Opening day is more than just the start of a new season – it symbolizes hope, renewal, and the beginning of warmer weather. For many Americans, it’s a time to come together with friends and family, indulge in hot dogs and beer, and root for their favorite team. It’s a day when anything is possible when every team has a chance to win, and when the love of the game is at its strongest. (For the non-sports fans among us, Major League Baseball season opening day was March 30, 2023)
As these finely tuned machines step onto the field, it’s hard to imagine Aaron Judge (New York Yankees) once played Little League. And he did. They all did. They all started in friendlier leagues or even just neighborhood ball. As they grew up, the game became more brutal, the competition fiercer, the speed of the balls faster, and the calls of the ref harsher. Life did not and does not become simpler. The challenges we face intensify. Having a zit on picture day or Sam going to the prom with someone else is objectively less complicated than job losses and aging parents. Yet, just as Aaron Judge rises to the increasing challenges of his league, so can we.
For many years, it was believed that the brain was a fixed and unchanging organ, unable to grow or change significantly after childhood. However, research over the past few decades has shown the brain can change and adapt throughout our lives, a phenomenon known as neuroplasticity. When we face challenges in life, our brains respond by creating new neural connections, strengthening existing ones, and pruning away those no longer needed. This process of neuroplasticity allows us to learn from our experiences and grow stronger, just like the baseball player becoming more skilled with each game.
When we learn something new, our brains form new neural connections that allow us to store and retrieve that information later. This can happen through the formation of new neural connections (synapses), the strengthening or weakening of existing synapses, the creation of new neurons (neurogenesis), and changes in the structure and function of existing neurons.
The more we practice a skill or a task, the stronger those connections become, making it easier for us to recall that information or perform that task in the future. As we practice over time, our brains become more efficient, requiring less neural activity. Conversely, our brains can become conditioned to continue strengthening existing neural connections that don’t serve us. For example, when practicing hitting a ball, if you ineffectively held the bat repeatedly, you’d be strengthening pathways for doing it wrong. The more you practice an undesired behavior or response, the stronger and more natural it becomes. Whether trying to learn new skills or break old ineffective patterns, we need to increase neuroplasticity so our brains can make new connections.
Life may not get easier, but our ability to handle challenges can improve over time. By intentionally practicing the desired thoughts and behaviors, neuroplasticity allows us to embrace life’s difficulties and use them as opportunities for growth and transformation. So, the next time you face a challenge, remember that while life may get more demanding, you can get stronger, just like a baseball player growing up and improving at an increasingly complex game.
Learn how to increase your neuroplasticity in the full article here.
