Exercise of the Month: Take the Wellness Assessment

This Wellness Assessment asks you questions in each of the 8 realms of wellness, in order to give you a space to check-in with how you are doing in terms of taking care of yourself & feeling connected with the world around you. You will also be given resources, tools, and suggestions at the end in order to best support you where you are right now (recognizing that well-being is constantly fluctuating, our priorities are consistently changing, what worked last month might not this month.) Please know that this assessment is anonymous.

Oct. 1: Mindfulness Meditation, 1:00-1:30pm

Oct. 1: Queer Alliance Rainbow Room, 5:00-6:00pm

Oct. 1: Global Music Month Celebration, 8:00pm

Oct. 6: Exam Stress Relief, 1:00-1:45pm

Oct. 10: World Mental Health Awareness Day (activities to follow)

Oct. 14: Breathwork for Anxiety, 2:00-2:30pm

Oct. 15: Communitea, 1:00-1:55pm

Oct. 15: Queer Alliance Rainbow Room, 5:00-6:00pm

Oct. 20: SPH Dance Party, 1:00-1:30pm

Oct. 21: Community Lunch: Intuitive Eating, 1:00-1:50pm

Oct. 27: Distress Tolerance and Progressive Muscle Relaxation, 1:00-1:30pm

Notes:

Missed September's Newsletter? Click here!

Do one thing each day that completely engages you & helps you feel present. This could be cooking your favorite meal, talking on the phone with a friend, laying in a hammock and watching the clouds. (It can also be watching The Office if that helps you get present.)

Give yourself permission. Permission to turn your phone off, permission to push back a deadline, permission to ask for help, permission to spend 5 less minutes watching the news each day, permission to be a little less productive than you normally would.

Connect with your community. For those new to BU- join student organizations or employee affinity groups, get vulnerable & reach out to someone from class who you get a “friends vibe” from. Know that Zoom fatigue is real, & if this is in your practice, ask someone to go for a walk or get tea in a smart way. Stay connected to loved ones already in your life- if you’re sick of screens, opt for phone calls or sending letters.

(Why talk about the body when talking about mental health? Because our minds & bodies are inextricably connected. Taking care of our bodies helps to care for our minds, & vice versa.)

Get to know your body’s cues. That diet plan or health blogger does not know what your body needs. Everyone needs to eat & move in a way that works for them. We are all built differently; some thrive on daily yoga, some thrive on running twice a week. Some thrive eating a vegetarian diet, some bodies need meat. Find what works for your unique body.

Make those appointments! Has your back been bothering you, have you been having pelvic floor issues? Rather than pushing any physical ailments down & saying you’re too busy, make the time to focus on what your body needs to thrive. 

Make space for rest. We are humans, not machines. We mentally & physically need space for calming activities, even if it’s just a few minutes a day. You’ll likely be more productive & engaged after making time for rest.

How are my mind and my body doing, is there anything I can do differently to better support myself?

When looking at the acronym PERMA, in what areas am I striving? In what areas am I struggling?

What is one thing I can do each day that will fully engage me and help me feel most present?