How to Improve Intellectual Wellness
It is quite easy to improve upon your intellectual wellness, especially if you know where to start. Here are five great ways to cultivate your intellectual wellness:
GRAB A BOOK (or listen to an audiobook)
There is nothing wrong with chilling out on the couch and binge watch some shows. However, even as an adult, you can have too much screen time. Opt for a good book (or audiobook) instead. Reading has many benefits, such as improving memory, an increase in vocabulary and a better understanding of others. With reading, you can learn and grow mentally. Reading makes you think differently and can introduce you to new ideas or inform and educate you. All of these things help expand your mind and cultivate your intellectual curiosity.
TRAVEL & EXPLORE
Learning does not only come from books. You can learn so much from travelling and exploring the world around you. When we travel or explore the communities around us, we meet new people and create new experiences. These interactions stimulate our minds. It boosts our intellectual curiosity and can teach you new things without having to read a book. Some enjoyable local ideas to explore are: try a new restaurant, visit a museum, go on a nature walk or simply take a road trip. So go out there and explore!
LEARN A NEW SKILL/HOBBY
Taking on a new hobby or learning a new skill is a fun and interactive way to improve your intellectual wellness. It also allows you to explore new ideas and concepts. Do you enjoy gardening? Why not join a gardening club? Or, do you enjoy food? Why not get your hands dirty and try a new recipe or take a class at your local community kitchen? Trying something new also allows you to understand yourself and your interests better, and can lead to more relationship development with new people.
GET ARTSY
Similar to the positive effects of reading, being creative in any way is known to improve memory, and increase emotional stability and cultivate relationships. Our emotions are linked to art. Art helps us express our feelings by being a physical representation of them. Art is known to be therapeutic and is often used in cancer centres as well as mental health hospitals. Remember: Art is unique to everyone and an expressive medium. Grab a brush, a pencil or a sewing machine…whatever you want and start making some art!
MANAGE YOUR TIME
It seems funny, but time management is crucial to your intellectual wellness. Time management methods involve finding ways to work more efficiently to maximize the use of your time in a day. Poor time management leads to increased stress, which affects all the pillars of wellness. Staying organized and on track allows your mind to work more efficiently and effectively. In the next lesson, we will introduce you to a worksheet that will help you with your time management.
*Excerpt from 8 Steps to Wellness Online Retreat. For more information or to purchase, CLICK HERE.
