I was around 7 years old. I remember my dad stood on an empty plot of land, articulating his vision with a lot of conviction and contagious joy, as he always did. He was talking about how the house would take shape, which one would be the children’s room, how he was going to buy a TV for all of us to watch together. Very normal conversation, but it did something to my mind.
Fast forward, in my early 20s, when I decided to make my career in the corporate world, society and the community never considered a corporate job as a “real” job. Therefore, we didn’t get that kind of regard and respect. My dad did the opposite he went all out, telling everyone how proud he was that we were independent, standing on our own feet, financially independent, exploring the world, and learning new things. He celebrated every small and big achievement, every milestone. Whatever small contributions we made from time to time, he would amplify and tell everyone in the neighborhood sometimes to the point of embarrassing us.
In hindsight, what my dad practiced throughout his lifetime, neuroscience calls neuroplasticity our brain’s own ability to reorganize, rewire, and create new neural connections, strengthening new neural pathways. Science tells us that our brain is not fixed. It is largely shaped by what we think repeatedly, feel deeply, and practice consistently.
My dad spoke a lot about psychology. He was an avid reader. I am not sure if he was aware of neuroscience or neuroplasticity, but he was already practicing it. As children, we mirror our parents, and I am very grateful for that.
What fascinates me even more is that both neuroscience and scriptures in the Bible talk about transformation transformation from the inside out.
