If you're new to this site, you may want to scroll to the bottom and work your way up to today's post. 
​

Challenge for week of May 18:
​Shinrin Yoku

As you remember, the wellbeing posts have changed from offering daily tips on how to invest in your wellbeing to weekly challenges.  It really doesn't help to keep learning more.  Eventually, a person needs to apply what they are learning so that their wellbeing can be positively impacted.

Since this coming week in Minnesota is supposed to be absolutely beautiful, it's time to intentionally engage the out-of-doors. 

Head back to the April 17 post to watch a beautiful short documentary on two people who went to Japan to learn more about this practice.  Additionally, for those who like to read research about this practice, follow the links below. 

​This simple action of heading outside for a walk in nature can radically change your experience of wellbeing.  Try giving it a chance each day for one week and notice how you feel.

challenge for week of May 4:  Find the Good

Here's a blast from the past (March 18 post).

Our brains are designed to constantly be scanning the environment for 'danger.' Literally, our survival as a species depends on our brains being able to register and process data and then initiate a stress response so that we can act quickly and efficiently to mitigate the threat to our survival.

Here's the problem:  We're always looking for bad/negative things.

To counterbalance this search for what is terrible around us, we need to help our brains FIND AND FOCUS ON THE GOOD in our lives.  Once we identify what is really good around us, we need to focus our attention on this good thing for at least 15 seconds in order for our brain to understand and encode into memory this goodness.  If your attention darts away from what is good, you will not store this experience in your memory. 

The challenge for this week:  Find and focus on one good thing AND write it down (use sheet linked to the right if you want). This whole process should take at least 15 seconds.  At the end of the week, you can go back and re-read every good thing you have experienced.  When you do this, you'll realize life does have moments of sheer goodness and delight - even in the midst of a pandemic.
May 1, 2020

NEW MONTH.  NEW EXPERIENCE!

It's time for a change!

For seven weeks, I've been giving daily tips on how to care for your wellbeing.  Hopefully you've begun to see this:  so many things influence a person's wellbeing. Therefore, there are so many different things you can try in order to positively influence your experience of wellbeing.

Here's the rub:  education doesn't change a person's wellbeing.  Learning about something won't alter your lived experience.  Instead, each of us needs to use our agency and put into practice what we have learned.

We constantly talk to students about habit formation.  What habits are they forming in their lives?  Do these habits support internal wellbeing?  Do these habits support interpersonal wellbeing?  Now it's time to ask this question of everyone who has been following these posts:

​What habits are you forming in your life?  Do they support your intra and interpersonal wellbeing?  If not, considering checking back here on Mondays to read about the Weekly Wellbeing Challenge I'll be offering for awhile.
Details to come on Monday!
April 30,2020 - 'Active Waiting' week
​(to get the gist ... start reading on April 27 and work your way forward to today)
While 'actively waiting' for this season to turn, there will be days where your body feels like it is moving through waist deep muck, where your mind will be so foggy and your emotions so absorbing that the best (only?) thing you can do to actively wait is ...

                                   Choose Deep Rest.

This is different from laying on the couch, eating Ben and Jerry's, and binge watching 2 seasons of something on Netflix.  Your soul is bone weary and it needs more than a bandaid.

Choosing deep rest may require bargaining with a spouse, friend or parent - asking them for coverage of children for one day.  It may include leaving your home. It most definitely will include turning off all technology for 12 hours and willfully choosing no work, no Zoom, no Instagram, no 'noise'.  Just your bone weary self and God.

Need ideas for how to engage these 12 hours?  See suggestions linked above.
April 29, 2020 - 'Active Waiting' week
While we are 'actively waiting,' it is helpful to our wellbeing that we live and make decisions from our values.  When we begin thinking and behaving in ways that do not align with our value system, we begin to experience Cognitive Dissonance.  

