Brain Training Ideas You Can Actually Try

I hear you say, “Here we go again, another list of Sudoku puzzles, tips on learning a new language, or why running a mile will make me a genius.”  You've heard it all before, right? Well, spend the next 1 minute scrolling down, because I promise you, what comes next might just flip your perspective upside down. Just one fact that could completely change how you think about brain training.

Stop Trying to Train Your Brain

What if I told you that trying to train your brain is one of the least important things you could focus on? Because the truth is, your brain doesn’t need constant tweaking, hacking, or improving. Instead, the real key lies in tuning into something beyond yourself - your higher power.

In other words... Because while puzzles and routines might give your brain a quick boost, they don’t address the deeper questions of purpose, connection, and clarity. Listening to your higher power provides a sense of alignment and perspective that brain exercises simply can’t touch. It helps quiet the noise, reduces stress, and creates mental space for real insight.

Spiritual connection also taps into areas of the brain like the prefrontal cortex and the parietal lobe, which are associated with problem-solving and self-awareness. By centering yourself through prayer, meditation, or simply seeking guidance from something greater than yourself, you use your brain in a way that puzzles or trivia games never will.

Instead of focusing on quick fixes, think about where your mind and spirit truly find calm and focus. That’s where the real “training” happens—by stepping outside of yourself, not trying to force your brain to work harder.

Memory Tricks to Train Your Brain

Alright, with all that said... Memory tricks are like fitness routines for your brain. They push your mental muscles, helping you recall and organize information in powerful ways. Connecting these practices to something meaningful, like spiritual growth or personal reflection, can anchor your efforts in purpose and make them even more rewarding.

Brain Functions at Work

Memory tricks primarily engage the hippocampus, responsible for creating and storing memories. The prefrontal cortex is also activated during memory exercises, as it connects various ideas and manages short-term recall. Both areas benefit from neural plasticity—the brain’s ability to form new connections, which helps with adaptability and learning over time.

Here’s how you can dive into memory training while aligning it with higher purpose and reflection:

1. Creating Associations

• How to Do It: When you meet someone, associate their name with something symbolic or personally meaningful. For example, meeting someone named Faith could remind you of trust or a spiritual journey. Visualize their name written on a glowing sign or imagine them doing something related to the concept.
• Why It Works: This technique taps into visual and semantic association, making recall more vivid and emotionally connected. The brain links the abstract concept to a person, creating a stronger, layered memory.

2. Memorizing Inspirational Verses or Texts

• How to Do It: Choose a meaningful piece of scripture, poetry, or affirmations and break it into chunks. Pair each chunk with a specific image or action. For instance, while memorizing, “Be still and know that I am God,” picture calm water or a serene landscape. Repeat it out loud while walking or stretching.
• Why It Works: Combining imagery and movement activates both the motor cortex and parietal lobe, linking physical activity to memory. The repetition solidifies neural pathways, making the memory more permanent.

3. Daily Gratitude Recall

• How to Do It: At the end of each day, reflect on three moments you were thankful for. Don’t just list them—create a vivid mental picture for each. If you’re grateful for a kind gesture, visualize the person’s smile or the moment it happened.
• Why It Works: This practice engages the limbic system, which handles emotions, and the parietal lobe, which processes spatial and visual information. By adding emotional weight, memories become more impactful and enduring.

4. Memory Palaces for Spiritual Themes

• How to Do It: Imagine a familiar place, like your home or a park, and “place” spiritual concepts or verses in different rooms or landmarks. Walk through the space in your mind to recall each item.
• Why It Works: This technique uses the brain’s spatial memory system in the hippocampus. By tying abstract concepts to visual locations, it strengthens recall and organizes information logically.

5. Repetition with Intent

• How to Do It: Choose an affirmation, prayer, or meaningful text and repeat it throughout the day, focusing on its meaning each time. Say it during routine tasks like cooking or commuting.
• Why It Works: Repetition activates the language centers and reinforces neural pathways. When paired with daily actions, it connects the memory to habitual triggers, making recall automatic.

By integrating memory exercises with purpose, you use your brain in ways that go beyond simple recall. You’re creating layers of meaning that resonate deeply.

Mix Up Your Routine

Your brain craves novelty, and breaking out of your usual habits can make it more flexible and alert. When these changes are tied to mindful reflection or a higher sense of purpose, they help you stay present and open to growth.

Brain Functions at Work

Changing routines stimulates the anterior cingulate cortex, which detects and responds to new information. It also activates the prefrontal cortex, responsible for planning and problem-solving. This forces the brain to adapt, reinforcing plasticity and improving focus.

Let’s explore practical ways to shake things up and the specific brain benefits tied to each method:

1. Use Your Non-Dominant Hand

• How to Do It: For a day, switch hands for tasks like brushing your teeth, eating, or writing.
• Why It Works: This activates the motor cortex in both hemispheres, improving coordination and stimulating underused neural pathways. It also encourages mindfulness because the activity demands more attention than usual.

2. Rearrange Your Space for Reflection

• How to Do It: Change the layout of your room, organize your desk differently, or create a specific area for prayer or meditation. Reflect on what each change symbolizes—a fresh start, new focus, or creating peace.
• Why It Works: This creates the parietal lobe and forces the brain to adapt to a new spatial environment. Associating the changes with purpose adds emotional and cognitive layers.

3. Change Your Daily Path

• How to Do It: Walk or drive a different route to work or take a stroll in a new neighborhood. Reflect on how new surroundings make you feel or inspire fresh ideas.
• Why It Works: Exploring unfamiliar paths activates the hippocampus, which maps spatial environments, and encourages curiosity and awareness.

4. Cook Something Completely New

• How to Do It: Choose a dish from a different culture or technique you’ve never tried. Pay attention to the process, ingredients, and their origins. Reflect on the creativity behind the recipe.
• Why It Works: Novelty in taste and smell activates the olfactory cortex, which is closely linked to the limbic system. The learning process stimulates problem-solving and memory.

5. Try Reflection in a New Format

• How to Do It: Instead of writing down reflections, try recording a video journal or drawing your thoughts. Experiment with new mediums to express gratitude or self-discovery.
• Why It Works: Using new methods activates different parts of the brain, like the temporal lobe (for language) or occipital lobe (for visual processing). It keeps your mind adaptable and creative.

6. Explore a Hobby That’s Out of Your Comfort Zone

• How to Do It: Pick something completely new, like pottery, dancing, or learning an instrument. Focus on enjoying the process rather than mastery.
• Why It Works: Novelty engages the dopaminergic system, which rewards learning and curiosity. It strengthens neural pathways involved in motor coordination and problem-solving.

Routine changes are about staying curious and present. When tied to reflection or spiritual growth, they create a sense of alignment between action and intention.

Additional Brain Training Ideas Linked to Purpose

Here are even more ways to train your brain while staying connected to your higher power:

Solve Meaningful Puzzles

• How to Do It: Tackle puzzles with themes that resonate with you, such as crosswords, jigsaws with inspiring images, or logic problems with symbolic meanings.
• Why It Works: Problem-solving activates the parietal lobe and builds patience and persistence.

Practice Meditation

• How to Do It: Spend 10 minutes focusing on your breath or a spiritual mantra. Visualize calmness spreading through your body.
• Why It Works: Meditation strengthens the default mode network, which supports introspection and emotional regulation.

Have Deep Conversations

• How to Do It: Discuss thought-provoking topics, like purpose or personal growth, with someone you trust.
• Why It Works: This stimulates the prefrontal cortex, encouraging reasoning and verbal expression while fostering connection.