I am sure you have heard many of these statements:

• What you think about, you bring about.
• Where your mind goes, so goes your life.
• If you see it, you can achieve it.

These all imply the power of your brain and the impact it can have on your life. And research continues to verify the positive results of visualization on desired outcomes. The best news to me is that we get to control our thoughts and what we visualize. It’s all about intentionally making a choice to think about, visualize, and then ideally act on whatever result you are seeking.

Sounds So Simple!

But we know most things aren’t that easy or everyone would be doing it. So let me offer some simple initial visualizations that may bring your awareness of good health habits back to the top of your mind and then provide an actionable idea that may help you implement those habits. Afterall, knowledge is great but without action, it does us no good.

Remember It, Visualize It, Act on It

For better overall health, which is ideal for an enjoyable retirement and also saves you money in the long run, here are several key areas with a visual for each one so you can remember it, visualize it, and then hopefully decide to act on it.

Reduce Your Stress

10 minutes of walking reduces your anxiety, it’s like giving your brain a bubble bath of positive neurochemicals!

Action: Walk regularly and any time you need to reduce anxiety.

Get Adequate Sleep (7-8 Hours Each Night)

A good night’s sleep is like a dishwasher for your brain so if you don’t get through the full dishwasher/sleep cycle, it doesn’t clean thoroughly and leaves “gunk” behind in the brain.

Action: Set up your sleep environment and nighttime routine for uninterrupted sleep.

Minimize Your Soda Intake

Every sip of soda triggers an acid bath in your mouth. Soda offers calories but no nutrients and also creates an acidic environment in your mouth that can weaken tooth enamel. Poor oral health can impact your overall health.

Action: Reduce your soda intake, consume your soda in a relatively short period of time vs sipping it throughout the day, or rinse your mouth with water after drinking soda.

Exercise Every Day

Blood flow through the body helps the joints, muscles, and brain. Spin class (stationary bicycling), for example, is like WD-40 for the knees. I just read about a study in the UK that has shown that walking just 30 minutes a day can reduce the risk of dementia by up to 65%!

Action: Most health authorities suggest 30 minutes or more of moderate exercise on most days.

Listen to Music Regularly

Music acts like a performance-enhancing drug! It can boost your mood, reduce stress, enhance learning and memory, support brain health, and positively influence your immune system.

Action: Turn on the tunes, it’s good for you!

There Is More We Can Do!

Hartford Funds has partnered over the years with the MIT AgeLab in an effort to enjoy a long and financially secure retirement, and the good news is that there is more we can do to help assure cognitive health than we originally thought. It’s these lifestyle choices that can have an important impact on keeping our brains clean, healthy, and feeling more youthful. We hope our retirement years (potentially half of our adult life) are not only long in quantity but also in quality.

So I offer these 5 little brain visualizations that you can use as a reminder to take action:

• Walking is like giving your brain a bubble bath of positive neurochemicals.
• Sleep is like a dishwasher for your brain.
• Every sip of soda triggers an acid bath in your mouth.
• Spin class is like WD-40 for the knees.
• Music acts like a performance-enhancing drug!

With my Mind, Money, Motion focus (the more we take care of our mind and body, the less we have to worry about running out of money), you can also find podcasts, videos, and other blogs on this topic of lifestyle impact. June is Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month, so what a perfect time to jump start a healthy habit for yourself!

Let’s Have a Discussion:

What visuals have helped you improve a health habit? Were there any facts or analogies that got your attention and motivated you to action? What can you share with our community for better health?

Marie Burns is a Certified Financial Planner, Speaker, and Author of the bestselling Financial Checklist books. Find Marie on Facebook or contact her at [email protected]

This article was first published at 60 and Me – a community that helps women over 60 live happy, healthy and financially secure lives.