Ramblings of a Madman

There are a handful of things you should be doing outside of work and simply existing, as so many do. All of these keep your mind sharp and help you to maintain your wisdom and intelligence.

Knowledge is Power

Read everything, even if you think you wouldn’t be interested. ESPECIALLY if you think you won’t be interested; you might learn something. You don’t have to read technical manuals and become an expert engineer. To follow up with that example, you should read enough that you have a basic understanding of electrical principles.

Self-help books can provide you with ideas of how to go about living life. Just don’t read so much that you get lost in the books and don’t actually live your life. Information overload is real, and it’s easy to get lost in discovery and research.

Every story has some lesson to teach. Science fiction, fantasy, romance. Pick a genre and you can find something worthwhile. Stories of freedom, courage, love, loss. Everything from the classics to modern best sellers has something to learn.

The Pen is Mightier…

Another aspect of keeping your mind sharp is writing. I’m not saying you have to write the next big novel and get on the New York Times Top 100. Journaling is the easiest thing to do. It isn’t glamorous and it won’t earn you money, but it gives you an outlet to empty your brain and get your thoughts and feelings organized.

You can try your hand at writing a novel or becoming a journalist. There is also copywriting, freelancing, blogging. You don’t need anything more than a computer and a word processor to get going with any of these things.

Physical Maintenance

Find something that keeps you fit and healthy. If you want to become a body builder, go for it. There are a bunch of options for this. Walking, running, and weightlifting are simple and easy to get into, and you don’t really need anything special or bespoke. A good pair of shoes, some dumbbells, a bench, and you’re good to go.

If you find those things boring, you could get into combat sports. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu has blown up over the last few years. Boxing, kickboxing, krav maga. There are any number of these that you can get involved in. Not only do these keep you fit, you are also learning a skill and you have something to strive to improve.

Cycling and mountain biking are things that exist. Swimming, hiking. These are all excellent options for cardio if you despise running. The former are a tad more expensive, due to the necessity of buying a bicycle, and those can get expensive, though you needn’t spend a ton to get a decent ride. The latter only require swimwear and hiking gear.

Mental Release

You should have a hobby or two. Something that allows you to create something that you’re not actively looking to make money from. Learn an instrument, take up needlepoint. This allows you to focus on something other than yourself and it helps you destress and collect yourself.

Once you’re in your happy place, this allows you to better focus on what you need to be doing to continue moving forward.

This one is liable to ruffle a few feathers, but I’m going to say it anyway: pray. Pray hard. Pray for those you love, pray for your future, pray for the weak and the strong, pray to give thanks for what you have.

Train like your Life Depends on it

Train. We have a saying in the military: Train how you fight. This isn’t just about physical fighting and training, but training everything. You use all of your senses in a fight: sight, smell, feel, hearing. When you sit down in a restaurant, make note of emergency exit locations. Know where the entrance is and keep an eye on it.

There are going to be those that really aren’t going to agree with this one. Learn how to properly handle a gun. Learn and understand the safety rules. Understand the different weapon conditions, learn how to take it down and clean it.

Carrying a gun isn’t a sign of weakness, as some would have you believe. It’s a sign of being ready. Being prepared is strength. There is no guarantee, no matter how good you are, that you can stop an assailant by fighting them. If they pull a knife, it’s game over for you already.

Peaceful people are those who have the capacity to perform great violence under voluntary control.