12 Ways to Rewire Your Brain: Beyond the Surface
A journey into the deeper dimensions of neuroplasticity
This post isn't just about brain hacks. It goes deeper than that.
When I came across Benjamin Bargetz's infographic on brain rewiring, it struck me as something worth unpacking. We're constantly bombarded with quick fixes for our mental state, but rarely do we examine the rich philosophical and spiritual dimensions behind these neurological principles.
The science is clear: our brains are malleable, constantly reshaping themselves based on our thoughts, experiences, and practices. But what does this malleability mean for our full humanity? Let's dive beneath the surface of these 12 principles:
1. Interrupt Negative Thoughts
This isn't just about positive thinking – it's about recognizing what the Stoics understood centuries ago: we suffer more in imagination than in reality. When we catch and replace harmful thoughts, we're practicing what Buddhists call "mindful awareness" – the capacity to witness our mental patterns without being consumed by them.
I've experienced this firsthand in my screenwriting journey. Like many writers, I've found myself caught in the grip of the inner critic, that voice that insists my dialogue is stilted, my characters one-dimensional, my plot predictable. This negative spiral can be paralyzing, especially when facing the blank page of Act Two. What's helped me break free is recognizing these thoughts as just that – thoughts, not facts. By interrupting the spiral with "This is just my inner critic speaking," I've been able to keep writing through the doubt, producing pages that later surprise me with their quality.
Each time you notice a negative thought spiral and redirect it, you're not just changing your mood – you're literally sculpting neural tissue, weakening established pathways while carving new ones.
2. Begin with Simple Habits
The Japanese concept of "kaizen" – continuous improvement through tiny steps – lives here. We often fail at change because we attempt too much too soon. The spiritual dimension of this practice connects to the Taoist idea of wu-wei or "effortless action" – making changes that flow naturally rather than forcing dramatic shifts.
As I wrote in "The Outsized Impact of Small Choices," the position you find yourself in today is the accumulation of small choices you've been making for years. Hiking a summit is a peak achievement comprised of countless individual steps. The right small choices made with intention create the systems that become habits that become a way of being.
When you build small habits, you're honoring the brain's resistance to change while gently guiding it toward new patterns. This isn't just pragmatic; it's profound respect for the natural unfolding of transformation.
3. Mindfulness
Contemplative traditions across cultures have recognized what neuroscience now confirms: presence strengthens the prefrontal cortex while calming the reactivity of the amygdala. When we practice mindfulness, we're not just becoming calmer, we're creating space between stimulus and response, what Viktor Frankl called "the last of human freedoms."
In my journaling practice (which I've written about extensively), I've found that getting quiet and letting certain questions ripple through my blood and bones creates a mindful space where true wisdom emerges. This practice isn't about escaping reality but entering it more fully.
4. Sleep Better
Sleep isn't just rest, it's sacred neural maintenance. During deep sleep phases, your brain consolidates memories, clears toxins, and strengthens new pathways formed during the day. This process connects to what Aristotle called eudaimonia – flourishing through balanced living.
I've lived the grinding and frantic shuffle of modern life that I described in "Why Resolutions Fail" – what I called "a sincere surcharge of stimuli." In that hustle culture, sleep is often the first sacrifice. Yet I've learned that without proper sleep, any attempt at transformation is building on a shaky foundation.
5. Reframe Challenges
This principle touches the heart of meaning-making. When we see obstacles as growth opportunities, we're practicing what logotherapy founder Viktor Frankl discovered in concentration camps: those who found meaning in suffering were most likely to survive.
I had a hard-learning ski exploration out of my comfort zone several years ago in Colorado. As I wrote about it, I found myself "facedown in three feet of powder" after hiking 45 minutes up a steep knife's-edge ridge. While usually skiing gave me flow and control, on this bowl run I felt incapable and defeated. Yet this challenge became one of my most profound learning experiences about the benefit of exploring outside standard norms.
6. Move Your Body
The mind-body connection runs deeper than we imagine. Eastern practices like yoga and tai chi intuitively understood what science now confirms: physical movement directly influences brain function.
