For a long time, scientists believed that the brain was hardwired, meaning that change is impossible and that the system of responses and tendencies you inherited from your family is your destiny. But in fact, the brain possesses elasticity, an ability to shut down old pathways of thought and form new ones, at any age, at any time. Moreover, it can do so relatively quickly, especially compared to the usual evolutionary models in which time is measured in generations and eons and not in weeks. As I’m beginning to learn and as neuroscience is beginning to acknowledge: • Our thoughts matter. •
...more
