My Wellness blog today is a little bit different. I will discuss the importance of reading, writing, and arithmetic in keeping healthy, wealthy, and wise.
Reading
I am and have always been a voracious reader. I read everything from science fiction to poetry, historical fiction, wellness books, and the latest David Baldacci book. Reading has been key to my Wellness journey for two reasons.
First, audiobooks have helped entertain me as I worked out. It is called learning while burning. I walked 10 miles while listening to Malcolm Gladwell’s Talking to Strangers. I was so enthralled with the book while learning to talk to unfamiliar groups that I didn’t mind the Texas heat. The book improved my civility as I sweated off the pounds.
But I do not always listen to audiobooks. Sometimes, to retain more information, I relax and read a written book. This helps bring about wellness in a different way. In this case, I read for retention and relaxation. Some spiritual books even help me with the practice of mindfulness and prayer.
“Waiting on the Word” by Malcolm Guite is one book I am reading now. If you do not know Malcolm, I highly recommend him. He is an Anglican priest, poet, commentator, songwriter, and singer in a rock’n’roll band. Here is his blog page.
“Waiting on the Word” is a series of poems with associated commentary and reflection for Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany. I am reading this Advent, which has helped me with my prayer life.
Seven Books for Wellness
I also read books to inform myself on different aspects of wellness. Here are seven books I’ve read in the last few years to help me grow in this area.
1. Bill Bryson’s “The Body” is essential for anybody trying to heal their body and improve their overall health. The book is excellent. It gives insight into the human body, from the brain down to the toes and everything in between.
2. “From Strength to Strength” by Arthur C Brooks is perfect for those who are getting older and want to figure out their next mission. It talks about how you use the fluid intelligence of your earlier years differently as it becomes more crystallized into wisdom.
3. “Essentialism” by Greg McKeown discusses simplifying your life by breaking it down to the essentials. In this way, you relieve anxiety and do not become as focused on the minutiae of life.
4. “Think Again” by Adam Grant talks about how you can constantly improve by changing your mind. The book provides the best techniques to change direction and discern where to go.
5. “The Power of Habit” by Charles Duhigg and “Atomic Habits” by James Clear are essential to understanding how to use habits to improve yourself.
6. “Green Lights” by Matthew McConaughey is a surprising book about how Matthew accomplished his success in life by chasing the green lights instead of fretting about the stoplights.
7. “10% Happier” by Dan Harris gives insight into the simple tasks you can do day-to-day to feel more fulfilled and, in general, happier.
I could go on with many others. If you look at just my audiobooks, I’ve listened to over 250 books in the last five years.
What About Actual Reading
I read a lot less in physical form, but audiobooks are a good way to get an initial survey of a book that you may want to dive into deeper. And if you want to go on a long walk to lose weight, nothing beats “The Game of Thrones” in audiobook form while walking long distances.
Writing for Wellness
Enough about reading, so let’s move on to writing. Writing is excellent for wellness in three different ways.
Journaling can be an excellent way to relieve stress and anxiety while remembering what you are thankful for and the lessons you learned that day. I have kept a journal for the last 10 years and have somewhere along the lines of 40 fully completed journal books. The journaling book I am currently using is the Gratitude Journal, and I like it because it has both a day portion and an evening portion, so you can plan your day and see how you did during the day. It also provides a weekly challenge and a quote that inspires you daily.
A second form of writing that helps with wellness is blogging. It is helpful in several ways. First, it enables you to cement new ideas and concepts as you learn them. I find myself reading my older blogs to remember lessons I have learned and reinitiate those practices.
Second, it distracts you from the TV and other mind-numbing activities that don’t help you improve.
Lastly, it allows you to play it forward in part by sharing the lessons that you have learned so that others can succeed. I also find inspiration in writing, especially poetry. It takes my mind out of the day-to-day minutiae and lifts it to contemplate something larger than myself in my petty once it needs the hour.
Arithmetic and Wellness?
Most of you can determine why writing and reading are essential to wellness. But I may have questioned what arithmetic has to do with wellness.
I have not previously blogged about this, but I teach high school math part-time. I have found that preparing for my lessons has sharpened my mind and problem-solving abilities. Solving a math problem also gives you a sense of immediate satisfaction and accomplishment when you get it right. It also helps you exercise that most important muscle, the mind, as you struggle with an algebraic concept that you may have known forty years ago but had forgotten. It is also rewarding to pass on the love of math to another generation.
Your 8th Grade Teacher Was Right!
I also love studying the algorithms and math behind wellness applications such as WW and Noom. Call me a geek, but knowing how WW Smart points are calculated and how those calculations have changed over the years has made me more nutritionally aware.
So there you have it. Your 8th grade teacher was correct when they told you reading, writing, and arithmetic would make you a better person. So, grab a good book, write down your learning, and exercise your mind with math puzzles. I promise you you will improve and change well. You can hear this blog with some additional information on our Podcast Page.
