Want To Change Your Brain? Try Something New!
Are you the kind of person who jumps at the opportunity to learn a new skill or go on an adventure? Or do you usually shy away when new situations present themselves? When was the last time you learned how to do something new?
Recently, Parker decided she wanted to learn how to skateboard. As I watched her quickly move from awkward to being in the flow, I realized I wanted to learn how to skateboard too. My first thought was, what if I fall and hurt my wrist? My second thought was, you will heal, go have fun! I jumped up and grabbed the other skateboard. I was wobbly and awkward at first, but after we were at it for a little while I started to be able to go for longer distances. I felt less wobbly and awkward. I challenged my assumptions of what I thought I was capable of. Most of all I felt energized and alive and I had a blast.
After you learn something new, your brain becomes more “plastic” and malleable. Every time we learn something new our brain forms new connections and neurons and makes existing neural pathways stronger or weaker. When you try new things you are literally changing the chemistry of your brain.
Learning a new skill can help you reduce stress. It helps you break out of your normal patterns of behavior and gives your brain something to think about other than your daily worries.
When we succeed in learning something new we feel better and more confident in ourselves and our ability to tackle all sorts of new tasks. Learning new skills can help refresh your mind and help you think in different ways.
Not having new experiences and learning new things will slow your brain down and make it less responsive. Learning new things as an adult is good for your health and has been shown to slow the onset and progression of Alzheimer’s and dementia.
Your brain continues changing right up until the end of your life, and the more you learn along the way, the more your brain will change and the more “plastic” it will be.
Knowledge is power. What are you going to do with your new knowledge? Let me know in the comments what new skill you are going to learn!