If you start from a position of I'm a no-hoper, in a paradoxical kind of way you are not risking being vulnerable.

The trouble is if we take no new steps to try a new challenge, our comfort zone doesn't seem just to stay still, but retract.

We don't have to have suffered brain damage to take advantage of the plastic nature of our brains.

When we had to survive on our wits, gather and kill our food from scratch and be more at the mercy of our environment than we are today, we probably had enough challenge to keep our brains healthy.

In order to stretch ourselves we do need to experience the vulnerability of not knowing the outcome.

Neurogenesis continues throughout life and we have the capacity to establish new neural pathways and strengthen existing ones.

Meditation is focused attention and the more we practise focusing our brains the more connections we build up.