Cognitive Dissonance is the experience of having (and beginning to embody) conflicting thoughts, attitudes or behaviors.  When we notice dissonance in us, it can negatively impact our wellbeing.  Dissonance often causes us to feel fake/inauthentic and subsequently we feel anxious due to a lack of integrity. No one wants to feel this!  So what can be done?

The first thing we need to do is to remember our values. When we clearly name what is most important to us, we can then begin making decisions that better align with what we deem most important.

Today, follow the link above and participate in an online values sorting game.  At the end, you'll be left with your Top 5 values. Ask yourself, as I am actively waiting during this pandemic, how am I intentionally living out these values?
April 28, 2020 - 'Active Waiting' week
Locus of control is actually a pretty big thing when it comes to wellbeing. 

If you believe that everything is beyond your influence, it will feel like you live at the whim (mercy) of others. This can produce a learned helplessness (a.k.a. "nothing I do is going to help my life" attitude) which can lead to depression, hopelessness, and an inability to make decisions.

The key is: Recognize where you do have influence.  Notice where you are able to make decisions that impact your daily life rhythms, relationships, and ultimately your wellbeing.  

When you focus on what you can do instead of what you can't, you start to shift your locus of control from external to internal. The article linked above explains this concept more.

​Shifting your locus of control is vital for Active Waiting.
April 27, 2020 - 'Active Waiting' week
You probably have experienced it - that angsty, restless feeling that bubbles up in your chest, eventually prompting you to yell, or get mad, or burst into tears.  Pandemics will do that to humans.  Especially pandemics that cause life as we know it to halt.

There seems to be little we can do but wait.

However, waiting can feel useless, hopeless and passive.  Many Americans don't like feeling these things and so the restlessness begins to rumble within.

The important news is this:  there are different kinds of waiting.  This week, I want to introduce you to active waiting.  It is a kind of waiting that has movement, and strategy, and hope embedded in it. 

​Active waiting is the mother of all reframes (see April 3 post to learn what a reframe is) and it is assisted by several things that we will explore this week. Active waiting reveals the kind of character or interior life we have influencing us.  This revelation is what makes many people shy away from the practice of active waiting. However, look deeper.  There is more to you than the surface level angst and frustration.  This week, we'll take a look together and explore some practices that will help us all Actively Wait.
 April 24, 2020 - 'Understanding Mental Health' week (helpful to read these in order ... start with April 20)
This week, you've been encouraged to tease apart the difference between mental health concerns (slumps in one's mental and emotional state) and mental illness.  

A key message has been: each of us needs to tend to our mental health as soon as we are concerned about it. Ideally, we all would prioritize our mental health and do preventative work AHEAD OF TIME to cultivate our mental health. Resources like this webpage provide many ideas on how to proactively and preventatively tend to your mental wellbeing.

If we ignore our mental health, we might eventually move in to mental illness.  A vital piece to this puzzle is knowing who to go to for consultation as you try to discern if you are experiencing a mental health slump or mental illness.  Many people go to their medical doctor for advice. Now, what I am about to say is not meant to diminish medical doctors, however, consider this:
     You wouldn't go to a counselor to receive consultation on how to take care of         the flu.  Why then do the majority of people go to a medical doctor to receive
     consultation on mental health?  Choose consultation from a professional who
     is trained to know the difference between mental health slumps and mental
     illness.  
Not sure where to go for this consultation?  Follow the link above.
April 23, 2020 - 'Understanding Mental Health' week
Today, I'm going to ask that you go back to the beginning of this week and slowly read through all the information that is provided here. 

Many times, people want to wave a magic wand and have their mental health improve.  However, as you have learned this week, mental health concerns (not mental illness) require each of us to notice when we are experiencing a slump in our mental health and then do something about it.

The Top 7 offered yesterday can work wonders for those who are experiencing a mental health slump. In addition, revisit the tips offered on March 18, 19, April 1, 2, 3, 15, and 16 as these practices are profoundly helpful when a person's mental health is depleted.

