A note: This is not a quick fix. We’re giving you a blueprint for long-term success and the permanent recalibration of your mental machinery. On Day 1 of the program, do the following: Put a journal, a notepad, or just a sheet of paper as well as a pen or pencil by your bedside. You’ll spend a few minutes in the morning or evening writing down five points of gratitude from this day forward. In addition, make a daily goal of thanking someone in person for something specific that individual has done. This type of prosocial behavior helps you and the person you’re thanking. As an optional step, take time each day to pause and consider why someone who holds a dissimilar perspective from yours thinks and feels that way. This will further bolster your empathy for others. You do not have to go to extremes. Start by locating parks and green spaces near you; nature is readily available to all of us if we just get outside. Even in an urban environment, the benefits of nature can easily be enjoyed. If you have no other options, you can simply walk outside your office or home and observe the landscape. Try to take in the sounds, sights, and smells of the plants around you, using all your senses. Consider walking slowly and taking time to appreciate nature’s diversity and complexity, whether you’re at the beach, in a park, or walking around your neighborhood. Find a specific part of a park that appeals to you and spend extra time savoring the section you enjoy most. Below is an abbreviated list of the foods to toss or keep: Expect this part of the plan to challenge you significantly. Before you start, remember that it’s completely normal for your mind to be distracted when you try to meditate. That’s the whole idea! Catching your mind when it wanders is the goal, so don’t feel like you’re messing up when you lose focus. On Day 8, think about ways to make this effortless and ensure that the conversation takes up the full 10 minutes. For example, you could have a sit-down dinner with your family and take turns sharing the best part of your day or what you learned. Consider calling an old friend you haven’t spoken to in a while. Take some time to think about where your mental defenses were weak. Did you feel like you wanted to skip your workout at the end of a stressful day? Did you have trouble resisting free bagels at the morning meeting? Ask yourself what might have contributed to these situations. Think about how best to prepare for these moments (for example, signing up for an exercise class after work and eating breakfast before the morning meeting). The last step of this plan is to create a framework so you can continue to benefit from the lessons in this book for years to come. These 10 days are meant for focusing on each technique one at a time, but you have to commit to them for life if you want to rewire your brain for lasting health and joy. It may feel impossible, but remember that incorporating even one of these recommendations into your daily routine is a major leap forward. Adapted from Brain Wash, copyright © 2019 by David Perlmutter, M.D., and Austin Perlmutter, M.D. Used with permission of Little, Brown and Company, New York. All rights reserved.
