Week 17: Next Project: Call to Action

Your action plan may look different from your classmates’,and that’s okay! Everyone’s journey is unique, and your goals should reflect what matters most to you. You might take a different approach, pace, or focus. Below are just a few examples to help spark ideas as you create your own personalized brain health action plan.

🧘‍♂️ Mindfulness for Mental Health: 2 Week Action Plan

Week 1: Breathing for Calm

Focus: Build awareness of the breath and its impact on stress

• Learn and practice Diaphragmatic Breathing (daily, 5 minutes)

• Try Box Breathing during moments of anxiety or restlessness (2–3 times per day)

• Reflect in a journal: When does mindful breathing help me feel most calm?

Week 2: Expanding Breath Techniques

Focus: Explore breath control and brain-body balance

• Practice Alternate Nostril Breathing (2–3 times during the week)

• Try 4-7-8 Breathing before sleep or during stressful moments

• Journal prompt: How do different breathing techniques affect my energy or focus?

🧠 Neuroplasticity and Habit Formation: The Role of a Support System

👥 How to Incorporate a Support System into Goal-Setting

1. Accountability Partners

   • Encourage students to pair up or form small groups to check in weekly on their habit goals.

   • Example: "Text your partner once a week with your progress or a challenge you overcame."

2. Share Your Goal Out Loud

   • Have students say their goal to the group or a partner—this boosts commitment through verbal reinforcement and social accountability.

3. Create a Habit Buddy System

   • Match students with someone who wants to build a similar habit (e.g., daily walk, meditation, journaling). Support each other through reminders, encouragement, and celebrating milestones.

• The Social Brain: Connection as a tool for cognitive health

🌐 Sample Goals for Staying Connected

1. Call or visit a friend or family member once a week
   → Strengthens emotional bonds and provides regular social interaction.

2. Join a club or community group (book club, walking group, gardening club)
   → Builds routine connection with others who share similar interests.

3. Attend at least one community or cultural event per month
   → Encourages participation in shared experiences and local engagement.

4. Schedule a weekly Zoom or phone chat with someone who lives far away
   → Maintains long-distance relationships and combats isolation.

5. Volunteer with a local organization
   → Provides meaningful interaction while giving back.

6. Start a conversation with someone new each week (neighbor, classmate, etc.)
   → Expands your social circle and builds confidence.

🧘‍♀️ Parasympathetic Breathing for Anxiety: Tools from Class

This class introduced diaphragmatic breathing as a simple, effective tool to calm the nervous system and reduce anxiety. Through Activity 1, students practiced deep breathing techniques that increase oxygen to the brain and activate the parasympathetic “rest-and-digest” response. Instructions included sitting comfortably, placing one hand on the chest and one on the belly, and breathing slowly—inhaling through the nose for 4 seconds and exhaling through the mouth for 6 seconds. This breathing pattern helps regulate stress, supports emotional balance, and promotes body awareness.

🧠 Cognitive Reserve: Building Brain Resilience Over Time

Try these activities to strengthen your brain’s ability to adapt, stay sharp, and thrive with age:

Lifelong Learning (e.g., classes, workshops)
→ Enhances neuroplasticity and cognitive resilience.

Reading Regularly
→ Stimulates language, memory, and analytical processing.

Learning New Languages
→ Strengthens cognitive flexibility and executive function.

Art, Music, and Creative Writing
→ Enhances emotional regulation and brain connectivity.

Physical Activity (especially aerobic exercise)
→ Increases brain volume and memory performance.

Strategy Games (e.g., chess, puzzles, sudoku)
→ Promotes problem-solving and working memory.

Social Interaction
→ Protects against dementia and supports emotional well-being.

Mindfulness and Meditation
→ Improves attention, memory, and emotional regulation.

Volunteering or Mentoring
→ Adds purpose and provides cognitive stimulation.

Travel and New Experiences
→ Engages sensory processing, adaptability, and novelty learning.

Staying Active in San Diego

🧰 TOOLS & STRATEGIES PROVIDED BY THE CLASS

1. Goal-Setting Framework

Students were encouraged to explore a personal cultural or physical goal by reflecting on their favorite third spaces, cultural experiences, or memorable restaurants. This reflection helped them become active participants and supported their ability to meaningfully engage with San Diego’s vibrant community.

2. Community Engagement Categories

The class introduced four accessible ways to engage with the San Diego community, helping students find meaningful and brain-boosting activities:

• 🎨 Arts Engagement — mural tours, art classes, book clubs

• 🏛️ Cultural & Heritage Activities — festivals, museums, local history

• 🧘 Physical Movement & Sports — hikes, yoga, dance, group fitness

• 🤝 Volunteering & Community Groups — library events, food banks, civic organizations