How to change your mind

Our brains are truly amazing, aren’t they? Have you ever watched one of those TV shows or Documentaries about someone who experienced an amazing, unexpected recovery after a traumatic brain injury, stroke, or other brain damage? Some of those stories seem like the only explanation is pure magic or miraculous, instead of science. Although it does seem inexplicable, scientists have been hard at work studying these cases over the last several decades, and have found the explanation behind the magic: Neuroplasticity Neuroplasticity refers to the brain’s ability to adapt. Our brains are truly extraordinary; unlike computers, which are built to certain specifications and receive software updates periodically, our brains can actually receive hardware updates in addition to software updates. Different pathways form and fall dormant, are created and are discarded, according to our experiences. And with "experiences" I mean the demands we put on our brains. When we learn something new, we create new connections between our neurons. We literally rewire our brains to adapt to new circumstances. And even though this happens automatically and unconsciously on a daily basis, it’s also something that we can encourage and stimulate by conscious choice.