Summarize the following:
The brain is very much so a muscle -- it can get used to the paces you put it through. Put it in front of the television day in and day out and it will atrophy. It'll become lazy. But keep it moving and it'll stay fresh and raring for the next great adventure. So turn off the tube and do something to challenge yourself. Chess anyone? The Internet makes this so easy. Pull up Lumosity, a sudoku or crossword puzzle, Memrise, Khan Academy, or Coursera (just to name a few possibilities). There is very little you can't do with the computer you have in front of you. So there are no excuses! We talked about having fun before, but we didn't touch very heavily on getting rid of stress, though the two definitely go hand in hand. But on top of having fun, it's important to manage your stress levels. High-stress individuals eat more, sleep less, and are generally less healthy on the whole. Those hormone levels in your head affect just about everything! The simplest thing you can do is to identify your triggers and not allow them in your life, at least as much as possible. Then add yoga or meditation on top of it and declutter your space. You're basically organizing your life, making sense of it, and then never relinquishing control. . When we don't get adequate sleep at night, our entire lives are affected. We can't focus, we can't pay attention, we eat more, our hormones get all over the place, et cetera ad infinitum. We all need around 8 hours, but whether you need closer to 7 or 9 is an individual thing. To make it easier, to get good quality sleep, start disconnecting sooner rather than later -- hopefully 2 or 3 hours before you go to bed. So get off the computer, stop staring at your cell phone, and hit "off" on that dang remote control. Read, take a bath, or just chill with your family or roommates. Live in the moment. Being social to humans is like breathing. If we don't get enough, our mental faculties suffer and we start losing our grip on how life should be. So make time for your friends! Call up that family member you haven't spoken to in forever. When you feel balanced, when you feel like you're an integral part of a community, everything else falls into place. It's easy to get swamped with work or to just put work into your relationship, but life is much more fruitful when you surround yourself with a blooming social network. Make it a point to, every so often, have a night with family or friends. It'll be a stress release and you'll have more people to lean on when you need them -- a very, very comforting, healthy feeling. To keep your mind kicking, do something you've never done before. Go to a city you've never been to. Pick up a sport you've never played. Get creative if you haven't seen your artsy side in years. Find a hobby that's always intrigued you but you've never gotten around to and make time for it. You'll feel productive, you'll feel like you've accomplished something, and, bottom line? You'll feel good. Just what the doctor ordered. Whether it's paragliding, taking a cooking class, or stepping into a big city without a map, there will be something you gain from these new experiences. Even if it's just a crazy story to tell! Really. Because at the end of the day, life without passion isn't a healthy life. Everybody has a dream and even if you can't make it something you're able to pursue 24/7, it can be something that has its own little niche in your life. So spend Wednesday afternoon writing your book. Take guitar lessons at the age of 45. Pack your bags and make that move. You won't feel content without it. Happiness is an integral part of being happy, and following your passion is a good way to ensure that your happiness is here to stay. If it gives you that warm feeling on the inside, it's meant to be. Never let your passions fall by the wayside. They're there to keep your heart and mind happy and healthy.
Keep mentally stimulated. Destress. Sleep Prioritize your social network. Step outside your box. Follow your passion.