1) Exercise regularly
Movement is life. Exercise is ‘prescribed
movement’. By doing exercise at least three times per week – a combination of
short & intense, versus longer and enduring – we can activate muscles,
stimulate hormonal secretion, reduce mental stress, and engage our nervous
system. Exercise is know to reduce the occurrence of mental depression, and
retard some of the effects associated with aging. While you are at it, exercise
in the sunlight, sometimes.
2) Read
Reading helps us nourish our mind through the
provision of ideas, knowledge and opinions. Words help us form images in our
minds and bridge both cerebral hemispheres (both left and right sides of our
brain). It also allows us to access our imagination. Reading is a form of
‘quiet time’ or meditation for our self. Read for information, education and
entertainment. Read, consider, reason, argue and discuss –activate your
thinking (cognition) through engagement with others.
3) Write (express yourself:
teach, share)
This is a way of expressing yourself
privately and openly. It gets our thoughts onto paper, or on-screen. Writing is
a way to think in words, phrases, and sentences. It allows us to express random
thoughts, and place them in logical perspective. Writing helps the introverts
express their inner feelings and deep thoughts ‘outwards’.
4) Eat well
Eat as natural and unprocessed as often as
you can. Apply the ‘80:20 Rule’, and eat as well as you can afford to 80
percent of the time. Eat your comfort and ‘cheat foods’ the remainder of the
time. Focus on foods that do not encourage inflammation. Inflammation has been
associated with a wide range of maladies and diseases. Focus on foods high in antioxidants,
filtered-water, and herbs to cleanse your body and encourage healing. Keep
fruit (and fruit sugars) to specific times, as it tends to stimulate hunger.
5) Frame and re-frame my mind
Positive psychology is about learning to
apply mental strategies and techniques to quell negative thoughts. We learn to
focus on positive matters, like results instead of failure. Re-wording helps us
appreciate another perspective and dimension in our communication. Our ‘self
talk’ can be filled with excuses, blame, disappointment and resentment. By
re-framing, we can focus on more useful parts of our communication with others.
We take responsibility in the quality of our conversations with others, so that
we can benefit from each interaction. Positive and optimistic people are also
more fun to be with.
6) Posture
This is about how elongated and stretch
your spine is when you sit, move or sleep. Proper posture concerns us on how we
move with ease and comfort. Pains, strains and stress place undue discomfort on
our body, so that we do not breath deeply enough. When that happens, it disrupts
our digestion, blood circulation, and how we use our body effectively. Minimise
excessive time spent sitting. Sit on large balls or stand at your workstation.
7) Seek Experts & Learn
From Them
The Room is the expert. In almost every
social setting, we can meet somebody of distinction. This may be an area of expertise,
or self-mastery. Even hobbyists can be passionate in talking about their
hobbies. Most of them are knowledgeable about that area which excites them, and
provides them with a form of expression. It can be delightful to hear someone
talk passionately about what they enjoy doing, or what they are competent in.
8) Challenge yourself and
measure your progress
Challenges allow us to expand our
abilities. These can be translated into goals, and we can direct our resources
and commitment to achieving them. As we measure our results, we can ascertain
our progress. Part of the reason why people do sports, is to test their mental
and physical limitations. Excuses surface when we test our limits, and we learn
to curb them when we face chores, work, duties and other discipline-required
matters. Challenges also provide us with a sense of purpose, so that goals can
be created around them.
9) Be inspired and motivated
Be curious. Be excited by new things. Enjoy
new experiences. Nature can inspire us. People and their actions, can inspire
us to be better versions of our selves. Read inspirational stories. Consider
engaging some of their ideas into your life. Once we develop a sense of purpose
and strength of purpose, we can act on our dreams and goals.
10)
Sleep well
Sleep at least 7.5 hours a day. Six hours
would be an absolute minimum. It is a single non-activity that allows our
brains to do ‘housekeeping’. A comfortable mattress, a firm pillow, drapes
drawn to keep our light, can help us sleep better. Dreaming helps us in an unconscious way. If
we sleep well, we awake refreshed and clear-minded, without the mind-fog that
caffeine cannot fully vanquish. Tart Cherry juice can stimulate sleepiness and
gives more sound sleep.
