Power up some new neural pathways!
I've taken up many new skills recently including singing and climbing. I may be at a very basic level of learning, but the joy and mental health benefits I gain from these activities are huge!
If anyone with any musical education saw me at my music sight reading class, they would have every right to look down at me. I’m kind of rubbish! I can’t even tell you what some of the notes on the page are, let alone sing them. But I BLOODY love it. For an hour a week I have to concentrate completely and learn new things and have a stab at singing bits of music in front of my teacher. It’s mortifying/brilliant and exciting.
Here’s why I get a buzz from my music class:
a) I have a complete break from any of my normal worries for an hour
b) It feels so good to concentrate and make a big brain effort
c) it is satisying to slowly but surely notice myself improving
d) step by step I’m moving towards my dream of becoming quite accomplished at singing
e) singing in front of people, getting things wrong and occasionally getting things right is LIBERATING
f) and finally the more intangible one is that your brain loves this stuff – learning and having new experiences is so good for creating new neural pathways. Read more about why that is here.
I’d love to hear about your experiences of learning new skills and whether it has such a positive outcome for you!
And if you’d like to shake up your brain and come and have a new experience, why not come on a microadventure with me. Here’s some events I’ve got coming up.