Needless to say, our brains change quite a lot throughout our lifetime. But can we take control of that process? According to communication pathologist and cognitive neuroscientist Caroline Leaf, Ph.D., we absolutely have the ability to direct the plasticity process in our favor. Whether it’s dealing with emotional trauma, anxiety, or simply expanding your knowledge-base (before a test, perhaps), we can restructure our brains and transfer that energy in a positive direction. “Plasticity happens whether you like it or not, so it helps to be in control of the process,” she says. It’s a touch more difficult than it sounds, especially because Leaf recommends limiting yourself to seven to 30 minutes a day. “Because of the emotional weight, you need to limit yourself to a little at a time,” she says. That being said, it could take days before you feel ready to move on to the next stage. Again, it’s not quite a linear process. “Sometimes people push it back down, and you have to gather again and go back and forth,” Leaf says. Perhaps you spend a couple of minutes gathering, then around five minutes reflecting in one sitting; as mentioned, you might have to break it up into days. When you’re writing down your thoughts, you’re able to achieve cognitive fluency and quite literally get your thoughts out of your head and onto paper, which is important, especially for managing anxiety: “Otherwise, you’re pushing [the thoughts] into your body, down to the level of your cells,” says Leaf. Of course, you might feel a stress response while you’re writing, but at least you’re releasing those thoughts from your body, says Leaf, rather than squashing them down. An important note: This process is not meant to be completed in a single day. Brain building takes work, and it requires long-term commitment. In fact, Leaf says, it takes 63 days for neuroplasticity to occur. “It takes 21 days to break down your thoughts and start the building process, but real neuroplasticity happens after 63 days,” she says. So be patient: If you’re trying to rewire your brain to become less anxious, for instance, you might still feel stressed after the five steps are completed. Don’t fight it, but don’t lose hope, either. After all, changing your brain is no easy feat. As Leaf states, “You have to recreate the future, so give yourself those days.”
