Neuroplasticity
Neuroplasticity is the ability of the brain to remodel or rewire itself. Neuroplasticity primarily occurs from a process called sprouting and rerouting. Sprouting is the creation of new connections between neurons, or nerve cells. Rerouting is when an alternate neural pathway by deleting damaged neurons and forming a new pathway between active neurons. New pathways are created when the brain needs to reorganize itself. Neural pathways are created as people learn new skills and do different things in their life. The brain makes new pathways when it has to compensate with new or different situations. An example of this is when someone gets an injury, it is a new living situation to have to live with an injury. Say if it was a bad leg injury, then the brain would have to relearn how to walk in a way that would stop it hurting. After a while, the brain doesn’t need to focus on walking like that, it just comes naturally. This is because the brain already has neural pathways on that. Another example of this is when we first started to walk. We didn’t know how to walk at first, and when we were trying to as a baby, we were in the process of making new neural pathways. Now we know have to walk, and we don’t have to think about it.
Training your brain
Training your brain is the exercising of the brain. The brain is like a muscle. If you don’t use it, it weakens. Training your brain is when you exercise your brain. An example of this is doing things like challenging new activities like sudokus and electronic or non-electronic games, meditation, physical exercise, and reading. Training your brain is very helpful for your brain. It actually increases growth factors in the brain which makes it easier to produce neural pathways and learn and pick up skills quicker and easier.
Resilience and grit
Grit is the ability to have a positive and never give up attitude, and to have perseverance. Grit cannot be taught, it has to come from your own mind. An example of grit is a man called Nick Vujicic. He has no arms, or legs. He used grit to persevere through the many challenges in his life, such as his childhood and doing things for himself. He learned by himself to serve for himself and learn how to do things that others could do easily. This wasn’t easy for him, because he had no arms or legs and a lot of skills involve those limbs. Instead of giving up, he used his grit and his perseverance to push through the challenges. An example of his gritty mindset is how he thinks he isn’t disabled. Many people would look at him and call him disabled but he doesn’t think he is. He says that the definition of disabled is a mental or physical condition that limits you to do something. He said that he is not limited to do anything because he can do anything that anyone else can do.
Happiness
Happiness is really important for you. It is one of the best things in life because without it life would be disappointing and grim. Some things that give you happiness is playing games, playing sport, spending time with friends and family, and eating tasty food.