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Six Ways to Refresh Your MindBYAN N KROE KE R ONF E B RU ARY 2 , 2007 L E AVE A C OM M E N T

When people type in the phrase refresh your mind into search engines, apage of my old website pops

up, sometimes at the top of the listings. Some people click over to see what Ive got to say about refreshing

the mind, and I wonder what they think when they arrive? Im guessing its not what theyre looking for.

In fact, that page simply offers more links: to my poetry, essays, Christian quotes and a reading list taken

from the book. These possibly disappointed people may or may not explore those pages before moving on

to other links brought up in their Google or Yahoo search.

What would a person hope to find if he was trying to refresh his mind? Some kind of meditation

exercises? A recipe for peppermint tea? Maybe a Sudoku puzzle or Mensa quiz? Or maybe the opposite of

thatmaybe something mindless that disengages ones mind and thus, theoretically, refreshes it?

Ive been thinking about it on and off for a while, because my web hosts analysispage tells me that this

search often turns up. I keep thinking about those poor people looking for ways to refresh their weary or

overloaded minds.

Refresh your mindhow could they truly refresh their minds? How do I refresh my mind?

Six Ways to Refresh Your Mind

Here are six ways Ive discoveredto refresh the mindsix ideas to offer mental or intellectual refreshment.

Some of them would work better for someone who needs the refreshment of a little intellectual

stimulation, while others would work better for someone whose mind is on overload and needs to find

some intellectual rest.

1. Music.I know that the Mozart Effect has been debated and by some experts claiming faulty research

procedures,debunked.Still, how do you feel after listening to Mozart? Or Brahms? Or how about

James Taylor? Mmmm.sweet baby James. Anyway, if you need more stimulation, one guy

recommended marches. If you need less, find a mellow musician and let those sounds soothe your

mental resources.Combine music with exercise(see #3) and you may experience even more enhanced

cognitive benefits. They say thatmaking music is extremely beneficial to the mind, as well. Pull out

that old piano primer or dust off your guitar. Do-re-mi and all that.

2. Recreation.This article from the National Park and Recreation website talks about how recreation

can offer mental restoration. Im partial to combining recreation with being outdoors, which makes

me a perfect blogger to promote the National Park and Recreation website, as I just did. Try hiking, if

http://annkroeker.com/author/annkroeker/http://annkroeker.com/2007/02/02/refresh-your-mind/#commentshttp://annkroeker.com/2007/02/02/refresh-your-mind/#commentshttp://www.contemplativemom.com/refreshmind.htmlhttp://www.contemplativemom.com/refreshmind.htmlhttp://www.contemplativemom.com/refreshmind.htmlhttp://www.indiana.edu/~intell/mozarteffect2.shtmlhttp://www.indiana.edu/~intell/mozarteffect2.shtmlhttp://www.indiana.edu/~intell/mozarteffect2.shtmlhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2004/03/040324071444.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2004/03/040324071444.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2004/03/040324071444.htmhttp://www.aarpsegundajuventud.org/english/health/2006-ON/06ON_mind.htmlhttp://www.aarpsegundajuventud.org/english/health/2006-ON/06ON_mind.htmlhttp://www.aarpsegundajuventud.org/english/health/2006-ON/06ON_mind.htmlhttp://www.nrpa.org/content/default.aspx?documentId=3762http://www.nrpa.org/content/default.aspx?documentId=3762http://www.nrpa.org/content/default.aspx?documentId=3762http://www.nrpa.org/content/default.aspx?documentId=3762http://www.aarpsegundajuventud.org/english/health/2006-ON/06ON_mind.htmlhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2004/03/040324071444.htmhttp://www.indiana.edu/~intell/mozarteffect2.shtmlhttp://www.contemplativemom.com/refreshmind.htmlhttp://annkroeker.com/2007/02/02/refresh-your-mind/#commentshttp://annkroeker.com/author/annkroeker/

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youre physically capable. Go biking or canoeing. Take the kids to the park and walk a trail. Toss

pebbles in the stream. Compare tree bark and identify a leaf or two. Yes, Im a nature lover.

3. Physical exercise. Hey, this is a good segue from #2. Lots of articles in everything from Prevention

magazine to Modern Maturity explain how physical exercise benefits not only our bodies, but also our

minds.This oneoffers a nice overview. I know that when I go jogging, my mind clears. When a few

days pass with no aerobic exercise, I get a little fuzzy. Sometimes the fuzz thickens to a fog. Or would a

fog thicken to fuzz? See? I cant even think. Anyway, they say that physical exertion seems to stimulate

and refresh my mind in addition to all its other benefits. Cool. As you may have read inan old essay of

mine,my mom-mind can use all the help it can get.

4. Mental exercise. With increased interest in health and wellness for an aging population, research

into slowing dementia and Alzheimers has resulted in tons of tips for mental stimulation.This

article in The Washington Post reviews websiteswith games purporting increased mental

stimulation. (This other article from The Washington Posttalks about both physical and mental

exercise.)Happy Neuron seems to have consolidated some interesting games. Look around. Youre

sure to find some fascinating activitieseven the search itself might count for a bit of mental exercise.

Reading deserves special treatment as a mental exercise. Stay tuned for another blog entry

focusing on reading as a means to refresh the mind.

5. Find a friend. Or two, or three. Human interaction seems to keep our minds refreshed. Im a writer

a rather solitary pursuit. I find that my night out with friends keeps me mentally alertthose are the

evenings I often generate new ideas for books and articles. They ask good questions and get me

thinking. Theres a lot of research out there about peopleneeding people. I sense a song coming on,

so lets move on to the single most important aspect to refreshing the mind.

6. Prayer and Bible study. This is not an obligatory entry included simplybecause Im a believer in

Jesus Christ. I am convinced that regular Bible reading and study refreshes my mind in a way that no

other reading or resource can. Prayer that is grounded in scriptural truth and directed to the Most

High God through Jesus Christ offers me a deep, lasting, soul-level refreshment that fills the mind

with rich treasures of Gods reality and truth.Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things,

Paul wrote to the Colossians (3:2).

In fact, any other attempt to find peace and refreshment for the mind must begin here, in Christ Himself

and in the written Word, to combat the messages that the rest of the world bombards us with. Check out

this verse from Romans: Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by

the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what Gods will ishis good, pleasing

and perfect will (12:2).

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Im on the lookout to discover Gods good, pleasing and perfect will. That sounds like true refreshment,

filled with meaning.

That may or may not be what those folks were looking for when they were Googling refresh your mind.

But its a start.