Most people assume that once we get to adulthood, our body stops growing. Certainly in what refers to the key organs, like the brain. Yes, we are used to hearing about personal growth but it’s not something that we believe happens at a physical level.
However, that is not actually the case. Your brain is continuously being rewired according to the experiences we live, and from what we learn. This natural ability is known as neuroplasticity.
It is in fact true that whilst at younger age it is always turned on, whereas as we mature it becomes more selective.
The interesting thing is that it’s been shown that this rewiring is actually a physical one. The connectors within the brain actually multiply! All this happens below the conscious awareness and so nothing that you’d notice normally.
It’s a natural process that allows people with major brain injury to recover, but also those suffering from multiple addictions and mental health conditions. In other words, you are not stuck with the brain you’re born with.
Two key factors are present when training your brain: emotion and repetition.
Both enhance the experiences or the learning in different ways but with the same result. More connections made inside. It’s why some of us remember so clearly those times tables we learned when children – we repeated them a lot, and it was not a fun activity!
What we should worry is about the selective nature of the brain. Whatever isn’t used dies. It’s why so many of the world’s leading brainiacs remain so active until late in life, they are constantly learning new things, working in fields they love.
But you don’t need to be a physicist or mathematician to keep your brain alive and growing. Investing in one’s personal development can take many shapes and forms and will achieve the same results. Neuroplasticity and growth.
Work on your emotions and habits, i.e. repeatable actions. It may be the simple act of journalling your day’s experiences. As mentioned above, they are the key ways to train the brain and keep you feeling young and happy. And who doesn’t want to feel happy??
