Be

Neuroplasticity: The Process of Learning New Habits

New Year, new me. We’ve all heard this phrase uttered before, but what does it mean? Enter neuroplasticity onto the stage. A topic that I’ve been obsessed with, but too intimidated to write about for over a year now.

Neuroplasticity is the ‘ability of neural networks in the brain to change through growth and reorganization.’ This can occur if there is a brain injury and another part of the brain takes over function or learning a new ability, environment influences, practice or psychological stress. The rewriting of neural networks enables individuals to recover from stroke, injury, birth abnormalities, learning disabilities, pull of out a depression, reverse addictive tendencies or obsessive-compulsive behaviors.

The process of learning and creation of new habits is synonymous with neuroplasticity. New neural circuits, create likelihood of certain behaviors repeating when those neurons fire. The changes are most likely to occur when the individual is engaged or motivated for the changes. Cue the enthusiasm usually associated with New Year’s Resolutions.

Each moment of learning, or each repetition creates a circumstance where the brain will stabilize. Meaning, the brain will strengthen connection that need to occur to master a skill while, at the same time, weaking other neural connections that are not used.

Finally, memory acts as a guide to control most learning that occurs. The brain takes note of the good attempts and discards the not so good attempts. It then recalls the last good attempt and makes incremental adjustments and progressively improves. A common athletic example is an athlete practicing free throws. The repetitive action ignites certain neurons to bend the elbow, move into an athletic stance, line up the ball to the backboard and then release. This action has a very distinct set of muscles that engage, creating a collections of neurons that fire. Practice strengthens the neural pathways that are activated and weakens others.

Re-wiring the brain requires repetition. In the Huberman Lab podcast (January 3, 2022), Dr. Andrew Huberman uses the example of individuals walking after dinner as a healthy habit. He debunks the ’21 days forms a habit’ rule, and states that it took some people 18 days and others 250 days to walk 85% of the time. Success is achieved by bridging what Huberman calls as ‘limbic friction’ – the gap between the logical cerebral cortex and the emotional limbic system – between wanting to do a thing and actually doing that thing (Huberman Lab Jan. 2022).

Now that the science has been examined. What resolutions do you want to make for 2022? Can you create those neural connections to make them permanent changes?  There’s much more I want to discover and discuss on this topic, but here’s to a Happy, Healthy New Year!

Disconnected

Disconnected.

I read this as part of a meditative prompt my friend recently suggested to me. At first thought, the word conjured up the idea of being alone, isolated, disjointed. Quarantined. Possibly a reflection of the global pandemic and it’s effects on my usual week of activities.

 The next thought that came to mind was slightly more positive in definition, in this instance, the word disconnect translating to being unplugged, taking a break from social media, taking a break from phone and email and just enjoying the world in that very moment of life. To some this is a desired break from the technological reality many of us are immersed into.

After letting my mind run wild for a few minutes, I came back to the prompt and finished reading the whole thing: identify times or situations you feel disconnected from your true self. What thoughts/emotions do you experience?

That’s a lot heavier than I anticipated. What is my true self? If I don’t know the answer to that, can I feel disconnected from it? Life has a way of repeating lessons that you need to learn though, and in another twist of fate, this question came up after I made a poor decision in my current relationship. Ultimately leaving myself to question many things over the course of the last week. This blunder may not have resulted in a full exploration of my ‘true self,’ but it did initiate exploration of what kind of individual and partner I want to be in the future. I am connected enough to know that if you don’t learn and evolve from your mistakes, you eventually become them. While engaging in improving the areas I identified this week, I hope to find a more clear definition of my True Self.

Guest Blog

Christine Taranto: Who Am I?

Who am I? I love this question because I always answer; first, I am human. Humans are the only species on this planet that can pose this question to ourselves. We are also the single species that deals with asking esoteric questions that can result in an identity crisis. Much like I did at 32 years old (pssst, I’m only 34 now). I thought I knew who I was: a successful Marine Officer, a successful runner, and….well yes, I had made it to a point in life where the only things I felt that defined me, were my successes. Turn 2015; I was Marine Corps Athlete of the Year (for the second time), I was just about to finish my masters, and had high hopes of qualifying for the Olympic Trials in the marathon as an active duty Marine. So much success.

What happens next? With high hopes of winning the Marine Corps Marathon the next year, I found myself face first on the pavement at mile 18 being carried away in an ambulance, a broken foot three months later, and to ice the cake, a hip reconstruction surgery to follow. Defined by my successes and finding myself in a trough of what would seem like failures. I did not know who I was, where my place was, and I had utterly lost my outlet to deal with my thoughts and emotions without sport. I found myself (figuratively) running for a therapist. Yes, I said it. I went to a therapist and still see one regularly.

In the middle of an identity crisis and suffering from what would turn out to be a diagnosed lifelong problem with anxiety and depression, I found understanding at therapy. At the time, therapy was one of the best gifts I’ve ever given myself, but I was still suffering. Epstein says, “therapy often leads to understanding without relief.” I was still suffering and sad until I found an ally. An Injured Athlete life coach who understood where I was. Who knew just what I was going through because she had been there. Not a Marine, but a fellow athlete who had one point defined her life through athletic successes. Through her counsel, I grew. Not physically, but emotionally, spiritually. I became precisely who I am today. Someone I am proud of successes, failures, flaws, the all-inclusive me.

So who am I? In free-write form, I am…a daughter, a sister, a wife, a runner, a coach, a counselor, a mentor, a friend, an introvert who acts extroverted, a leader of Marines, a leader of the human race, humble enough to go to therapy, I am a coach, a volunteer, a dog-mom, an eating disorder survivor, a catholic, a mental health advocate, a feminist, an LBGTQ ally, a reader, a learner, a unicorn, I am humble and full of humility. I am strong, physically, mentally, and spiritually, I am not the best cook, hate washing dishes, and pay someone else to clean my house (even if I clean it before she gets there most of the time). I’m dealing with infertility, but willing to talk about it to destigmatize it. I know it is no small feat to figuratively disrobe in front of others, but it’s healing for me and hopefully inspiring. Is that not what leadership is about? Inspiring others? I take risks with my openness, with my emotions, work towards being my true authentic self to inspire others to do the same. I found by quieting the mind, I was able to strengthen the muscle of the mind and follow and trust it in ways I never knew. I am not super woman, but I am kind of amazing.

Who I am is always learning, growing, and evolving. It is commonly said that is how we become the best version of ourselves, but I believe we truly never get there. We are just the best version of ourselves for where we are right now.

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