In order to build and retain cognitive reserve, our brain needs fresh challenges almost on a daily basis to keep our neural pathways open and maintain a healthy central nervous system. I decided to take up this challenge by practicing a few simple exercises I learned in the Brighter Minds Restart program for adults.
One of the things I took up first was to take a different route to work and try to take only left turns to get to office and ... well, it's not always possible! I was able to make it eventually but I had to get quite creative and think of different options while I was driving. I was fully aware rather than operating like we normally do from the subconscious mind and following our habitual patterns.
The other thing I tried was cycling to work, which is actually quite amazing because I was able to observe things minutely as well as engage all the senses. For instance, cycling behind a fruit vendor's cart I could actually smell the bananas.
Curiously, depending on how ripe the bananas were, I could perceive different smells on different days I began to understand the different stages of ripening and whether they were ready to eat simply by cycling in their wake!
This story is from the February 2023 edition of Heartfulness eMagazine.
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This story is from the February 2023 edition of Heartfulness eMagazine.
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