Encore Brain Center

Where Sparks are Lit . . . and Engagement has it Benefits!

The Encore Brain Center

What This Is?

A space to learn and practice evidence-based approaches that support cognitive strength and mental well-being as you age. Brain Sparks live here, along with the science behind why they work.

Why This Matter?

Understanding why a practice supports the brain builds confidence, intention, and trust. It’s the “why” we do what we do that keeps us engaged. Staying mentally engaged helps your brain function at its best.

Brain Sparks

What They Are?

Short, intentional cognitive practices designed to support attention, recall, flexibility, and build mental resilience. They are not tests, and you progress at your own pace. The important thing is to keep a pace going. Brain Sparks are simply learning moments where you engage your brain for a quick dose of stimulation.

Why They Matter?

Regular cognitive engagement impacts brain function over time. Practiced consistently, Brain Sparks help support cognitive function and mental clarity. Clients report emotional steadiness, confidence, and increased awareness. What matters most is being intentional and consistent with engagement. They are designed to fit into your day and become part of your daily routine.

Benefits Beyond The Plateau

What They Are?

Daily activities provide our brains with stimulation. This is referred to as baseline function, plateau, or default mode. Just like our bodies need to exceed their activity baseline to receive benefits, so does your brain.

Why It Matters?

Exceeding our plateau builds cognitive reserve and lowers the likelihood of cognitive decline as we age. Cognitive changes such as brain fog often occur alongside emotional challenges like anxiety or low mood. Supporting cognitive function and mental well-being together is key.

Brain Spark #1

Simply Write

It’s simply amazing the amount of stimulation that forming letters on paper provides to the brain. This Spark uses handwriting and reflection to fully engage the brain.

The Why?

Writing by hand activates attention, memory, language, and motor planning. The physical act of forming letters requires coordination and focus, providing meaningful cognitive stimulation. When handwriting is paired with reflection, as in the Simply Write Brain Spark, it further engages emotional awareness and self-understanding. Together, these processes support mental clarity, cognitive engagement, and emotional steadiness.

The How?

Use a pen or pencil and a journal or whatever you prefer to write on. What matters is not the type of journal itself, but the act of writing by hand — no keyboard.

Step 1: Settle in

Find a quiet place where you can write comfortably. You do not need much time. Five minutes to start is fine; you can build as you get more comfortable or your schedule allows. Write the date at the top of the page.

Step 2: Start writing by hand!
Choose one prompt below and write. Do not type. Let the words move from your mind to the page through the movement of your fingers to form the letters (biceps curls for the brain), without worrying about grammar, spelling, or structure. If you pause or feel unsure what to write next, write what you are thinking in that moment and continue.
Journaling prompts:
  • What does this chapter of life mean to me right now ?
  • Why does staying mentally engaged matter to me at this stage of my life ?
  • How do I want my mind to feel as I move through my days ?
  • What feels most important for me to pay attention to right now ?
  • What am I noticing about myself that I did not notice before?
Step 3: Take a pause

After you finish writing, take a moment to notice how you feel, your level of focus, your emotional tone, and any sense of clarity or calm.

There is no right or wrong response. Awareness and intentionality in what you are sensing are the key points.

Carry-over Into Daily Routine

Attach the Simply Writing Brain Spark to something you already do every day. This is called Habit Stacking.* Here are some examples, use one that works for you:

Morning coffee — While your coffee brews or as you take those first sips, spend 3–5 minutes writing what's on your mind. Getting thoughts out of your head and onto paper helps you start the day with clarity and intention.

After lunch — Use the transition between eating and returning to your afternoon as a natural moment for a quick Brain Spark.

Before bed — Pair journaling with your nighttime routine. Reflect on the day while you're already winding down.

Waiting time — Turn moments of waiting (appointments, pickups, etc.) into Brain Spark opportunities instead of scrolling on your phone.

Areas of the Brain “lit”up by Brain Spark 1

Movement (Motor Cortex) · Senses (Somatosensory) · Vision (Visual Cortex) · Language (Broca’s & Wernicke’s) · Focus (Prefrontal Cortex) · Memory (Hippocampus)

References:

  • Psychology Today. (2024). Writing by hand is good for your brain. Evidence-Based Living.
  • Clear, J. (2018). Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones. Avery.
  • Scott, S. J. (2017). Habit Stacking: 127 Small Changes to Improve Your Health, Wealth, and Happiness. Oldtown Publishing.

Brain Spark #2

Lock It In!

Short-term memory through intentional organization

The Why?

This Spark supports short-term memory by helping the brain organize information, making it easier to store and retrieve. Research shows that organizing information through visualization, association, and meaningful grouping supports short-term memory and improves recall accuracy. Strategy-based practices like these help the brain hold, organize, and retrieve information more effectively.

The How?

Begin with a group of three related words, provided below along with two groups of three related words.

Step 1: Begin with the first group of three words

Read the words. Let each word register.

eggs • milk • cheese

Step 2: Visualize

Create a clear mental image for each word. Picture the eggs, the milk, the cheese. Take a few seconds with each image.

Step 3: Connect them

Link the words together by creating a short, simple story using all three. 

Example:

“In the morning, I use milk, eggs, and cheese to make an omelet.”

Step 4: Name the group

Give this group of words a short title, which we will refer to as your “cue” going forward. For example, ''Breakfast Words.''This mental process of developing a cue facilitates the organization and retrieval of the words.

Step 5: Engage the senses

If it feels helpful, add some movement. Visualize an action related to the words; engage as many senses as possible.

Step 6: Repeat steps 1 through 5 with the last two groups of words

Take your time. Complete the three groups.

shirt • pants • socks

necklace • earrings • watch 

ball • dice • cards

Step 7: Retrieve words across groups

Return to the cues you created and recall the words in each group. Note how you did. Later in the day, recall or read the cues and see how many words in each set you can recall. The target is to recall the nine words.

You can start by looking at the cue for each group and later recall each set of 3 words without looking at the cue for each set. You will notice that having clear cues and organized groupings makes it easier to retrieve the full set of 9, 12, 15, 18 and eventually 21 words.

You can write your cues on one side of a piece of paper or an index card, and then on the other side, write the words within the group.

Over time, your goal is to improve accuracy by completing an increasing number of sets of 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 words. Learn the concept using sets of 3 and 4 words, and progress when comfortable.

There are a total of 75 words that will be provided and you will add one more word for each group for a total of 81 words. The challenge will be to recall all 75 words when given the cue word you picked for each group.

Brain Health Bits

Carry-over Into Daily Routine

With practice, Lock-It-In will help you organize information to support recall. These skills can be applied in everyday life, such as remembering items on a grocery list, retaining information during conversations, or tracking tasks throughout the day.
 
Using the strategies taught in Lock-It-In was beneficial for my clients. Clients consistently reported improved focus and stronger recall, along with the ability to carry over the skills into other areas of their lives. Many described the experience as truly “exercising their brain.”

Areas of the Brain “lit”up by Brain Spark 1

Engaging multiple brain systems at once increases stimulation, strengthens attention, and improves recall accuracy through intentional focus and imagery.

Focus (Prefrontal Cortex) · Imagery (Visual Cortex) · Senses (Somatosensory) · Language (Broca’s & Wernicke’s) · Memory (Hippocampus) · Integration (Association Networks)

References: