It's starting to all add up. A night without wine is beginning to seem like the norm. I think about my typical 'before' evenings- coming home from work and immediately pouring a nice glass of cold crisp white wine. My norm for so many years- and yet, thinking about that now, I caught a thought flitting across my mind- Why would I want to do that? And I don't, really, most of the time now.
I think it has to do with laying down those new neuronal circuits, connections. Remember the neuroscientists' maxim: What fires together wires together? Think of it in the context of piano practice: The first time through a new piece, it is awkward and stumbling (for most of us, anyway, lol). Each time through, our brains change a tiny bit, and the neurons directing each of the finger movements begin to lay down stronger and stronger connections between themselves. Eventually, those connections are so strong that playing the piece seems automatic, like something you've known forever. Professional pianists actually grow the part of the brain that controls finger movements to be larger than the normal person's.
So every night that I come home and do something other than pour a glass of wine, the connections between those non-alcohol-consuming activities becomes stronger. The connection between 'coming home' and 'pour glass of wine' begin to wither, lose strength. So now there is seldom that automatic thought: home-wine.
When I was in medical school, they taught us that by early adulthood, the brain was set, finito, no longer capable of changes. That this is NOT true is one of the most amazing bits of knowledge since then. Our brains CAN change- a lot- and these changes can continue through our last breath. This neuroplasticity- the ability of the brain to change, to be plastic- is amazing to contemplate for those of us who want to make major changes in our lives. It IS possible, we CAN do it!!
I sometimes picture what is happening in my brain- visualize little construction equipment paving the new roads I want to build, using little jack-hammers to remove the ones I want to change. It is surprisingly satisfying!
Here's to each of us, building our new brains!!
I think it has to do with laying down those new neuronal circuits, connections. Remember the neuroscientists' maxim: What fires together wires together? Think of it in the context of piano practice: The first time through a new piece, it is awkward and stumbling (for most of us, anyway, lol). Each time through, our brains change a tiny bit, and the neurons directing each of the finger movements begin to lay down stronger and stronger connections between themselves. Eventually, those connections are so strong that playing the piece seems automatic, like something you've known forever. Professional pianists actually grow the part of the brain that controls finger movements to be larger than the normal person's.
So every night that I come home and do something other than pour a glass of wine, the connections between those non-alcohol-consuming activities becomes stronger. The connection between 'coming home' and 'pour glass of wine' begin to wither, lose strength. So now there is seldom that automatic thought: home-wine.
When I was in medical school, they taught us that by early adulthood, the brain was set, finito, no longer capable of changes. That this is NOT true is one of the most amazing bits of knowledge since then. Our brains CAN change- a lot- and these changes can continue through our last breath. This neuroplasticity- the ability of the brain to change, to be plastic- is amazing to contemplate for those of us who want to make major changes in our lives. It IS possible, we CAN do it!!
I sometimes picture what is happening in my brain- visualize little construction equipment paving the new roads I want to build, using little jack-hammers to remove the ones I want to change. It is surprisingly satisfying!
Here's to each of us, building our new brains!!
