North Star Mental Fitness Blog

Brain Injuries

We love playing football and watching football being played.  In fact, we love many sports, where the athletes have a high risk for brain injuries.  Can you believe this?

High school football players suffer 43,000 to 67,000 concussions a year. 

Brain Fitness Programs

As a clinical psychologist, I am frequently asked to evaluate people for memory loss and other areas of cognitive decline.  After evaluating people, some are prescribed medications by their physicians.

Frequently, I encourage people to use brain fitness programs.  There are brain fitness programs to improve memory, eye-hand coordination, visual-spatial problem-solving, attention and focus, and processing numbers.  I discovered a very practical website, Play with Your Mind.  This website offers a lot of different brain fitness programs.  I highly encourage you to visit this website and utilize their programs.

Unfortunately, many people with memory losses and declining ability to function, are unaware of resources for improving their functioning for delaying the process of cognitive decline.

I really want you to keep this post for a resource.  There was a post at Play with Your Mind entitled Brain Fitness Programs and Websites.  You'll have to look no further for brain fitness training and opportunities.  This will be a wonderful resource for you.

Brain fitness programs are relatively new, but extremely important for people who want to be fully functioning for as long as possible.  These programs will stimulate and challenge our senses and cognitive abilities.

These programs are different than the  North Star Mental Fitness Program, which provides exercises to improve decision-making, taking care of oneself and making one stronger than one's problems.

The  North Star Mental Fitness Program is a practical program for making life's decisions, while most brain fitness programs are developed to improve various sensory and cognitive functions.  Both mental fitness and brain fitness programs are important and necessary, although different in their objectives.

You can use the North Star Mental Fitness Program's strategies for improving your life focus and for making life decisions easier and more satisfying.  You can use the brain fitness programs for sharpening your senses and thinking abilities.  We need both.

Remember, We Live within the Minds and Environment Created by Our Choices!

Dr. Hal

Life and Mental Fitness Coach

Mental Fitness & Obama Healthcare

Today there will be a historic vote regarding the Obama Healthcare Bill.  This bill will have monumental effects as it will redefine the nature of our democracy and further increase the national debt.  Of course, the healthcare bill will also affect each and every American.

For a few moments let us focus off of the bill and think about the representatives who may or may not be voting on a bill that still could be passed without a vote.  I must ask the question.

DO YOU THINK THAT OUR REPRESENTATIVES ARE MENTALLY FIT ENOUGH TO CAST A VOTE ON THE OBAMA HEALTHCARE BILL?

Of course, whether they are mentally fit or not; our Representatives are taking up space in Washington and will at least "present" when the vote is taken or should be taken.

If our Representatives are mentally fit, they will

1. Be focused on representing the people; not focused on party allegiance, pursuing their individual agendas and giving in to the influence of the President or any other important person.

2. Act courageously to represent the people.

3.  Claim their self-respect and success in representing the people rather than pursuing the approval of their party.  Success is representing the people and completing their mission in representing the people.  Success is not determine by the passage or failure to pass a health care bill.

4. Accept all of the frustrations necessary to represent the people and all of the frustrations necessary to fight the influences from those who wish to discount the will of the people, while courageously and persistently representing the people.

5.  Avoid all self-defeating rationalizations and actions that will betray the trust of the people.  Blind allegiance to a party and childlike dependency and cowardice cannot be rationalized in any way.

6.  Make your decision on the basis of American values and moral values.  Is your decision really best for America and the people.  Will the people you represent be happy, peaceful, free and in control of their lives following your representation of them?

7.  Make your decision on the basis of rational and logical thought.  Be honest.  Don't try to convince us that 30 million people will be additionally insured for no additional cost.  Don't try to convince us that Medicare benefits will not be cut.

8.  Relate to the people with honesty, respect, acceptance and trust.  Violate any of these values and you are not welcome to represent us any longer.

9.  Don't underestimate the people.  We want to take care of ourselves, our families and our democracy. Do not attempt to destroy our ability to take care of ourselves!  Do not destroy our ability to take care of our families!  Do not destroy our country!  Remember, taxation without representation led to the birth of America. 

10.  Check your position.  Are you representing the people?  You may have wavered.  You may have succumbed to pressure.  You may have betrayed the public.  Now is the time to get it right.  Choose to represent the people before you vote!

 

REMEMBER, WE WILL LIVE IN THE COUNTRY DETERMINED BY THE CHOICES OF OUR REPRESENTATIVES!

