The SHARP Solution by Heidi Hanna is a great book for people who are “crushing it” professionally but are either struggling to maintain a healthy life outside of work or know that they have WAY MORE potential and are looking for ways to unlock it.

I saw Heidi speak at the Global Leadership Academy put on by Entrepreneur’s Organization, and enjoyed her thought-provoking lessons and methods. Heidi challenged me to think about my brain’s health and what I was doing to maintain it daily and for the long term. My curiosity now piqued, I broke open the book during my flight home. A few points really stuck with me.

Your brain is one of the biggest contributing factors to how successful you are both mentally and physically.

Heidi has done a ton of research on how poor brain health can lead to disease, obesity, and Alzheimer’s. Upon reflection, I can certainly see how people who carry high levels of stress are definitely more prone to these issues.

“If you ask for more energy than you have in the moment, our brain will give us a million reasons why it’s a bad idea.”

This is one of my favorite concepts in her book. I love this quote because I’ve seen it so many times in my own life. When I’m tired, I have less willpower and commitment. If I’m not mentally ready I find every excuse to avoid what I SHOULD be doing, EVEN THOUGH it is exactly what will get me the results I crave!! Without proper energy management we hold ourselves back from achieving our true potential. And not achieving or growing is very frustrating for me!

Stress is a state of mind — we choose to let it exist or not. This statement is both a long-held belief of mine and a main takeaway from Heidi’s book.

Stress is a state of mind that is actually in our control. We have the ability to either change our environment or our outlook on it. In her book she goes on to explain the small changes we can make in our habits and daily lives that will reduce our stress. I am a firm believer in health and in taking the necessary steps to keep my mind sharp and body ready to react when I need it.

I never want my mind or body to be a limitation. To me, the worst feeling is knowing I let something completely within my control keep me from what I really want. I like to hike and be active, I enjoy business, and I love running around with my daughter. I can only do these things when I’m healthy both mentally and physically.

If you are exploring what changes you can make physically and mentally to start living a healthier life, I think Heidi’s book is a great start (and quick read!). While the concepts she explains aren’t anything revolutionary, the methods she advocates using are extremely simple and easy to implement.

Your brain runs everything both conscious and unconscious. By taking care of it you allow yourself to be the best version of you. Without a healthy brain, everything else is going to be severely limited in your life.