To truly take charge of your life, it is essential to comprehend the workings of your mind. In this article, we embark on an enlightening exploration of the human brain, revealing the significance of change and why many misunderstand its nature.

While it may seem presumptuous, I draw upon neuroscience and thorough research to offer insights on how you can seize control of your life and live a life that is genuinely yours.

To illustrate this journey, let's delve into the remarkable story of a young boy named Matthew, who, against all odds, lived with only half his brain.

Years ago, a woman named Vallery was preparing for her workday when she heard an unusual noise from her son’s room. Her three-year-old son was found on the floor in agony, his lips turning purple—a clear indication of oxygen deprivation.

In a state of distress, she and her husband called for an ambulance, which rushed their son to the hospital. Multiple specialists assessed him, but could not identify the issue. After a brief recovery, they assumed it was a one-time incident, and life resumed as normal.

However, this was merely the beginning.

A month later, during a meal, Matthew exhibited odd symptoms: a tense expression, eyes wide open, and a rigid arm raised as he remained unresponsive for about a minute. Concerned, his parents returned him to the hospital, but once again, no definitive diagnosis emerged.

Eventually, a neuroscientist decided to analyze Matthew’s brain's electrical activity using a method known as electroencephalography. The findings indicated signs consistent with epilepsy—essentially, an electric storm within the brain's circuits.

Although he was prescribed medication for epilepsy, it proved ineffective. In the following weeks, Matthew experienced a relentless series of seizures that did not respond to treatment.

This resulted in numerous hospital visits, often lasting three to four weeks, which became a recurring reality for the next three years.

Through it all, Matthew tried to maintain a semblance of childhood while his parents grappled with sadness, frustration, loneliness, and helplessness—emotions anyone would feel in a similar situation.

Eventually, they sought treatment at a more advanced facility, Johns Hopkins Hospital in Boston. It was there that specialists diagnosed Matthew with a rare condition: Rasmussen’s encephalitis.

To clarify: The brain comprises two hemispheres—left and right, as illustrated in the accompanying image.

Rasmussen’s encephalitis results in persistent inflammation of one hemisphere, predominantly affecting children under the age of ten.

Herein lies the dilemma: it impacts the entire hemisphere, not just a small section of the brain.

Matthew’s parents explored potential treatments, soon discovering that the only viable option was a hemispherectomy—a drastic procedure involving the complete removal and disconnection of half the brain.

Understandably, Vallery was horrified at the prospect of her son undergoing such an operation. They hesitated, seeking alternatives, but none were available.

Faced with their son's suffering, they ultimately realized they had no choice but to proceed with the surgery. Matthew was six years old at the time.

“Who will my son become after losing half his brain? What will his future hold?” his parents pondered.

You might be asking similar questions right now. What relevance does this story have to gaining control of your life and realizing your full potential?

To put it simply: Our brains possess an extraordinary ability to reorganize themselves—even when half is missing! If you have both hemispheres intact, consider the vast possibilities… provided you don’t undermine yourself with doubt.

The human brain stands as the most intricate machine in existence. The concept of ‘complexity’ is a human construct, birthed from our own brains; no other animal contemplates the intricacies of their existence or studies physics, neuroscience, or philosophy.

Your brain governs your thoughts, emotions, plans, and everything in between. It enables you to express love, kindness, compassion, empathy, and commitment to others while also being responsible for self-sabotage, resistance to change, and insecurities.

If you find yourself struggling with procrastination, lack of focus, or creativity, I encourage you to read my previous article for insights on how you may be working against your brain.

If procrastination, focus, and creativity are challenges for you, this article is a must-read.

What this means for you: Understanding your brain equates to understanding the factors that shape the best—or worst—version of yourself.

This insight is liberating! Personally, this knowledge clarifies what keeps us where we are in life—whether it aligns with our desires or not—and illuminates why we struggle to implement changes or why particular emotional patterns hinder our relationships.

However, the issue lies in the fact that while many people discuss the brain, few truly grasp its functioning.

For example, you may have heard that the brain comprises various 'parts,' each responsible for specific functions—some claim there’s a 'center for love' or a 'center for sadness,' which is fundamentally incorrect.

