A mental goal is something that is challenging or stimulating intellectually.

Because I’m middle aged, it is easy to ossify mentally and we all know what happens when we do that.  Well, we don’t all get Alzheimer’s Disease, but forms of mental processing can slow way down and other forms of dementia do occur as you age.  I want to stay as sharp mentally as I can as I age.

One big way to do that is to learn a new language.  I’ve read about research that shows that the processes to learn another language lead to an increase in the neuronal activity which I can’t help but think will help slow down mental aging.  Plus, I live in Los Angeles and it’s obvious to me that anyone who lives anywhere in the Southwest should probably learn at least enough Spanish to get by.

The other thing is more plesurable for me and that’s reading.  I usually am very haphazard in reading – I read trashy mystery novels and lots of blog posts and online articles and even some magazines (Money, Sunset, Vanity Fair), but I think it’s time I step it up and start to finish some books I’ve had lying around in physical form or on my kindle.