Resilience - Neuroplasticity and the ability to change

Susan Stubbings
Jun 21
4 min read

The only constant in our lives is that of change and with it as a human being we need to be able to change as life changes.

WHAT IS RECILLIENCE?

Resilience is the ability to be adaptable, flexible and have the ability to cope with, bounce back from and recover from life’s difficult conundrums and challenges.

Resilience plays a critical role in having sound mental health and the good news is we can all gain and maintain resiliency, that is we can all foster and strengthen our resilience throughout our lives.

Rooted in our natural ability to change due to something in our brain called Neuroplasticity which plays a fundamental role in fostering our resilience.

WHAT IS NEUROPLACITIY?

Simply put Neuroplasticity is the brains ability to change, reorganise and form new neural connections throughout our lives in learning and experience.

When faced with adverse challenges Neuroplasticity is the key to learning new skills, recover from accidents and injuries and responding to stress because of our brains ability to adapt.

Neuroplasticity occurs from basic units in our nervous system, at the junction where two neurons or nerve cells meet, there’s a minute gap between them called synapse.

Synapses have chemical or electrical messages called neurotransmitters which are released along each neuron. One neuron has a neurotransmitter and the other has a receptor to bind the neurotransmitter, as the signal arrives in the presynaptic neuron it triggers the neurotransmitter that then diffuses (spreads) across the synaptic divide.

This agitates the postsynaptic neuron to carry the message creating communications between the neurons and can change gene expressions creating new connections.

Synaptic plasticity can involve strengthening or weakening the connections between neurons as such the neurotransmitters plays a critical role in our psychological functioning which includes emotions, stress responses, mood and cognition, carrying, balancing and enhancing signals between neurons which impact upon our overall mental health.

Anyone who has engaged in counselling with me will know I say our negative thoughts and our anxieties have gotton so loud inside our mind and drowned out any positivity through repetition. It is the neurotransmitter messages jumping across the divide strengthening either the positive or the negative associations with the thoughts and in turn driving our behaviours.

This is how our neuroplasticity works by repetition of the synapses connections associated with the negative thought patterns on repeat.

The good news is by building growth of and encouraging new neuron through building new networks of interconnections through the neural pathways we can change our mindset and change our lives.

FOSTERING A GROWTH MINDSET AND RECILLENCE

Now we can begin to understand that change and growth is possible and a natural part of our human condition, we can now understand that we are not fixed, flawed or to blame.

We can change and cultivate not only resilience but change our negative mindsets to a growth mindset.

Since neuroplasticity allows our brain to rewire itself it is also a catalyst to our cognitive flexibility to steer it towards accepting, adapting and having the ability to face our challenges in life.

WHAT DOES RECILLENCY LOOK LIKE?

When we use a resilient mindset, we have for example:

A survivors mentality – Avoids thinking in victim mindset and perceiving Self as someone who knows they will get through the difficulties.

A growth mindset – not a fixed or stuck attitude e.g. “we’ve always done it this way”

We recognise the transient nature of challenges – you understand they are just that a challenge to overcome.

Feel in control – holds an internal locus of control and motivated to act, whilst at the same time recognise and accept many things are out of our control.

Problem solving skills – Are not defeated in the face of challenge, rational thought process to evaluate the situation and try solutions until one works.

See setbacks – as opportunity for change and growth.

Have tools – Always developing and maintaining tools to manage emotions, moods, stress and anxieties

Support network – ability to ask for help and support when appropriate

BUILDING RECILLINECE

Since resilience is a skill, we can all learn and by empowering our neurons to wire together and stay together through repeating actions for example:

Develop problem solving skills

Develop mental health tools to alleviate stress

Create and repeating affirmations

Give yourself positive self-instructions, I can do this, today I will set a goal and achieve it

Break things down into management steps and take one action at a time

Believe in your personal abilities

Giving yourself time when face with challenges no rushing in, pause, breath and think before you act

Nurture yourself give equal time to work, rest and play

Learn from you mistakes - Understand that you won’t get it right first time every time

Practice mindfulness once you nerves are calmed and regulated

Final thoughts

Like all new skills the details are in the repeating of practice until those neurons wire together and stay together in a new neural network that then becomes your automatic response to life’s challenges.

So practice, practice, practice and you will become resilient and able to cope automatically.

As Amanda Ripley says

"Resilience is a precious skill. People who have it tend to also have three underlying advantages: a believe that they can influence life events; a tendency to find meaningful purpose in life’s turmoil; and a conviction that they can learn from both positive and negative experiences".

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