Rewiring Your Brain: The Science and Magic of Lifelong Learning

Today, I finally get to write about a topic that I have been mulling over for quite a while: lifelong learning. I am not talking about formal education only here, rather every opportunity, no matter how big or small, to add something to our knowledge, or change our current way of thinking. So let’s dive right in!

The power of curiosity

It was once thought that the neural networks in our brain remained mostly fixed, until they started degrading with age. More recent research, however, highlighted that our brains continue to change and adapt. New knowledge and experiences contribute to this process of constant rewiring within our brain.

This is a continuous process, which we can nurture by being curious about what happens around us and open to learn new things or take new perspectives. Personally, I have found that that the more I do this, the more opportunities for new learning I seem to identify around me. Which brings me onto my next point…

When was the last time you learnt something new?

Pause for a moment to think about your answer here and remember that this is not just when you last completed a course or got a new qualification. When I did this exercise myself I realised that over the past couple of years I have been quite broad (past me would have even said ‘random’) in the span of my learning. Some examples to bring this to life include:

• Before moving into our home (where I took the lead on all decorating duties), I started to read about colours, how they impact our mood and how the same shade can look different depending on room orientation.

• Over the past few months, I learnt everything I could about training a dog, watching hours of YouTube videos and attending live classes with our puppy; I still remember my partner joking about how into it I had gotten, but he later admitted that all of this paid off when our little fluff ball smoothly settled into our home.

• Now onto the biggest learning opportunity I exploited recently – qualifying as a coach. Not only did I acquire the knowledge and tools needed to work with professional clients, but I also learnt tons about myself, which then translated into better relationships at work and outside.

• Then more recently I found myself learning quite a lot about working ‘on the business’ – be it web design as I regularly update my website, less glamorous (but essential) tasks such as drafting my own privacy notice, or marketing skills to make sure more people become aware of what my mission is.

Crucially, all of these opportunities were not fully planned at the outset. They all started from an initial sense of curiosity and desire to know more about a given topic. Once I got fully on it, I realised I wanted to go deeper, which then enabled me to apply my learning much more broadly than I had initially foreseen, or to ‘bolt on’ further learning opportunities from there.

Sometimes, these experiences also helped me understand myself better. Take decorating our home, for example – I had always thought of myself as more analytical than creative, but as I explored colors and design, I realised I actually enjoy using creativity. That shift in perspective made me more open to tapping into my creative side in other areas, including at work, where I started seeking opportunities to bring a more creative approach to problem-solving and delivering projects.

Looking ahead

What if, instead of thinking about learning as something that happens to us, you started seeing it as something you actively create?

This could mean pausing when something piques your interest, instead of brushing past it. It might involve asking more questions, experimenting with different ways of doing familiar tasks, or simply embracing the idea that there is always more to discover and we will never know it all.

At work, this shift could be about identifying ways to stretch yourself – whether by taking on projects outside your comfort zone, seeking fresh perspectives from colleagues, or rethinking how old problems can be solved by using new tools or following different processes.

All of these changes can make a significant impact on your personal and professional development. You’ll also start embracing learning as a continuous, intentional process – one that keeps you engaged, adaptable, and growing in ways you might have not predicted.

Before I close…

I’d like to leave with some questions for you to ponder on, so you can embark on your own journey of conitnuous learning with intention and clarity:

• What is something, no matter how big or small, that you have learned recently?

• What are some new ways in which you could apply your existing knowledge?

• What is something new that you have been thinking about exploring?

• What support do you need to unlock this new learning opportunity?

• Who might benefit from the opportunity of learning from you?

• How can you share what you know or have learnt recently with others more?

That’s all from me for now. In the meantime, stay curious!