Neuroplasticity

The beauty of NEUROPLASTICITY

🧠Your brain has a remarkable capacity to rewire itself. Our quest to learn, discover, grow, explore, connect and create all strengthen our ability to form new connections and neural pathways in the brain.

‍

The importance of this neural flexibility can’t be overstated.It means that it is possible to change dysfunctional patterns of thinking and behaving and to develop new mindsets, new memories, new skills, and new abilities.Knowing we can change our behavioural patterns and the way we see and experience the world is empowering.Surprisingly neuroplasticity is only a relatively recent scientific discovery.

‍

Historically scientists believed that the brain stopped growing after childhood, which perpetuated the myth that our ability was fixed.But we now know that growth-mindset thinking such as sharing information, collaborating, innovating, seeking feedback, or admitting errors helps us to develop new pathways in the brain, to learn and grow beyond what we imagined might be possible.

The reason ‘growth’ and learning feel hard is because we are physically creating and embedding new connections in the brain.Like lifting weights in the gym, or going for a run, this takes EFFORT, but also reaps great benefits.It is when we remain stuck, stop moving forward, pushing ourselves out of our comfort zones that we begin to stagnate, and even degenerate.In conditions as depression and post-traumatic stress disorder, there is quite literally disruption of neuroplasticity, as people get stuck in neural ruts of negative thinking and behaving or fear based memories.

The goal of psychotherapy is help people redirect distressing feelings and in doing so restore cognitive and behavioural flexibility.PURPOSE is the fuel and the vehicle that helps to keep us moving forward, creating and developing, learning and growing.Neuroplasticity and resilience are two sides of the same coin.The more we accept and embrace life’s difficulties, challenges, and failures; the more we readily we breakthrough our fears and resistance; and the more resilient and empowered we become.

🌱 Social connection 🌱 Lifelong learning🌱 Novel activities🌱 Mental and cognitive training🌱 Developing a sense of purpose and commitment  🌱 Exercise🌱 Sleep 🌱 NutritionAll of these activities help us to create new neural pathways, build resilience, and fulfil our potential.‘SCHMUCK take action no matter how frightened you are’ - is the massively summarised advice from the brilliant psychiatrist, Phil Stutz!

MORE?

Professor Andrew Huberman➡️ What is Neuroplasticity: a short video explanation - ➡️ Neuroplasticity and Behavior Change - https://lnkd.in/e2BVrtUCStutz➡️ The Netflix documentary - A lifetime’s wisdom distilled into visual tools to help us cope more effectively with the human condition - https://lnkd.in/eDCXPu_V