Keeping The Mind Healthy In Your 40's

The mind is arguably the most important part in the human body. It is directly responsible for our well-being, whether we are aware of it or not.

Because honestly, in my head, I’m still me when I was in the third grade, highschool, as a bachelor --- it’s just that I’m in an older body.

Think about the mind as the great big operating system of the human machine. Imagine --- it handles side processes like breathing, regulating blood while also allowing you to control your actions.

Those with a healthier mindset are usually the healthy ones while in contrast, the ones who are consumed by worry are the ones who get sick more often. It’s not hard to see the correlation now, right?

Question is, how do you train your mind to be healthy?

Release – Hale Dowskin from the Sedona Method has said it better: the only way you can feel pain from the past and anxiety in your future is when you’re still holding on to that feeling. The heart may well be romanticized to control the emotions, but its really your head calling the shots. Cut out unnecessary causes of stress in your mind by mentally letting them go. Forgive past grievances, make amends with what is inevitable in your future.

Think In The Now – Because really, why dwell on the past --- you can’t change it. Why worry about the future when it isn’t here yet? When you take down all these layers of regret, worry and self-doubt, you find that prioritizing becomes a lot easier.

Meditate – No, meditation isn’t all about controlling your breaths --- it could be as simple as reassessing your life goals every week. Why not ask yourself personal growth questions on a set schedule? (Everyone needs personal growth; even those beyond 40!) For example, ask yourself, “how could I be a better spouse / parent / employee this week?”

Be Happy! – Release pent-up aggression as soon as it develops --- squeeze the life out of a stress ball, take a walk --- think of your beautiful family when you’re in doubt. Watch funny movies and tv shows. A stress-free life is a healthy life.

Those are just some of the ways to keep your mind healthy after 40. Do you know any more ways? Leave a comment. We’d love to hear from you.

If you have a health problem you want to discuss, go to http://over40andfighting.com/theworld.asp

Absent-Mindedness: A Random Occurence or a Curse?

Do you occasionally need a jumpstart? Have you been frequently daydreaming? Not as active as you’re used to? You’re not alone.

Are you absent-minded? Here’s an example: you’re taking notes with a pen then the phone rings --- you answer the phone, and you spend time, energy and aggravation trying to look for the pen afterwards, only to find it neatly tucked up your ear.

Some people dismiss events like these as just being “not their day.” But it happens to the best and the rest of us. Most especially at times when we try to juggle a job, an active home life and an extra-curricular activity --- there’s only so much things you could hold in your mind at a time!

“Mind wandering” --- it’s a phenomenon that’s apparently not getting enough attention from the big brains of the scientists that are studying it. It’s inexplicable why on average, a person will daydream 30% of the time, and spend 60% sleeping or working. If you think about it long and hard enough, those figures add up to an incredible amount of time and energy wasted doing nothing.

While it happens to the rest of us, we wonder --- how come so-and-so’s so active and alert most of the time? Is there something going on in their brain of theirs that’s not happening in yours? Did they get an upgrade, or a patch, that you didn’t download?

It’s not that they’re cheating --- it’s just that they’re more alert than we are! While absent minds can usually waste time, think of the consequences --- the inconvenience an absent mind may bring to a community. What if a member of the demolition crew forgot which direction he was swinging a wrecking ball? What if that same person drove the ball right up your wall? Not too small an inconvenience, eh?

Mental alertness is the key in combating the effects of absent-mindedness. Simple mental queues while doing an action can help. Tell yourself, “I’m clipping the pen above my ear / I’m swinging the wrecking ball to the left / Insert-action here” while doing the action to help anchor in what you’re currently doing before a state-breaking interruption.

There are other, ways in which you could invoke your inner alert tiger --- such as the right amount of caffeine, guarana, gingko biloba, gotu kola and fish oils can help heighten your mental alertness state.

Don’t sweat it if you forget things from time to time --- it happens. Now what was I talking about?

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