“Do Something new. Learn a new ability or skill. Play a new game. It will keep you sharp and benefit you in many ways. Dedicate yourself to learning and growing all lifelong. Challenge yourself! Have fun discovering things you never considered before. Open new doorways and move through them exploring. Find new adventures! Your brain is a use it or lose it muscle. The more you use it, it grows.

We are creatures of habits and patterns. We are pretty darn predictable as a result. We run the same neural patterns and habits over and over. To keep your brain stimulated, growing, ‘happy’ and healthy use it in ways you haven’t, or haven’t much. Smile more. Have fun. Laugh. Take up singing, or music lessons. Learn another language. Travel, go to new places in your locale or around the world. Try these.

Playing keyboards and stringed instruments are great for keeping your brain agile and help increase intelligence. This is because you move your fingers which is proven to benefit the brain. Handwriting is a good brain exercise. Write notes more than you type. Dance, do yoga, exercise, walk, enjoy nature, get outdoors. It is great for the body and the spirit. Visit the theater, museums, and festivals.

 Learn To Live Life On Your Terms: Create The Life You Want

Read and study areas of new interest. Play new games. Golf, volleyball, Monopoly or chess. Take up hobbies that make you think. Act in your local theater or student films. Take up photography or painting or sculpting. Challenge your own mind set. Challenge your own beliefs, discover and uproot limitations. Go help at a shelter or volunteer somewhere that can utilize your talents.

Helping others is a great way to help yourself. Add novelty to your daily routines. Plants are either growing or dying. The living plant stretches towards the sun. To feel fulfilled and stay healthy we need to do those things that not only add to our enjoyment but that stretch us and force us to use our mental and physical abilities. Just as a plant needs nutrition, we need stimulation. Stay active!

Stimulation and challenge are greater predictors of success than IQ. Don’t avoid challenges or tough times. Embrace them! Develop the winner’s mindset that states ‘I can do anything!’  Recognize that you are a great learner and can extract the lesson and value from life’s harder moments. Make learning and enjoying challenges a habit. Think and say, ‘I can learn to do anything I put my mind to!’

 Learn To Live Life On Your Terms: Create The Life You Want

Then learn to do new things. Continue to develop and excel. A determined attitude and playfulness will get you farther than most anything else. Winners love a hard game. They seek people and situations that force them to do their best. They love to overcome the odds! Be a winner! Actively seek the next biggest challenge. Don’t avoid challenges. Find new ones.

When you develop a ‘bring it on’ attitude you discover you can more readily handle anything life throws at you. Though the journey may get rough at times you are better mentally prepared to get to where you want to go. So, Keep going. Do something delightfully new and positive today. I’ve been sharing this for 40 years and the benefits are immense BUT you will only have the benefits when you engage in the process. Knowing it doesn’t change anything. Doing it can and does. Celebrate everything!” Rex Sikes