Harnessing Neuroplasticity for Greater Productivity and Well-Being
Less than 100 years ago, scientists and doctors believed your brain stopped growing and changing after childhood. Anything after that was a slow decline toward old age. Thankfully, we now know this superb organ is plastic, meaning it continues learning, reorganizing, and adapting well into adulthood through neuroplasticity.
In this article, we explore how neuroplasticity works and how the 100 billion neurons in your brain can help you create a life you love.
This information has the potential to transform your life.
What is neuroplasticity?
Neuroplasticity is your brain’s innate ability to change by forming new neural connections and pruning away old ones.
Think back to when you started driving…
You had to contemplate every move you made – from your hand placement on the steering wheel and the pressure on the gas pedal to which turn signals to use and when.
But, after a few months, the car became like an extension of your body. Now you hop in the car and drive without a second thought! You wired a neural pathway in your brain and strengthened it through repetition.
Tips to stimulate neuroplasticity
Whether you know it or not, you are using neuroplasticity every day, for better or worse. You’re either rerouting your neural circuits towards the life you want – or strengthening unhelpful neural pathways.
Here are our tips to change your brain – and your life – for the better.
1. Practice your good habits
At The Collective Ritual, we believe in daily routines to recharge, re-center, and manifest. And neuroplasticity is part of why our TCR method is so effective. Small daily rituals help us harness neuroplasticity for more confidence, calm, gratitude, and productivity.
The key is to practice good habits consistently – whether through journaling, goal setting, visualization exercises, meditation, breathwork, or yoga.
You can also replace unhelpful habits (like “doom scrolling” on your phone first thing in the morning) with more productive neural pathways. With time, your brain prunes away the old neural circuits, and the habits become a distant memory.
2. Exercise
Regular physical activity doesn’t just strengthen your muscles and bones – it’s a workout for your brain. It challenges your neurons to make new connections and slows cognitive decline1.
Research shows that high-intensity interval training (HIT) and moderate aerobic exercise are most effective for stimulating neuroplasticity2. But it doesn’t have to be anything crazy – even 25 minutes of brisk walking, swimming, cycling, hiking, or yoga are ideal for more physical and mental flexibility.
3. Use your non-dominant hand
Using your non-dominant hand — if you’re right-handed, this is your left hand — is a well-established way to stimulate new brain pathways. Try brushing your hair, throwing a ball, or opening doors with your non-dominant hand to give your brain a different workout.
4. Do something that scares you
Are you stuck in a rut? Do you feel like you’re living on autopilot?
Your brain needs to be challenged to change – which can’t be achieved by staying in your comfort zone. Doing something that challenges or scares you every day helps your brain adapt. Plus, it’s a catalyst for personal growth!
This isn’t to say you should ignore your gut instincts and go into dangerous situations. No! It’s about getting out of your comfort zone and embracing change, even if it feels scary. This could include traveling, a career change, joining a yoga class, learning a new language, or leaving a relationship that doesn’t serve you.
5. Start a meditation practice
Mindfulness meditation is the practice of staying in the present moment by noticing your thoughts, bodily sensations, and sounds in the environment. And it can change your brain on a fundamental level.
Research shows that gently and repeatedly bringing yourself back into the moment with meditation strengthens neural connections in your brain and increases gray matter3. It rewires your brain for more calm, self-awareness, and compassion.
Start slow; just 10 minutes of mindfulness meditation can enhance neuroplasticity and quieten your mind. As you forge new pathways, you’ll find it easier to be mindful in daily life.
6. Protect and nourish your brain
Your brain is an energy-intensive organ that requires a constant supply of nutrients. Healthy fats, high-quality protein, whole-food carbohydrates, minerals, vitamins, and antioxidants protect and fuel your brain so it can form new neural pathways4.
Walnuts, for example, are packed with healthy omega-3 fats and brain-protective vitamin E.
Check out our article on the top brain-boosting superfoods and supplements for ideas on how to nourish your brain.
Wrapping up
Your brain’s ability to grow and change is your superpower! Neuroplasticity allows you to remove dysfunctional thought patterns and become a healthier, calmer, and more productive human.
What step are you taking today to rewire your brain for health and happiness?
