For those who do not know, I sustained an open skull fracture, a severe traumatic brain injury with right frontal lobe damage, a severe brain bruise with brain stem involvement and a left femur fracture when I was 10 years old in 1967. I was not expected to live through the night at the time of the car accident. I remained in a coma for 3 weeks, traction 7 weeks to set my left femur fracture and in a full body cast for 5 months.
Brain Injury and Using Neuroplasticity to Achieve New Year’s Resolutions in 2024
In today’s article I would like to share something that has and continues to encourage me. Encourage me at this time of the year when asked a familiar question, “So, what is your New Year’s Resolution?”
Such a question can produce anxiety and apprehension. Anxiety and apprehension in us because we have been conditioned to believe that New Year’s Resolutions have to be done in an all or none fashion.
Conditioned to believe that once we have “declared” our New Year’s Resolutions we have to stay rigidly committed. In the event that we don’t follow through on that resolution we believe that we have failed. In our sense of failure, we may…
We may become discouraged and be tempted to give up on the “resolution” that we wanted to achieve.
Let me Share some Good News with You
You and I don’t have to move in the direction of achieving our resolution (s) perfectly. We don’t have to do our new year’s resolutions perfectly. We don’t have to compare how we are accomplishing our new years resolutions. Compare how we are, the rate at which we are, or our progress.
The results of our process or progress, as we run our own race at our own pace to achieve our resolution.
Not Comparing or Judging our Efforts
To how other people are working towards achieving their own new year’s resolution. And, we don’t have to judge our efforts, either. What ever goal that we may have, we can use the principles of neuroplasticity. Repetition through combining skills and skill sets to achieve what we never dreamed possible.
“Big things have small beginnings.” Prometheus
Inch by inch, life’s a cinch. Yard by yard, it’s very hard.
“Every strike brings me closer to the next home run.” Babe Ruth
“I have not failed. I have just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” Thomas Edison
“Everyone is trying to accomplish something big, not realizing that life is made up of little things.” Frank A. Clark
““If one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours.” Henry David Thoreau
Introduction to What Helped and Helps me to Achieve Resolutions
Below is an article in which I shared what helped me. Helped me to use the principles of neuroplasticity to achieve goals and resolutions. Resolutions through out the year (s). Information that may also help you achieve you goals and resolutions (big and small) through out this year and in the years to come.
I have also created a slideshow presentation of this article. To watch the slideshow presentation, click on: Neuroplasticity, Small Successes, and Learning/Relearning Skills and Skill Sets Slideshow Presentation
I have also created a video presentation of this article. To listen to and watch the presentation, click on: Neuroplasticity, Small Successes and Learning / Relearning Skills and Skill Sets Video Presentation
Neuroplasticity, Small Successes and Learning/Relearning Skills and Skill Sets
Following a brain injury, we may find that skills that came naturally to us, now are difficult to achieve. In the process, we may find ourselves both frustrated and discouraged. We may find ourselves wanting to give up. But there is good news. We can learn or relearn skills and skill sets through using the principle.
The principle of neuroplasticity to create new neural pathways and brain reorganization through repetition.
The Written Article
In today’s article, I would like to share with you something that has helped me to learn new skill sets. Through learning these skills I have been able to use those skills in other areas of my life. In the process of applying those skills to other areas, my quality of life has improved. In my experience, learning these skills.
Did not come over night, but through staying committed to the process I have experienced both small and huge successes. Little by little, I have been able to achieve what I never dreamed possible. And along the way, I have learned how to celebrate small successes through learning each skill and skill set.
Although I did not know it at the time I had been using the principle of neuroplasticity
As explained in MedicineNet.com
“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. Brain reorganization takes place by mechanisms such as “axonal sprouting”.
“Axonal sprouting” in which undamaged axons grow new nerve endings to reconnect neurons whose links were injured or severed. Undamaged axons can also sprout nerve endings and connect with other undamaged nerve cells, forming new neural pathways to accomplish a needed function.”
Several years ago I wrote and published an article, Living Life on Life’s Terms and Small Successes in which I spoke about life as a process and a journey. A process and a journey, not a destination. And as I embrace life as a process and a journey I am able to live life on life’s terms.
As I live life on life’s terms, I am able to celebrate the progress that I make through small successes. These small successes have been gained through working on each part of a* desired skill. These small successes have been gained through endless repetitions.
Working on Parts of a Skill
By breaking the skill down into individual parts, I have been able to enjoy the process, instead of judging my individual efforts. By working on individual parts of the skill, I have been able to celebrate the small successes. I have been able to celebrate the small successes, instead of focusing on or having the skill.
As I combine individual parts (small successes) I learn the desired skill. As I combine learned skills, I am able to combine skills into a series of learned skill sets. As I combine these skill sets, I create new neural pathways and in the process, I reorganize my brain.
Not Judging my Efforts
As I have been able to combine a series of small successes, becoming proficient in specific drills, I have been able to learn how to execute. Execute a series of skill sets in each martial art discipline. These small successes (parts) of my drilling and training, have not only improved my abilities as a martial artist but have also given me the ability. The ability to apply the hand-eye coordination, balance, agility, motor and fine motor skills, speed, precision and focus to other areas of my life.
