Neuroplasticity And Your New Brain For Success: Calming Interventions, For Raising Mood And Performa

By Author: Sue Stebbins
Total Articles: 2
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The human brain is meant to maintain a state of calm and relaxed balance known as “homeostasis.” Homeostasis is upset by a number of stress-inducing factors which may include, job stress, parenting issues, relationship turmoil, as well as many other stressors. Some people are even born into an imbalance in homeostasis because of parental abuse or neglect. Whether you were born into a state of imbalance or life has gradually thrust such a state upon you, change is possible.
A common misconception about the human brain is that the connections formed early on are set in stone and not subject to change. Although it is true that your brain is at its most malleable during infancy and early childhood, your fate is not set at that time. Basic concepts about trust and human interaction are learned in infancy. These learned perceptions will be negative if your earliest experiences are negative. For instance, infants with cold, inattentive parents may come to see the world as a callous place where people are not to be trusted. These infants will form anxious or avoidant attachments to others. Anxiety is caused, in such instances, ...
... by a lack of faith in others to meet the infant’s physical and psychological needs. This anxiety upsets homeostasis and keeps some individuals in an almost constant state of limbic stress and arousal. The ability to counteract the long-term effects of such trauma lies in the discovery of neuroplasticity (Braver, n.d.).
What neuroplasticity means to you is that you can rewire your brain for success. Your past experiences need not define you or predict your potential. Recent scientific breakthroughs in neuroscience have revealed that the brain is an ever-changing organ that adapts and develops through new experiences. What you learned in infancy can, essentially, be unlearned. The anxiety caused by early childhood trauma or negative perceptions of the world can be healed through processes of limbic calming.
The limbic system is sometimes referred to as the “emotional brain.” It is the limbic system’s responsibility to respond to stress by preparing the mind and body with what is known as the “flight or fight” reaction to a perceived threat. It is this response that causes your heart to race and adrenalin to rush through your system, upsetting homeostasis (Pinel, 2009). Perceived threats will vary and are dependent on an individual’s experiences. Those who have experienced trauma may have their flight or fight response frequently triggered by benign objects or situations. The challenge, once this stress-response has been triggered, is to regain mental and emotional balance. Limbic calming is the responsibility of the parasympathetic nervous system and it is often difficult to accomplish in a timely matter.
Everyone experiences stress and feeling of being overwhelmed or out of control. By learning to activate the parasympathetic response to stressors, you gain the ability to return your mind and body to a naturally balanced state much quicker following a stressful event. The dynamics of the home and the workplace could be modified for greater success if each individual in that environment understood how to balance emotional responses to stress.
Aids that have been proven successful at activating the parasympathetic response include music, meditation, exercise, and art. Some of these methods can be combined for greater success. For instance, listening to soft music during a short meditation session may bring about balance more quickly than using only one limbic calming method. Try a 60 second meditation accompanied by soft music or rhythmic sounds (such as a metronome) to regain inner strength and balance while at home or the office. Claiming just one moment for your health and well-being can change the tone for the entire day. As your brain adapts to a more consistent state of calm, you may find that this balanced state of being is easier to achieve. Your brain’s plasticity is a gift that allows you to train your mind to remain in a state of calm even when tested with the day-to-day stresses that we all know so well.
About the Author: Sue Stebbins, is the CEO/Founder of Successwaves- a 19 year old Premier brain based Coaching and Consulting company, specializing in Healthy Integrated and Brain Based Peak performance.
Sue’s SuccesswavesNeuro-Coaching Audio, and Training, are used by Fortune 500 clients, Entrepreneurs, Experts, and people of all ages- around the world- who want the latest science of how we learn, and improve.
An internationally recognized trusted authority, on brain based learning, optimal performance, and the science of brain based accelerated learning and results- she is a highly sought out speaker, trainer, and coach who is often referred to as “the Woman who delivered my dreams”.
To schedule a Complimentary Make it Happen Now! Session, or for more information on Sue’s and her coaches speaking, online training, retreats and workshops, please contact sue@successwaves.com or toll free 1.866.731.8344. Your Life Will Change

References
Braver, T.S. (n.d.) Working memory, cognitive control, and the prefrontal cortex: computational
and empirical studies. Retrieved from http://ccpweb.wustl.edu/pdfs/CP.pdf
Pinel, J. P. J. (2009). Biopsychology (7th ed.). Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon.
Lovden, M., Backman, L., &Lindenburg, L. (2010, July). A Theoretical framework for the study
of adult
cognitive plasticity. American Psychological Association, 136(4), . Retrieved from https://ehis.ebscohost.com/eds/detail?vid=2&hid=23&sid=3056d9fb-f27f-440b-bd63-e0f977b465ab%40sessionmgr10&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWRzLWxpdmU%3d#db=pdh&AN=bul-136-4-659