Learning and Intelligence Through Life

Baby Boomer Going Like Sixty Posted on by

Does Learning Help to Improve Intelligence?

Anytime the question of intelligence comes up, people argue over whether it is something that is fixed or dynamic. That is to say, can intelligence be changed or are you stuck with what you are born with? Modern science has begun to uncover some of the answers we have been seeking for so long. It does appear from early evidence that learning actually can help to enhance at least certain aspects of your general intelligence.

Learning Helps to Enhance Cognitive Flexibility 

Actively learning has been shown to enhance people’s ability to engage in what is called cognitive flexibility. In layman’s terms, this is more or less a way to describe your ability to switch effectively between tasks without losing track of what you are doing. Continuously learning can increase your ability to switch between things more readily.

Active Learning Reduces Age-Related Cognitive Decline 

Science has shown that active learning can actually help to reduce your risk of age-related cognitive decline and other conditions like Alzheimer’s. People who have attended music schools and continue to practice throughout their life consistently show lower rates of these diseases than the general population does. This just goes to show how always increasing your knowledge can help to keep your brain in a young and healthy state.

How to Push When You Encounter Resistance

The journey of self-improvement is never an easy path with no obstacles. No matter what it is that you are trying to do in life, whether that is learning for the sake of learning or starting a new business, there will be something that pops up. What defines you is not whether these things happen but how you respond to them.

Focus on Your Why 

Anytime you find that the going is starting to get tough, you should take a few moments and reflect. Think about what it is that is motivating you. Why did you begin this journey to learn new things in the first place? Whatever that reason, it should be motivating enough to give you fuel that will push you through the hard times.

Take a Break to Reset 

Working hard is important, but it is also important not to burn yourself out. If you find that things are starting to get difficult, it can very often be beneficial to take a breather. Put everything down and isolate yourself for five or ten minutes. During this time do not think about anything. Once the time has elapsed, there is a good chance you will be in a much better headspace. Things may very well look a lot easier with a new perspective.

The Long-Term Benefits of Persevering

So what exactly are the long-term benefits of improving your intelligence? The list of every aspect of your life that will be affected by improving your intelligence is simply too long to put here. However, here are a few of the most impactful reasons why you should consider working to improve your intelligence.

You Will Have a Healthier Brain for Longer 

This one is pretty self-explanatory. If it has been shown to enhance your cognitive flexibility while simultaneously decreasing your risk of cognitive decline, then it is pretty clear that learning keeps your brain young. While it is obviously difficult to go through life and experience your body aging, it can be even more horrifying to watch your mind slip away. This does not have to happen as long as you are living a healthy lifestyle and taking good care of both your body and your mind. Taking an active role to make sure that you are always learning throughout your whole life is just one small way that you can improve your quality of life later on down the road.

 It Will Improve Your Discipline and Confidence

It may not seem like much, but having higher levels of discipline and confidence are going to improve your life in ways that you cannot even imagine. If you are able to push through the difficult times and stick to it, you will be surprised at the person that you are capable of becoming. Anyone is truly capable of anything as long as they are motivated and willing to put in the effort that is needed to achieve their goals.

5 Ways to Make The Most of Retirement Life

Baby Boomer Going Like Sixty Posted on by

 

BJ Zander did some Car Art called Mercedes Bonz

Retirement really is an incredible time in your life, a chance to finally kick back and think about yourself. No more having to answer to your boss or deal with annoying work colleagues, no more commute or burning the candle at both ends to get things done. It’s a chance to relax, reap the rewards of your hard work and in a way, be totally selfish. You can indulge yourself with all of the activities you enjoy, you can spend your money however you want and treat every day like a mini holiday. Here are five ideas for how you can spend your time, and really make the most of this period in your life. 

