We know how important keeping our bodies active is for fighting the effects of aging, but we may not consider the same for our minds. It is easy to get complacent about challenging ourselves mentally, and yet, I believe it is just as easy to practice good mental gymnastics.
Consistency and determination, coupled with a bit of creativity and great patterns, can be built into our brains.
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I start each morning with a little wake-up for my body by counting backward as I stretch and limber my body. My breakfast, which includes colorful berries for sharpness and is also a healthy antioxidant, has a companion, the puzzle section of the Star-Ledger. I first do the Ken-Ken which is always, always possible to solve! The boxes which are outlined in black, called cages, have a target number and math operation identified, and each line must have numbers from 1 to 4. The rules are explicit and, as I mentioned, one gets familiar with them very easily. There is a sense of satisfaction after solving this puzzle, because like anything we do daily, we become more skillful.
By now, after I have taken my vitamins, I look to the two Crypto Quotes for the day. The Crypto Quote is a statement that substitutes a fictitious letter for the correct letter. The challenge is being able to “read” the quote knowing that one must figure out what the substitute letters are each day. One of the quotes is usually by a well-known personality, and there is even a clue…such as in today’s puzzle, “J equals E” so I am off and running. The second puzzle and the author of the quote may be a bit more obscure. My pencil has a workout with these, and so does my brain, because although there are basic precepts, such as “a two-letter word will never begin with the letter ‘E’” there are countless ways to work the puzzle, and there are days when I am still working on them when I have my lunch or after dinner snack.
If there is no newspaper available, there are books and books of Crypto Quotes, Ken-Ken, Sudoku, crossword puzzles, etc. Journaling is a great way to also get your mind into your daily activities, as are crafts and sewing. Following patterns with knitting, crocheting and sewing are all challenges that reap great rewards. I take knitting/crocheting classes and surprisingly, age is irrelevant. There are those younger than I, and those older. The garments or blankets we create are wonderful, but the camaraderie and enthusiasm we have for each other is equally as wonderful. We stretch ourselves, we motivate and support each other, and we love to model what we have done for the sheer pleasure of taking yarn and making it something special because we envisioned it and we made it. We all know that yarn was like a blank piece of paper until we saw in it something uniquely ours. We followed a pattern, which helped our mind and brain, and reaped double benefits.
I encourage you to find your own way to keep your mind active and challenged. As I mentioned, it takes determination and consistency. Add on activities as you master each, count backward, say nursery rhymes while stretching, imagine yourself breaking through whatever barrier you thought prevented you from challenging yourself…eat your berries, rich and colorful, and be mindful of the smart investment you are making in your aging mind, just as you do your aging body.