The Brain that Changes Itself

The Brain that Changes Itself by Norman Doidge, MD

Genre: some might call it "Self-Help" but I refuse to apply that title to books due to the negative associations it musters.  I refer to this book as "Psychology, Neuroscience, and Lifestyle."

I'm no medical expert, not to mention neuroscience, so I put a lot of stock in books written by MDs.  The Brain that Changes itself is a sometimes fascinating, sometimes over my head analysis of "Brain Science" history chocked full of great tidbits for the average person.  I'm a bit of a non-fiction nut, so if you share that passion this book will be right up your alley.

At times I skimmed through 20-40 pages that, while peaking my interest, didn't really offer much in the way of insight.  Other times I couldn't put down my pen, taking notes on how to keep my brain young, how to overcome addictions and bad habits, and other extremely useful golden nuggets.  I try to find the golden nuggets that I can add to my mental library from every book, so if you're patient and an adept speed-reader I highly recommend this book.

Golden Nuggets:
-  "To keep the mind alive requires learning something truly new with intense focus." p.88
-  "The more we have, the more socially and physically active we are, and the more we participate in mentally stimulating activities, the less likely we are to get Alzheimer's disease or dementia...Those [activities] that involve genuine concentration - studying a musical instrument, playing board games, reading, [studying a foreign language], and dance - are associated with a lower risk of dementia." p.254
-  "Television watching, one of the signature activities of our culture, correlates with brain problems...For every hour of TV the toddlers watched each day, their chances of developing serious attentional difficulties at age seven increased 10%." p.307

Please do yourself a favor, put down the TV remote and pick up this book.  As you age it may save your life.

Rating: 4.5 bookmarks (out of 5)

http://www.normandoidge.com/normandoidge.com/MAIN.html

Learn Something New

Many of us tossed our learning caps after we tossed our graduation caps for the last time, shedding the oppressor that was homework, and putting away our reading glasses for a spot on the couch.

Perhaps not everyone enjoys learning as I do, but could that be because we are learning what others want us to learn?  The Math, Science, or Social Studies books are a thing of my past, as are many of the "classics" that bore me to tears; yet, other books sweep me off into distant lands, teach me how to live a better life, and inspire me to reach for the stars.  Reading opens your mind and imagination in a way television never can.

Learning doesn't just come from books.  Ever heard the term "if you don't use it you lose it?"  That applies to your brain (read The Brain that Changes Itself if you don't believe me).  Use your brain to learn new things.  Ever wanted to write a book?  Get started now, it doesn't have to be a masterpiece from day one.  Ever wanted to learn a new language?  Duolingo.com is free and easy to use.  Want to write a children's book?  Pick up a pencil or do some sketches.

What do you want to do?  Start today!  It doesn't have to be huge, just a small step today...another tomorrow...then a bigger one the next day...and so on.  In the process you'll learn something new, challenge your brain to not become a vegetable, and improve your life!


Some recommended reads:
Distant Lands
The Hobbit
The Divergent Trilogy
The Hunger Games Trilogy
Anything by James Wesley Rawles
Zombie Survival Guides, Star Wars, or whatever you're into

How to Live a Better Life
Anything by Larry Winget
You're Broke Because You Want to Be
Talent is Overrated

Inspiration
The Way of the Seal
The Reality-Based Rules of the Workplace
Fully Alive

The Shack

Finding Lifelong Joy

Millions of Americans find ourselves yokes with hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt.  We Americans love to spend our money – and then some – as demonstrated by our love/hate relationships with debs on a personal and professional level.  This love affair is a reflection of our deeply-routed insecurity in ourselves and our inability to discipline ourselves for what is best.  Instant gratification overwhelms our desire for sacrificial and meaningful gain.  But how do we overcome this addiction to debt, instant gratification, and short-termism?

        

         The simple answer is that we don’t overcome it, instead we pursue different avenues – healthy avenues – of gratification.  We slightly nudge our mindset toward those things that restrain our brains by loving what actually makes us happy.

         Philosophy is great, but how about some reality?  What practical, real life steps do we take to pursue lifelong joy rather than temporal and fleeting happiness?

Stay tuned…

Dreams Are Realized One Day at a Time

"Pursue your dreams."

It's the phrase so many of us are challenged by every day, but so few of us can grab hold of.  Why do our dreams elude us?  I am not sure about everyone else, but my dreams are so hard to grasp because they are so epically overwhelming and yet painfully vague.

My dream is nothing more or less than changing the world by helping people.  Something painfully complex yet remarkably simple…Today, I sat down and worked with an employee on an online training.  Halfway through, I asked him off-handedly "So, do you have much experience on the computer?”  I expected a “No,” but his answer stopped me in my tracks: “This is the first time I’ve ever used a computer.”  I sat, dumbfounded as he stared intently at a corporate training video, typing, clicking dragging, and learning something brand new.

Today, I changed the world.  I introduced someone to a computer who had never used one before.  WOW!  That’s the thing about pursuing your dreams, it starts now…if you’re watching for it.  Instead of focusing on the lofty life-long bucket list dream, sit down and outline what you can do today to get you one day closer to that dream.  After enough days of moving “one day closer,” you may be shocked to find yourself stepping into your dreams much sooner than you ever though possible.

“All men dream: but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds wake in the day to find that it was vanity: but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act their dreams with open eyes, to make it possible. This I did.” – T.E. Lawrence