If you are experiencing a low, it would be exceptionally wise for you to prioritize your mental health everyday for the next week.  After some intentional investment, notice if you feel better.

If the slump continues, it might be time to seek additional resources.
April 22, 2020 - 'Understanding Mental Health' week 
So there are certain things that anyone can do to help either a mental heath concern or a mental illness. 

Check out the list linked above and ask yourself, how many of these items do I do on a daily basis? Consider this challenge: Try doing these 7 things each day for at least 7 days in a row and notice if there is any positive shift in your mental health.

So much of caring for our mental health concerns is about prevention via caring for our bodies.  The slow and steady care for our physiology dramatically impacts our emotional and cognitive state of being. 

​So.. consider caring for your physiology a little each day.  Do these seven things consistently and see how they influence your mental health.
April 21, 2020 - 'Understanding Mental Health' week


If you are concerned about a mental health concern and/or mental illness and need assistance right now,
Again, this week is all about Understanding Mental Health.  As you learned yesterday, there is a difference between a mental health concern and a mental illness.  Lots of people don't know that there is a difference. 

The reason why we need to highlight the difference is because many people believe they are 'mentally ill' when in reality they are only experiencing a dip in their mental health which could be remedied with some at home interventions and investments (similar to a common cold, you invest in sleep, etc. in order to address your health concern).

What becomes tricky is that other people think they are only experiencing a mental health concern, when in reality, they are truly struggling with a mental illness and they are not seeking the help that they need at this time.

So, how can someone tell the difference?  One of the easiest ways is to reach out to a mental health professional and ask.  Most therapists offer a free 30 minute consult to discuss if therapy would be a good option at this time.  It can never hurt to take a professional up on a free consult and see what they have to say.

For those who want to explore some information on your own. follow the link above to NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) and explore the resources they have there.  As you watch the video and read the descriptors under the video, pay attention to words like 'excessive' and 'prolonged' and 'absence'.  Each of us will experience almost everything that is listed but to a lesser degree or frequency when simply navigating a mental health concern. 

​However, when we are dealing with these signs and symptoms for days/weeks on end, that's a pretty good indicator that we are shifting from a concern to an illness and need to get additional assistance from a professional.
April 20, 2020 - 'Understanding Mental Health' week
I sent out a feedback form last week and people said they wanted more info/help around mental health.​  Makes perfect sense.  This pandemic is toying with all our mental health!

And that is the first thing we need to realize as we start this 'Understanding Mental Health' week - EVERY PERSON on the planet has to take care of their mental health. 

For some of you this will be a paradigm shift in your thinking:
Caring for your mental health is like caring for your physical health.  
You have to do it or you'll get sick.

If you follow the link above, you'll find a diagram that is a useful starting point as we consider the spectrum of mental health.  Acknowledging this spectrum can normalize some things for people.  Additionally, this spectrum can alert you to some things. 

​Take a moment to 'see the spectrum' today and come back tomorrow for a bit more about mental health. 
April 17, 2020 - 'shifting focus outside oneself' week
This week I have been encouraging everyone to shift their focus to something outside themselves as a way to help cope with this time.  Wait until you learn about and try today's practice!

I highly recommend that you watch the video I have linked above. These 2 people wanted to not only learn about shinrin yoku but also experience the benefits of it.  So they went to Japan.  A 4 day journey through the woods helped to shift their attention outside themselves to the history and culture of Japan. In nature, they were invited to consider facets of their lives that normally they did not have time for.  I highly recommend you take a break and watch this video for a variety of different reasons.  Bottom line, consider trying the practice of Shinrin Yoku this weekend and notice what it does for your wellbeing.
Enjoy!
​
P.S.: You don't need to go on a 4 day hike through the forests of Japan to experience the benefits of this practice.  The two in the video truly took this practice to the next level. 
April 16, 2020 - 'shifting focus outside oneself' week
Optimism is a perspective that has to be chosen. Many people do not naturally function from an optimistic outlook.  What they don't realize, is that they are subtly and slowly eroding their mental and physical wellbeing by consistently choosing a perspective colored by pessimism, cynicism, or despair.  Therefore, it is profoundly beneficial for people to practice seeing things through an optimistic lens. But how does a person practice optimism?

