By Raquel Garcia Tatar | Photo courtesy Raquel Garcia Tatar
Science tells us that wellbeing is a trainable skill, and by practicing this we can improve the brain. To me, this means wellbeing can be a choice we can make at any moment of any day — I don’t have to wait until the “right time” to practice and improve. It means choosing to spend just a few moments incorporating this into my day, however I can. As a mother of three small children, sometimes 60 seconds is all I have, and that’s OK!
For example, I try to practice these skills when I attempt to stay calm during my child’s tantrum by identifying the emotions I’m feeling before attempting to help my son identify his feelings. Or, while I’m stuck in traffic during my commute, I think about reconnecting with my larger life values and goals and remembering why I choose to do this job.
At Healthy Minds Innovations (HMI), where I’m the chief science officer, our scientifically-validated framework focuses on four key pillars of wellbeing: awareness, connection, insight and purpose. Here are a few ways you can boost your wellbeing and brain health, crafted by our experts.
Awareness
Give yourself 30 seconds to pause and just breathe. You don’t have to change anything about how or what you are thinking, just allow the thoughts to come and go as they please.
Connection
Small moments of connection add up and make a big difference in our lives. What’s a small act of kindness or connection you could do today to let someone know you appreciate them?
Insight
During a challenging or stressful time, try to pause for a moment and examine your reaction to it. Practice non-judgmental curiosity and explore what could be causing you to feel that way. See if you can identify ways to both overcome and grow from this obstacle.
Purpose
What’s important to you? How would you like to look back on your life and choices in a few years? Keep that in mind as you go about your day and use it as a guide for your decisions.
You can pair the above skills with other activities known to improve your psychological and physiological wellbeing — especially if they’re things you’re already doing — also known as habit bundling. This can include going for a walk in nature and practicing awareness, or cooking a balanced meal and spending a few seconds appreciating the people who contributed to the food on your plate.
I also encourage you to download the free Healthy Minds Program app that HMI developed for mental wellbeing.
Remember: small moments of practice can lead to lasting positive change.
