Brain Fact Friday on ”The Neuroscience of Learning: Unlocking the Secret to Our Identity”

Neuroscience Meets Social and Emotional Learning

“Who you are depends on where you’ve been. Your brain is a relentless shape-shifter, constantly rewriting its own circuitry—and because your experiences are unique, so are the vast, detailed patterns in your neural networks. Because they continue to change your whole life, your identity is a moving target: it never reaches an endpoint. That’s From Neuroscientist and Stanford Professor, David Eagleman’s, The Brain: The Story of You.

Now that REALLY made me STOP and THINK as I am about to write this next episode. I wonder:

What’s my identity-or what makes me-me, especially if it’s a moving target. I’m not just Andrea, the host of the Neuroscience Meets SEL Podcast (imagining my brain, and all its neural networks that consist of ALL the years of experience that make me, who I am today) and each day, my experiences change who I am right down to the books I’m reading, what I’m studying and learning, the people around the world I interact with, making me the person I am today. Then I wonder, who are YOU listening to this podcast? What’s YOUR identity, wherever you are tuning in from around the world (and I imagine YOUR brain, and the neural networks you’ve created with YOUR own specific and unique life experiences. And if our identity (who we are at this point in time) is a moving target that never reaches an endpoint, can we then, create our own reality and future by continuing to re-wire our own circuitry with NEW information, and NEW ideas, that create NEW experiences that change who we could be in the future? Thus, changing our conditions, our circumstances, and our environment?

That is the goal of this podcast, (to help all of us to re-wire our brains (with new information) that we’ll put into action (using the most current, evidence based research) taking our results to new heights. This is what keeps ME coming back time and time again to write new episodes. I’ve put an image in the show notes that came from my study with Mark Waldman on the Default Mode Network, showing exactly what our brain looks like when we are using our imagination network to take this information we are learning, and use it in a creative way. Our whole brain lights up, connecting all of our brain regions in this process.

With that thought, I want to welcome you back to our final episode of Season 9 of The Neuroscience Meets Social and Emotional Learning Podcast, where we cover the science-based evidence behind social and emotional learning (for schools) and emotional intelligence training (in the workplace) with tools, ideas and strategies that we can all use for immediate results, with our brain in mind. I’m Andrea Samadi, (and while we know I’m not just) an author, or an educator with a passion for learning (I think after today’s episode, we will see that we are much more than our work and life experiences) and it’s this understanding that will encourage us all to continue re-wiring our brains, taking us to new, and often unimaginable heights.

I’m recording this episode the end of May 2023, and plan to take some time away from the recording studio (my office) this summer. We’ll be back with the start of Season 10 the end of June, as we move into the 5th year of this podcast, and our second half of “Going Back the Basics” where we’ll continue through our past episodes, to see what we can add to them, with new research and ideas to take our personal and professional results to these new heights.

As I started writing this episode that tied back into some of our Brain Fact Fridays on Learning, I couldn’t think of what to cover specifically, because learning is behind EVERY episode we produce. I wonder, as we move towards our 5th year, and a new season when we return, what else can we uncover when it comes to “learning” with our brain in mind. Or in other words, how can we take our “learning” to new heights, or look at learning through a new lens?

I glanced through some of the episodes we covered on how we learn (procedural vs declarative learning) on EP 131[i], neuroplasticity on EP 133[ii], spaced repetition, distance learning, the neuroscience of learning EP #167[iii], learning and how our emotions impact our memory EP #127[iv] , even the importance of learning skills with our non-dominant hand. While all of these topics are fascinating, I wondered what could we cover today that would take us deeper into the circuitry of our brain, and guarantee a shift of thinking for all of us, causing a lasting change with our results.

Then I remembered a documentary I watched YEARS ago, from a Neuroscientist at Stanford University, and Internationally best-selling author, David Eagleman, called The Brain: The Story of You[v]. I know it was in the early days of when I was trying to make sense of why this understanding of the brain would be important for us (specifically as it related to education) so I took clear and detailed notes, and found his documentary to be interesting because it was applicable to our daily life, and I remember it changed my way of thinking.

