If you participate in any kind of social media, you have definitely seen or posted a “fitpic.” They usually go along the lines of a mirror selfie at the gym or a protein shake and followed with a couple of hashtags and an inspiring quote. Taking care of your body is a must and there is no shame in sharing your improvement. One thing that seems to go forgotten is the time we also need to take for our minds. Just as the body needs exercise, so does the mind. Even if you are spending hours a week in class or studying, there are still different ways to stimulate your mind in fun or game-like way.

Sudoku

Sudoku is one of my favorites. In short, it is a puzzle game where you have to fill in numbers from 1-9 along the boxed grids. For more on how to play you can visit learn-sudoku.com or just pick up a sudoku book and start playing! At a glance, you might see the sudoku puzzle and feel intimidated by all of the numbers. It’s not as horrific as it looks, it's actually fun! You can take it with you anywhere. The American Alzheimers Association has endorsed Sudoku as a “brain game” that might help reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. Even if this is something you are not too worried about right now, it’s about preventing a problem early on. Get ahead of yourself and you’ll thank yourself.

Brain Apps

If you don’t want to carry around a puzzle or a book, you can consult your trusty smartphone. There are numerous apps including some for sudoku and crosswords. I recommend that you search around the app store as you can find some interesting games like Word Brain. This game is also a puzzle where you have to sift through a combination of letters to make words that will satisfy each level. If you get frustrated and shake your phone, the game will notice and even grant you with a free hint! You didn’t hear it from me. Either way, the convenience of these apps allow us to keep our minds stimulated at any moment.

Meditation

Meditation has gotten more hits recently and the benefits on the mind don’t lie. Start off with just 10 minutes and progress from there. It can be tricky at first or even uncomfortable to be so still in a busy world, but in life we will face tricky moments and feel uncomfortable and meditation brings us to that place as we fight through it. The benefits of meditation are almost endless and range from reducing stress and keeping a healthy memory.

Reading

It seems like people read a little less these days. I know a select few who still enjoy a good book, but it seems as if most of us are too busy or just simply have no interest. the time has come to rethink those thoughts. Reading can open you up to new people, new ideas, and new places. You don’t even have to leave your comfortable couch. The benefits also include vocabulary expansion and an improvement in concentration.

Let’s revisit the whole “fitpic” craze. Whether you feel annoyed or inspired when scrolling down your feed and seeing the fit life all over the place, we can’t deny that it is always good to improve yourself. Find time to do a little exercise for your mind too.