Previously in this series, we covered a skill called Reframing (see post for April 3).  This skill is the number one skill you need to use to help you develop an optimistic way to view your situation.  The key with optimism is to start small.  Can you reframe how you look at your current day and see it through a more positive light?  Can you reframe the idea of working from home?  Can you reframe the enormous amount of time you now have with your kids?  As you use the skill of Reframing some of your everyday life, it will help you begin to see things through an optimistic lens - which will ultimately benefit your mental and physical wellbeing.  See the linked research to learn more.
April 15, 2020 - 'shifting focus outside oneself' week
Again, we're spending the week shifting our focus from internal to external.  Today, consider searching for and finding all the things you are grateful for - and write them down.  Ideally, you would do this everyday for at least 3 weeks. Why?

Research shows that consistently searching for and recalling everything you are grateful for on a consistent basis has physical, psychological and spiritual health benefits. The beauty of this practice is that it costs nothing and is something you can do each day to positively influence your wellbeing.

Linked above is an article from the Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkeley.  They have been researching gratitude for years (article is from 2010) and the research continues to support this finding: gratitude positively impacts a person's wellbeing.

I know it's getting harder each day, but I encourage you to find something you are grateful for today, and tomorrow, and every day for the next 3 weeks.  Notice what this practice does to your thoughts, your feelings and your body.  Good luck!
April 14, 2020 - 'shifting focus outside oneself' week

The wellbeing tips for this week will all revolve around a common theme:  shifting our attention from ourselves to others and the world.

If we only only think about ourselves, our situation, our feelings ... we can accidentally become fixated and self-absorbed with our own struggles. However, when we shift our attention from self to others and to the world,  our perspective broadens and we see our situation from a greater context.

​Unfortunately for some, when they shift their attention to the world situation, it causes panic and fear to rise up inside.  In order to corral the internal chaos, try this loving kindness meditation-prayer.  It's called a meditation-prayer because the format of the prayer is set.  You will see a methodical and rhythmic way to intentionally pray about self, others and the world.  The intentional cadence will slow your thoughts (and subsequently your body) down and allow you to bring before God those you care deeply about.

Open the document, read through the outline, settle in and then press play on the audio as I guide you through this loving-kindness mediation-prayer.
April 13, 2020 - 'shifting focus outside oneself' week
'It's getting real..."

This is a phrase I am hearing more and more.  People are recognizing that this 'new normal' is here to stay for the foreseeable future.  The reality of this impacts people differently.  For those who are starting to feel the burden of isolation and social distancing, one thing that may help is helping others.

When we intentionally turn our attention to others and care for them, we are also impacted by our actions. Check out the articles linked above.  Both explain how helping others benefits everyone.

Take a moment to think about 1-3 people who are in your sphere of influence.  How could you (in an appropriate social distancing kind of way) be present to them, letting them know that you care?  Could you bring them groceries or maybe send them a hand written card or shovel the snow off their driveway without them asking?  Actions like these are helpful for everyone's wellbeing.
April 10, 2020 - Holy Week Posts (for Good Friday and Easter)
The story of God and humanity is quite stunning when we allow the narrative to influence us deeply. 

The Divine, Transcendent, Creator dwells among us and models a way of existence that if embodied by humanity would bring about renewal in this world.  Every year, as the people of God remember the life and teachings, death and resurrection of Jesus, we are also invited to consider what metaphorically needs to 'die' in us as a people in order for new life to be resurrected in us as a people.

This Easter weekend, you're invited to shift your attention to the epic story of God dwelling among us, teaching us, modeling to us, empowering us, dying for us and then bringing forth a new life for us to live.  Allow this narrative to influence you, to move you.  Allow this story to cast vision for life beyond this weekend.  Part of why Jesus died was that new life could emerge.

