Part 3 of the 6 Dimensions of Wellness: Intellectual
Can’t Stop. Won’t Stop (Learning).
We’re almost halfway through our six-part series – have you learned anything yet? If so – (NICE) you’ve covered a base on your way to intellectual wellness. If you’ve missed the overview, Part 1 or Part 2 go back and give them a once over. You may think CST is all about physical wellness (we’ll get to that in a few weeks, too), but *remember* we want you to be well-rounded. That means giving attention to your wellness from a bunch of different perspectives. Six perspectives – to be exact.
Intellectual Wellness – What does that even look like?
Maybe you’re like this guy. Maybe you’re a sponge soaking up and retaining new and interesting information all day every day…maybe you’re somewhere in between? But as simple as it sounds – it’s a great goal. If you’re truly learning something every day then you’re taking your knowledge/skills/abilities and you’re expanding that big brain of yours.
You can learn new things by trying to:
Maintain an open mind
o Keep those new ideas flowing in.
Find opportunities to challenge yourself creatively and/or by finding new ways to solve problems
o If you’re a lover of efficiency (like me) – finding new ways to solve problems is a favorite hobby.
o Finding new creative outlets may seem tough with a full schedule, but we can talk about some fun and easy ways to fit this in below.
Think critically about information and questioning information you hear
o Don’t just mindlessly take things in – put your critical thinking cap on and question what you don’t agree with or don’t understand.
What are some ways we can do the above?
(You know a love a reason for a list…)
1. Learn…and just for the sake of learning!
- Crack open a book once in a while (or listen to one…whatever floats your boat!)
- Read an article on a topic that interests you
- Podcasts are one of my favorite ways to learn on the go
- Find a topic that interests you and go crazy
2. Find new interests outside of your job or school (Possibly a new creative outlet like I mentioned above)
- Take a cooking class or just try putting a new spin on an old recipe, bake
- Make a craft or re-decorate a corner in your place
- Learn (or re-learn) an instrument (or a language!)
- Write poems/blogs/short stories/journal
- Paint, draw, sketch – or find an adult coloring book!
- Knit, sew, design
You get the idea…
3. Be (genuinely) interested in the views of others
- Ok- in the current political climate this can be difficult (and sometimes just a good idea to avoid altogether) but hear me out! It’s good to hear and really try to understand an opinion different than your own. OPEN YOUR MIND.
4. Keep up with current events, issues and ideas
- You’re probably using your smart phone to read this blog. Use it to keep up with the news too! My disclaimer? Sometimes it’s good to consume the news in moderation considering it can be really overwhelming these days.
In conclusion….
Keep that thinker of yours sharp by introducing new things to it all the time. It will help to keep you on top of your game in more ways than one. Then that will spill over to every aspect of your life keeping you (SAY IT WITH ME) well-rounded and balanced.
We’d love to give you more ideas on how we can help you be the well-rounded equestrian we know you can be! Click on the CONTACT US button below to schedule your FREE Performance Planning Session.