A union between a man and a woman is special, a relationship like no other.

Its initial stages have been compared, in studies, to the most potent of addictive drugs, dumping a mixture of hormones in the bloodstream that can drive otherwise ‘normal’ people to do crazy things.

The anniversary of your relationship, with each passing year, deserves a beautiful celebration. Of course, there are the traditional flowers, dinner, candlelight, reciting or renewing your wedding vows, or exciting getaways.

To connect to the heart of what brings meaning, consider adding one or more of the following five ways to celebrate, alongside your favorites:

1. Bring to mind the first steps … 

… of your life together. Life consists of a series of milestones. There are fresh starts around every corner. Ponder the firsts. The first meeting. When you first ‘knew’ your partner was ‘the one.’ Putting together a home. Becoming parents. Replay these memories.

Have you noticed persons who do scary things are scared themselves? In the movie series, “Star Wars,” Master Yoda observes this very human emotional response when he says, “Fear is the path to the dark side.”

It’s true.

Fear can take us in one of two directions.

Whereas low levels of fear can energize us to achieve our goals in healthy ways, not so when it comes to intense and prolonged levels of fear, which can negatively impact our health and choices.

It can be especially scary to us, as parents, when faced with having to deal with our children’s fears. When they behave in ways that challenge us, for example, lying, being defiant, hitting, etc., it can threaten our sense of efficacy. This can scare us.

In Part I and Part II, we considered two of three basic adaptations to change the brain makes to strengthen existing behaviors, or to adjust or expand them with modifications.

A third type of change occurs when the brain adapts to new behaviors.

In this post we discuss the brain’s adaptation to this third type of change, or ‘accommodation,’ and five factors that can either enhance or block the willingness of your brain to accommodate new learning or change. The foundation of all learning can be said to occur when your brain:

It’s quite incredible to consider the amazing capacity of your brain, known as plasticity, to grow new neurons on an as needed basis, and to indefinitely renew and restructure itself. In Part I, we considered one way the brain adapts to change by strengthening present behaviors.

In this post we discuss what goes on when you adjust or expand your habits, either consciously or subconsciously. A second way your brain adapts to change is when it:

II. Modifies existing behaviors.

It’s no secret. You have an ability to make big or small adjustments to current behaviors. What does this mean for your brain, however?