Flashback to January 12, 2014
I always love reading scientific articles =). Here is an interesting one that captured my attention today!
Your brain is always learning.
The real question is, “What is your brain learning?”
An enormous amount of research has shown that our brain never stops learning, changing and adjusting. And what is it adjusting to? The answer is simple: our brain is constantly taking in new information from our life experiences and information that we are exposed to. And that is what neuroplasticity is all about – the brain’s ability to change and adjust.
WE ARE WHAT WE THINK AND DO.
Used to be that scientists thought our brains had developmental windows when they were growing and changing, and that these windows closed at a certain age and our brains became rather static (unless we experienced an injury or deterioration of some sort). But now there is overwhelming evidence showing that WE LITERALLY BECOME WHAT WE THINK AND DO.
In other words, our brains are constantly adapting to the things we are experiencing each day. So if you are in a routine and always doing the same thing, many of your brain synapses are literally dying off from boredom and lack of use (much like a muscle will atrophy from inactivity). Whereas if you are continually exposing yourself to new experiences and situations, thoughts and ideas, your brain is growing, adapting, expanding and adding new synapses in response to all that stimulation.
What happens to the brain when new knowledge is acquired?
Every time you learn, experience or think something new, the brain stretches and adapts. Every time! And when you do that new experience REPEATEDLY, the changes in the brain become stronger and more permanent. That’s why your professors harped on doing homework and applying your new knowledge – application and repetition are the keys to creating permanent pathways in your brain.
So now you know that environmental changes create changes in your brain – when you change your experiences and thoughts, you change your brain!
Anything is possible!
Take a moment and dream about what changes you would like to make in your life. What behavior patterns would you like to alter? What new inspiration or motivation would you like to feel? What new habits would you like to create? There is no limit to the changes you can implement successfully in your life.
EXPOSURE + REPETITION + APPLICATION = PERMANENT CHANGE
This is the secret formula – memorize it. It is your new best friend for spearheading personal change. EXPOSURE to new ideas and experiences stretches your brain. REPETITION causes your brain to store these new concepts in short-term memory. And REPEATED APPLICATION moves the knowledge into long-term memory – meaning you have adopted your new habit or thought process permanently.
Focus, Focus, Focus
Here’s another key point – multi-tasking is not helping! It’s vital that you FOCUS YOUR ATTENTION ON ONE CHANGE AT A TIME, alter your environment, and allow your mind time to make the shift. Give yourself the time to practice and integrate the change into your daily routine, until it becomes second nature and you don’t have to think consciously about it (AUTO-PILOT!). Only then is it appropriate to begin to implement another change.
Multi-tasking is ineffective
Why? Because there are five mental processes for understanding: believing, making a decision, recalling, memorizing, and inhibiting. (Rock, 2009) Each of these requires you to shift gears and think differently. So it’s important to not jump back and forth between processes or you’ll never get anything accomplished. The most efficient way to get effective results is to focus on one mental process at a time.
For example, let’s say you want to become a positive thinker. An effective way to do this would be to focus your attention on making positive decisions about your thoughts. Keep your focus on this one mental process until you’ve truly incorporated this new behavior into your repertoire…and only then, consider focusing on another mental process or shifting your attention to another behavior you’d like to change.
Now not only do you understand how neuroplasticity works, but it is your new catch phrase for “all things are possible”. Who knew you didn’t have to be a brain surgeon to use neuroplasticity to create change in your life? Now you know! Believe it and you can do it too.
NeuroCue can help you hard wire your brain to shift your focus away from your weaknesses, flaws, and negative thoughts to your strengths, opportunities, and possibilities.
Change is coming!
- Alexa (Intellect Chick)