FOR THE REPRESENTATIVES, YOU WILL LIVE WITHIN THE COUNTRY DETERMINED BY OUR CHOICES AFTER YOU HAVE MADE YOUR VOTE!

Dr. Hal

Life and Mental Fitness Coach

I Am Taking Care of Me!

Today, I am feeling under the weather.  I don't feel like doing a long post.  Wondering what to do, I decided to apply the North Star Mental Fitness program to help me decide.

We Are Proud Americans

We are proud Americans!  We are proud to be Americans!  We are not ashamed of our country!  We cherish and value our constitution, democratic heritage, values and country.  We are proud of the American people, who have actively expressed ourselves throughout the last few years. 

Our courageous determination to confront our government regarding the government's insensitivity to the interests of the American public was recognized by Scott Brown.  Scott Brown is not the hero, although he must be recognized for his willingness to listen and represent the American public.  This is what we want in our elected officials.

The hero is the American public.  We focused, we have acted and we are celebrating our successes!  We are taking back our power!  We are not blindly dependent upon our elected officials anymore.  No longer can we assume that our representatives are doing what is best for America and the American public. 

We are accountable for whom we elect.  We will hold those whom we elect accountable for representing us.  We now know that we have to be on guard, aware, critically evaluating, and actively communicating our beliefs and opinions to those who are elected to represent us and govern us.

We are willing to do whatever is necessary as American people in order to ensure that the American public is represented in Congress, governmental agencies and the White House.  We understand that we can no longer be complacent.

We must be willing to continue the fight until we get rid of all of the representatives, policies and governmental decisions that defiantly reject the will of the people.  We must continue the fight to be Americans and reject the arrogant who believe we are not smart enough to know what we want and, therefore, want to tell us what is best for us.

Michelle Obama has been criticized for her statement for the first time in my adult life I am proud of my country because it feels like hope is finally making a comeback".  She was criticized for saying that it was the "first time" she was proud of her country.  I disagree with her "first time" statement, but I agree with much of what she said .

Today, I agree with Michelle's statement "it feels like hope is finally making a comeback".  Michelle Obama also stated "People in this country are ready for change and hungry for a different kind of politics".  This statement is true today. 

The change we want is not a change in political party.  It is not a matter of Democrats versus Republicans.  We want our elected officials to continue to listen to us after they are like elected.  We want our opinions to be valued.  We want our elected officials to not violate the Constitution.  We want to be free!

Remember, We Live within the Government Created by Our Choices!

Dr. Hal

Life and Mental Fitness Coach

Freedom from Governmental Dysfunctions

I have been blogging about change.  Vern from Aim for Awesome started me thinking about change and becoming free of life dysfunctions.

Vern defined a Life Dysfunction as "something about you that is at odds with society".  His idea was that we need to change what is creating discomfort for us and putting us at odds with society.

I do not disagree with this belief as it is a core belief of mental fitness.  However sometimes, we need to look at what is shaping society.  We need to evaluate whether society is being shaped by governmental interventions that are consistent with our political and personal beliefs and goals.

I define a Government Dysfunction as something about our government that is at odds with our society or us as individuals.  Government dysfunction is something about the government that is putting us at odds with our society, our Constitution and our freedom.

We need to stop being so preoccupied with our individual, life dysfunctions and disappointments.  We need to look beyond the boundaries of our skin, our family and our associations. 

Sometimes it is necessary and important to stop focusing on how we adapt and fit into society.  Sometimes it is necessary and important to focus on how our government is shaping society.

Now is the time!  It is necessary to change and remove our government dysfunctions that are negatively changing society and limiting our freedom.

There are many important societal issues and changes being forced upon us by our government.  Health Care is one of those issues.  The relevance of our Constitution is another issue.  Whether we will continue to have a democracy or socialistic government is another issue.  The issues are innumerable and life-changing.  Our government is determined to change our society.  It is important for all of us to determine whether the governmental changes will be dysfunctions or corrections for past dysfunctions.

We must defend our rights and freedoms.  We must stand up and courageously commit to removing dysfunctional government practices and individuals from determining the quality of our society and changing the nature of our government.

Remember, We Live within the Society and Government Created by Our Choices! 

For too long we have been content to do nothing regarding the government.  Doing nothing is a choice and will result in a dysfunctional government creating a dysfunctional society with dysfunctional individuals.  We must be actively and courageously committed to express ourselves and be heard.  We must make sure that our representatives represent us.

Dr. Hal

Life and Mental Fitness Coach