With some newfound clarity about why I’m actually writing this blog (to share stuff that I know and which might help people get on and live their lives, get unstuck and so on), this little gem simply has to be seen.  I had been working in mental health for a long time before I heard about this and it was like music to my ears, and although it’s pretty mainstream now it is still an optimistic and freeing take on being human and our lifelong ability to learn, grow and change.  Everybody can benefit from knowing this:   

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ELpfYCZa87g

If the link doesn’t work, search for ‘Sentis neuroplasticity’ and it should be the first result.  

It is only two minutes long and it really can change your life. 

Please watch it as many times as it takes for you to grasp the significance of it.  I would particularly draw attention to the phrase ‘with repeated and directed attention towards the desired change’. 

So call this whatever you like, it’s about developing the observer perspective in order to recognise choices and practise new and more helpful responses.

It is a positive process that requires practice, it is NOT about subtraction – meaning it is NOT about making unwanted things (thoughts, feelings, memories etc.) go away or stop, it is NOT trying to control difficult thoughts and feelings, suppression or avoidance, giving things up etc., and it is NOT effortful.

It IS about addition – aka learning new ways of responding, rather than reacting to what bothers you (more on this later), making different choices, trying new things. 

When you make changes or learn something new the actual structure of your brain changes, and the more you practice the easier it gets. 

So if you want to make a change – crack on, start building that new pathway.  But of course, you have to really want to make that change.  And you’ll have to repeat, repeat, repeat, and repeat some more … and I repeat, it does not have to be effortful (yes, this is for you EP!), it is observational and non judgemental.