How Neuroplasticity Supports Brain Injury Recovery: Learning and Relearning Skills

Neuroplasticity, Small Successes and Learning/Relearning Skills and Skill Sets

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. An 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 the 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 l your life through a series of 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).