How to Design Your Life to Optimize Brain Function

Take Care of Your Dream Machine

We dream big. Reach for the stars. Believe we can be more than we are. We can do better. We can be better. We dream of reaching our dreams, and when we do, we dream bigger. Because our mind is made for dreams.

But are we taking care of our dream generator?

That amazing brain that not only comes up with these crazy dreams but also helps us map out, step-by-step, how to get there, has needs of its own. Some of these needs you probably already know about, others, as obvious as they might be, could be on your current list of “things I neglect because I don’t have time.”

If you don’t take care of your brain, believe me, you won’t have time for those dreams.

Your brain needs love. Yes, you read that right. Humans need love, we need connection, and it is not just so we feel good. It is healthy for our brain. So if you struggle to connect with others, work on it.

Deepen the connections you already have. If you don’t have many connections, work on creating more. Love matters and we usually don’t have to go farther than our own house to work on the skill of loving.

As you get better at loving those you have, you will more easily connect with more people, on various levels.

Your brain needs oxygen. Forget weight loss. Exercise anyway. I mean, I know a lot of people who move consistently and never lose any weight, but that does not mean they should quit moving. It does not mean that moving has not been helpful to their body.

Your brain needs a whole lot of oxygen and cannot get all of it from regular breathing, it needs that extra dose that gets pushed up to your head when you work your body hard.

Of course, you don’t have to make it boring guys, move in ways you love. Whether it is sports, dance, yoga, or if you just get a hankering to lift some weights. Just get your body moving regularly to feed that brain. So it can feed those dreams.

Your brain also needs nutrients. Yep, oxygen is not the only food your brain needs. It needs fat, in the form of omega 3’s (yum, yum, fish), and a whole hoard of other nutrients. Not sure what to eat? Google foods for brain health and it gives you some delicious pictures to make your mouth water, pick 5 or 10 to include in your weekly plans. Pick ones you love and will enjoy eating. Pick ones that will fit easily into your lifestyle. If you know you react negatively to any of those foods, don’t eat them. Your brain will not benefit from things that cause you to have system-wide inflammation. (Which is what food intolerances usually cause.)

Last, but not least, your brain needs to learn. I left this one for last because you already know this. To keep your brain fit over time, you need to learn new things. So no, you can’t just be like, I am a genius, the end. You have to keep going to the next level, no matter how smart you already are. It is great for your brain if you just get up one day and decide to learn about a topic outside of your current knowledge and interests.

So, yes, dream big and chase those dreams. But while you are on the journey take the time to take care of your dream machine.

P.S. I almost forgot sleep, please sleep.