Morning Aroma

Start exercising your brain as you wake up in the morning. I realize most of us are lazy when we wake up. Thus, keeping that in mind, this exercise is simple to follow. It merely practices your usual morning olfactory association— instead of waking up to the smell of freshly brewed coffee—wake up to something different—vanilla, citrus, peppermint, or rosemary. Keep an extract of your favorite aroma in an airtight container on your bedside table for a week and release it when you first awaken, and then again as you bathe and dress. Odds are you can't remember specifically when you "learned" to associate the smell of coffee with the start of a day. By consistently linking a new odor with your morning routine, you are activating new neural pathways.