Neuroplasticity

3 July 2023

Neuroplasticity

Neuroplasticity is the concept of the brain being able to change and adapt over time - different pathways can be cultivated in the brain based on your thinking and experiences, but these can change over time, and it is possible to intentially choose which pathways to both strengthen and weaken.

This concept is beneficial to understand, as without knowing that something can change or how to, it can provide additional barriers to growing and exploring as a person. Knowing that harmful patterns of thinking can be changed regardless of age can allow for continued personal growth as an adult, and avoid getting stuck in long term thinking and behavioural patterns - it's already difficult to change habits that have been ingrained for decades, but thinking it is impossible to change them adds another unnecessary barrier. Our brains can keep learning and changing our whole life - it doesn't stop when you become an adult, and excelling at new skills and gaining new abilities is always an option!

Engaging with the concept of neuroplasticity help with learning new skills - not immediately at something doesn't mean this will always be the case, it'll just take time and practice to form the pathways to allow for it. This engagement can also encourage putting importance on interrupting negative spirals and trying to reframe self doubt and stress because of it's long lasting impact. This can also hopefully lead to more self kindness and patience (especially when already stressed).

Increasing neuroplasticity is done by engaging in novel and stimulating things where you are able to learn and grow and get positive feedback for putting in that effort! Additionally, prioritising self care and encouraging mental flexibility for reasoning allows for conscious effort to be put into strengthening positive mental pathways. Some examples of this engagement are: * learning new things such as languages, skills etc...

* life enrichment through experiencing new things e.g. travelling

* sleeping enough to allow neurons to grow and strengthen

* physical exercise

* grounding exercises e.g. mindfullness

* playing games e.g board games, video games etc...

This link goes into more depth on some of the scientific explanations of what is actually happening in the brain, particular in the neuroplasticity in everyday life section.

Growth Mindset

A growth mindset is the concept that being good at something isn't an innate trait, but rather that someone's capactity and talent can be improved over time. This can be seen as relevant for everyone allows you to be aware that you can improve in whatever you are working on - where you start is not an indicate of your full ability! This allows for intrinsic motivation that is curious of wanting to learn and dive deeper and put in effort in for yourself, not extrinsic motivation which is about other peoples wants, and their opinions of you. Knowing you can do better allows for the opportunity to actually do so.

While at a personal level this concept isn't a new one, it can still be helpful to integrate into my own learning journey. When i get stuck remembering that this doesn't mean I can't do something, that this is an opportunity for growth and learning rather than an opportunity to fail. This can also lead to an improvement on how I frame any challenges I come across as ways to get feedback, figure out what I need to put work into and an ability to practice that, as opposed to a reason for excessive stress.

This link goes into more depth about how a growth mindset can not only improve success into traditional learning and working environments, but also improve out interpersonal relationships.

Applying to my learning

A lot of both encouraging neuroplasticity and a growth mindset are already built into how I am approaching my learning. They have influenced it by how I approach the amount work to put in, how to structure breaks, when to ask for help, and to frame challenges as a learning opportunity not a failure opportunity as much as I can. It has also influenced my prioritisation of looking after myself - I have set up my physical learning environment and the outside dev academy activities that I engage in to support me in being able to be in a mindset that allows for an improvement in my neuroplasticity and that can encourage further development of a growth mindset.