Live Well Weekly: Lay down those bricks, blueberries for the brain, 2 mindset strategies, 1 reminder for taking action

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An overview of today's content:

• A simple mindset framework for curbing useless rumination and anxiety by focusing on incremental steps
• 3 big reasons to eat blueberries for mental cognition
• 3 ideas from others on why you need to focus on the long term, how to foster a growth mindset, and a dip into the world of neuroscience to understand that feeling agitated is the necessary doorway into a change in behavior and actions. 

Mindset and Actions: In the lifelong path of growth and improvement, focus on the incremental steps

Imagine you are building a house made of bricks. The bricks are sitting there in a pile...

In constructing your house, you ultimately have two options: 

1. Look at the massive number of bricks in the pile, get overwhelmed by the scale, ruminate on how much effort and time it will take to put the bricks together to form your house. 
2. Acknowledge there are a lot of bricks and that constructing your house will be a lot of effort, but not think about it too much. 

The former, which is the easier of the two options, leads to overthinking and an anxiety that induces a state of inaction. Maybe you put it off because you’re overwhelmed by the scale of how many bricks there are. You put it off, saying to yourself that maybe today you won’t lay any bricks but tomorrow you will make up for it many times over. You never do make up for it, however, since at the end of the day, you can only lay one brick at a time and need to do it thoroughly to do a good job.

The second option is where you come to understand that this will not be easy, but instead of getting overwhelmed, you channel your focus and mindset on taking it one step at a time. You build your house one brick at a time and stay consistent, reminding yourself that this is in fact the only way you can get the job done.

So in whatever it is you are seeking to improve in, imagine you are building a house from bricks: Take 1 brick every day and see if you can’t stack it on top of the previous one. Before you know it, you’ll have built a house. 

In facing any challenge and any uphill climb that stands between you and a particular goal, don’t get too caught up in how long the climb is. Focus your efforts on the small, incremental improvements you make. 

Trying to sleep better? Take step 1 and eliminate use of your phone 15 minutes before bed, then 30 minutes, then 45 minutes. 

Want to improve your health through your nutrition? Plan out 1 meal a day that is packed with colorful vegetables, fruits, whole grains and/or beans. Don’t focus on cutting out what you know is unhealthy. Focus first on eating quality nutritionally-dense food, 1 step at a time, and this can naturally “crowd out” unhealthy foods you would have previously eaten instead.

Want to improve the thoughts you have about yourself? Take step 1 by focusing on becoming more aware of your thoughts when they arise. Label them, and ask yourself whether they are valid and whether they serve you.

Read more in Principle 16 from our latest book, The 17 Principles To Live Well & Be Well. You can get your copy at wellelifestyle.com.

As you continue to make improvements from the day or weeks prior, and as those improvements compound, you can create a virtuous cycle, where the unending challenges you face give way to the overwhelming power of momentum you’ve created. 

Take things one brick at a time.

Health: Blueberries for a better brain?

Blueberries are delicious, yes. But over the years, they have also been shown to positively impact cognition and mental function. Here are 2 studies that demonstrate the power of blueberries:

Study #1: 1 cup of blueberries per day was shown to have a positive impact on some aspects of cognition among older adults.

• Study details: Randomized, double-blind (meaning the research administrators don’t know which group is the experimental and control group) trial of adults ages 60-75. The blueberry group showed significantly fewer repetitions in the California Verbal learning tests (a widely used type of neuropsychological test) and reduced switching costs on a task-switching test. Participants were tested on these measurements 45 and 90 days after the start of the trial.
• Link to study: European Journal of Nutrition. 2018 Apr;57(3):1169-1180 PMID: 28283823

Study #2: Blueberry supplementation has a positive impact on cognitive effects for children ages 7-10

• Study details: Double-blind crossover design (where participants are separated into 2 groups and participants are switched between the experimental and control group over a period of time; research administrators do not know which group is which). Children in the experimental group consumed 15 or 30g of wild blueberry powder. Cognitive tests included verbal memory, word recognition, among others. Cognitive tests were conducted 1.15 hours, 3 hours and 6 hours after the treatment, indicating a relatively immediate direct positive impact on cognition. 
• Link to study: European Journal of Nutrition. 2016 Sep;55(6):2151-62 PMID: 26437830

From NutritionFacts.Org video: Benefits of Blueberries for the Brain

Study #3: Daily wild blueberry juice consumption had a positive impact on mental cognition tests among older adults with early memory changes

• Study details: A 12-week trial consisting of older adults experiencing early memory changes, where individuals supplemented daily with wild blueberry juice. At the end of the 12-week trial, improved pair associate learning and list recall (which are types of cognitive tests) were observed. Individuals in the experimental group were compared against similar individuals that consumed a placebo beverage.
• Link to study: Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. 2010 Apr 14;58(7):3996-4000 PMID: 20047325

The bottom line: Blueberries are good for all of us and are filled with antioxidants and numerous health benefits (without the side effects). Eat them on their own, or blend them into a smoothie.

Below are 3 delicious recipes worth trying that anyone would enjoy.

1. Vibrant Blueberry Vanilla Smoothie from Pick Up Limes
2. Blueberry Baked Oats from this healthy table
3. Mint and Blueberry Nice Cream from Forks Over Knives

3 ideas from others

1. Mindset: Build for the long term

As our world and societies become more technologically advanced, it becomes easier to seek out activities that deliver instant gratification. Social media and the immediate dopamine rewards it can trigger provides a prime example. 

But if you look back at the teachings of all classical philosophies and modes of thinking, be it Buddhism, Stoicism or Ancient Greek philosophy, there is a common thread. Delay immediate gratification, live with a focus on the long term, rather than the short-sighted path of fixating on the short term.

This throughline is well encapsulated in the following quote from entrepreneur Naval Ravikant: 

"The classical virtues are all decision-making heuristics to make one optimize for the long term rather than for the short term." (see Tweet here)

2. Mindset: How to foster a growth mindset

Acclaimed author in organizational and personal psychology, Adam Grant, defines imposter syndrome as follows: “I don’t know what I’m doing. It’s only a matter of time until everyone finds out.” 

On the flip side, a growth mindset acknowledges that you are learning, that you don’t know what you’re doing (yet). But you have confidence in your ability to learn. It is that self-confidence that will then allow you to put in the focus to figure it out. 

The best way to beat imposter syndrome is to see yourself as a student. You’re ready to learn and you don’t know everything. You’re not trying to put on some false image. You’re just learning and building your craft, whether it’s professional, in your relationships with others or with yourself.