Find an enjoyable source of income

Retiring means giving up the work you were previously doing- no one wants to spend their later years being worked to the bone. However, just because you’re no longer doing a 9-5 doesn’t mean you can’t still earn money, you’ll just want to do it in an enjoyable way. There are lots of ways to earn from the comfort of your home these days, whether it be by blogging, setting up a Youtube channel, freelancing, starting a home business or getting signals help with trading advice and looking into trading, stocks and shares. These are all fun, flexible ways to boost your income without having to leave the house or answer to a boss. Finding ways to monetize hobbies, whether it be selling cakes you’ve baked, offering music tuition classes online or writing articles, there are loads of options so find something that suits you and go with it. It can help to keep you productive and give you something to do, while earning cash which you could save or spend however you like. Unless you’ve been very lucky or saved particularly hard throughout your life, you might feel the pinch when it comes to retirement and you’re no longer earning, particularly if you’re on a state pension. So finding ways of generating a little cash, even if it’s just a bit of pocket money can be beneficial especially if you have fun in the process. 

Look after your health

It’s never too late to look after your health, in fact, in your retirement years it’s more important than ever. Unfortunately, the nature of the human body means it’s prone to ‘wearing out’ and you’ll naturally experience more health issues in your later years than when you’re young. It could be sight and hearing problems, joints wearing out, dental problems, even various forms of cancer which become more prevalent later in life. Look after yourself by eating a healthy diet and exercising, avoid drinking too much or smoking, find ways to relax and keep up to date with all of your health appointments. This includes annual GP visits, cancer screenings, opticians, dentists and hearing appointments. Don’t bury your head in the sand when it comes to your health, if you notice any problems have them looked at as soon as you can. This can allow you to get the right treatment and could prolong your life giving you years more to enjoy. Living a healthy lifestyle should feel far from restrictions or even ‘punishment’. It should be enjoyable- eating delicious home cooked foods, going for long walks in the sunshine with your dog, meditating, getting enough sleep. Of course, it doesn’t mean ‘giving up’ the things you enjoy- have that glass of wine at the weekend and enjoy the chocolate cake every now and again after dinner. It’s all about balance. 

Write a bucket list

We all have a bucket list of things we want to do in the back of our minds somewhere. But until you sit and properly think about things and write everything down, it’s likely to just stay a pipe dream. Once you’ve retired and no longer have to worry about work, think about what you’d really like to do in the next few years. Do you want to learn a new skill, write a book, travel to specific places or make amends with old friends? Perhaps you’ve always wanted to learn an academic subject or gain a qualification, at this stage in your life it’s not about improving a resume for work purposes but just for your own knowledge and enjoyment. Write everything down, and then work out ways that you can go about achieving each goal. In life, we’re all living on borrowed time and none of us know when it’s going to run out. But after retirement, we can all become more aware of the fact that we simply don’t have all the time in the world. So if you want to do something, seize the day and do it, make plans and arrangements and enjoy these years of freedom that you have.

Take up new hobbies

Hobbies are important for people of all ages, they help to keep you productive, build new skills, allow you to meet like minded people and give you something fun to do. When you work full time and have commitments such as looking after children, having hobbies is right at the bottom of the priority list. But after retiring with time on your hands, it’s an opportunity to really indulge in your hobbies. If you like being outdoors you could join a sports team with others your age, get into gardening or go walking, cycling or rambling. If you’re creative you could paint, craft, sew or bake. You could write, read all of the books on your list and generally indulge yourself with the things you enjoy and have fun. After all, you’ve spent years working hard to bring up your kids, you’ve slaved away in the workplace and spent a huge proportion of your life doing things that you probably didn’t want to do. So now it’s time to reap the rewards and genuinely have fun.

