Read everything. Recent studies show that people who enjoy reading novels
are more easily able to empathize with others, a sign of a strong and
well-rounded mind. If you want to work on increasing your mental strength, read
a variety of things that you enjoy.
- You don't have to jump straight into reading Ulysses if you want to improve your mental strength, and in fact trying to read something too difficult might turn you off reading entirely. Instead, focus on reading things you enjoy. Westerns, romance novels, and long-form magazines are all good ways to read.
- Try replacing an hour of television each evening with reading, instead. Invest the time that you might normally spend idling, chatting with friends, or watching the tube in reading a good book.
- Get a library card and take advantage of the library in your town for free entertainment. Try to read one new book every two weeks.
Try to
learn something new every week.
Ever get the feeling that each day looks a lot the same? As we get older, our
mental pathways are more and more defined. Where each summer day seemed to last
forever when we were kids, the weeks peel off more quickly as you age. Mental
strength requires that you continue building new neural pathways by learning
new things.
- The more regularly you pick up a new skill, or study a new subject, the stronger your mind becomes. Try to pick up one new thing every week, then continue working on it as you learn new things. Build up your mental strength gradually.
- wikiHow is a great resource for learning new things. Learn how to play chess, change your oil, or play guitar.
Socialize more. "Book smarts" are important, but it's also
important to understand how things play out in the real world. Social
intelligence and wit are important parts of all-around mental health and
well-being. If you can't carry on a conversation, work on your social skills
along with your mental health building skills.
- Have complicated conversations instead of gossiping. Talk about things that are important to you, or things that you've been learning. Try starting or joining a book club in your area.
- Try to meet lots of different kinds of people. If you're in school, don't stick to just one social group, but move around. If you're an adult, try to meet people from socio-economic situations different from your own. Hang out with your plumber, and hang out with your doctor.
Challenge
yourself. Try things that you're not sure
you'll be able to pull off. Decide that you're not only going to learn guitar,
but that you're going to learn to shred a fast solo note-for-note. Decide that
you're not only going to play chess, but that you're going to study openings
and learn to play like a grandmaster. Keep working on a task until you're at
the difficult setting.
- Video games are a mixed bag when it comes to mental strength. Some research shows that video games aid in problem solving, fine motor skills, logistics, and analysis. Other research points to the negative effects of violence and social isolation associated with video games, decreasing moral sensitivity and attention span.
- Nourish yourself with complex entertainment, and avoid click-bait. If you've ever seen a long newsreel and thought, "Jeez, TLDR" then it's probably time to unplug a little. Reading Buzzfeed or watching YouTube videos of epic fails is like eating three Skittles at lunch. Reading a book or watching a documentary is like eating a meal.
Exercise
your mind regularly. Just as you can't build muscle by eating
cake for three weeks straight before you start lifting at the gym, so too you
can't gain mental strength by goofing off and then focusing only every now and
then. Being consistent with brain exercise is more important than the intensity
of the workout.
- Even just doing a cross-word puzzle or a sudoku every day may decrease your chances of losing mental awareness as you become older while increasing your verbal fluency.
