I started having seizures at around the age of 5. The kind of seizures you see in the movies: fall-flat-on-the-ground-shaking-like-you're-electrocuted-eyes-rolling-to-the-top-of-your-head-seizures. These kind of seizures are now called tonic-clonic seizures but when I was a little girl, they were called "grand mal" seizures, which means "the big bad." Perhaps they changed the name because calling something "the big bad" isn't very hopeful for patients. No one is really sure why I started to have these, but it made me curious at an early age to figure out how this mushy mass inside our skull works. 

I started to study neuroscience after I had an EEG (electroencephalogram) at around the age of 11. They stuck hundreds of little wires with glue-like substance onto my scalp. I looked like an alien child from the sci-fi novel Dune--but it led me to wonder: What are they measuring? Why? and How can I control these things called brain waves and electrical pulses? As you can imagine, it's scary to have one of those death-like seizures and thinking you have no control over them. That's when science became my savior. I later discovered that these seizures could possibly be controlled without mind-numbing-zombie-behavior-inducing-medication. At age 15, without my Doctor's or parent's knowledge, I stopped taking that medication and haven't been on it since. 

Along the way to earming my Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology, participating in neuroscientific studies, and working at the UCLA Neuropsychiatric Institute, I learned how we can all expand the capacity of our brain not only to self-heal, but also to grow in ways we never imagined were possible.

So, for you, I've gathered my 5 top habits for neurological growth. These habits have eliminated these kind of seizures for me. I still need to be careful. Good habits, if broken, will indeed have consequences, but in the last 25 years, I've only had 2 tonic-clonic seizures. For you, these habits will reduce your stress significantly, increase your brain's grey matter, tap into your unconscious mind for problem solving, and produce incredible potential. 

Here are 5 Daily Habits that you can incorporate starting today:

1. Sleep to Reduce Stress. Ever wonder what happens to all of the stress we accumulate during the day? That car that almost hit you and your heart flew into your chest? Your child screaming at you? Even the unconscious stress of self-judsement? Where does it go? Our beautiful brains collect it and save it for when you dream to process away. Let me repeat: when you sleep, you process stress and trauma. So, one of the simplest and most effective things you can do is to get your full 7-9 hours of shut eye each and every day. 

2. Rise With the Sun. Your brain uses a cluster of nerve cells called the suprachiasmatic nucleus, located in your hypothalamus to regulate something called “circadian rhythm.” Circadian rhythm is the “master clock” in your brain which syncs all your body’s clocks. Abnormal circadian rhythm is associated with obesity, diabetes, depression, sleep disorders, hormone disregulation, bipolar disorder and seasonal affective disorder. In other words, wake up when the sun does--no more sleeping in! If you are a parent this habit will come naturally as most kids naturally wake with the sun and are happy to be your alarm clock.

3. Take Fish Oil. Nothing beats this. My kids go for the hard-core fermented cod liver stuff and somehow we've apparently cemented this into them so well over the years that they ask for it daily although it tastes awful! They take it by the spoonful but you can also get it in capsule form, which has a pleasant lemon aftertaste. 

4. Meditate AND MindFocus. Meditation taps into your subconscious mind (just below consciousness) and has innumerable neurological benefits. Want an easy way to meditate? www.headspace.com. MindFocus goes deeper into the unconscious mind to help you achieve goals subconsciously. Easy way to tap into your unconscious? www.myMindFocus.com.

5. Make Yourself Uncomfortable. Your brain needs novelty to grow. How do you know when you're doing something that's "new enough"? It feels uncomfortable, awkward, weird, strange, or it scares you. By doing things daily that are out of our comfort zone, we allow our brain to develop new branches on it's neuron tree (also called denrtidic pathways) instead of shriveling up into a sad dried out tree stump.

Truth be told, I could write a book on this and I live my entire life around this premise. There are many more habits I'd like to see you develop. After all, can you imagine how incredible it would be if we all lived to our potential? For more tips, register with me: http://bit.ly/1wSNIGf

I'm Dr. Jennifer Jones, the Entrepreneur's Shrink. I've been working with entrepreneurs for over a decade and would like to teach you some lessons and research I've uncovered along the way. First, I want to introduce you to two former patients of mine, Alexandra and Erica (their names have been changed to protect their confidentiality). 

First, there’s Alexandra. Alexandra is busy; busy checking off “to do” lists, wearing many hats, taking care of everyone and generally “getting by.” She dreams of starting her own online business and earning enough money to be her own boss. But somehow, her family's needs always seem to proceed her own and this dream now seems impossible. She’s almost given up.

Then there’s Erica. She earned an MBA from an ivy league school, recently sold her innovative tech-company and became ridiculously wealthy. She lives in a fancy house with her husband and two kids but never sees them! She is afraid he will lose everything she has worked so hard for if she steps away from her non-stop-work addiction.

With some guidance, Alexandra and Erica made some bold moves and now have plenty of money and spend time with their families. They laugh easily, and make their own rules! We call this Authentic Success; (financial freedom paired with purpose, joy and meaning). It’s an expansion from the idea of traditional success which is solely focused on wealth. What did they learn? 

1. Successful Entrepreneurs Break The Rules! They have learned to question the meaning of "success" and in doing so, tend to break many rules and do things unconventionally. They understand that to be innovative, they can’t always “fit in.” If this is something you are working on, do things that make you feel like an outcast and get out of your comfort zone! A patient of mine was so nice to everyone that I had to work with her to be disagreeable which helped her take more risks and subsequently launch her business. 

2. Successful Entrepreneurs Have Feeling-Driven Goals. When setting goals, Successful Entrepreneurs envision how they want to FEEL, not what they want to HAVE. They've learned that money doesn't buy happiness and therefore work toward things that make them feel good. Instead of "I want to be a millionaire," they think "I want to feel free to choose what I want to do in my life." Having feeling-oriented goals is a process of introspection. One exercise you can do is to take your current list of goals and translate that into feelings you want to have, then brainstorm other ways you can experience that feeling. 

3. Successful Entrepreneurs Take Action. Because they know risk leads to reward, Successful Entrepreneurs often leap before they look. How to take more risks: practice doing 3 things per week that scare you, put yourself in intentionally awkward situations, and let go of your ego. 

4. Successful Entrepreneurs Ask for Help. This is hard for many, especially women, but know that without asking, you will not succeed to your potential. How to ask for help: break the habit of doing things alone, know that it makes people feel important to help you, and remember that no one who is successful has done it alone. 

5. Successful Entrepreneurs Are Authentic. Authenticity creates trust. Your customers and investors are reassured by stark honesty and no-frills communication. Gone are the days of exaggerated marketing; people need you to be real.  Being more authentic is accomplished by being more vulnerable. To be more vulnerable, practice sharing things that make you feel ashamed and embarrassed. Not only will this make you more likable but will make people trust you more!

6. Successful Entrepreneurs Are Passionate and therefore, their passion is contagious which makes their business successful. If you ever wonder if what you are doing is the right kind of work, ask yourself if you would do what you do without making money--if the answer is yes, you are truly passionate. If not, move on quickly and don't waste your time.

7. Successful Entrepreneurs Use Mental Tools to Reach their Goals They understand the power of the unconscious mind and use mental tools such as MindFocus, meditation and realistic visualization to help them achieve what they most yearn for. From Albert Einstein to Elon Musk, the most successful people do this regularly.