Monday Wake Up Call

Monday Morning Wake-Up Call:

Your Motivation, Inspiration & Direction for the Week Ahead

 

Increased Intelligence

Happy Monday! How was your weekend? Did you do something to increase your intelligence? You’re probably thinking, “What?! Increase my intelligence?” That’s the response most people have, but did you know that there are many great reasons for intentionally increasing your intelligence?

Intelligence has been defined in many ways, including as one’s capacity for logic, understanding, self-awareness, learning, planning, creativity and problem-solving. It’s your ability to perceive information and apply it to a specific project or objective.

 

Many clinical studies are currently looking at the effects of increased brain activity as it pertains to Alzheimer’s disease. Mental decline as we age appears to be largely because of altered connections among brain cells. But research has found that keeping the brain active seems to increase its vitality and may build its reserves of brain cells and connections. You could even generate new brain cells! Wow! As we get older, we can actually get smarter vs. losing what we’ve learned throughout life. What an exciting discovery! 

 

Something to Think About

Intellectually stimulating activities also may reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s. One large observational study looked at the impact of ordinary activities such as listening to the radio, reading newspapers, playing puzzle games and visiting museums. Investigators asked more than 700 seniors to describe the amount of time they spent doing these activities. After four years, the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease was 47% lower, on average, for those who did the activities most often than for those who did them less frequently. A more recent study showed that older people with less education who engaged in activities such as reading, crossword puzzles and writing letters performed as well on memory tests as their better-educated peers.

 

Weekly Activity

Keep your brain active every day:

• Stay curious and involved – commit to lifelong learning
• Read, write and work crossword or other puzzles
• Attend lectures and plays
• Enroll in courses at your local adult education center, community college or other community group
• Play games
• Work in your garden
• Try memory exercises

Words of Wisdom

“When we are no longer able to change a situation – we are challenged to change ourselves.” – Viktor E. Frankl

“You must take personal responsibility. You cannot change the circumstances, the seasons, or the wind, but you can change yourself. That is something you have charge of.” – Jim Rohn

“Sometimes it's the smallest decisions that can change your life forever.” – Keri Russell

“Life isn't about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself.” – George Bernard Shaw

 

“Very little is needed to make a happy life; it is all within yourself, in your way of thinking.” – Marcus Aurelius