What moving does to the brain

We began writing this post simultaneously as we started making a special celebratory dinner to mark our first month in Vancouver. We look forward to sharing our experience as we discover this new place, meet new friends, connect with the city and start new projects.

We fell in love with the west coast from the minute we saw the mountains meet the sea from high above. Our very emotional 6-hour flight ended with the warm words of the captain saying, "Welcome to Vancouver," and with our first deep breath outside of the airport, we knew we were finally home. It took us a while to realize this was not a vacation; we now live in the Canadian version of paradise. As we unpacked our moving boxes, we also unpacked feelings of hope, excitement and love.

Aside from the benefits to the heart and soul, moving can also benefit the brain. Neuroscience research shows that getting out of our comfort zone and challenging ourselves in new environments takes our brain out of "autopilot" and makes us build new bridges and connections. Neuroplasticity refers to the brain's malleability when learning or experiencing new things; it is especially active during childhood and when we learn new skills. It also gives the impression of time moving slower because the brain gathers and processes new information. New environments offer plenty of opportunities for focused attention and growth.

While adapting to the changing landscape, some connections are strengthened and developed, while less important ones are eliminated in a process known as "synaptic pruning."

To start, we had to learn the names of the streets near our new apartment and find our go-to farmers' markets, artisan bakeries, coffee roasteries and ice cream shops. Food priorities. Having to do cross-province paperwork forced us to visit the less travelled paths and introduced us to new neighbourhoods. Overall, people behave differently. The streets are humming, the bike paths are full of enthusiastic athletes, the walls are full of colourful street art, and people seem considerably happier than anywhere else we've lived so far.

While moving can be terrifying to some, it provides a fresh start and new doors to different worlds. Our entire routines are disrupted, and like a blank canvas, it allows us to reinvent ourselves, start new habits and become who we aspire to be. In addition, new friends from different backgrounds will give us new perspectives. We haven't met too many people yet, but we'll sure join cycling clubs, hiking groups and makers' collectives.

Something we find incredible about Vancouver is the diversity of its people. In the first few days of walking around our neighbourhood, we heard people speaking Spanish, Russian, Mandarin, French, Native lingoes and Italian. It rocks!

Aside from the novelty, we are curious to see how our previous daily habits interact with our new west coast lifestyle. We aim to continue our triathlon training (now with more hills than our previous home in Ontario), our daily dose of reading, painting abstract landscapes, and practicing music instruments and yoga.

Some studies highlight that individuals who live in several countries can produce more creative designs as travel helps develop "cognitive flexibility" and improves your ability to be open-minded, receptive and introspective. We look forward to seeing it in practice through our next creative ventures! Wish us luck!