Did you know that your amazing brain grows throughout your life? As long as you are alive your brain continues to learn new things and literally develop physically.
We have been talking about how to change your mindset. For a greater understanding, let’s look at how your brain functions – and why we can expect to change.
In the last posts we have been talking about changing your mindset on purpose. Indeed, it changes throughout life even if you don’t try to guide it. As you have new experiences, make new acquaintances, and learn new skills your mindset continues to grow.
That’s partly because of your amazing brain.
So let’s look at the “why” behind that. Why does it change on its own throughout life? Aren’t our brains through growing when we reach adulthood? How does this happen when things like strokes often can’t be recovered from?
Actually, the idea that our brains stop growing and changing was never correct. Scientists and doctors used to think this was the case, but they discovered differently when brain imaging technologies were developed. Your brain changes throughout your life just like every one of your other organs!
This discovery led directly to the concept of neuroplasticity, which means that the brain changes itself, both in structure and function, throughout your life. It adapts and modifies itself on an almost constant basis to new experiences and sensory inputs.
As an example, consider learning a new skill. When you learn something new, your brain creates new cells to hold the information and new connections to bind it together and connect it to the rest of your brain. These cells and connections become more numerous and more dense as you get better at the skill.
When you have done something one way for a long time, your brain has developed a mass of cells and connections. That’s why it’s harder to change well established habits.
The longer you’ve done something, the harder it is to change because of the amount of brain matter that’s devoted to doing it. That’s why it’s so hard to quit smoking after doing it for a decade, for example.
This is why an attempt to change long held mindsets take longer. It may even seem impossible, but it’s not. It just takes longer.
Since you never stop experiencing life, your brain never stops changing. The only time it stops making changes is when the area responsible for them becomes too damaged to function, such as after a major stroke or brain injury. Even then, researchers have found that the brain will sometimes respond to such an injury by rerouting connections around it!
Your brain is an amazing organ. It’s capable of doing far more than we give it credit for. You are also an amazing creature and with God’s help can do much more than you realize.
Don’t let outdated theories of brain function convince you that you can’t change your mindset and lead the life you want. You can do it.
Be patient and persistent. The power of your amazing brain is on your side.
P.S. A PLR Package to help you and your clients grow your mindset. Overcoming Limiting Beliefs.
