North Star Mental Fitness Blog

Tarkenton Still Scrambling in His Senior Years

Fran Tarkenton is still known as the elite scrambling quarterback.  If he didn't beat his opponent with his passing, he did it with his running.  Now in his senior years,

I Am an Awesome Person!

She has large brown eyes and a big smile on her face as she anxiously and then more confidently shocked me with her self-assessment. 

"IN SPITE OF EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENED TO ME, I AM AN AWESOME PERSON"!

She went on to tell me how important it is to not allow her past to influence her life.  Although she is only 16, she expressed a mindset crafted by very few people.

You might ask what could have happened to her in 16 years.

Get Mentally Fit!

Take Care of You.  Take Control of Your Life.  Take Care of Your Mind.

Practice Mental Fitness.

Life is full of change, risks and challenges.  Mental fitness training will help  you find the strength and confidence to take care of yourself, even during turbulent times.  You can be stronger than your problems.  You can find solutions for any and all of your problems with the North Star Mental Fitness Program.

Are you mentally fit enough to deal with life’s ups and downs?"

At the North Star Mental Fitness Blog we believe everyone can improve their mental fitness.  We can all improve our mental fitness by concentrating and repeating mental exercises. 

If Your Life Is Important to You,

The Time Has Come for You to Add Mental Fitness to Your Life!

Just ask us how!

By practicing mental fitness, you will make a commitment to take care of yourself and you will have the strength to achieve your dreams and goals!

 

Remember, You Live within the Mind, Body and Environment Created by Your Choices!

 

Dr. Hal

Life and Mental Fitness Coach

 

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

Use CPR To Kill Your Ant's (Automatic Negative Thoughts)

Dr. Daniel Amen believes you could have an ant infestation in your brain!  It sure sounds gross, doesn't it?  Before you call an ant exterminator, let me explain what Dr. Amen means.

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.

Tiger Woods: Addiction And Mental Fitness

This last week Tiger Woods made his public apology regarding his sexual infidelities or sexual addiction. 

Debate has raged over whether he has a sexual addiction or

15 TOOLS FOR SUCCESS IN 2010

SUCCESS = TAKING GOOD CARE OF YOU

If you take good care of you in 2010, you will be successful!  The following 15 tools will help you be successful in any situation in 2010.  These 15 tools provide the resources to guide you through 2010.

 

THE 15 MENTAL FITNESS TOOLS FOR SUCCESS IN 2010

She Said Feeling Good Is Dangerous!

Have you ever wondered what the relationship is between anxiety and feeling good?  Most anxious people have discovered that anxiety destroys feeling good.  People suffering from anxiety worry about insignificant as well as significant issues.  They worry about past, present and future issues.

There are many forms of anxiety.  For some people anxiety takes the form of physical symptoms such as headaches, stomach aches and other symptoms consistent with any medical diagnosis.  For some people anxiety prevents them from being alone or leaving their home.  Others have social anxiety.  There is no doubt that anxiety destroys feeling good.

Let's look at something that is not so obvious.  For some people feeling good creates anxiety.

I talked to a young woman who has been devastated by anxiety.  She is getting better.  As she talked, she surprised herself as she verbalized a previously hidden key to understanding her anxiety.

Surprised she said "FEELING GOOD IS DANGEROUS"!

She has been unconsciously afraid to feel good.  Whenever she started to feel good, anxiety overwhelmed her.  She recalled childhood experiences of feeling good that were associated with guilt, shame and censure from adults.  Undoubtedly the association of feeling good with danger began in her childhood and this association has unconsciously, constantly been reinforced throughout her adult years.

Now she has an explanation for why she was unable to finish relational, educational and vocational pursuits after she began to feel good about her achievements.

I have also recently been talking to a man who also is consciously aware that FEELING GOOD IS DANGEROUS.  He has had many physical problems that have curtailed his activities.  He is fearful that over- exerting himself will be dangerous to his health.  There are many reasons why people with anxiety may unconsciously or consciously think that feeling good is dangerous.

It is important to confront the automatic negative thought that FEELING GOOD IS DANGEROUS.  If feeling good is not dangerous, then consciously re-program your mind to think that FEELING IS NOT DANGEROUS!

Remember, We Live with the Environment Created by Our Choices!

Dr. Hal

Life and Mental Fitness Coach

Physical Exercise and Your Mental Fitness

After reading Steve Siebold's book "Die Fat or Get Tough", I began an exercise program.  I was motivated to apply Steve's idea that 99% compliance with my goal was insufficient for success.  I was determined to reach 100% compliance with my goal.  I exercised daily for over three months.  I felt better. 

I felt even better, when I read Dr. Amen's article on the power of physical exercise and mental fitness.  Dr. Amen talked about the 10 ways exercise helps obtain a "mental edge".  Exercise really helps in regard to memory loss and depression.

In my private practice, I have been asked to evaluate many people regarding memory loss.  I also have many clients that wish to depend on themselves rather than medications to improve the quality of their lives.  Regular physical exercise is an important way to nurture your brain.

I encourage you to read Dr.Amen's article if you are concerned about memory loss, depression, attention problems or cognitive anxiety.  Dr. Amen presented numerous research studies that shows physical exercises increase mental fitness.

Studies were reported that demonstrated the power of physical exercise on memory:

• Canadian researchers reported that exercise helps "prevent, delay and lesson the effects of dementia and Alzheimer's disease".
• Other researchers presented research that indicated that exercise can prevent and delay cognitive decline associated with dementia and Alzheimer's disease. 
• A study of people over 65 revealed that mild to moderate exercise reduced about 50% the risk of cognitive dementia associated with Alzheimer's disease.
• Australian researchers reported that memory impaired individuals who participated in a six-month exercise program showed a decrease in cognitive decline over 18 months.
• Indian researchers have stated that exercise provide some of the same benefits as medications used to treat cognitive decline in dementia and Alzheimer's disease.

Exercise also reduces the symptoms of depression.  Dr. Amen believes that exercise can be as effective as prescription medication for treating depression.  In a study comparing the effects of exercise and a prescription for Zoloft, exercise was as as effective as Zoloft in reducing depression after 12 weeks.  After 10 months, exercise was more effective than Zoloft.

Exercise is a very important ingredient for mental health and mental fitness.  No matter what how old a person is, it is never too late to start to exercise and improve your physical and mental well-being.

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

Dr. Hal

Life and Mental Fitness Coach