During November, we’ve been talking about nourishment and how your body (and brain) requires different kinds of nutrition to thrive. Our brain changes with age, as do its cognitive abilities. Yikes! For our brains to flourish, they need to stay active – physically, socially and mentally.
The older we get, the more we know and understand ourselves. We better describe what we are good at and what we like. In some respect, this is good. We play to our strengths and delegate our weaknesses.
I recently discovered the Whole Brain Thinking Model. It includes a self-assessment tool that helps to describe your thinking preferences. It is a great resource when working on conflict, communication and team-building. It provides you with a greater understanding of yourself and the people close to you.
However, what resonated with me was the principle of the whole brain. Whilst we may prefer a specific style of thinking, we all have a whole brain and have access to different parts of the brain – which are all responsible for a different type of thinking.
While I enjoy being around people and coming up with new ideas, I’m not a fan of details, data, and planning. However, I can do all of these things! I must keep myself mentally stimulated to keep my brain cells strong and active. I can achieve this by reading a new book, listening to a podcast, enrolling in an online class and stretching myself to engage in activities outside of my thinking preference.
Whilst I don’t think I’ll be grabbing a textbook on statistics or trying to reconcile the Reality Wellness accounts, I will look for ways to engage more in analytical and practical thinking. I’m going to step a little outside of my comfort zone for a different kind of mental nourishment.