Celebrate Small Successes
What I discovered is that by drilling, training, and mirroring skills and skill sets, on both my dominant and non-dominant (right and left) of my body the quality of my life has improved. My encouragement to you my friend would be to start slow, but start. Learn a new skill and skill set through a series of small successes. By doing so you will improve the quality of your life. By doing so you can move beyond what you thought was not possible. By doing so, you will improve your life.
For Professionals working with Individuals Living with Brain Injuries
I share the above information with you for this reason. Applying the principle and concept of neuroplasticity may help to improve the quality of life of the individuals whom you serve. Through persistence and tenacity, those individuals may find, as I have, that they may be able to accomplish/learn/relearn skills. Skills and abilities that may have previously seemed out of reach to them. Skills and abilities that they may have lost due to a stroke or other cognitive changes.
Enhance activities of daily living
Skills and abilities that may have seemed to be out of their grasp. Skills and abilities that may help them to achieve resolutions that they have been hoping to gain to enhance their activities of daily living.
Exercise:
Whatever you are able to do with your dominant side of your body, start doing, mirroring, the same ability (motion) with your non-dominant side of your body. Start out slowly, but be persistent in your commitment. Work on one part (drill) of the skill at a time. As you become comfortable with that particular part of the skill, move onto the next part of the skill. By combining parts of the skill (small successes) you will find that you have learned or relearned a new skill.
One Skill and One Skill Set at a Time
Combine those parts (small successes) into learning that skill. As you continue in that process, you will be able to combine each skill into a skill set. And as I have found, by doing so you will be able to learn or relearn new skills. You will be able to learn/relearn skill sets. In the process, you will create new neural pathways and brain reorganization. In the process, you will improve your quality of your life through small successes.
Riddle:
“How do you eat an elephant?”, one man said to the other. The man asked, “Tell me the answer”. One bite at a time. Although the size of the elephant (skill or ability) may seem overwhelming, my encouragement to you my friend is to not give up. Work on achieving the resolution (consuming the elephant) one part or bite at a time. By doing so, your elephant will be reduced a little at a time (through small successes) and you will learn/relearn a new a skill or skill set.
Keep Chewing
You will achieve your resolution, because you did not give up and kept “chewing”.
How I Use the Principle of Neuroplasticity to Create new Neural Pathways and Brain Reorganization
Below are links to short video presentations showing the progression of how the concept of neuroplasticity through repetitive mirrored movements has benefited my mind and body. I began my process of using repetitive mirrored movements through different martial art disciplines in October of 1997. I continue to drill, drill and drill once again some 27 years later. Like Mr. Miyagi told Daniel in the movie, The Karate Kid, Wax on Wax off.
“I fear not the man who has practiced 10,000 kicks once, but I fear the man who has practiced one kick 10,000 times.” Bruce Lee
In August 2013 a friend of mine made a video presentation of the progress that I made using the principle of neuroplasticity. Other friends have helped me to make video presentations of my progress in each year since 2013. Below are links to YouTube presentations of the progress made using repetitive mirrored movements. To watch the progress made using the principle of neuroplasticity over the past 9 years, click on Start > for each of the demonstrations.
Developing both Gross and fine Motor Skills and Skill Sets
To own the power of my brain (right and left hemispheres) and the functional ability of the right and left sides of my body (to improve balance, coordination, eye and hand/foot coordination, body awareness, focus, agility, spatial orientation, and precision).
Neuroplasticity through Martial Arts Disciplines August 2013
Neuroplasticity Demonstration August 2014
Brain Injury, Neuroplasticity and Personal Gains August 2015
Balance and Coordination through Repetitive Mirrored Movement 2016
Brain Injury Recovery and Repetitive Mirrored Movements 2017
Improving Our Brain and Body’s Ability to Excel after Brain Injury 2018
Due to a shoulder injury I was unable to create a video presentation in 2019. Due to Covid I was unable to create a video presentation in 2020.
Stick Fighting, Knife, Western Boxing & Wing Chun Drills September 2, 2021
Transition Drills to Improve Agility, Focus, Speed & Coordination September 6, 2021
Hand Eye Coordination and Precision Drills using Fine Motor Skills Created September 12, 2021
Using upper and lower body coordination and movement to improve focus, agility and balance of upper body and lower body martial art skills. Created February 14, 2022
Strategies for Achieving the Goals we Set through Using the Principles of Neuroplasticity
Nine Habits to Benefit from Using the Principle of Neuroplasticity
Below is a link to a power point presentation that I created and am available to present at coming conferences
Neuroplasticity and Opening the Door to Hope PowerPoint Presentation
As you listen to, watch or read my articles and questions come to mind, please send those questions to mind. All questions are good questions. In the event that you would like to leave a comment, I would love to hear from you. To do so, please use the below contact form. I will respond to your comments and questions.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Have a great day.
Craig
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