As I continue to delve into current research, talk to caregivers of those with Alzheimer’s and work with clients, the most common 
misconception that I have found is the belief that our brains stop developing as we grown older. I hear people say things like “I can’t do that” or “I tried and it didn’t work”. The thing that I see most of us misunderstanding and overlooking is the capacity of our brains to change in structure and function from mental experiences. In truth, it’s only in the last ten years or so that we have come to realize the amazing and unlimited capacity of our brains every day of our lives.
In our day to day activities, we see many examples of our minds taking over. Some of our habits are so automatic, that we don’t even realize we’re doing them. Whether it’s your morning routine, how you drive to work, the path you take through the grocery store, the old saying that we are creatures of habit is so true.
On the flip side of that, there are many examples individuals who “lost” abilities from health or accident situations and have re-learned, re-trained, and restored their abilities through repetition and practice. Whether its athletes at the Special Olympics, or the elderly lady I met yesterday who has learned to become more left handed to cover off the relearning with her right side after a stroke.
Persistence and repetition seem to be critical elements in the journey back to wellness. Our ability to learn and re-learn is not limited by our age. In fact the good news is that when you have grey hair, you often have more time to learn, re-learn and re-train yourself.
What are you re-training your brain or learning to do?