There are many books on the market that focus on treating the brain like any other organ of the body. To improve the brain, they advise eating a balanced diet, getting enough sleep and avoiding toxins like alcohol and nicotine. Dr. Deepak Chopra gives us advice on how to take care of our brain.
In short, the best way to relate to your brain is to inspire it; the worst way is to ignore it. Since the brain embraces every thought, word and deed, the list of things under each heading is long but very much worth attending to. Chopra also adds, reinventing the brain is closer than you think.
Here are some tips from the experts/Deepak Chopra and CNN:
Take care of stress. Avoid dulling routine. Do something creative every day. Read poetry, spiritual material or anything else that makes you feel uplifted. Take time to be in nature. Bond with another person who is heartwarming. Pay attention to being happy. Make sure you take time every day by yourself to relax, meditate and self-reflect. Deal with negative emotions like anger and anxiety. Focus on activity that makes you feel fulfilled. Give of yourself. Follow a personal vision. Attach yourself to a cause that is bigger than you are. Take the risk to love and be loved.
Here are some things to avoid:
Get set in your ways. Don't look beyond your opinions, likes and dislikes. Isolate yourself from others. Take relationships for granted. Reconcile yourself to going downhill as you age. Look upon the past as the best time of your life. Forget about having ideals. Act on selfish impulses. Don't examine what makes you tick. Give in to anger and anxiety. Let life take care of itself. Go along to get along. Assume that you are automatically right. Avoid anything new or challenging. Put up with stress. Take no emotional risks. Distract yourself with mindless diversions like watching sports for hours on end.
The difference? Pretty stark, huh! In one case, you are approaching the brain as if it had great untapped potential. In the other, you assume that the brain runs on automatic pilot. The choice is in your head.
The first step is to realize you are in control of how you relate with your brain. Once you realize this, you can choose to pay attention to the relationship and nurture it. You are in on a secret that escapes many. Take advantage of that!
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