If you know me, you know I’ve
always been a learner. I’ve taken classes. I’ve stayed in school. I’ve
collected degrees and certifications, including my latest brain health coaching
certification. (Yay I graduated). I can sit in a classroom and thrive. But here’s
what I’ve had to admit in midlife: Being a lifelong learner doesn’t
automatically mean my brain is getting the kind of stimulation it needs right
now. Because “learning” can get real predictable. Real safe. Real
structured. And sometimes my brain doesn’t need another syllabus — it needs something
new. So yes… I enrolled in a crochet class taught at my local library.
Not because I woke up with a sudden
dream to make blankets. Nor was I feeling guilty because my grandmother tried
to teach me how to knit when I was younger.
But because I realized my brain needed a challenge that required:
- patience
- hand eye coordination
- problem-solving
- and being okay with not being good at something on
day one
That right there? That’s brain
care.
The truth nobody wants to say
out loud
My mom didn’t walk around saying,
“I’m working on cognitive stimulation today.”
She just… learned. She did puzzle books. She worked puzzles. She stayed
mentally engaged.
Looking back, I realize she was doing something powerful: she was giving her
brain a reason to keep building. And I want that.
When we stop learning, our brains
don’t just pause. They start getting comfortable… and comfort can quietly
become decline. Not because you’re “getting old.” But because your brain
is under-stimulated. And I’ve watched what it looks like when a woman
stays curious.
My 60th birthday told the truth
about me
Let me tell you something that still makes me smile. Several years ago my daughter asked me what I wanted for my 60th birthday, I didn’t ask for a purse. I didn’t ask for shoes. I asked for a word search book. And not just any word search book — of course it was a diva one… leather cover and all. Because why not?
But here’s the part people miss: I’m not just “doing word searches.” I’m learning while I do them. One I just completed was themed around genres of photography. One I really enjoyed and couldn’t wait to teach my husband was James Bod gadgets.
Now tell me that’s not a two-for-one: I’m searching, scanning, focusing… and picking up information I wouldn’t normally go looking for. That’s what I mean when I say learning doesn’t have to look like school.
Learning can look like…
switching up your walk
Another small thing I’ve been doing
is changing up my walking routine with my husband.
Some mornings we switch directions
— on purpose. Because when you walk the same route the same way every time,
your brain goes on autopilot. You stop noticing. But when you go the opposite
direction? You see different houses. Different details. Different angles.
Different trees.
Even different people. You notice what you missed before.
It’s simple, but it works because
your brain has to re-orient. It has to pay attention. And attention is one of
the first things midlife women tell me they’re losing. So no, you’re not “just
walking.” You’re training your brain to stay present.
So what does this mean for you?
If you’ve been feeling foggy… flat…
forgetful… or just mentally tired, you don’t necessarily need to do “more.” You
may need to do something different. Your brain loves novelty. It loves
challenge. It loves variety.
That’s why I’m leaning into things
like:
- word searches with interesting themes
- reading (but not always the same kind of books)
- a foreign language app (me and Duolingo are friends)
- repurposing my husband’s ties using my mother in
law’s brooches
- and now… crochet
Not because I’m trying to be cute
or start a new side gig. Because I’m trying to be well.
Try this: The 7-Day “Keep
Learning” Brain Boost
Pick ONE for the next 7 days:
1. Do a word search, Sudoku, crossword, or puzzle for 10 minutes a day
2. Learn 5 words a day on a language app
3. Watch one short tutorial and practice it (cooking, crocheting, drawing, etc.)
4. Change your walking route or drive route 2–3 times this week
5. Read a topic you normally ignore (history, art, science, finance — anything new)
That’s it. One small new thing. For one week. Because learning is not just personal development. In this season, learning is brain stewardship.
Quick question - What’s something you’d actually enjoy learning right now — if nobody judged you and you didn’t have to be perfect at it?
Talk soon,
Dr. J
