10 Ways To Expand Your Intellectual Wellness

Whether or not you have ever heard of the term intellectual wellness, it is not a new concept. The word intellectual makes it sound like intellectual wellness is focused on things someone learns in school or that it has something to do with a person’s intelligence quotient (IQ), but it is actually much more than academics. It has to do with all of the knowledge a person has, both academic and beyond. It is something most people cultivate their entire lives without even realizing it. So what exactly is intellectual wellness all about and why is it so important?

In this blog article, you will:

Have a better understanding of intellectual and academic activities
Be open to new experiences and ideas in all areas of your life
Learn how to develop healthy habits of a life-long learner

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What Is Intellectual Wellness?

Intellectual wellness encourages you to engage in creative and mentally-stimulating activities. These activities should expand your knowledge and skills while allowing you to share your knowledge and skills with others.

This dimension can be developed through academics, cultural involvement, community involvement and personal hobbies. It does not occur once or a few times. Intellectual wellness should occur over the span of your lifetime.

As intellectual wellness develops, you are able to develop personal resources that work together with the other realms of wellness in order to be achieve a more balanced life.

Aging adults who engage in creative, challenging, and cognitively stimulating activities may prevent, slow, or even reverse cognitive decline. This could include playing chess, reading, and crossword puzzles.

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Why Is Intellectual Wellness Important?

Intellectual wellness is important because it helps people achieve a more balanced life. Exploring new ideas and understanding a variety of subjects makes you more mindful and a more well-rounded person.

Having an optimal level of intellectual wellness inspires curiosity and exploration. Curiosity is important because it motivates you to try new things and develop an understanding of how you see the relationship between yourself, others and the environment.

Having intellectual wellness arguably makes someone a better member of society. That is because when you are interested in learning new things and having new experiences, you become aware of the world around you.

When someone is aware of other cultures, people, and situations, they are more sympathetic to other people’s experiences. It makes people more empathetic of others and aware about how their actions affect the world, making them a better global citizen.

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How To Advance Your Intellectual Wellness?

If you want to grow in life and be successful, finding a way to increase your intellectual capacity may be your secret weapon.

Here are some tips to advance your intellectual wellness:

1 — Reading as much as possible

Most highly successful people read 60 books a year. Reading doesn’t have to be informative. Reading about something you enjoy, can improve your intellect by stretching your mind to think about things you normally don’t think about. Listening to audio books is another great option and allows you to continue other activities like driving.

2 — Journaling often for personal growth

More people are journaling thanks to mental health awareness. Journaling allows you to express your thoughts genuinely without any judgment. This helps you make sense of how you are feeling, which aids in self-awareness. You develop intellectual awareness when you write your thoughts, feelings and emotions. By keeping a record, you can evaluate your personal growth.

3 — Traveling to be exposed to cultural awareness

Traveling helps you experience other people’s culture in the rawest form. You get exposed to other people’s daily lives, their economic activities, how they worship, among other elements that make up culture. This challenges you to understand other people and how their environment influences them.

4 — Exercising your body and mind

Exercising is not only important for your physical health. It also helps your brain to stay sharp. The brain is like anything else in your body–you either use it or you lose it. We actually get a brain boost through physical activity. Research has proven exercise positively effects brain function on multiple fronts by increasing the size of the brain and improving general health.

5 — Sleeping well for optimal performance

When we are sleep deprived, it puts our performance in jeopardy and it impacts everyone around us. Research has shown that sleep deprivation is the antithesis of optimal intellectual performance. Studies have shown that working through the night has the same effect on the brain as being intoxicated. Getting enough sleep is crucial for optimal functioning.

6 — Playing games for brain stimulation

Most games require you to have a strategy to win. It’s not always about luck, especially while playing games like chess. You continuously think on your feet about your next move. This stimulation of the mind improves your intellectual wellness over time. While playing with others, you learn to observe their body language and relate it to the actions they make. Games are an excellent way to interact, share, and challenge ideas.

7 — Learning a foreign language

Because language is complex, speaking or learning a foreign language gives your brain a good workout. Learning another language is one of the most effective and practical ways to increase intelligence, keep your mind sharp, and has the added benefit of increased tolerance, because in learning a new language you also learn about the culture in which the language operates.

8— Visiting a local museum

Find a science, art, or history museum nearby and spend the day exploring the exhibits. Whether it is a museum you have visited before or somewhere new, you will likely see and learn about things you did not know about before. Visit with someone else and talk about what you see, what you liked, and what you did not. Remember, part of intellectual wellness is sharing your knowledge with other people.

9 — Playing musical instrument

Playing music can increase your intellectual wellness because playing music taps into different parts of our brain than other things. If you already know how to play a musical instrument, play it! Learn new songs or play songs you already know. If you have never played an instrument, there is no time like the present to learn how. The type of musical instrument does not make a difference. Any instrument will give your brain a boost.

10 — Attending a performance

Attending a music or dance performance, a poetry reading, or a cultural performance or festival. Any type of performative experience expands your intellectual wellness by exposing you to something new. Even attending a concert, which most people might not think of as something intellectual, is good for your mind.

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Intellectual wellness is about being curious about the world and expanding your horizons. The more you learn, and the more you share your knowledge with others, the more good you do for yourself and the world.

It is never too late to expand your intellectual wellness. Challenge yourself to pick up reading again even if you can not remember the last time you read a book for fun. Dig out that guitar you played in college and start playing again. Go to a concert, a play, a ballet performance, or check out the symphony.

Expanding your intellectual wellness makes you a better version of yourself.

References:

Rodriguez, D. (2015). Building Community Episode 8: Intellectual health and wellness (with DiLego, & C., Texeira, K.). Retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MoJJaY9bnfU

Strout, K. A., & Howard, E. P. (2015). Five dimensions of wellness and predictors of cognitive health protection in community-dwelling older adults. Journal of Holistic Nursing, 33(1).

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This post was previously published on medium.com.

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