I know it’s been a long time, but remember back to when you were learning to read.  First you had to memorize the alphabet and all the sounds.  Then you had to painstakingly sound out single words to such thrillers as “See Jane run” or “Chad is sad.”  But after years of practice, you are now skimming through this post attending to its meaning without needing to think about the process of reading at all.  This ability is due to the brain’s amazing complexity and the formation of neural networks, intricate patterns of brain connections which are the biological basis of complex learning and habit formation.  Understanding the role of neural networks can help you be more effective in making even the most difficult changes.

Our brain has 100 billion little computers, or neurons, that establish connections when we experience something new.  These networks form a database of information, such as thoughts, feelings, actions, and beliefs.  We begin growing these connections from the moment we’re conceived, learning to eat, walk and talk.  The formation of networks allows us to go about our day with our usual behavior being automatic so that we can focus on what we choose.  With recent discoveries in brain imaging, scientists have learned why repetition is so important in learning.  The more you repeat a thought or behavior, the more solidly a neural network is established and reinforced.  It’s like your brain building highways instead of having to use back roads.

New techniques in brain imaging have also discovered that the brain is quite capable of forming new connections at any age.  This is known as brain plasticity.  The most effective way of creating new networks or rewiring habits is through repetition and intensity.  Repetition is simply practice, practice, practice, actively choosing to do the same thing again and again.  By consciously doing the same new behavior, over time, you make the neural pathway for the new behavior the preferred one.  So, for example, if every day you have tea after dinner instead of the cookie you usually have, in about three weeks, the tea will be your new habit. You will actually look forward to it.  But you have to be consistent and do the same behavior.  If one day you have tea, and one day you go for a walk, it will be more difficult to replace the cookie with a new habit.

Emotions play a big role in the wiring of brain connections.  As a means of survival, intense experiences such as your wedding day or a car accident are highly effective at creating neural networks and influencing behavior.  So be mindful of your thoughts and feelings. The more you think about how scary something is, the more fearful you will become. So the more you can think about times when you were courageous, the more your courage will be wired in.

Wouldn’t it be great if we could just open our skull and disconnect a neural network for substance abuse, anger outbursts, or calling your ex-boyfriend?  Perhaps someday we will be able to.  In the mean time, habit change takes considerable effort.  Neural networks are the reason why you don’t have to relearn everything, including the alphabet, each time you read, but they’re also why we have to be so consistent in order to change.  It takes motivation and sustained effort to rewire our brain.  Not only do we have to commit to doing something new again and again, but we need to attend to our emotions and attitudes around this behavior as well.  Do your best to make a change meaningful and reward your accomplishments  By actively engaging your heart, mind, and muscles simultaneously, over time, you can establish change in your brain and change in your life, no matter how old or wired you are.