introverts focus on their inner world.

Sensing or Intuition: This is the way you process information. Sensing individuals focus on the facts, and Intuitive individuals interpret the facts.

Thinking or Feeling: This is the way you make decisions. Thinkers process decisions logically, and Feelers make decisions with context and emotion in mind.

Judging or Perceiving: This is the lens through which you interpret the world. Judgers prefer decisive action, while Perceivers like to keep their options open.

Together, your individual combination of these eight traits creates your personality type. Given these traits as variables, the study surveyed 1,000 people on their Myers Briggs traits and their sleep habits.

As you'd imagine, there were a lot of discrepancies between Introverts and Extroverts. Interestingly enough, Extroverts are 17.7 percent more satisfied with their levels of energy during waking hours than their introverted counterparts. Perhaps it's because of their dream habits: Extroverts also have 8.3 percent fewer nightmares than Introverts. Extroverts also dream about traveling 13.9 percent more often than Introverts do.

What about the content of these dreams? If you're Intuitive, you're 16.8 percent more likely to dream about being killed than Sensers are. ­Apparently, Intuitive individuals' dreams are more violent across the board: They also dream about getting attacked and “punching something with no effect" more often.

There's also a substantial difference between Thinkers and Feelers when it comes to dreams. The more emotional Feelers dream about getting pregnant more often than Thinkers do, and they dream about their friends more often too. Perhaps Thinkers are just thinking too hard; they talk in their sleep almost 10 percent more than Feelers do.

The Judgers and Perceivers have their differences as well; in fact, Perceivers have night terrors 10.2 percent more often than Judgers, probably due to the fact that they experience reality so deeply.

Does your personality type match up with these findings? Let us know @BritandCo.

(Photo via Brit + Co)

This post has been updated.

The 97th Academy Award nominations are here! And they have plenty of surprises. In addition to some incredible nominations, like A Real Pain for Original Screenplay, Wicked for Best Picture, and Anora's Mikey Madison for Best Actress, there were some serious snubs. Because what do you mean Challengers didn't get nominated for ANYTHING?! Considering it won Best Score at the Golden Globes, I'd have thought it had that nomination secured, but the Academy had other plans. We'll have to tune in to ABC and Hulu on March 2, 2025 to see how it all plays out, but until then, you can read up on your favorite movies' nominations below.

Here's the full list of 2025 Oscar nominations.

The Craziest 2025 Oscar nomination snubs.

Amazon MGM Studios

I really can't believe Zendaya didn't get nominated for her performance in Challengers. Her viral "crazy eyes" scene generated enough conversation to give her a nom in my opinion. I remember sitting in the theater and thinking, Wow, I've never seen her make that face before, can we replay that? And, of course, I'm mourning the fact the movie didn't get nominated for Best Score. "Match Point" playing during the ending of the movie will always be an Oscar-winning moment to me!

But in addition to Z, Selena Gomez also didn't get nominated for her role as Jessi Del Monte in Emilia Pérez, despite the fact the movie got a total of 13 nominations.

My group chat immediately blew up when we realized Sing Sing wasn't nominated for Best Picture.

Every Academy Award nomination for the 2025 Oscars.

Universal Pictures

Best Picture

  • Anora
  • The Brutalist
  • A Complete Unknown
  • Conclave
  • Dune: Part Two
  • Emilia Pérez
  • I’m Still Here
  • Nickel Boys
  • The Substance
  • Wicked

Best Lead Actress

  • Cynthia Erivo for Wicked
  • Karla Sofía Gascón for Emilia Pérez
  • Mikey Madison for Anora
  • Demi Moore for The Substance
  • Fernanda Torres for I’m Still Here

Best Lead Actor

  • Adrien Brody for The Brutalist
  • Timothée Chalamet for A Complete Unknown
  • Colman Domingo for Sing Sing
  • Ralph Fiennes for Conclave
  • Sebastian Stan for The Apprentice

Searchlight Pictures

Best Supporting Actress

  • Monica Barbaro for A Complete Unknown
  • Ariana Grande for Wicked
  • Felicity Jones for The Brutalist
  • Isabella Rossellini for Conclave
  • Zoe Saldaña for Emilia Pérez

Best Supporting Actor

  • Yura Borisov for Anora
  • Kieran Culkin for A Real Pain
  • Edward Norton for A Complete Unknown
  • Guy Pearce for The Brutalist
  • Jeremy Strong for The Apprentice

Best Director

  • Sean Baker for Anora
  • Brady Corbet for The Brutalist
  • James Mangold for A Complete Unknown
  • Jacques Audiard for Emilia Pérez
  • Coralie Fargeat for The Substance

Best Original Screenplay

  • Anora
  • The Brutalist
  • A Real Pain
  • September 5
  • The Substance

Best Adapted Screenplay

  • A Complete Unknown
  • Conclave
  • Emilia Pérez
  • Nickel Boys
  • Sing Sing

Niko Tavernise/Warner Bros. Pictures

Best Cinematography

  • The Brutalist
  • Dune: Part Two
  • Emilia Pérez
  • Maria
  • Nosferatu

Best Original Score

  • The Brutalist
  • Conclave
  • Emilia Pérez
  • Wicked
  • The Wild Robot

Best Original Song

  • “El Mal” for Emilia Pérez
  • “The Journey” for The Six Triple Eight
  • “Like a Bird” for Sing Sing
  • “Mi Camino” for Emilia Pérez
  • “Never Too Late” for Elton John: Never Too Late

