Pathways to Great Things
“The old Amanda would have probably said no, but maybe the new Amanda will want to do this”…. words of my friend inviting me to a house party. I love hearing that from people when they notice a change in me, and trust me, I do hear it often. 16 year-old Amanda loved a good house party, but somewhere along the way the rigidity and anxiety set in. If you have been reading my blog since I started it, you’ll know that I am breaking that mold.
And, I am learning some things along the way. Like, how we box ourselves into what we anticipate people will expect of us, and fear straying from that persona. And, if you are someone who doesn’t typically thrive on attention you don’t want the shock-value reaction when you do something out of the ordinary.
Part of it for some of us is simply not giving ourselves permission to do things we have never done before, because we aren’t ready to accept our potential. That’s a big one really.
I’ve had a really interesting conversation with a friend recently who is learning how to drive, and who is really very scared at the idea. She doesn’t believe me, but I know she is capable of someday driving with such comfort and confidence that the music is blaring and she has only one hand on the wheel. I know that because, I was once there. And now I am on the other side of it.
But it all starts in how we speak to ourselves. Whatever we think we will believe. Our brains are amazing and can also create new thoughts and pathways. We can be responsible for creating a path that leads us to great things.
Neuroplasticity is the brain’s capacity to never stop growing and changing. Our brain has the ability to create new networks if we allow it. That can go either way; if you think the same obsessive negative thoughts over and over it is almost like wearing a pathway in your brain, which then just like on a hiking trail you automatically follow. Those hiking trail paths started as nothing and that can be true of new pathways in your brain. There is actual science behind this and you can read about neurons and nerve cells here if you are so inclined.
If you start forming new thoughts and stick to thinking them (those positive affirmations like “you can do this” or “you are capable”) they actually do get easier and easier to believe. It’s science.
Essentially though, neuroplasticity is the brains capacity for flexibility. Flexibility was old Amanda’s nemesis and rigidity was her friend.
My trip to Kenya is in 5 weeks! And I have somehow managed to shift the way my brain even approached the idea of the trip in the first place. Originally if you remember I was listing all of the things that would be challenges for me and convincing myself they would be opportunities to learn something new or to grow. Now, I am just getting excited and not giving too much thought to the challenge at all.
I did stop myself from going on my deck last night because there was a spider out there that was as big as my hand! Some pathways are pretty deeply engrained. If it is out there again I’ll try to talk myself into not being afraid of it. If I am successful, I’ll let you know during the next post. I also haven’t come to the packing part of the trip, which of all the things, is giving me a fair bit of grief (I’m only allowed 30lbs of luggage for 2 weeks in an area where I can’t buy things I forget), but once I get a trial pack under my belt, I think I’ll be all set.
One other thought before I sign off is that I cooked a new recipe tonight. While I was cooking it and learning the new steps needed to create the meal, I was thinking about how even something like changing what we cook is important in developing new pathways in our brain too. Even that can keep our brain stimulated and flexible. The pad thai I made was delicious by the way and if you'd love to chat about our brain’s flexibility, new recipes, or any of the things I write about here, please reach out. I love the connections. I may even join my friend at that party and make even more connections; who knows.
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