The Value of Changing Your Mind

Rumi: “Yesterday I was clever, so I wanted to change the world. Today I am wise, so I am changing myself.”

It’s easy to get caught up in the drama of our personal lives and hard to see beyond the horizon of our own beliefs and experiences. But exploring the new and unfamiliar can yield social, psychological, and emotional benefits.

By seeking out new information, we gain understanding and improve problem-solving skills. Exposing ourselves to different people can increase empathy and reveal personal biases. Learning new skills and being open to new experiences paves the way for shifting our perspectives and changing our minds.

The technical term for changing one’s mind is neuroplasticity. According to the health and wellness website, Healthline, “Neuroplasticity refers to the brain’s ability to restructure or rewire itself when adapting to change.” This ability allows the brain to recover from some injuries. It also allows us to continue learning, changing, and growing through all stages of life.

Many of the activities offered by Viva Village encourage brain resiliency. Pick almost any event on the calendar and there’s an opportunity for socializing. Life Stories opens a window into another person’s unique experiences. Travel Talks show us the world through someone else’s eyes. Tai Chi, Mindfulness Meditation, Soul Collage, and book groups present learning in a variety of forms.

Viva Village is a dynamic organization, shaped by the needs of its members and the creativity and skills of its members and volunteers. New activities and events are added to its calendar regularly.

Villager Natalia Kasperovich developed a program, Bricks for Better Brains, in the gerontology program at Portland Community College. This fun, social, tactile game, that uses Lego-type building blocks, ticks many of the boxes for activating brain resiliency.

Could you benefit from a new perspective?

Your brain will likely benefit from exposure to movement, new people, fresh ideas, and novel activities.

Several Viva Village events are open to the public: The weekly Women’s Coffee and monthly Men’s Coffee Break, the monthly educational forum, online Viva Village 101 informational meeting, and the monthly Introductory Conversation about Viva Village.

By Roberta S. Lang. For more information, call 503-746-5082 or email vivavillageor@gmail.com.