Best Editing

  • Anora
  • The Brutalist
  • Conclave
  • Emilia Pérez
  • Wicked

Best Production Design

  • The Brutalist
  • Conclave
  • Dune: Part Two
  • Nosferatu
  • Wicked

Netflix

Best Costume Design

  • A Complete Unknown
  • Conclave
  • Gladiator II
  • Nosferatu
  • Wicked

Best Makeup and Hairstyling

  • A Different Man
  • Emilia Pérez
  • Nosferatu
  • The Substance
  • Wicked

Best Sound

  • A Complete Unknown
  • Dune: Part Two
  • Emilia Pérez
  • Wicked
  • The Wild Robot

Best Visual Effects

  • Alien: Romulus
  • Better Man
  • Dune: Part Two
  • Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes
  • Wicked

Best International Feature

  • Brazil's I’m Still Here
  • Denmark's The Girl with the Needle
  • France's Emilia Pérez
  • Germany's The Seed of the Sacred Fig
  • Latvia's Flow

Universal Pictures

Best Animated Feature

  • Flow
  • Inside Out 2
  • Memoir of a Snail
  • Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl
  • The Wild Robot

Best Animated Short

  • Beautiful Men
  • In the Shadow of the Cypress
  • Magic Candies
  • Wander to Wonder
  • Yuck!

Best Live-Action Short

  • A Lien
  • Anuja
  • I’m Not a Robot
  • The Last Ranger
  • The Man Who Could Not Remain Silent

Best Documentary Feature

  • Black Box Diaries
  • No Other Land
  • Porcelain War
  • Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat
  • Sugarcane

Best Documentary Short

  • Death By Numbers
  • I Am Ready, Warden
  • Incident
  • Instruments of a Beating Heart
  • The Only Girl in the Orchestra

Did your favorite movie of 2024 get the Oscar nominations you think it deserved, or was it totally snubbed? Let us know on Instagram! And you can already start prepping these 13 Award-Winning Cocktails For Oscar Sunday ;).

Valentine's Dayis one of our favorite holidays for many different reasons. The desserts! The dinners! The cocktails! Not to mention the fact that it's basically an entire holiday dedicated to pink, red, and all things romantic. You can always gift your sweetie flowers and chocolates, but if you want to get creative with DIY Valentine's gifts, you've come to the right place.

We love that V-Day is low-pressure as far as gifting holidays go, and that it celebrates love in its many forms. We've thought a lot about what to give and get here at Brit + Co, and whipped up a list that includes a few hits that you can give after trying one of our fun date night ideas. Here are our favorite DIYs for the big day.

DIY Valentine Gifts Your Partner Will Love

Brit + Co

Give your sweetheart hugs and kisses via these easy-to-sew XOXO pillows. Pick fabric that goes with your decor or use the brightest red and pink fabric that you can find.

Brit + Co

This floral backdrop is perfect for a doorway surprise for when your love or little ones wake up on Valentine's Day morning. Plus, by the time your V-Day celebrations end, you might as well leave them up for March.

Studio Ink

Keep the surprises coming withbreakfast in bed. We heart these Red Velvet Heart Waffles with Cream Cheese Glaze — yum! Sprinkles are encouraged.

Brit + Co

Challenge your love(s) to a game of Jenga with this cute DIY Valentine's gift. This will make for an adorable game to play any time of year.

Brit + Co

Make your own box of chocolates with a piñata twist. We'll take two, please!

Brit + Co

Gift your gal pals a hand-stamped scarf for the occasion or make a DIY night of it! Since you make the stamps yourself, you can create any pattern you want.

Brit + Co

Dig into this DIY conversation heart cake for the sweetest V-Day dessert you ever did try.

Brit + Co

Put a ring on it! Chocolate ring pops for the DIY Valentine's gifts win. Our favorite part is definitely the fun colors.

Brittany Griffin

Here's a long distance-friendly idea: Make theseConversation Heart Piñata care packages to send to your BFFs or you can surprise your fam in the morning with a goodie-filled one.

Brit + Co

Give your sweetheart something delicious and gluten-free with these Cassava Flour Brownies.

Brit + Co

Get cozy with these conversation heart pillowsfor your favorite texting pal.

Brit + Co

Serve your Galentine's Day guests Celebrity Heartthrob Cookies— the next best thing to the real deal. Pass us the Ryan Gosling cookie please!

Make a stack of pixel-inspired Pop-Up Heart Cardsfor your favorite people.

Brit + Co

Add a green twist to your Valentine's Day surprise with these Air Plant Wall Artpiecesthat creatively make use of nails and string.

Brit + Co

For a more hands-on DIY Valentine's gift, whip up these fun DIY Conversation Heart Coasterswith polymer clay and letter stamps.

Brittany Griffin

Map your travels together with this clever Photo Map Wall Artfor a personal and so special touch!

Brittany Griffin

Celebrate your Valentine's favorite food with these extra cute (and yummy) Heart-Shaped Boxes. Fill them with candy today and love letters tomorrow.

Happy Love Day! If you make a DIY Valentine gift, tag us in a pic — and don't forget to subscribe to our newsletter!

This post has been updated.