It was believed for a long time that we are born with a certain level of intelligence and that we cannot change it except try to live up to our given potential.
However, scientists are now confident that we can increase our intelligence levels by undertaking in hobbies that engage our mind and make our brain work better and faster.
Here is a list of 8 such hobbies.
1. READ VORACIOUSLY
Reading can do wonders for you towards boosting your intelligence levels. Even more so if you read enthusiastically about many different topics, from anthologies to biographies and fiction.
Reading reduces stress, increases all types of intelligence, and makes you feel good about yourself. Moreover, it helps you solve problems easily and manage your day-to-day life more effectively. Plus, it makes you more empathetic as it raises your emotional intelligence as well.
2. LEARN A NEW LANGUAGE
Studies have shown that bilinguals are better at solving puzzles than people who are fluent in only one language. When you learn a foreign language, your brain will perform better the mentally demanding tasks. Moreover, speakers of at least two languages have better focus and perception of the world around them.
3. WORK OUT YOUR BRAIN
Card games, video games, board games, riddles, puzzles, sudoku, and similar such activities boost neuroplasticity which stands for many changes that happen in the neural pathways and the synapses.
This means that we are more able to see things from different points of view and understand better the nature of our emotions and what effect do they have on our well-being. Moreover, people with increased neuroplasticity are less anxious and they can memorize more and learn faster than others.
4. COOKING DIFFERENT KINDS OF MEALS
Regular cooks, especially the ones that want to try out new meals have increased levels of creativity. Also, they appreciate quality more than quantity, have an eye for details, and are not scared to try new things out.
When you are cooking, you are also learning how to multitask successfully, make quick decisions and measure with precision.
5. PLAY A MUSICAL INSTRUMENT
Playing a musical instrument will increase a person’s fine motor skills, math, language, analytical skills, and creativity. Moreover, it strengthens the corpus callosum which is responsible for connecting the brain’s hemispheres and creating new connections. This helps with problem-solving, memory, and executive skills.
6. EXERCISE REGULARLY
The core word here is regularly because occasional exercise won’t give you the results you want. When you exercise regularly, your cells are flooded with a protein called BDNF which helps with focus, memory, learning, concentration, and understanding,
7. TEST YOUR CUMULATIVE LEARNING
Start to keep track of important bits of knowledge that you acquire daily. Go through the key points from the books you read, observations you get during important meetings and negotiations or any kind of thing that you learned that day. Also, it is helpful to keep a journal and write in it everything that captures your attention.
8. MEDITATE
Many studies confirmed that we can control our brain waves with meditation, thus we can feel what we want to feel and when we want to feel it. Meditation opens and stimulates our brain and makes us more powerful and more confident.
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