If we keep practicing mental skills it is likely we can strengthen neural connections and make new connections. Philippa Perry More Quotes by Philippa Perry More Quotes From Philippa Perry Meditators are shown to have thickening in parts of the brain structure that deal with attention, memory and sensory functions. This was found to be more noticeable in older, more practiced meditators than in younger adults which is interesting because this structure usually tends to get thinner as we age. Philippa Perry brain memories interesting Beginning a new habit, or ending an old one can feel like letting go of a rope that swings a mile above the ground. So we feel reluctant to let go, after all, we've survived so far doing what we've done, why risk it. Philippa Perry swings risk letting-go Neurogenesis continues throughout life and we have the capacity to establish new neural pathways and strengthen existing ones. Philippa Perry pathways capacity Sometimes an artist's vision may get blurred when subjected to a committee because an artwork is usually an expression of something unconscious that is better left in the realm of one person's unconscious if it is to speak to another person's unconscious. Philippa Perry vision artist expression If we are not using our brains' capacity for challenge it feels to me as though it atrophies like an unused muscle. Philippa Perry capacity challenges brain In order to stretch ourselves we do need to experience the vulnerability of not knowing the outcome. Philippa Perry knowing order needs A sense of achievement improves general confidence and self-esteem. Philippa Perry achievement self-esteem self Our emotional map is laid down mainly in relationship with our earliest caregiver in the first couple of years of life. Philippa Perry emotional couple years I am talking about being optimistic enough to sow some seeds in the hope that some of them will germinate and grow into flowers. Philippa Perry optimistic flower talking After a stroke we can re-learn how to talk, because by practicing we can establish different pathways in the brain, circumnavigating the damaged part. Philippa Perry pathways different brain Our brains do not have to be fixed, they can be plastic. Philippa Perry plastic fixed brain When we had to survive on our wits, gather and kill our food from scratch and be more at the mercy of our environment than we are today, we probably had enough challenge to keep our brains healthy. Philippa Perry healthy challenges brain Whether you plan or whether you flow in order to be creative probably isn't the point. The point is to keep practicing to maintain neural pathways and to establish new ones by learning new skills. Philippa Perry skills creative order There are probably times where the creative process is not helped by collaboration. Philippa Perry collaboration creative process Plasticity is an intrinsic property of the human brain and represents evolution's invention to enable the nervous system to escape the restrictions of its own genome and thus adapt to environmental pressures, physiologic changes, and experiences. Philippa Perry environmental pressure brain We don't have to have suffered brain damage to take advantage of the plastic nature of our brains. Philippa Perry damage advantage brain If we think of our brains as a map, those early roads are like grooves, tram tracks, easy to fall into. Philippa Perry track fall thinking People tend to slip up and go along the old road before they realise what they've done and climb out of it again. Philippa Perry realising done people A relapse doesn't mean you'll never walk down the path you prefer. But I think relapses are almost an inevitable part of any course of self-development. Philippa Perry self mean thinking If you start from a position of I'm a no-hoper, in a paradoxical kind of way you are not risking being vulnerable. Philippa Perry vulnerable kind way
