Neuroplasticity: The brain’s ability to reorganize itself by forming new neural connections throughout life. Neuroplasticity allows the neurons (nerve cells) in the brain to compensate for injury and disease and to adjust their activities in response to new situations or to changes in their environment.
In this Ted Talk, Willoughby Britton focuses on neuroplasticity and mindful meditation through the scope of happiness.
The practice of meditation builds stronger and healthier neural pathways that lead to better habits.
Willoughby Britton – Neuroplasticity, Meditation and Happiness Notable Excerpts
If we get everything we want and get rid of everything we don’t want; we’ll be happy. It makes sense. Totally logical. Totally wrong. That’s just not the way the data has turned out to be. We’re one of the richest countries on the planet but we’re not really one of the happiest. And the people that are the richest in our country are not necessarily happier than the poorest people in our country.
Getting what we want doesn’t necessarily equal happiness.
Another thing that we know about happiness…it seems to be inextricably linked to the faculty of attention, or more specifically; our pervasive tendency or habit to not pay attention.
A wandering mind is an unhappy mind.
Our brain changes with experience and we get good at what we practice…if you exercise your physical body certain muscle groups get stronger, certain movements get easier and they become effortless and automatic. The brain is no different. The neural networks that you exercise becomes stronger and the thought patterns and mental habits that are represented by those neural networks get stronger and become effortless and automatic…
The most powerful way to change your brain is not medication, it is behavior.
It is truly enlightening. I have been meditating, without knowing that the simple activity of focused attention can do so much to improve one’s mental health.