You can see the options for how to watch this documentary today, and also buy his book, The Brain: The Story of You[vi] on Amazon, which I did, even though I had detailed notes on each chapter.

What caught my attention with this documentary is that David Eagleman wanted to get away from a textbook inquiry of the brain, (which we all know can be confusing at times with the terminology, and also sometimes boring). Eagleman wanted to “illuminate a deeper level of inquiry” that dives into the question of “who am I” which he says “depends on where you’ve been” or the experiences we’ve had and that “because our experiences are unique, so are the vast, detailed patterns in our neural networks.” He goes on to say that “they continue to change your whole life (and that) your identity is a moving target: it never reaches an endpoint.”

So to close out Season 9 of our podcast, on “Diving Deeper into The Neuroscience of Learning: Unlocking the Mystery of Individuality and Uniqueness” we will look at our content, through David Eagleman’s lens, and see how we can rewire our brain, with new experiences, taking our identity to new heights, in this episode and beyond. I’m looking for sustainable, long-lasting change to occur for all of us.

On today’s episode #290 on “Diving Deeper into The Neuroscience of Learning” we will sharpen our focus of what our understanding of the brain REALLY means to us as we cover:

✔ Who Are We (Self-Awareness) as we move through life as an infant, teenager and into adulthood.

✔ Understanding our Identity (What Makes YOU-YOU) By Looking at Our Unique Experiences

✔ What Neuroplasticity Really Means for Us: How Can We Shape Our Brain for a Better Future?

✔ 3 Tips for Re-Wiring Our Brain to Change Our Identity

Who Am I? Chapter 1 of The Brain: The Story of You

We started this podcast covering self-awareness: know thyself, on EP #2[vii] where we covered six tips for being self-aware, and then I remember when we dove deeper with a graphic on the levels of consciousness, from EP 251[viii] where we looked at our levels of consciousness from low awareness, like when we are in a coma, under general anesthesia, moving up towards drowsiness or that state called hypnagogia (between wakefulness and sleep), right into our actual sleep, REM state, and dreams and finally into full consciousness. We explored full-consciousness and the question of “who am I” with Chantel Prat and her book, The Neuroscience of You, on EP #255.[ix]

But what does David Eagleman have to say about our consciousness and who we are? He says,

“It turns out your conscious mind-the part you think of as you—is really the smallest part of what’s happening in your brain, and usually the last one to find out any information.”

Which made me stop and think for a minute. I thought “wait, should I REALLY be using my conscious mind—the part I think is me-- to write this episode, “the smallest part of what’s happening in my brain?” according to Neuroscientist David Eagleman. I thought back to that image of our conscious mind as an iceberg, showing me that logical and critical thinking (that I’m using to write) consist of only 10% of my mental capacity, and that the other 90% that holds my beliefs, emotions, habits, values, long term memory, imagination and intuition are all in my subconscious mind.

What else can we do to tap into this other part of our brain to take our results to new heights?

I have just started reading David Eagleman’s book, and he’s already started to challenge my thinking. He takes us back to when we were babies and born with a brain that “allows itself to be shaped by the details of life experience.” (Eagleman, The Brain, Ch. 1). What’s the secret behind “the flexibility of young brains” he asks us? He says, “it’s not about growing new cells, the secret lies in how those cells are connected.” (Eagleman, The Brain, Ch 1).

So now I’m thinking that who we are really IS based on our life experiences, that create these neural connections in our brain, and if we don’t like where we’ve ended up in life, or the circumstances we’ve created, then we can change our environment by doing something new.

But REMEMBER: To truly discover WHO we ARE, we’ve got to dive into the depths of our subconscious mind. Eagleman reminds us that “your actions, your beliefs and your biases are all driven by networks in your brain to which you have no conscious access.” That’s why it takes some time to peel back the layers of who we are, in our efforts to become the best version of ourselves.