That skiing experience in Colorado – my first winter there, after a decade-long hiatus from the sport – pushed my physical boundaries. Despite feeling "mostly incapable, a little defeated, panicked and outright tuckered," the physical exertion catalyzed neural growth in ways that theoretical understanding never could. I feel that growth to this day, an ineffable sense of my own capability greater than the sum of its parts.
7. Celebrate Small Wins
The practice of noticing progress wires positivity into our neural circuitry, releasing dopamine that reinforces behaviors. This psychological principle connects to gratitude practices found across spiritual traditions, the conscious recognition of abundance and development.
In my coaching practice, I've seen how acknowledging small victories creates momentum. It's why in the annual life planning process (I often don’t do), I divide life into meaningful buckets (physical health, creativity, relationships, etc.) and celebrate progress in each, rather than focusing on one monolithic goal. These small wins compound, creating an upward spiral of motivation and fulfillment.
8. Recognize the Impact of Stress
Chronic stress literally damages neural pathways, particularly in regions governing memory and emotional regulation. This connects to Epicurean notions of ataraxia – tranquility through freedom from disturbance.
Modern civilization is what Aldous Huxley called "organized lovelessness" – a nonstop benchmark binge with divisive politics, inequality, climate concerns, and sensational news cycles creating a constant stress state. I've seen how stress severs us from our passion, creating that vicious circle: feeling lost, attempting to make moves, but unable to feel lit up because the fire is out.
Simply recognizing when we’re stressed — acutely by a pending deadline, or passively by the general sh*tshow of our current meta-predicament — is step one to de-stressing.
9. Learn Something New
Novel learning experiences trigger neurogenesis – the creation of new brain cells – and synaptogenesis – new connections between them. This principle reflects Socrates' commitment to lifelong inquiry and what Carol Dweck identified as the "growth mindset."
According to my reading tracker, I read over 1.8 million words in 2024 alone – equivalent to more than 25 books worth of articles and essays. Reading has been my "weighted blanket, my cup of tea" through challenging times. Each new perspective creates fresh neural connections, keeping the brain adaptive and resilient.
10. Set Clear Goals
Clarity gives your brain direction, focusing mental energy where it matters most. This connects to existentialist philosophy's emphasis on intentional living – creating meaning through chosen purpose.
But as I've written in "Start with Habits, End with Values," the key question is: what is the new habit or system in service to? What is the "why" of making challenging daily change? Goals without values are what some call "dead person goals" – a dead person isn't on Instagram, doesn't eat sugar, and can't procrastinate. True transformation requires aligning your goals with your deepest values.
11. Surround Yourself with Positivity
Your environment literally shapes neural patterns through mirror neurons and social contagion. This reflects the ancient wisdom of Aristotle: we become what we repeatedly expose ourselves to.
In curating content for my newsletter and life, I've prioritized what I call "high-signal, high-vibe, timeless pieces" that elevate rather than deplete. This conscious environment curation isn't just about comfort – it's about creating conditions for growth.
12. Stay Patient
Neuroplasticity requires time. Myelin sheaths that strengthen neural connections develop gradually through consistent activation. This biological reality mirrors what spiritual traditions have always taught: transformation is a patient unfolding, not an overnight revolution.
As I wrote regarding New Year's resolutions, by locating and exploring the deep parameters of your values, "it's like planting seeds, watering ground, and nurturing a healthy root system" for meaningful growth. The Western obsession with immediate results often undermines lasting change. What psychology calls the "plateau effect" in learning, contemplative traditions recognize as the natural rhythm of growth – periods of apparent stillness that mask deeper integration.
These twelve principles aren't just hacks for better brain function – they're gateways to a more integrated life. When we align our daily practices with both neurological science and perennial wisdom, we honor the full spectrum of our humanity.
The brain's remarkable plasticity isn't just a scientific fact – it's an invitation to conscious participation in our own becoming. Each small change in thought pattern, habit, or practice ripples through our neural architecture, gradually reshaping not just how we think, but who we become.
What practices from this list resonate most deeply with you? Which might serve as your next step in conscious brain rewiring? I'd love to hear your reflections.