The feel good life {stimulating}

Source: 6bittersweets.com via Barbara Ann on Pinterest

Welcome back to The Feel Good Session.  Today is all about stimulating our brain....

If I had a dollar for every time my parents said "doing the crossword helps you keep your brain active" I'd have well, a lot of dollars!  I'd often be caught rolling my eyes into the back of my head as my parents sat in great concentration figuring out 8 down and then the great delight and cheer when they complete yet another crossword.

whoo, bloody hoo - I would think.   So you can imagine how chuffed I was when I spotted an article in last weeks paper titled "baking cupcakes as good for your brain as a crossword" - you see I think I must have always known that baking had more delight that just the enjoyment of consuming said goodies.

And I don't believe it stops there.  I think there are heaps of activities that are good for the brain, that stimulate us to think, just like the hailed crossword.

Things like puzzles, reading, cooking, baking, jam making, sewing, gluing, cutting, scrapbooking, knitting, photo taking, cross stitching, bird watching, computer time,  committee volunteering, beading, crocheting, sudoku, scrabble, debating, learning something new, meeting a new friend, catching up with an old one, enrolling in a short course, starting a long course, orienteering, practicing another language,  writing a letter (with a real paper and pen) and writing a novel.....just to name a few!

In fact, I think the key is that you enjoy it, and you feel challenged by it.  I'm yet to master the perfect chocolate cupcake, but I don't see that as a failure.  I see it as my crossword yet completed!

What is your crossword stimulus?

Feel good life {getting fit}

Welcome to the first Feel Good session.  I've been doing a bit of blog soul searching lately.  Working out what I want to blog about and all that sort of stuff.  So each week I'm going to focus on a Feel Good Life moment.

Something good, something simple....About making the best of the life we have.

At the start of the year, I put it out there. 

A list.

Of things that I wanted to do this year.  One of which was "get fit"

Now if you know me IRL, or even if you don't, you may have read this post, but me and Fit have never really been friends.  I'm more sportsgirl than sporty...

But call it whatever you like but since the start of 2012, I've been getting to know Fit.

Daily, I run - on a treadmill for about 25 minutes.  I push myself and end up all puffed and sweaty! I then do sit-ups, reverse crunches, bicycle crunches, squats, weights and that horrible thing called The Plank! I'm doing it in order to get Fit.   We walk to school for drop off and pick up.  My kids love the outdoors and we love getting active together.  I love to know they are seeing me regularly exercise and looking after myself.

Since my commitment to Fit, I have more energy.  I eat less. I feel more focused.  I sleep better and wake better.  I Feel Good!  And that's the key....It really has made difference in the way I feel.  It's not about weight loss, it's about caring about my body so it can perform the many tasks I ask of it each day.

Me and Fit....we're not quite friends yet, but lets call us acquaintances.

Is Fit your friend?  If so how do you keep the friendship going??  Does it make you feel good?

Do share...