PUT THIS INTO ACTION:

LEARN NEW THINGS AND YOU WILL RE-WIRE YOUR BRAIN

If the adult brain can change (neuroplasticity) then we can change our brain, and create improved versions of ourselves with our life experiences that does take time. Eagleman noted that when Albert Einstein’s brain was examined, it didn’t reveal why he was a genius, but it did show that “the brain area devoted to his left fingers had expanded—forming a giant fold in his cortex called the Omega sign, shaped like the Greek symbol” (Eagleman, The Brain, Ch 1). This Omega sign was also found in violin players, showing clearly how detailed movement can in fact change the brain.

LONDON CAB DRIVER’S PROVED THIS TO BE TRUE:

We’ve also mentioned on this podcast about how London Cab drivers changed their brains but David Eagleman went into detail of how these cabbies had to memorize London’s extensive roadways that “covers 25,000 individual streets, and 20,000 landmarks of interest (hotels, theaters, restaurants, embassies, police stations, sports facilities, and anywhere a passenger wants to go.” (Eagleman, The Brain, Ch 1).

When the brains of these cab drivers were studied, they found “visible differences: the posterior (back) part of the hippocampus had grown physically larger than those in the control group—presumably causing their increased spatial memory.” (Eagleman, The Brain, Ch 1).

Eagleman mentioned that “the longer the cabbie had been doing their job, the bigger the change in the brain region” suggesting the result came from the practice.

Now I’m thinking back to some early episodes where we covered the importance of “spaced repetition” or “daily practice” to yield new results over time.

So, if we want to re-wire our brain, or create a stronger 2.0 version of ourselves, here are 3 TIPS for implementing this concept.

IDEAS FOR IMPLEMENTING SOMETHING NEW INTO OUR LIFE TO RE-WIRE OUR BRAIN:

LISTEN: To new podcasts, take notes, and implement what you learn. I’m always discovering new podcasts, and just need to find the time for all of this new learning. I’m sure if you are listening to us here, that you have also found the benefit to learning through this medium. TRAVEL: Go somewhere you’ve never been before. This summer we are traveling to somewhere we’ve never been before. Instead of planning the same old summer vacation, this year, we will be going somewhere where the internet doesn’t work well, to create new life experiences for all of us. Pick a place you’ve never been before to open yourself and your brain to NEW life experiences. BE OPEN TO LEARNING SOMETHING NEW, EVEN SOMETHING WEIRD: Like with a new meditation or something. I can’t say enough about how much I learned from my review of Jose Silva’s The Silva Mind Control Method[x] that we covered earlier in the year. It looks like this episode was also a hit for those listening, with over 4K downloads the last time I looked. The book was eye-opening, but the online course completely blew my mind open with new ideas that I could spend the rest of my life practicing and implementing. As I read through some of the topics, I definitely can say they stretched my mind beyond where I have ever gone before.

REVIEW AND CONCLUDE

To review and conclude this final episode of Season 9 on taking a “Diving Deeper into The Neuroscience of Learning” we covered:

✔ Who Are We (Self-Awareness) as we move through life as an infant, teenager and into adulthood.

✔ Understanding our Identity (What Makes YOU-YOU) By Looking at Our Unique Experiences

✔ What Neuroplasticity Really Means for Us: How Can We Shape Our Brain for a Better Future.

✔ 3 Tips for Re-Wiring Our Brain to Change Our Identity

As we looked into changing our identity, diving into our subconscious mind, we know that consciousness is something that neuroscientists continue to debate over, and this is a topic that you can see from the graphic I created, that I’m interested in studying, learning more here, and sharing what I learn with you on the podcast. As we continue to study, we will become more consciously aware of WHO WE ARE. Here is something profound that David Eagleman shared. He said:

Have you ever looked at someone’s work written on a wall like David Eagleman is recalling with Francis Crick’s work? I absolutely love seeing ideas written on walls, and my office is always full of thoughts, ideas and plans.

