Active Neuro-plasticity

A practical introduction to creating a foundation for resilient living
The ability to live creatively, a singularly human capacity, is signified by the characteristics of: indefatigability, adaptability, ingenuity and aspiration, leading eventually and organically to functional integration.

Or…, the desire and ability for us to consciously employ and expand all of our human capabilities to their fullest extent, so as to live with clarity, power and equanimity - all while living in a highly complex and dynamic society on an active and alive planet!

Each of these qualities is founded on the unique characteristics and ability of our human mind/brain system to make contact with every aspect of life. They are also the fundamental characteristics that are the engine and result of human evolution itself!

These qualities are expressed through our own peculiar assembly of attributes, abilities and limitations in the way we perceive and act in our lives. As such, we all have areas of life, greater or smaller, where our (emotional) response to some aspect of life has us react (unconsciously) or where we rely on a habitual or routine response to manage, or escape, certain aspects or events in life.

Most importantly: it is the effect of repetitive and/or unconscious routine on our brains that deserves our attention - in that, our brain responds to the "sameness" of our thought patterns - creating a "hot", most used, or "most known" and comfortable pathway which becomes, the more often we "use" that same pattern, the equivalent of a “neurological groove”!

The effect of living in this “groove”, operating out of habit, is to narrow our vision and ability to act such, that when it comes time for us to respond to the inevitable next “real-time-challenge” that requires a wider perspective and dynamic response, or “creative solution” - which is what the reality of the situation requires - it may well “feel” (and be) more difficult or even “impossible” to respond to effectively in-the-moment, as the physical brain requires extra energy (through the giving of our complete attention) to “jump out” of the unconscious "narrow groove" of habit” - which is impossible to do for the first time if you are "under presure to respond".

Of note, this generally becomes more and more difficult as our life goes on and our (unconscious) habits become more deeply ingrained - unless, we interrupt this apparent "path of least resistance" (requiring only a lower brain energy state) method of engaging in life.

Why does this matter…?
Because life cannot be lived in a “straight line” or entirely along a known, planned out, (repetitive) path as much as we might wish and try to make it be so…!
Rather, if you take a look at your everyday life through a “functional lens”, to see the challenges of life for what they are and for what they actually require in the nature of a response from us, you will observe that in order to effectively respond in any instance, you are required to "dynamically adapt and adjust" to changing conditions, situations and circumstances, each and every day!

If we're “living in the groove” of unconscious routine anywhere in life - whether we are comfortable in it or not - the longer and more often we’ve used that “same thought pattern” (neurological circuit) - the deeper the “neurological groove” becomes and therefore, the more difficult it becomes to adapt or change our actions and behavioral patterns (i.e to jump out of the "lower brain energy" groove) when life demands, often causing great internal (and external) friction and personal turmoil, and with that the loss of the ability to effectively respond to the challenge-of-the-moment.

The negative effects of the myriad of unconscious, recursive, mental circuits we employ, are far reaching in how they automate our thoughts and actions and how these very thought patterns negate our available intelligence and ability to “do the difficult thing in the moment” required whenever life demands it, the consequences of which are the experience of fear, anxiety, a lack of organic confidence in oneself and an overall lack of personal resilience.

What is there to do about it?
Given that our brain will automatically (unconsciously) respond to EVERY situation with whatever pattern has been most used in the past and is therefore the most “neurologically available” and “psychologically comfortable” - and which remains an unconscious reaction UNTIL or UNLESS - we engage our mental faculties of direct inquiry, observation and discrimination with greater attention (energy) - the faculties required for us to respond with self-conscious, dynamic and adaptive, human intelligence!

Quiet attention - insight - dynamic intelligence As we begin to recognize how much of our lives are lived in this unconscious or partially conscious way, it may seem like an insurmountable "problem" or chellenge, but as with all things of the mind, the resolution is available the instant we consciously engage fully in what we are doing in-the-moment!

So, this does not require "grand gestures", changing entirely the way you eat, sleep and live signifying “the new you”, so prevalent in today’s "personal media" driven society, but rather we can engage our organically neuro-plastic brain in a gradual, more natural and therefore effective way, whereby each day we simply give new and full attention to the basic functions of living, to the things we have repeated many hundreds and thousands of times.

The easiest and most reliable way (meaning we will actually do it) and therefore creating a sustaining positive effect - is by simply engaging in the basic activities of life with your whole brain, whole attention, consistently.

Examples of "where" we can newly engage our inherent “dynamic intelligence” can be found in bringing new attention to life’s most basic activities; in the maintenance of our “physical vehicle”; the way we eat, brush our teeth, get ready for bed and exercise (or not); our patterns of travel, to work and around town; social activity and the way we relate to those we consider our friends; and, even extending to our thoughts about ourselves and our ideas about the world and life in general.

*****

Although the simple activities of the ZeroGravity Challenge may seem “too insignificant" to be worth giving your time and (full) attention to - or, on the other side of the same coin - they may appear "too difficult" as they are a change in the pattern of something you’ve done every day of your life, and therefore "not worth the effort"… However, both of these responses are the literal effect of the existing "grooved" thought patterns - held in our brain, about ourselves and life and therefore, the aspects of ourselves where new attention and energy will bring real benefit.

To give you an easy way to begin to engage your brain neuro-plastically, we created the ZeroGravity Challenge - daily neuro-plasticity enhancing exercises designed to be done as you live your life.

All you have to do is engage your dynamic brain!

Check in each day at https://ZeroGravity.Life to see today’s challenge.

You can find detailed instructions on the challenge here: https://zerogravity.life/zerogravity-challenge/#