You Can Change The Way You Think
A dive into our brain's remarkable ability to redesign itself
Ever hear the phrase, "You can't teach an old dog new tricks"?
Well, it turns out that might not be entirely true. Thanks to a fascinating concept called neuroplasticity, our brains are actually quite malleable, capable of rewiring themselves and forming new connections throughout our lives — no matter our age.
Consider the weight of that for a moment: You can actually change the way you think. You can rewire the way you feel about stress or problems. You can fundamentally change your brain.
But before we get into the specifics, let’s first consider a couple basics of the human brain.
First — The Brain Is Still A Stone Age Organ
It’s fascinating to consider that our brains, despite their incredible capabilities and the collective societal advancements we’ve seen from some of the greatest minds of our times, are essentially still stuck in the past.
Evolved over millions of years to ensure our survival in hostile environments, the brain’s primary function has always been to keep us alive: find food, avoid predators, and reproduce. These fundamental survival mechanisms are deeply ingrained in our neural circuitry.
Fast forward to the 21st century, and the world has transformed dramatically compared to the world our ancestors were forced to navigate. While we may no longer have to worry about running away from a lion or stress about hunting and gathering food every day of our lives, we still grapple with complex global issues, process vast amounts of information, and navigate intricate social structures.
And yet, while our world has drastically changed, our brains are still wired with these same primary and basic survival instincts. In fact, scientists generally agree that the brain’s shape and size evolved between 100,000 - 35,000 years ago to its current globular form, similar to present-day humans. So, we have mostly the same physical brain, but our world has completely changed. This means that your brain will register that text from your boyfriend that says, “Let’s talk when you get home.” with the same level of threat it would as running away from a lion — it cannot tell the difference. All it knows is that something is being perceived as a threat and it needs to raise the alarm.
It’s this mismatch between our ancient brain and our modern world that can sometimes lead to stress, anxiety, and feelings of overwhelm.
Second — Your Brain Defaults To What Is Easy
Our brains are creatures of habit. They love efficiency and prefer to stick to what they know and what is easy. And who can blame them? For the sake of our survival as a species, our brains needed to be as efficient as possible and preserve its energy to ensure it could keep us alive.
This is due to connections between our brain cells called neural pathways in our brains. When we repeatedly perform an action, a pathway is created in our brain, making it easier for us to do that action next time.
Think of neural pathways like a trail through the woods; your brain’s familiar neural pathways are like the well-trodden, easy-to-walk trails you tend to see when hiking. They’ve been created over time due to frequent walks and continual use by humans. When our neural pathways are this well-trodden, our behaviors or thoughts associated with those pathways tend to become second nature thanks to automaticity. Automaticity is the ability to perform tasks without conscious effort or attention, aka the brain's autopilot mode. This occurs when neural pathways, or connections between brain cells, become well-established through repetition.
These solidified pathways allow the brain to execute actions efficiently and rapidly, freeing up our mental resources for other tasks. This is why tasks like driving or brushing our teeth tend to become automatic over time; we’ve completed them frequently enough that our brains have established strong, efficient neural routes for these activities.
While this efficiency is hugely beneficial for routine tasks, it can also make it really difficult for us to break old habits or pick up a new skill. Because our brains tend to resist change and prefer to stick to those familiar neural pathways, it will try to default to those well-trodden trails in our mind every time, even if they’re no longer serving us well. This is why breaking bad habits or learning new skills can be challenging.
So, to recap: Our brains still operate like we’re cavemen. Plus, it is stubborn AF, preferring familiar and existing neural pathways over the work of creating new ones (the process of creating new ones is called neuroplasticity — and we’re hopping into that next!)
What is neuroplasticity?
Neuroplasticity is basically your brain's ability to change and adapt. The term ‘plastic' is derived from the Greek word plastikos and the Latin plasticus, meaning 'fit for moulding or being capable of being moulded into various forms’.
Think of your brain as a bustling city. The neurons are like buildings, and the connections between them are the roads. Neuroplasticity allows new buildings to be constructed, roads to be rerouted, and even entire neighborhoods to be redeveloped. Or, using our previous trail-in-the-woods metaphor, neuroplasticity would be the act of creating new trails in the woods that develop into more well-trodden ones over time and frequent use.
In more real-life terms, when you learn something new, form a new habit, or even recover from a brain injury, neuroplasticity is at work.
Neuroplasticity and Your Life
So, what does this mean for you? Well, it means that you have the power to shape your own brain. That’s pretty f*cking cool. This also means that you consequently have the power to change your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. (!!!)
It’s important to note that the ability to change our brains and build neural pathways gets a bit harder as we get older. It’s the same concept for why babies and small children are able to pick up languages incredibly easy but adults must really practice and dedicate time to learning. But it’s only a bit harder — not impossible. It just means that to change our thoughts or pick up a new habit or activity, you must practice it and give it attention.
By engaging in new activities, challenging yourself mentally, and practicing mindfulness, you can help encourage neuroplasticity and create positive changes in your life. Maybe the next time you find yourself engaging in an unwanted behavior or falling victim to a steady stream of negative thoughts, pause and try to reframe the situation. For example, if you struggle with anxiety (ahem, *raises hand*), practicing mindfulness or meditation can help rewire your brain to focus on the present moment, helping to reduce anxious thoughts.
(Psst! If you’re worried you’re not meditating right, you most likely are. Meditation is difficult in the beginning and you are oftentimes interrupted by thoughts. But it’s just the simple act of setting those thoughts aside when you *do* notice them that is the practice of meditation — just keep going and moving thoughts aside when they do come!)
Other ways you can practice neuroplasticity and create new neural pathways:
Learning a new language
Pick up a new hobby or skill
Meet new people
Have conversations with people different than you
Pause and respond instead of reacting
Read
Listen to new podcasts
Create artwork
Expand your vocabulary
Do puzzles
And, of course, I can’t underscore the importance of taking care of your body. Reduce stress and inflammation (stress alters our ability to learn, so if you’re stressed, your brain will not prioritize learning new ways of thinking or doing. It will prioritize your ‘survival’.) Try to get consistent sleep every night (at least 7 hours, ideally 8-9). Stay hydrated. Exercise 3-4x/week. Reduce stress and inflammation. Aim to build muscle (your body’s armor!). Limit or eliminate alcohol. Limit sugar and processed foods. Get outside and spend at least 15 minutes in the sun every day. Touch grass. Get back to the fundamentals of taking care of yourself.
"Neuroplasticity is a six syllable word for hope."
– Dr. Linda Page
Neuroplasticity is an incredible ability of the human brain that offers us, as humans, endless possibilities for growth and change. This means that you can literally change your life. You can change yourself: your habits, your thoughts, your abilities.
You have the power to become exactly who you want to be. So, embrace the plasticity of your brain, step jump outside your comfort zone, and watch your mind expand and transform.