Socialize

Socializing is something that all of us should aim to do more. Maintaining close bonds with others enables us to feel part of something more, to stay connected and enjoy the company of the people we care about. You could look into setting up regular meets with friends and family, from dinner parties to cocktail parties and barbeques when the weather is warm. You could arrange trips and invite your loved ones, or days out. Everyone is busy and has their own lives and so it’s not always possible to see people as much as we’d like, but arranging something with plenty of notice allows people to get themselves sorted and it’s always worthwhile. If you’d like to socialize more with people your own age, hobbies are a great way to connect and you could always look into groups on social media. If you’re single, you could even look into dating apps which are tailored for retirement age people- finding love and companionship is always going to be rewarding! If you’re not already, getting familiar with social media is one of the best things you can do as it allows you to stay connected and in the loop with others, and keep in contact with them in a very flexible way. Not everyone is going to want to or have the time to take long phone or video calls, but you can send a quick message or catch up on recent photos and updates on social media at any time. Of course, it doesn’t replace proper meetups but can be a good way to stay in touch in between the times you’re seeing people. 

How do you fill your days and enjoy yourself during retirement? If you’re planning on retiring soon, what are you most looking forward to?

Unusual But Delicious Fruits

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Living in Costa Rica for six years exposed us to some delicious new fruits. One of my favorites was the Mamon Chino pictured above, aka Rambutan.  They are such an ugly fruit, but so easy to peel and eat.

If you are looking for a delicious fruit that you have never tried before, here are some of the top unusual but delicious fruits. These fruits may be difficult to find. With a little bit of research, you should be able to find them in a local store or online. If you are having dinner or brunch, you should consider getting some of these delicious fruits for you and your guests to try. They will never be able to forget them.

Rambutan Fruit

This fruit is often referred to as a hairy fruit because of its hairy appearance. This pinkish fruit has long spiky hairs all along the peel. The inside of this fruit is a soft white texture. This fruit is different from most fruits because even when it is perfectly ripe you can taste both sweet and sour flavors. It is full of antioxidants and is one of the healthiest fruits you can eat.

Pineberry

Pineberry is a great and delicious fruit but it is not a typical fruit that we enjoy often. Pineberry is an unusual fruit because of its different color and taste. A pineberry is a white strawberry cultivar that has red seeds and a pineapple flavor. Pineberries can be difficult to find but you can enjoy pineberry syrup in a variety of different recipes. If you are looking to add a little bit of extra flavor to your next food or drink, you can add a couple of splashes of this syrup to make an incredible and exotic dish.

Cherimoya Fruit

This hard to pronounce and weird-looking fruit may not look appealing to most people, but once you give it a try you will surely go back for seconds. This fruit is green and looks similar to scales but once you cut it in half you will notice a soft white center with large seeds. After eating the inside of this fruit you will definitely buy it again. This fruit and many others are delicious and also very good for your health because they have a lot of added nutritional value.

Kiwano Fruit

The color of this delicious fruit is a beautiful yellowish-orange and makes it look more like a flower than a fruit that you can actually eat. The skin of this fruit has small spikes and can typically be referred to as a horned melon fruit. The inside of the fruit is just as beautiful as the outside. The inside is a green and soft center. This fruit is the perfect combination of a cucumber and melon taste that is sure to delight any taste buds.

Durian Fruit

The durian fruit is one of the most unappealing looking fruits. Because of its spikey texture and smelly scent, it is often not tried by most people. It is one of the healthiest and nutritious fruits that you can try, but you first need to get over the appearance and the scent. The inside of the fruit is similar to a custard and can usually be found in Asian stores.

Kumquat

A kumquat is a small citrus fruit that resembles a tiny orange. They have a similar appearance to oranges and also a similar nutritional value. If you love oranges, you will love this fruit too. Rather than having to peel this fruit, you can eat the entire fruit in one single bite. The peel and center of this fruit are all edible and delicious. This fruit is high in vitamin C, calcium, potassium and other vitamins and minerals.

Most of us have routines that we stick to every day. We eat the same foods, drink the same drinks, and do the same things. While many of us are up for an adventure and change, it may be difficult to switch up our patterns and ways of doing things. There are some fruits that we all love and eat every day because they are readily available and easy to find at the grocery store. There are many other fruits that are absolutely delicious but are not enjoyed as much as others simply because they are not as easy to find or even known about. Here are some of the top unusual but delicious fruits that we all need to try.

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