1. Awesome gift idea…
I was thrilled to have family come in for my daughter, Quincy’s, graduation party. A couple sisters-in-law made one of the coolest gifts for her. (Thanks, Kym and Cheryl!) It’s basically a photo album with an inspirational or funny quote in the middle of each page, with the rest of the page left blank. They brought one of those instant cameras, took pics of people with my daughter throughout the day, then pasted those photos throughout those pages. Then they had those people write a quick message to Quincy on that page. So cool! Here is a pic of the cover of that photo book, along with a few pics of some of my favorite quotes. I thought this was a great idea. And an incredible keepsake!
2. Something I learned more about this week…
Years ago, I learned about a molecule in the brain that is heavily involved in learning and memory. It’s called Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF). I learned about it from Dr. John Ratey, a Harvard professor, in one of his books, Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain. (I highly recommend this book! Click here for a link to check it out.) He refers to BDNF as “Miracle-Gro for the brain,” because when BDNF is introduced to neurons in the brain, they grow. So, it makes sense that we would want more BDNF to help improve our learning, memory, and overall brain function. As I am sure Big Pharma is scrambling to create a drug that increases BDNF (which would come with adverse side effects), I was thrilled to learn that we can increase our BDNF through natural means. I knew exercise boosted BDNF production, but was excited to learn that you can also increase BDNF through exposure to sunlight, getting restorative sleep, and stress reduction. Worried about your brain, memory, and cognitive function??? Stop worrying and start doing… get out in the sun, get better sleep, exercise, and manage your stress better.
3. Quote I love…
“In any given moment, we have two choices: step forward into growth or step backward into safety.” -Abraham Maslow
