Life doesn’t come with a manual. As we grow older and experience different situations, we become wiser and make better choices. Rearview Mirror Reflections Podcast is a conversation between two Kenyan women sharing their perspectives on life and what they are learning along the way. The conversations are a reminder that life and our perspectives keep evolving.
In the tenth episode of the Rearview Mirror Podcast Reflections, Damaris Agweyu and Susan Njoroge talk about intellectual wellness. As we share their wealth of experience, we dig deeper to find out exactly how you can improve your intellectual wellness. And here are five ways you can have a robust mind.
Have quality sleep
While forgoing sleep to make that dream come true may seem like a badge of honour, it isn't. Good sleep is a crucial part of staying healthy. It doesn't only promote physical health but also intellectual wellness.
Science has proven that enough sleep helps the brain remove toxins that accumulate throughout the day. It also boosts nerve cell communication, which helps the brain to function at an optimum level. Seven to eight hours of daily sleep builds intellectual capacity, which in return improves intellectual abilities.
Sleep deprivation, on the other hand, leads to attention deficit. It also impairs reasoning and deters problem-solving abilities.
Explore deep conversations
Instead of the usual boring conversation about the weather, take it a notch higher have conversations that will open up your world to different schools of thought.
When you take part in deep conversations, it stimulates your mind to think. More so, listen to understand rather than to counterattack with an even better argument. Damaris Agweyu, in the tenth episode of Rearview Mirror Reflections Podcast, has this to say about having intellectual conversations, "When you are part of a conversation, be humble enough to know that you don't have all the answers and you don't know everything."
Susan Njoroge reinforces the importance of being open-minded when it comes to having meaningful conversations, "Having an open mind and listening is very important. There's no one perspective. Your perspective is neither the only one out there nor the right one."
Intellectual conversations don't stop with in-person discussions. You can also share your thoughts through written media. This can be on a blog post or even mini-posts on social media platforms.
Sharing your thoughts in areas you find interesting will often spark a debate and offer further insights that you would never have thought about. Such forums also allow you to peek into others' minds and learn a thing or two. All of which are instrumental to your intellectual wellness.
Expand your horizons
Expand your horizons by interacting with different people. Connect with people from other countries. Make friends with people who are not in your social class. Establish friendships with different age groups. That's the best way to grow and learn new things.
Honestly speaking, there's nothing much to learn from people who are the same as you. Familiar surroundings limit your perception and confine you in a very small corner.
Scientifically, your brain creates new neural pathways every time you learn something new. The more you repeatedly acquire new knowledge, the stronger the neurons become. Their connections improve, and the neuron's network becomes robust.
Try something new
Your mind expands through learning. It could be a new language, a musical instrument, or even an artistic activity. These things allow your brain to grow since you learn to express yourself in different ways. So, get out of your comfort zone and try something different. You'll not only be exploring your abilities but also boosting your intellectual capacity while at it.
In the same breath, Crosswords, Sudoku, and Chess are brain games that help improve your intellectual capacity. These games require brainpower. Your brain is stimulated when you work on puzzles or find patterns. It's a great way to maintain and build your intellectual wellness while doing something fun.
Read for fun
Reading is more often than not associated with exams, which is not always fun if you ask me. But here we are shifting the focus to reading for fun. It doesn't have to be a book. It can be a newspaper, a magazine, or a blog article.
So, despite your busy schedule, take time to read. It can be in the morning, evening or night. The best way to go about it is to create a reading list of the books you would love to read and start reading them as you add to the list so that you are never out of something to read.
Having a reading culture can transform your life. There's always something to learn. And even when there's nothing to learn, the pure joy of stepping into the character's world builds your imagination.
Books are good at propelling your mind to think deeper. They always stretch your mind, whether it's through imagination or knowledge.
