Amongst the numerous types of wellness, a very important but often overlooked type is intellectual wellness. Contrary to popular belief, intellect does not have much to do with doing well academically. In its true meaning, intellectual wellness means developing critical thinking skills and healthy learning patterns.
Some other ways to describe intellectual wellness would be understanding new concepts, being able to think through difficult problems and being able to manage academics can also be seen as intellectual wellness. A very important aspect of intellectual wellness is challenging your mind by exposing it to new material and exercises.
For the layman, we can also say the desire to have exposure and learn more is also an aspect of intellectual wellness. Being curious and understanding what one learns academically in a way that they can apply it to real-life is what intellectual wellness truly is.
Why is it important
Most people think the development of our mind stops after a certain age, which may be true in terms of physical growth however another type of brain development is the development of neural networks. When a person comes across a challenging task which requires mind work and critical thinking they form strong neural networks which in turn slows down a person’s cognitive decline.
Intellectual wellness is very important in the sense that it helps us constantly improve and enhance our learning abilities. It helps us develop a deeper understanding of whatever it is that we may be curious about. Intellectual wellness stems from curiosity which can help us not only engage in important conversations but also become more respectful of other schools of thought.
Most importantly intellectual wellness helps us discover our true potential, not everyone has the same learning interests and strengths however our educational systems put us all in one box. Having the desire and curiosity to discover and learn new things can help us figure out what our true passion lies in. This will help us choose meaningful professions and do work that not only pays the bills but also feeds the soul.
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Ways to achieve intellectual wellness
The path to intellectual wellness is a slow and difficult tone because it requires a lot of work but we can encourage it by a small act like,
1. Reading
Reading is the best way to absorb new information, develop a habit to something on a topic that interests you. Reading books is great however you can also find newsletters or short essays if a book seems like too much.
2. Indulge in something challenging
Challenging your mind from time to time gets it working. Hobbies like chess or crossword puzzles or other challenging games are a great way.
3. Participate in conversations
Join a group or start conversations about meaningful topics that can give you more exposure, participating in intellectual conversations helps you learn new things and also may introduce you to newer perspectives.
4. Learn a new language
Learning a language is often difficult in adulthood, it greatly stimulates the mind and language is also a helpful skill.
Intellectual wellness is truly important but often overlooked by us, we must push our minds to its limit and improve constantly.