It’s November 18, 2025 as I sit down to write this.  Over the last several years I’ve grown increasingly concerned about my ability to learn, think, reason, problem solve, and create.  In short, I have noticed a very real decline in my cognitive abilities.

Let me give you some background on my health and lifestyle, because I believe both have contributed to this decline.  I’m currently 47 years old, nearing 48.  I don’t take any medications aside from omeprazole for heartburn and I don’t have any major health conditions.  Overall, I feel relatively healthy aside from the aches and pains that come with old injuries.

I’ve never been the type who lives at the gym or eats a perfectly clean diet, but I’ve always stayed generally active through work and play.

My diet isn’t restricted in any way.  I eat whatever my wife prepares, regardless of carbs or fat content.  I’ll admit I sometimes overindulge, and I definitely don’t avoid sugars or treats.  As a result, I’m about 50 lbs. heavier than I’d like to be. Before COVID, I hovered around 10-25 lbs. above my ideal weight, but when the pandemic hit, I lost my job, one that had kept me moving all day.  During month of unemployment and isolation, I began eating out of emotion, boredom, and habit.  The weight crept on.

Eventually I found a new job, but it’s completely sedentary.  I sit all day with almost no movement.

Now, about my work.  This is where I believe the most damage has occurred.  I work in a clean-room environment assembling medical equipment– a highly monotonous job.  The only stimulation is background music and the occasional conversation with coworkers, depending on who I’m stationed with that day.

Outside of work, I’ll admit I’m not doing much better.  Like so many people, I’ve become glued to my phone and the mind-numbing content that it serves up.  I rarely read, write, or challenge my brain in meaningful ways.

As a photographer and creator, staying mentally sharp and creatively alive matters deeply to me.  And as an aging adult, I want to do everything I can to avoid cognitive decline.

So here’s my invitation to you:  come with me on the journey I’m beginning to reclaim my brain.  I’m sharing this partly in hopes you might learn something from what helps me “fix” my brain, but mostly to help myself remember what I learn, chronicle my journey, and give myself a creative project.  I’m choosing to make it public to you!