Imagine being able to feel sounds on your skin. Maybe it's the cringing feeling you get from a horror flick, except it happens when you listen to a radio announcer's voice. Or perhaps your skin would tingle at the sound of train rails. This is exactly what happened to one woman after experiencing a stroke caused by a decongestant that would later be taken off the market.

Sherrilyn Roush had a lesion in her mid-brain, which triggered the left side of her body to respond to noises. It's called synesthesia -- her brain has reorganized itself to accommodate cross-connections with certain senses. In her case, it was feeling and sound redirected toward her left thigh, arm, head and shoulder. However the condition is not all cringes and wincing.

"Round" sounds like water bubbling actually feel good to her! In fact, Dr. Roush has learned to play the string bass in order to literally massage her skin with senses. The brain is amazing thing, something we may never fully understand. But a case like this one really makes you wonder about the untapped power of the human mind!

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It can be hard to pull yourself out of a negative rut, but here's some good news: it seems negative feelings and emotional pains can be helped by simply putting them into words. When study participants were shown angry faces their brains triggered a "danger" response, but when they called the face what it was -- "angry" -- a different area of the brain became active. Talking with somebody, journaling, or any other way you can use to "label" the emotion triggers brain responses that are designed to manage emotions and essentially "put the brakes" on bad feelings.

I think most people agree that talking things out with somebody or writing in a journal can help a lot with emotions of all kinds, but who knew it had such a scientific basis? Does it work for you?

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Feeling great and being in a good mood is a very complicated process made up of numerous pieces and processes. If you're having trouble with your exercise and fitness goals you should consider carefully why that might be. Although there are any number of reasons you may be lacking motivation, like whether or not you're doing something you love for exercise (don't try to make yourself jog every day if you hate running!), it's worth considering other sneakier causes. The science of feeling great is a complicated one!

One aspect of making sure you're "in the mood" to exercise is making sure you give your brain what it needs to be positive and happy. Brain chemistry is a delicate balance of many things, including your metabolism (no, it's not just about energy and calorie burning, but mood too!) and neurotransmitters like seratonin -- which is responsible for feelings of happiness, calm, relaxation, confidence, concentration, and personal well-being. A lack of seratonin can lead to depression, as it does all too frequently for many people in this country.

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Have you recently been through a serious break up? Are you still mourning the break up? A clue to tell if you have really gone on with your life is to look around the house. Do you still have old pictures of the two of you out and do you still have souvenirs that you collected together on trips. Have you kept an old phone message that occasionally you listen to or is there a piece of clothing still hanging in your closet from your ex that you haven't returned or thrown in the trash? It is a good chance that you are still lingering in the relationship. It's time to clear the clutter in your house and in your mind and take that first step into the freedom of happy thoughts again.

It's time to get back out and start laughing with friends again. Quit feeling guilty or pointing blame and accept what is done and walk away. Get to know yourself again and what you value most in life and what makes you happy. Spend some time pampering yourself because you deserve it. Take time to honestly reflect on the things, habits, morals, judgments of your past relationships and know what does not work with your needs. Recognizing those things will save yourself some future pain and heartache by getting into the same patterns over and over. Standing on your own two feet will make you stronger and you will realize that you don't just have to accept the first person that comes along if they do not have the qualities that you desire. The sooner you can be truly happy with yourself the sooner you will clear the way for the love you really want in your life.