Day 19 - Use It or Lose It aka Turn Off the TV!

I love learning. When I find something that interests me, I want to learn everything I can about it. I have shelves in my house filled with books on things I've taught myself about - bed & breakfast management, medicine, design, sewing, knitting, travel... I tend to learn about one thing obsessively until I have exhausted the books I can get my hands on and then I move onto the next subject, and so goes the cycle.

I don't know about you, but one of the things that makes me feel most contented is learning something new. In fact, studies show that learning and engaging in new activities positively influences well-being and longevity. Additionally, there's evidence that while depression and boredom are two distinct states, there is a correlation between the two. These findings lead me to believe, as I suspected, that learning and keeping my mind engaged are key to keeping myself happy and fulfilled.

Have you ever sat and watched TV all day long? It is one of the most exhausting things for me to do. The longer I sit and stare at a TV screen, unengaged from the world, not really thinking or doing anything, the more tired I become, even more than I would had I been busy all day.

I'm not saying we all need to obsessively read about anything and everything we have a fleeting interest in. It's not something most of us, including myself these days, have time to do.  But these studies, and my own gut instinct, lead me to think that if we don't use our brains and get engaged with challenging activities our brains essentially atrophy.

Some of my favorite ways to keep my brain firing, in addition to reading, are cooking something new, going for a walk around the neighborhood, and watching documentary films.  And I know I've mentioned it more than once, but I always do love my afternoon dance sessions with Max too!

Is boredom something you struggle with? Have you discovered your own triggers, such as mine while watching too much TV? What are some of your favorite ways to stave off boredom and keep your brain active?