​What new life will emerge in the coming months when we collectively live as God's people and join God in the renewal of all​ things?

​           "As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you."  (John 20:21)
​
April 9, 2020 - Holy Week Posts
Truly lamenting can be unnerving for people. 

Some think that they shouldn't be crying out to God about the hardships in their lives.  They think others have it so much harder than they do, so why bother God with such 'trivial suffering.'

Others are terrified by the tidal wave of emotion that gets unlocked when they allow themselves to step into this vulnerable place between them and God.  The emotion of it all is too much, so they choose to 'not go there.'

In an effort to help people move into and through a productive lament experience, Mill City Church Worship Director, Aashish Baskaran, has developed a 'Liturgy of Disappointment.'  He pastorally guides people through a 7 song playlist with words of instruction and recommendation as to how to engage this time of lament well.

For those who know they need to lament right now, follow the above link to the Mill City Training page and scroll down to the Liturgy of Disappointment.  You'll need 35 minutes and a box of tissue.  Thank you, Aashish, for helping God's people lament.
 April 8, 2020 - Holy Week Posts
At the last supper, Jesus knew the chaos that was just hours away from erupting.  He had a captive audience and he encouraged them to remain in him.  Stay with me and find your life through me no matter what happens.

Our lives may seem incredibly chaotic and uncertain right now.  But Jesus speaks into the instability and provides firm footing - Remain in Me.

During Holy Week, may each of us choose to remain rooted in the story of Jesus.  May we remain in his life and teachings.  As we meditate on the familiar narrative, may fruit emerge in our lives as we stay connected to the vine, the source of life and hope.

​Remain.
April 7, 2020 - Holy Week Posts
As America braces for what is to come during these two weeks, shift your attention to imagining yourself at a dinner party.  Imagine yourself with Jesus and the disciples at the last supper.  

As you slowly read John chapters 13-17, try to imagine what you would be seeing.  Imagine what you would smell.  Imagine watching some disciples get sleepy from the wine and other disciplines hanging on Jesus' every word.  

What would you be like during this dinner?  How would your body, mind and spirit be present to this experience with Jesus? What questions would you want to ask?  What emotions would you be feeling?

Meditate on this part of the narrative and see how the biblical narrative can shape your soul this week.  Don't be surprised. This will feel challenging for you to re-direct your attention from other media to meditating on this dinner party.  However, if you engage this discipline of meditation, you may find yourself able to weather this week in a completely different way.
April 6, 2020 - Holy Week Posts
In the midst of an incredibly tumultuous week in America, may we remember that it is also Holy Week.  The week where we review Jesus' last days on earth.  The week where Jesus made his way to Jerusalem and spent his days telling parables and teaching and connecting with those closest to him. 

Jesus knew his time was limited and he spent his time on what he believed was most important.  Consider re-reading the passages from the Gospels that describe Jesus' last week on earth.  Take time to remember the narrative that has shaped our faith for centuries.  As you sit and reflect on these familiar stories once again, notice if the Holy Spirit prompts you to pay attention to something new.

Perhaps there is something in the familiar story that could help you during this tumultuous week if you took time to Remember the Narrative.
April 3, 2020
As the days roll by, it may become more challenging to be emotionally resilient.  Pandemics will do that to you.

The truth is, even though we may not be feeling it, we need to become more intentional about being resilient even as we have less motivation to do so.   

For those who have a bit of resolve left for today, try Reframing.  "Reframing requires seeing something in a new way, in a context that allows us to recognize and appreciate positive aspects of our situation. Reframing helps us to use whatever life hands us as opportunities to be taken advantage of, rather than problems to be avoided." - quote from article linked above)

Reframing will feel superficial if you are tired, irritable, and just done with trying to be resilient.  If that sounds like you, try this instead:  Sleep, Eat good food, Connect, Move.

