Smell is the most potent of all the senses because the information is delivered straight to your hypothalamus. Because moods, motivation, and creativity all stem from the hypothalamus, odors affect all of these processes. Think of a disgusting odor and how it can affect your appetite, or think of a fragrance that brings back a pleasant memory of a loved one, and you’ll realize how intimately intertwined scents are with our emotions, memories, and ideas. Light a candle with a fragrance that invokes pleasant memories. Then lie back and soothe your hypothalamus.