What if you can rewire your brain?

Yes, we can rewire our brains, thoughts and feelings

Your thoughts literally reshape your brain. What you repeatedly focus on doesn’t just linger in your mind—it physically changes its structure. By intentionally directing your attention toward the positive, you begin forging and strengthening neural pathways that make it easier to notice and appreciate more good things. This is neuroplasticity in action: your brain’s lifelong ability to create new connections in response to your focus, emotions, and habits.

Neuroplasticity, the term describing the nervous system’s capacity to change its structure and function throughout life, has revolutionized our understanding of the human brain (Pascual-Leone et al., 2005). For decades, it was believed that the adult brain was fixed and immutable. Yet contemporary research shows that our experiences, thoughts, and behaviors can profoundly modify neural architecture, even in adulthood.

Neuroplasticity in Real Life

In my work, I witness neuroplasticity in action every day. When our patients relearn to speak or move after a neurological injury, we are seeing the brain find new pathways—how intact regions take over functions that once seemed permanently lost. It is a humble and powerful reminder that our brain never stops seeking ways to adapt and recover.

I also observe it in corporate settings. When individuals or teams are well-supported through conscious leadership, they can undergo profound attitude shifts. They reclaim themselves and their organizations. I have seen entire teams transform toxic dynamics into genuine cultures of collaboration simply because someone decided to train their brain to see possibilities instead of limitations.

This same process occurs in families. Watching children learn to walk and talk is witnessing neuroplasticity in its purest form. And in adults who rewire their brains through gratitude practices and neurocoaching exercises, I have seen people emerge from paralyzing depression to regain vitality and purpose.

Couples offer another moving example. When, through neuroplasticity, partners make the effort to once again see the beautiful qualities in each other, to consciously express gratitude, to reduce aggression, and to rescue tenderness, many marriages are saved. It is not magic: it is deliberate neural training that rebuilds emotional bridges that seemed destroyed.

The Mechanism Behind the Change

Every time you pause to savor a kind act, a small achievement, or a simple moment of beauty, you are reinforcing the neural circuits that help you view the world with greater clarity and calm. This process is not merely psychological: it involves measurable changes in synaptic density, myelination, and activation of specific brain regions (Davidson & McEwen, 2012).

Neuroimaging research has shown that contemplative practices and focused attention can increase gray matter density in areas associated with emotional regulation, such as the prefrontal cortex and insula (Hölzel et al., 2011). These structural modifications directly correlate with improvements in the ability to regulate emotional responses and sustain states of well-being.

From Practice to Transformation

With consistent practice, this becomes your brain’s new default mode: automatically tuning in to what is right rather than ruminating on what is wrong. The benefits include reduced stress, improved emotional stability, and greater mental resilience in the face of life’s challenges.

The concept of the “negativity bias” explains why our brain naturally tends to focus on threats and negative experiences: an evolutionary mechanism that was once critical for survival (Baumeister et al., 2001). However, in the modern context, this bias can contribute to elevated levels of anxiety and chronic stress. The good news is that we can actively counteract this tendency.

Active Training, Not Passive Denial

This is not about denying difficulties; it is about actively training your brain to seek opportunities and solutions instead of getting trapped by obstacles. Directing attention intentionally toward positive aspects of experience does not mean ignoring real problems—it means developing a broader capacity to process information in a more balanced way.

Hanson (2013) describes this process as “taking in the good”: the deliberate act of holding attention on beneficial experiences for 10–20 seconds, allowing neuronal activation to become structural change. This simple act of “savoring” positive experiences activates long-term memory consolidation and strengthens associated neural connections.

You Are in Control

The exciting part? You have control—you can start rewiring these pathways any time you choose. Neuroplasticity is not just a fascinating scientific concept; it is a practical tool we all possess. Every conscious decision to direct your attention is an act of self-directed brain reconfiguration.

Tang et al. (2015) demonstrated that even brief periods of attention training (as short as two weeks) can produce measurable changes in brain connectivity and physiological stress markers. This suggests we do not need years of intensive practice to begin experiencing tangible benefits.

An Invitation to Practice

Give it a try: Spot one positive thing today. Tomorrow, look for two. Soon, make it five. And then watch what happens.

This progressive exercise leverages the principle of gradual habituation. By starting with a simple task and gradually increasing complexity, we avoid overload and increase the likelihood of long-term adherence. Over time, this deliberate attention becomes an automatic orientation: your brain literally reconfigures itself to perceive the world in a more balanced and constructive way.

Final Thoughts

Neuroplasticity offers an extraordinarily empowering perspective: we are not victims of our brains but active architects of our mental experience. By understanding the mechanisms through which attention shapes brain structure, we can make informed decisions about where to direct our focus. Every moment of conscious attention is an investment in the brain we want to build and the life we want to experience.

Join Our Community of Applied Neuroscience

I invite you to become part of our community interested in applied neuroscience, neuroliderazgo (neuro-leadership), and neurocoaching. Click here to join for free: https://www.neurocoaching.us/gratis

References

Baumeister, R. F., Bratslavsky, E., Finkenauer, C., & Vohs, K. D. (2001). Bad is stronger than good. Review of General Psychology, 5(4), 323–370. https://doi.org/10.1037/1089-2680.5.4.323

Davidson, R. J., & McEwen, B. S. (2012). Social influences on neuroplasticity: Stress and interventions to promote well-being. Nature Neuroscience, 15(5), 689–695. https://doi.org/10.1038/nn.3093

Hanson, R. (2013). Hardwiring happiness: The new brain science of contentment, calm, and confidence. Harmony Books.

Hölzel, B. K., Carmody, J., Vangel, M., Congleton, C., Yerramsetti, S. M., Gard, T., & Lazar, S. W. (2011). Mindfulness practice leads to increases in regional brain gray matter density. Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging, 191(1), 36–43. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pscychresns.2010.08.006

Pascual-Leone, A., Amedi, A., Fregni, F., & Merabet, L. B. (2005). The plastic human brain cortex. Annual Review of Neuroscience, 28, 377–401. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.neuro.27.070203.144216

Tang, Y. Y., Hölzel, B. K., & Posner, M. I. (2015). The neuroscience of mindfulness meditation. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 16(4), 213–225. https://doi.org/10.1038/nrn3916

Luis Gaviria
Clinical Psychophysiologist and Professional Neurocoach
Co-founder and Director of the Neuroscience & Coaching Institute

If this article was valuable to you and you want to dive deeper into applying neuroscience to transformational leadership, I invite you to explore the dual certification in Neuroliderazgo and Neurocoaching where we train professionals to international standards (IAC accreditation) in 18 countries.

You can also schedule an informative conversation to explore whether this approach fits your specific context, or subscribe here to receive more content on applied neuroscience.

Contact: +1 469 389-0011 (Texas, US). +1 954 470-3461