​Then ...  try Reframing.
April 2, 2020
This week we continue to explore what it takes to become emotionally resilient.

One thing that people do when they are feeling something unpleasant is they try to ignore or deny the emotion. 

However, if you want to be resilient, it is helpful to stop and treat the emotion as data - information.  Whenever we are given data, we need to explore it, analyze it, interpret it, and determine how we're going to use that data.

Emotions are no different.  Instead of running from your unpleasant emotion - analyze it, interpret it and determine how you're going to use this knowledge about yourself to help you move forward.

The article linked for today is actually a Harvard Business Review article.  It's an interesting read as to how this tip for today can play out in your work life as well as you personal one.  Happy reading!
April 1, 2020
Today's skill is a way to soothe your big emotions by using your five senses.  This skill is typically called Grounding.  (The linked video calls it Self-Soothing)

Grounding helps in a distressing situation by de-escalating the intensity of the emotion fairly quickly.  Once an emotion is diminished, people are then able to use other strategic coping or emotion skills to adapt and bounce back from the challenging situation.  Watch the video to learn how to ground/soothe yourself when emotions are getting the best of you.

Parents:  Children can easily practice Grounding.
March 31, 2020
The focus of this week is cultivating Emotional Resilience. 

Today's skill is called TIPP.  It is a quick and easy distress tolerance skill that anyone can use when they feel like they are at their emotional breaking point. When we are learning how to be Emotionally Resilient, one of the first things we need to do is help ourselves back down from big emotions, help our prefrontal cortex communicate with our limbic system, and respond instead of react to the situation we're facing. TIPP can help a person do this.
Watch video linked above to learn this skill.  

Wellbeing students: Different emotion skills/strategies than what you learned in class will be offered online.  The intent is to increase your repertoire of skills for navigating an emotionally challenging time. Once you use TIPP, intentionally move through the 6 steps of the 'emotional resilience rollercoaster' and learn from this situation.

Parents:  TIPP is an easy skill to teach young children as well.
March 30, 2020
Before we start a week dedicated to Emotional Resilience,
I wanted to make sure all employees and students were aware of these resources that are available to them. Follow the above link that is appropriate for you.  You will be redirected to a page on the Wellbeing Website dedicated to either Employees or Students.

Come back tomorrow as we start a 4 part series on working with our emotions during this time.
March 27, 2020
Cognitive Distortions are primarily focused on the negative ways we view ourselves, however, in a season like this, we can easily begin to distort how we see the world. 

CBT practices help you check your thinking - about yourself and the world - so that you don't get stuck in rigid, unhelpful, and inaccurate thinking about yourself, your relationships, or the world today.
March 26, 2020
 Some may find yesterday's announcement from Governor Walz that Minnesotans need to 'Stay at Home' until April 10, 2020 to be excruciating.  Social distancing may now feel more like social isolation during the next two weeks.  Without even realizing it, some of us may begin to use habits of thinking called Cognitive Distortions.  These are patterns of thinking that distort reality and make people believe things about themselves or the world that are not true.

In an effort to care for your mind, consider educating yourself as to what 'Cognitive Distortions' are.  Watch the video that is linked above. While you're watching, don't panic if you recognize you use a distortion (or four) on a regular basis.  Most of us do! You're completely normal!

Tomorrow, you'll be provided with some strategies for combating distortions, staying grounded in reality, and investing in your cognitive and emotional wellbeing.  Check back tomorrow!
March 25, 2020
In order to slow racing thoughts that may be overwhelming you, care for your mind by weaving these three exercises together for 7 minutes:

     1.  Focus your attention (from healthy mind article yesterday)
     2. Engage Spiritual Discipline of Prayer/Meditation (using Isaiah 41:10)
     3. Practice Diaphragmatic Breathing (from last week)

