As defined by Merriam-Webster: The ability of the brain to form and reorganize synaptic connections, especially in response to learning or experience or following injury.

I’m interested in the “reorganize” part of that situation. I’m getting better at it, maybe. You know how it is. If you’re in the mood to be pissed off, sure as shit you’ll find a reason to be pissed off. Because you want it. You seek it, you crave it. If you actively look for white cars on the road, you will see white cars on the road.

But what if before looking for white cars, for five seconds, you look for red ones. What if before getting pissed off, for five seconds, you think about something you’re grateful for. And really think about it, you know? Not just like, “Oh yeah ok cool gratitude,” in your pissed off, I-have-to-be-mad-right-now-so-fuck-off state of mind.

Maybe you can train your brain to be not pissed off when you so desperately want to be. Maybe you can train your brain to automatically switch to gratitude when that urge to be pissed off swims up.

All these platitudes float around the ether, on Pinterest, cheaply printed on dumb t-shirts peddled by “influencers.” Platitudes like “The universe is looking out for you.” “Everything happens for a reason.” “Things don’t happen to you, they happen for you.” Um, no. The universe is too busy being a universe to care about you. Nothing happens for a reason unless you assign a reason to it. Things happen, and then, well, there you are.

I don’t know.