If you want to become a high performer, increase your creativity or have more focus and energy to manifest your dreams, you need to take care of your temple—your body. Your soul resides in that temple, but so does your mind. If you don’t care for your body, your mind won’t function as well as you’d like.
It’s quite a simple concept: Good health improves your productivity and creativity. When I realized this, I made the decision to get in shape—physically and mentally.
Exercise and Diet—for Body and Mind
In January, I began an exercise program for the first time in many years. I had exercised sporadically for a long time, allowing my career to consume my time and keep me sitting in front of a computer most of the time. Now, I work out in some form or fashion five or six days per week.
I also eat a healthier diet—no GMOs, more organic produce and products, and more fruits and vegetables. I also take high-quality supplements daily and use low-glycemic protein shakes and bars for breakfast and snacks.
I exercise my mind as well. There have been many times when I said I didn’t have time to read, listen to educational audios or take courses. Now, I schedule this into my day…to keep my mind in shape. Sometimes I opt out of watching television with my family so I can feed my mind what it needs most.
When you reach optimal levels of wellness, you can do more and achieve more. That’s what I want.
10 Tips for Achieving a Super Hero Brain
Recently I attended a memory improvement event offered by Jim Kwik. He taught me these ten essential things you need to keep your brain healthy and to function at peak performance—to develop what he calls a “Super Hero Brain.”
- Eat a healthy diet.
- Rid yourself of automatic negative thoughts.
- Exercise.
- Take supplements that provide brain nutrients.
- Find a positive peer group.
- Create a clean environment.
- Sleep eight hours.
- Use protective head gear to keep your brain safe.
- Engage in new learning experiences.
- Reduce your stress.
These are simple things you can do daily or weekly. Here are three more things I learned:
Train Your Mind
Research has shown that the average person’s brain capacity outweighs the way it is used. But how many of us don’t bother to train our minds, to do mental exercises that increase our ability to access the strength and ability of our minds? Not many.
For 400 years, scientists believed we could do nothing about the brains we are given at birth. Today, the theory of neuroplasticity has proven that our brains can change. Our brains are like muscles that can be strengthened and refined.
Your memory is a muscle that needs to be strengthened, too. I thought I was “bad at remembering names” and couldn’t remember long lists of items, but I was wrong. It just took knowing and using systems—and working harder to remember. Discipline yourself to memorize phone numbers and numbers. Don’t use a calculator; use your brain! This is how you exercise it. (I still have the list of ten items above memorized after almost two months!)
Think Positive Thoughts
I’m a firm believer in positive thinking, but when I learned that positive thinking increases the speed at which we create cells, I was sold all again. No more negative thoughts for me (if I can help it)! Positive thoughts also reduce stress and anxiety. And you want less stress and anxiety if you desire the ability to focus, create and think. Stress and anxiety kill existing brain neurons and prevent new ones from being created.
Drink More Water
Most people don’t drink enough. I am at fault of this daily, so I’m working on drinking a glass of water every hour or two. Our bodies need at least eight glasses of water per day to function. Some of us need more than that—if we exercise, stand to work or are active in our jobs.
If you are dehydrated, all sorts of physical systems begin to shut down or work improperly, which is why this condition leads to headaches, for example. Have a water bottle with you at all times.
I’ve been caring for my temple in a variety of ways, and I see it paying off. Today, for example, I had the energy and focus to finish several projects quickly and effectively. I remained focused, on task, engaged, and energetic the whole time.
Are you taking care of your temple? Tell me about it in a comment below.
Photo courtesy of Maridav
Feeling so very grateful after reading this. I’ve noticed that my temple has been neglected of late, however, I am now inspire to feed my soul and exercise my mind.
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