Klaudia Mitura: Hello, happiness seekers. Welcome to the happiness challenge where I'll be discussing what is neuroplasticity and how to engage in neurobics. This month is a little bit different from the usual layout of the show because I'm away for the majority of November. And therefore I thought for you, my dear listeners, it will be a good time to reflect of what we have learned so far about happiness in series four.
So in this short episode, first of all, I'm going to explore the concept of neuroplasticity and neurobics. What is it? How does it relate to happiness? And also, I'm going to propose how to pair it up with the happiness-boosting habits that we have explored so far in series four of the show to feel happier and more joyful.
So tune in.
So what is neuroplasticity? This term is often referred to as the brain's remarkable adaptability. It's simply our brain’s ability to reorganize itself by forming new neural connections throughout life. And for many years, scientists wrongly believed that neuroplasticity is applicable only to Children.
But actually, now we know that the brain can change and adapt no matter what our age. Whether through learning a new skill, developing a new habit, or adapting to changing circumstances, neuroplasticity is the core of these processes. It reminds us that the brain is not a static entity at all, but rather a dynamic and resilient organ that is capable of growth and adaptation.
And understanding this is crucial to our happiness. Because neuroplasticity is the mechanism which allows us to learn how to be happier. So here are three examples of how neuroplasticity and happiness are interconnected.
The first example of neuroplasticity and happiness interconnection is mindfulness and meditation. Practices like mindfulness and meditation, which involve focus, attention and awareness have been shown to induce neuroplastic changes in the brain. These changes, in turn, lead to increased emotional regulation, reduced stress and an overall sense of wellbeing, promoting happiness.
A second example is positive thinking. Neuroplasticity plays a role in shifting our thought patterns. By consciously redirecting our thoughts towards positivity and gratitude, we can rewire our brains to focus on the good aspects of life, which can enhance our overall happiness. And now I must say this was a game changer for me because I'm generally prone to concentrate on what's negative in my life.
I'm actually prone to thinking about all the negatives that may happen in the future and actually understanding that with a practice of gratitude, I can rewire my brain. My brain has that capacity that was really changing how I approach happiness in day-to-day life. And the third example, learning and positive habits, neuroplasticity enables us to acquire new knowledge and skills.
So when we engage in learning experiences that brings us joys and satisfaction, which could be anything. Mastering a musical instrument, learning how to cook a new recipe, and learning a new language, our brain rewires itself to support these abilities. And of course, when we develop different happiness-boosting habits and skills, the sense of accomplishment and progress that we are making changes that we are on the quest contributes to our overall happiness.
So in essence, neuroplasticity allows us to continually adapt and shape our brain structure in function in ways that can lead to increased happiness and by engaging in activities that promote positive changes in our neural pathways and fostering that growth mindset, we can enhance our overall wellbeing, happiness and life satisfaction. And this is where neurobics come into play.
Neurobics are brain exercises that are designed to stimulate and challenge the brain to rewire, enhance its cognitive functioning, to create new neural connections, and if they are Paired with happiness-boosting habits, neurobics can also increase our overall happiness.
So they are fantastic exercises that can help us to increase the neuroplasticity of our brain to help us to rewire our brain, but also help us to rewire the brain for that happiness and more joy in life. So four ideas for neurobic exercises that you could do every day whilst also Pairing them with specific happiness-boosting habits.
So here we go.
Number one, brush your teeth with your non-dominant hand while setting a positive intention for the day. So this simple task of using non dominant hand disrupts our brain's routine and promotes the growth of new neural connections. While setting a positive intention is this act of choosing, and visualizing our next positive emotion, and that shifts our mood towards happiness.
So remember, back in episode 66, I interviewed Dr. Sean Sullivan, clinical psychologist, who introduced the concept of shifts, and how we can shift our mood on demand by visualising positive emotions. So relisten to that episode, if you want to learn more, but overall brush your teeth with your non-dominant hand, fantastic neurobic, and pair it up with setting positive intentions to shift your mood towards a positive emotion.
Amazing happiness, boosting hack to start the day.
A second idea for Neurobic paired up with happiness boosting habit is take up a new hobby or a skill because learning something new stimulates brain growth and adaptability, but it also is an important confidence booster. So remember back in episode 72, I have explored five sources to boost our confidence and feel good about ourselves.
And one of them is mastery. Learning new skills to have a positive impact builds our self-belief. So by learning something new, ask yourself today, what new skill or ability I could try today. What's something new I could learn today is a very important neurobic that helps us to create new neural connections in our brain, but it will be also something that boosts your confidence, and you will feel good about yourself.
A third idea for a neurobic exercise paired with positive habit is to take a different route whilst listening to healing sounds. So when walking to familiar places intentionally take a different route, this forces our brain to pay more attention to the environment around us and also form a fresh mental map.
Whilst healing sounds keep our parasympathetic nervous system engaged, helping us to feel relaxed. So remember back in episode 74, you can dive deeper into how to stimulate your nervous system to unwind and relax. But whilst walking, whilst engaging in activities that can stimulate our spatial awareness, and whilst we're doing that, we are listening to healing sounds.
We can be learning; we can be exercising our brain whilst also making sure that we're keeping calm and relaxed. And the final idea for a neurobic paired up with happiness-boosting habit is to engage multiple senses at once. Like taking a cold shower while singing your favourite tune.
This not only enhances sensory perception and cognitive flexibility because we're engaging different senses, but it also is kick-starting the feel-good chemicals in our brain to make us feel more joyful. Episode 76 is all about how to overcome the feeling of light in the morning by kickstarting dopamine in our brains.
So incorporating these neurobic exercises into your daily routine, you can make sure that you can keep your brain active, agile, and continuously evolving, whilst also pairing them with those happiness-boosting hacks such as setting positive intentions for the day, boosting your confidence by using your skills, listening to healing sounds to feel calm and kick-starting your dopamine levels for more joy.
You will also ensure that you feel happier. So have a great month. I see you in the next episode. Experiment with those neurobics. Experiment with those happiness-boosting hacks, but remember also don't be a stranger, drop me a line on LinkedIn. I dare you to be happy.
I see you in the next episode. Bye
