~ Face Your Fears and Train Your Brain ~

I think it is quite fitting that Train Your Brain Day and Face Your Fears Day are the same day, October 13th (not a Friday this year, Tuesday – whew!) The idea behind Train Your Brain Day is to learn new things; or learn to do old things in a different way. This is supposed to keep your brain fit and healthy.
It can also be a fearsome thing. Learning something new can be daunting. What if I can’t do it? What if I’m not very good at it? Doing something familiar in a new way is also stressful – I like the old way. It is easier the old way. Don’t fix it if it isn’t broken.
The thing is, a brain will get lazy just like a body does. If you do the same thing too long, you get bored. You want something new. That’s part of the reason we go shopping so much and buy things we don’t really need. We need something new.
Trust me. Your brain needs something new. Find a new activity. It doesn’t have to be totally foreign: Do a puzzle, if you already do word finds, switch to crosswords or jigsaw puzzles. Take on a new hobby, learn to crochet or grow flowers. Hold your toothbrush in your non-dominant hand while you brush or hold silverware in your non-dominant hand while you eat.
There is an endless supply of things you can do that aren’t part of your normal routine. Learn to do something that your spouse normally does. Don’t annoy them with it, just tell them you are celebrating Train Your Brain Day. I’m sure they’ll understand. They may even be happy, if you do their thing well. Of course, they may expect you to do it again, but it is also a Day to Face Your Fears.
Facing your Fears is trickier than Training your Brain. Some of our fears are good things. My fear of rattlesnakes keeps me from getting bitten. My fear of heights makes me careful when I’m doing something off the ground. But there are some fears that aren’t connected with safety.
I have a certain fear of doing things I’ve never done before. By doing something new, I can both Train my Brain and Face my Fear. I don’t have a problem starting a new hobby, or trying a new food; but I am hesitant to go somewhere I’ve never been before or to operate a piece of machinery I’ve never used before. You never know what good will come out of socializing in a new place or learning a new skill. It’s not dangerous; it just makes a person uncomfortable.
I guess Train Your Brain/Face Your Fears Day could also be called Get Uncomfortable Day. You don’t have to become an extreme sports athlete, just do something different than usual. Walk a new path, sit in a different seat, eat dessert first (unless you already do that, in which case you should try eating it last). Try a new recipe or a new restaurant. You might be surprised how easy it is.
Explain to your family what you are doing – that might be different and fearsome both! See if you can get them to do it with you. (Trying a new restaurant might be an easy change, or I might be assuming too much.) A couple weeks before Halloween might be a good time to start Facing your Fears and Training your Brain to see things differently. Who knows? A new activity might become an old hobby after some time passes.