Neuroplasticity and the Power of Yes
By Dr. Anna Enright DNP, PCNS-BC
Setting intentions or developing personal mantras always seemed too cliche and new-agey to me. I didn't appreciate the power of these practices until I understood them through the lens of the science of neuroplasticity. Neuroplasticity is the brain’s capacity to grow and change in response to life experiences.
If the brain grows and changes due to our direct experiences, then setting intentions is like planting the seeds for self-directed neuroplasticity. For these intention seeds to grow into behaviors, we must plant them in our consciousness and then nurture them. Naming the characteristics you want more of, and repeating the phrase or a word (mantra) daily, activates those neuronal networks. Repetition is used as fertilizer to strengthen these pathways.
Intentions and Mantras
Unlike goals, which are achievement oriented, intentions grow out of our awareness of what’s important to us as individuals or a team. Setting intentions clarifies the path towards our goals and begins the process of rewiring those neuronal networks. Intentions are embedded in our values. Although there may be universal themes (more peace, more joy, more success, etc.), it is important to develop your unique path.
A mantra is a word or a short phrase which we can repeat in meditation or several times in our day. It is especially useful when we find ourselves in sticky situations and need a reminder of what will serve us best. A simple word or mantra keeps the brain on the path of our intention. I was watching Emily Harrington’s Reaching for the Sky, the third episode on the series Edge of the Earth, now streaming on HBOmax (which I would recommend if you haven’t yet seen it) and she talked about repeating the word “Yes” when she is climbing at her limit and starting to doubt herself. She shares this as being a strategy she developed as a youth climber, which she still uses today! Other examples might sound like “I will be patient with myself and others”, “I will stay calm in stressful situations”, or “Strong! Strong! Strong!”
Coaches who are working with teams can use these strategies to promote team development. Asking the team prompting questions and setting intentions as a group can clarify team culture. These questions might sound like: “What do we value as a group - progress or winning at all costs?”, “What do you/we want to focus on today? More patience, optimism, self-assurance, self-kindness?”, or “What will serve us as a team today? Supporting each other, encouragement, courage?” Reflecting in this way raises awareness of what’s important to the individuals and group, clarifies team values, and promotes team cohesion.
So what exactly is Neuroplasticity?
Historically, scientists believed that our brain stopped growing after childhood. fMRI and Pet scan machines have advanced the field of neuroscience by allowing scientists to see our brain in action. We now know that the brain has the capacity to continue to grow and change throughout our lives! This knowledge has revolutionized medicine in the last 30 years. There are now many studies on the power we have, to change our brains through neuroplasticity.
One well known neuroplasticity study looked at the brains of London taxicab drivers, specifically the hippocampus. The hippocampus is a seahorse-shaped section in the brain that is crucial for long-term memory and spatial navigation. These cab drivers had to know all the tourist attractions and hot spots and more than 25,000 streets in London to pass several grueling exams to get their license. The study found that veteran cab drivers had a larger hippocampus than less experienced taxi drivers!
Another example of the power of neuroplasticity is the work done by Dr. Sara Lazar at Harvard University. Dr. Lazar has published several studies showing how meditation changes the size of several key structures in the brain. In one study, the team scanned the brains of meditators and non-meditators. They found meditators had more gray matter than non-meditators in certain areas of the brain. Specifically, areas of the brain which make us resilient under stress, support memory, empathy, and compassion!
This short video tells the full story!
To make sure these findings were not a fluke or due to other lifestyle choices, Dr. Lazar’s lab performed a second study. The research team recruited a group of non-meditators and scanned their brains. Participants were randomly assigned to two groups - a study group that was taught to meditate and were instructed to practice 30-40 minutes a day for eight weeks and a control group that was not told to meditate. The brains of both groups were rescanned at the end of the 8 weeks. One of the most interesting findings was the decrease of gray matter in the Amygdala (the part of the brain that is activated by stress and is at the center of our fight or flight response) and an increase of gray matter in areas that support memory, decision making, empathy and compassion in the meditation group!
In Conclusion
For athletes, pressure may come from many places, including the self-induced pressure to perform along with real or perceived pressure from coaches, parents or other competitors. These studies and others, show that, just like physical training, the mental skills we practice help those thought processes grow stronger. Finding a few words or phrases to turn to and quiet the mind when self-doubts emerge is a powerful tool to stabilize the nervous system. Repeated practice allows for neuronal networks to fire frequently and wire together to form new stronger pathways of response. Mantras and intentions, when repeated regularly, self-direct our changing brain on a path that is meaningful and supportive, especially in challenging moments.
I have grown to appreciate and respect the power of intentions and mantras. I end my daily meditation with the question, “what will serve me today?” For me it’s typically more patience or more self-compassion. What do you need more of? What would it feel like to say “Yes!” when uncertainty and doubt show up? Yes, I will ask for help! Yes, I can do this! Yes, I’m good enough! Yes, I’m OK no matter the outcome!
Examples of intentions for self-compassion:
May I accept myself as I am
May I be kind to myself
May I remember we are all human and I’m not alone
May I have courage
Examples of intentions for performance:
I am worthy no matter what the outcome
I’ve done the work
I will just let my body move
I will just go for it
I will stay focused on the next move
I will show up with courage and go for it
I will let go of my mistakes
Whatever the outcome, I’m going to be OK
I am open to learning
