Do Something New

When people work their brain, they are building new neural pathways. Neural pathways are like highways—they are the routes in the brain by which our messages travel. We want to have as many of these highways as possible.

Many of my newsletters will give you easy ideas and suggestions for building these brain highways.

My inaugural issue covers something I tell every group to which I speak—do something new! It is that simple. Our lives are made up of routines, which provide little exercise for our brain. Anytime you do something a different way, or try something new, your brain has to build new neural pathways. Here are some ideas to get you started.

When people work their brain, they are building new neural pathways. Neural pathways are like highways—they are the routes in the brain by which our messages travel. We want to have as many of these highways as possible.

Many of my newsletters will give you easy ideas and suggestions for building these brain highways.

My inaugural issue covers something I tell every group to which I speak—do something new! It is that simple. Our lives are made up of routines, which provide little exercise for our brain. Anytime you do something a different way, or try something new, your brain has to build new neural pathways. Here are some ideas to get you started.

-Eat a new food.
-Brush your teeth in a different order.
-In the grocery store, start shopping at the other end from where you usually begin.
-Rearrange your silverware drawer, a cupboard, or your medicine cabinet.
-Do anything with your non-dominant hand, e.g. dialing your phone, eating, brushing your hair, writing a note.
-Go to the bank using a different route.
-Get dressed with your eyes closed (except putting on your pants!)
-Get in your bed from the opposite side.

It is that simple. So start by trying one new thing today and you’ve made your fist step toward a lifestyle for a healthier brain.

If you have a good brain tip you would like to share, please e-mail me at jane@doctortornatore.com

Courage doesn’t always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying “I will try again tomorrow.”

Mary Anne Radmacher-Hershey

“The greatest weapon against stress is our ability to choose one thought over another.”

William James (1842-1910)

Shame, Shame, Shame

I’ve been pondering how much we shame ourselves lately. Frankly, it’s pissing me off.

Shame is appropriate if we do something to purposefully hurt someone. The problem is, too many of us our shame ourselves willy-nilly. I was in a group earlier this week and some of the members expressed shame because they did not accomplish their goals. Why? They didn’t hurt anybody. None of the other members were damaged because they didn’t accomplish the tasks. I can understand disappointment; they didn’t keep their word to themselves. That is disappointing, but shameful? No.

We have taken the usefulness of shame and splattered it across our lives. Instead of using shame to prevent us from taking dishonorable action, we have elevated shame to everyday use. We essentially are saying to ourselves “Because I did not do (insert whatever here) I am a dishonorable person.” To put it simply, this keeps us small and stuck.

I’ve seen in my life, and the lives of my clients, how much more can be accomplished when we have compassion for ourselves. It is time to take the sledgehammer of shame out of daily use and put it back in its rightful place.

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