Wednesday Wisdom
Cultivating Cognitive Resilience
Welcome to what is going to be an ongoing series of knowledge, tips, and/or exercises, once per week that will improve cognitive resilience for all of us.
Brain health for me is a huge issue in 21st century living. It is literally a ticking time bomb for many that will result in physical, emotional and mental health conditions.
Brain health is also strongly correlated to acheivement and success throughout life.
It is easier for many to put our head into the sand when it comes to looking after our brain as we are extremely elastic and plastic until the day comes when we are not.
The best thing that we can do is to begin to cultivate a positive cognitive resilience routine as soon as we can.
I am a huge fan of adding things rather than taking away (intially)
Starting by adding rather than subtracting can be a powerful approach. It is building a sturdy foundation before fine-tuning.
Here are some ways to embrace this philosophy:
Knowledge Accumulation:
Read Widely: Add diverse perspectives to your mental library.
Learn New Skills: Expand your toolkit by acquiring practical skills.
Curiosity: Ask questions, explore, and add to your understanding.
Health and Well-Being:
Nutrition: Add more fruits, veggies, and whole grains to your meals.
Hydration: Sip water throughout the day.
Physical Activity: Add movement—walk, dance, or stretch.
Sleep: Prioritise rest; it’s an addition to your vitality.
Creativity and Expression:
Write: Add words to paper; express your thoughts.
Art: Add strokes of color to a canvas.
Music: Add notes to silence.
Relationships:
Kindness: Add compliments, smiles, and gestures.
Quality Time: Add moments with loved ones.
Empathy: Add understanding to conversations.
So for the first session of Wednesday Wisdom I would you like to choose at least one or at at most three activities from the ones suggested above - all will enhance your cognitive resilience and are preventative neuro-medicine whatever your age group.
“The distinction between diseases of "brain" and "mind," between "neurological" problems and "psychological" or "psychiatric" ones, is an unfortunate cultural inheritance that permeates society and medicine.
It reflects a basic ignorance of the relation between brain and mind.
Diseases of the brain are seen as tragedies visited on people who cannot be blamed for their condition, while diseases of the mind, especially those that affect conduct and emotion, are seen as social inconveniences for which sufferers have much to answer.
Individuals are to be blamed for their character flaws, defective emotional modulation, and so on; lack of willpower is supposed to be the primary problem.”