We can gain inspiration from each other’s ideas and plans. I think back to the movie “Good Will Hunting” where Matt Damon was solving math problems on the wall, while he was working as a caretaker at MIT, inspiring more than just the students who saw his work, but the teachers who wondered who this student was.

Our experiences can change our brain, and then when we share them with others, we can then go on to inspire others with our thoughts, ideas and knowledge.

But what has meaning for YOU, might mean something completely different to ME, and so the search for what we find “meaningful” continues.

To close out this episode I’ll end with the SAME quote we opened up with.

“Who you are depends on where you’ve been. Your brain is a relentless shape-shifter, constantly rewriting its own circuitry—and because your experiences are unique, so are the vast, detailed patterns in your neural networks. Because they continue to change your whole life, your identity is a moving target: it never reaches an endpoint.

Neuroscientist and Stanford Professor, David Eagleman’s, The Brain: The Story of You.

With that final thought, I encourage all of us to keep learning, and improving WHO we are as individuals, because this is only the beginning. When we next look at the impact we can have on others, bringing our unique neural networks together, we open up an entire new universe to explore.

I’ll see you the END of June for SEASON 10 of the podcast, and our 5th YEAR of The Neuroscience Meets SEL Podcast. .

We will continue with our Theme of Going Back to The Basics with:

✔ What Can We Really Learn from Looking at Someone Else’s Brain? (Einstein, Walt Whitman, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s).

✔ Continue This NEW Learning to Build the Best 2.0 Version of Ourselves

FOLLOW ANDREA SAMADI:

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REFERENCES:

[i]Neuroscience Meets Social and Emotional Learning Podcast EPISODE #131 on “understanding How We Learn: Declarative vs Procedural Systems” https://andreasamadi.podbean.com/e/brain-fact-friday-understanding-how-we-learn-declarative-vs-procedural-systems/

[ii]Neuroscience Meets Social and Emotional Learning Podcast EPISODE #133 on “Applying Neuroplasticity in Your School or Workplace” https://andreasamadi.podbean.com/e/brain-fact-friday-applying-neuroplasticity-to-your-school-or-workplace/

[iii]Neuroscience Meets Social and Emotional Learning Podcast EPISODE #167 on “The Neuroscience of Learning” https://andreasamadi.podbean.com/e/brain-fact-friday-on-the-neuroscience-of-learning/

[iv]Neuroscience Meets Social and Emotional Learning Podcast EPISODE #127 on “How Emotions Impact Learning, Memory and the Brain” https://andreasamadi.podbean.com/e/brain-fact-friday-how-emotions-impact-learning-memory-and-the-brain/

[v] David Eagleman The Brain https://www.pbs.org/show/brain-david-eagleman/

[vi] The Brain: The Story of You by David Eagleman Published October 6, 2015 https://www.amazon.com/Brain-Story-You-David-Eagleman-ebook/dp/B0104EOGQ0/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1684456595&sr=8-1

[vii]Neuroscience Meets Social and Emotional Learning Podcast EPISODE #2 “Self-Awareness: Know Thyself” https://andreasamadi.podbean.com/e/self-awareness-know-thyself/

[viii] Neuroscience Meets Social and Emotional Learning Podcast EPISODE #251 on “Exploring Consciousness Using Neuroscience” https://andreasamadi.podbean.com/e/brain-fact-friday-on-exploring-consciousness-using-neuroscience-to-expand-our-awareness/

[ix] Neuroscience Meets Social and Emotional Learning Podcast EPISODE #255 with Chantel Prat on “The Neuroscience of You.” https://andreasamadi.podbean.com/e/chantel-prat-phd-on-the-neuroscience-of-you-how-every-brain-is-wired-differently-and-how-to-understand-yours/

[x] Neuroscience Meets Social and Emotional Learning Podcast EPISODE #261 on PART 1 of The Silva Mind Control Method https://andreasamadi.podbean.com/e/a-deep-dive-with-andrea-samadi-into-applying-the-silva-method-for-improved-intuition-creativity-and-focus-part-1/