There is no specific center in our brain for any complex functions. Current scientific understanding reveals that the brain operates as an interconnected network of circuits and systems. Everything is interlinked; the brain functions as a whole, eliminating the concept of isolated centers for intelligence or emotions.

Moreover, the brain engages with our experiences—every word you read here and every new idea you encounter creates fresh experiences in your brain, thereby altering it.

The brain is capable of reorganizing itself. As you know, neurons are among the cells in your brain responsible for forming connections. When you challenge yourself, your neurons establish new connections to enhance functionality.

Imagine a tree with branches, where the tree symbolizes a neuron: the more you stimulate and challenge your brain, the more and better branches your neurons will develop.

Conversely, if an individual exists in a deprived environment with insufficient stimuli, their neurons will have fewer connections, leading to diminished functionality and an increased risk of brain-related diseases such as Alzheimer’s, depression, and anxiety.

To nurture healthy neuron growth, you must maintain a balanced diet, engage in regular physical exercise (indeed, exercise—or lack thereof—impacts the brain), and provide your brain with intellectual and emotional nourishment through enriching experiences that challenge you to improve.

Your brain is constantly evolving, whether you realize it or not.

However, this evolution can be positive or negative, contingent upon your choices.

A person leading a sedentary lifestyle, consuming unhealthy foods (high in carbs, sugars, and trans fats), suffering from poor sleep quality, and lacking new knowledge (particularly self-knowledge) is effectively harming their own brain.

This lifestyle can lead to worsening mood, increased negativity, lethargy, memory difficulties, self-sabotage, and a tendency to procrastinate.

If you've read my previous article, you understand that our brains aim to conserve energy—which is why we occasionally feel 'lazy.' Nevertheless, conserving energy is not synonymous with a sedentary lifestyle that yields no progress. Your brain craves challenges and stimulation—just ensure you don't overwhelm yourself by attempting too much at once; balance is essential.

Your choices can spiral your brain into a negative cycle or, alternatively, strengthen it, enhancing connections and improving your life, thus initiating a positive cycle.

Sufficient sleep (between 7 and 9 hours), a healthy lifestyle with regular exercise and a sound nutrition plan, continuous engagement of your brain with knowledge, gradually challenging it, altering your approach to obstacles, and cultivating emotional intelligence—these are all choices that can revolutionize your life.

Your brain is a dynamic entity, evolving with every experience you encounter. Regardless of your age, if your brain is healthy, it has the ability to reorganize, recover lost connections, and forge new ones.

Returning to Matthew’s story…

After the surgery, his parents' worst fears materialized: he was severely debilitated, unable to walk, speak, or comprehend. Nevertheless, his parents committed themselves to his recovery. Step by step, he relearned how to talk, starting from scratch.

Three months later, he had regained an intellectual capacity appropriate for his age and could walk—albeit with some difficulty in his right leg—but otherwise led a normal life. Today, if you encountered him on the street, you would never suspect that half of his brain was removed at age six.

He now works at a restaurant, effectively managing customer care and tasks without difficulty.

You might wonder: “HOW is this achievable with only half a brain?”

This is possible because, as science indicates, the remaining half of his brain forged new connections, adapting to fulfill the functions previously managed by the removed hemisphere. In essence, his brain transformed.

This phenomenon explains why blind individuals often have heightened sensitivity to sound and touch; the circuits responsible for those senses expand into the regions where the visual circuits once existed.

The Key Takeaway… The human brain is an extraordinary machine of transformation. In Matthew’s case, his youth at the time of surgery significantly contributed to his remarkable recovery.

However, no matter your age, your brain is perpetually adapting and forming new connections, reshaping itself as a living organism that evolves with every experience you encounter.

If you're still skeptical about your ability to control your life and unlock your full potential, stay tuned for my next article.

Before you go, I encourage you to reflect on two questions: 1. How do you envision your life evolving in the next decade? 2. How has your life transformed over the past ten years?

Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments; I would love to connect with you!

Join my VIP List for access to exclusive content. To learn more and subscribe, click here (it’s free).

Thank you for reading. With gratitude, Sally

What to Explore Next: To Change Or Not To Change? — The Question Is Not IF, But HOW Will You Change. Your choices shape your life, and you possess more control over the outcome than you might think.