It has been helpful to me over the years when exercising, to visualize my heart muscle strengthening with each step or movement. Equally, every time I complete a jigsaw puzzle or hidden object, or matching game, I envision my brain sparking like an old-fashioned sparkler.
Although our brains are not made up of muscle tissue, it’s not amiss to think of the brain as improving its function from “exercising” it. Like how our muscles grow with exercise, our minds grow healthier by learning new things and making new connections. The big word associated with this process is “neuroplasticity.”
Just like we stretch our muscles before and after we use them strenuously, we stretch our minds when we’re challenged with new or difficult experiences or intellectual material. A song lyric that expresses neuroplasticity from a favorite of mine by Brandon Lake, “Hard Fought Hallelujah,” is that “faith isn’t proven like gold until it’s been through the fire.” We don’t grow mentally or emotionally until we’ve been challenged.
Challenges to our brains, while sometimes feeling overwhelming, just like that peak moment in brisk exercise, on the brink of feeling overcome, lead to a sharper mind, as the near breakdown at that moment in exercise, leads to a stronger body and greater resolve. The 1979 Michael Jackson hit song, “don’t stop til you get enough” comes immediately to mind.
Keep stretching your mind. It’s worth it.
Part of the fun in working a challenging word or number or object puzzle is finding patterns. Pattern recognition is why we retrace our steps when trying to find our keys or that missing sock? Not that the latter is a particularly fun puzzle.
You’re looking for a familiar pattern. Almost everything we do involves recognizing a pattern. We constantly try to replicate how we achieved success the last time; how did I find that document that I needed to complete that job?
In our jobs, in our hobbies, even in our relationships, we rely on finding patterns to thrive. Our brains get a little bit of a thrill when we recognize a pattern. “I know that!”
Drivers recognize road, street, and traffic patterns as well as buildings, parks, and other structures, to arrive at the best time to their destination. Carpenters do math formulas and geometry in their heads or from pencil on wood, to achieve the physical outcome of a building project.
When we do the laundry, we’re working on “patternicity,” the fancy word for sorting objects or thoughts into patterns. Sorting dry ingredients from wet ones and extra add-ons to a recipe, is patternicity.
Sometimes in our quest for life satisfaction and happiness we conclude that there is a certain meaning in patterns that we’ve observed when that pattern may just be random. Our interpretations of patterns may become misleading life choices.
I think that most people want to find the cause behind every effect. Thus, the nonsensical “everything has a reason” placation we tell ourselves. Random is real too.
Sometimes finding patterns leads to formulating life strategies and conclusions about things that shouldn’t be understood as “guidance,” but rather thought-provoking one-off. “I thought that meant…” isn’t definitive.
Equally important to our quality of life and our longevity are daily physical, spiritual, and mental exercise. We’ve got to keep spiritually, mentally and physically active to thrive on this earth. “Pattern play” might be a fun way to pump up your daily life and health while enjoying said life.
So, the next time someone accusatorially asks you, “what are you doing with your head in a book?” You can answer “exercising… my brain.” Or, if you get a sideways look when you get caught playing a game or completing a puzzle on your phone, you can retort, “what? I’m getting my brain exercise.”