Relieve Stress - 77 Ways to Use the Other 90% of Your Brain

I'm sure you've heard some wizard make the statement that we really use only 10% of our brain - and that if we could tap into using the remaining 90% we could accomplish seemingly impossible tasks such as reading minds, predicting winning lottery numbers, healing our bodies, or even discovering "the next big thing".

This persistent myth that we use only 10% of our brain seems to never go away. At any given time you'll find experts, gurus and others touting this age old tale in order to get your attention and your money.

But guess what, it's been proven through research that we all use more than 10% of our brain daily - it's just that some tasks require you to use more brain power than others.

That being said, take stress for example. Stress is a constant, and part of our innate make up - it's that thing that allows you to jump out of the way of a speeding car, or duck in a split second to avoid being hit by something.

But when stress becomes excessive, that's when you need relief... it's the excessive stress that gets many people rattled. Check out some of the ways to use your brain to relieve stress:

1. If right handed, do things with your left hand, visa visa.
2. Learn a new card trick or game.
3. Discover new route for going to work or the market.
4. Watch the sunrise/sunset and write a poem.
5. Stop fault finding and look for the good in people.
6. List everything "good" that's happened to you this week.
7. Start being creative and enjoy life.
8. Learn how to cook a new dish.
9. Learn a new language.
10. Think positive.
11. Walk through your house blindfolded.
12. Try eating some foods for brain enhancement.
13. Brainstorm instead of taking the first "right" answer.
14. Laugh at your own mistakes and learn from them.
15. Meet someone who's smarter than you.
16. Learn a new biblical scripture.
17. Get a hobby.
18. Learn how to meditate.
19. Exercise!
20. Read a good book that's entertaining.
21. Get a good night's sleep.
22. Give away a smile, instead of a frown.
23. Try taking a "power nap" during the day.
24. Learn a new word in the dictionary.
25. Read a chapter in the bible.
26. Create a back-up plan for everything you do.
27. Write your memoirs.
28. Stop procrastination, develop a "do it now" mentality.
29. No television for 24 hours.
30. Do a crossword puzzle.
31. Play 'brain' games, i.e., Sudoku, Scrabble, Checkers.
32. Play video games.
33. Try being humorous! Write or create a joke.
34. Go to the library and read an out-of-town newspaper.
35. Create a List of 100 things you'd like to accomplish.
36. Capture your ideas and keep a logbook.
37. Try to remember license plate numbers.
38. Learn a new song.
39. Practice spelling words backwards, i.e.!renniW
40. Start a blog...it's free!
41. Learn sign language.
42. Learn a musical instrument.
43. Visit a museum.
44. Learn to speed-read.
45. Balance your check book without a calculator.
46. Discover a new sex position.
47. Memorize people's names.
48. Meditate.
49. Watch a game show on TV and compete.
50. Take the initiative on a difficult task.
51. Get in touch with nature.
52. Don't be afraid to disagree.
53. Try solving math problems in your head.
54. Be aware of your surroundings.
55. Step in the other person's shoes.
56. Take time for solitude and relaxation.
57. Try to learn something new every day.
58. Go to the root of your problems.
59. Start a stamp collection.
60. Volunteer for a cause you believe in.
61. Read the autobiography of someone you admire.
62. Decree a thing and believe for it to happen.
63. Try shadow boxing.
64. Allocate time for brain development.
65. Be curious!
66. Challenge yourself.
67. Discover your hidden talent and develop it.
68. Create a dream book, detailing your dreams.
69. Manage your time and stop rushing.
70. Experience public transportation instead of driving.
71. Improve your vocabulary.
72. Deliver more than what's expected.
73. Learn something about your family history.
74. Write your congressman/woman about an issue.
75. Write a cookbook of your best recipes.
76. Research and start a home-based business.
77. Focus on what you want, not what you don't want.

Research has shown that if you allocated just 10 minutes of brain exercises every day, you can increase your mind's speed, retention, and memory. In fact, this simple task can even help prevent Alzheimer's disease.

At the National Stress and Anxiety Prevention Center, we promote total health - body, mind and spirit. While we focus on the mental aspects of relieving stress, anxiety and depression, we must not forget that nothing is impossible for God.

Remember that anything you do outside of your regular routine challenges your brain. When you challenge your brain, it can help relieve stress, give you better memory, clearer thinking, and sharper focus for the rest of your day, and the rest of your life.