Find a quiet spot where you won't be disturbed for 7 minutes.  Set a timer on your phone for 7 minutes.  When ready, press start and breathe in through your nose for 3-4 counts.  Exhale through your mouth for 5-6 counts.  When ready, focus your attention on this passage of scripture:

"Don't be afraid, for I am with you."  (Isaiah 41:10a)

As you breathe in...repeat in your head "Don't be afraid"
As you exhale out... repeat "For I am with you"

Imagine God, Jesus or the Holy Spirit with you, repeating these words over and over to you for 7 minutes.  Focus your attention, while meditating on scripture and practicing diaphragmatic breathing.  
March 24, 2020

This week, we are focusing on the mind. Yesterday's post had you intentionally Design your Days so your mind knew what to expect. Today's post highlights ways to care for your mind.

In a time of dis-order and chaos, the mind may begin to ruminate on unhelpful things and influence the cultivation of negative emotions and behaviors.  In the article linked above, learn about 7 'neuro-cognitive' activities you can do to foster a healthy mind.  In may ways, these are activities you can do to partner with God in the 'renewing of your mind'

"Do not conform to the patterns of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind." (Romans 12:2)
March 23, 2020

Humans do not function well in dis-order and chaos. The mind responds much better when it knows what to expect.  Therefore, establishing routine is profoundly beneficial for the brain, body and wellbeing.  Designing your Days is an exercise that helps you intentionally structure your life around what is necessary, important and 'rhythmic.'  See exercise for details.

Consider completing this exercise while listening for God's prompting and direction. Often God brings to mind important things we could weave into the fabric of our lives, if we would simply listen first and act next.   
March 22, 2020 - No post... break for Sabbath
March 21, 2020

Quick Explanation:

Parts to the daily examen/
​Prayer of examen:

1. Stop, breathe and recognize you are in God's presence. 
Ask the Holy Spirit to help you look back on your day and see what God wants you to see.

2. Give thanks to God for your day. Allow gratitude to draw you into the fullness of your life.

3. Review the day. Think back over your day and recall the sights, sounds, smells, conversations, thoughts and feelings. What enlivened you?  What discouraged you?

4. Face your shortcomings. Reflect on the times you felt out of tune with God. 

5. Look toward the day to come. As you end your day, look toward tomorrow. What are you looking forward to? What concerns you? Ask for God's help in the future to see where God is working.  Remember that God will again be present tomorrow.
March 20, 2020

Quick explanation:
Yesterday, you learned a bit about the SNS response to stress and how the PSNS facilitates a restoration of the body. When the brain registers a stressor in its environment, it not only sends a message to the SNS but also to the HPA Axis (which is part of the endocrine system). The HPA Axis then secretes hormones like adrenaline and cortisol into the bloodstream.  This is great in small amounts, detrimental in a constant flow. We need to do something with the hormones otherwise we'll feel 'amped' up (stressed) just sitting still. Sometimes we can calm our stress response down with Diaphragmatic Breathing. Other times, we need to help our bodies use up what it produced.  'Use up' your adrenaline and cortisol by MOVING.

Final thought: When you are self-aware, you are able to discern what you need in a given moment - sometimes its Diaphragmatic Breathing, sometimes you just need to Move.
March 19, 2020
When a person experiences a stressor, one way the body responds is through the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) becoming activated. This activation into fight/flight/freeze can be a life saver when the stressor is a wild bear chasing you. Your heart and breathing rates change, your pupils dilate, your digestion stops and all energy is re-routed to helping you stay alive as you face this acute stressor. God's beautiful design of the human body has a checks & balance built in.  The parasympathetic nervous system (PSNS) is the rest & digest/stay & play state. We need to return to the PSNS when the stressor is over.

​In today's world, the SNS is activated daily if not hourly. We need to help ourselves return to the PSNS for several restorative reasons. 
​Diaphragmatic Breathing can help. 
March 18, 2020

Reminders from class:

From class: Remember the Ripple Effects activity.
When 1 aspect feels off, it might be due to a different dimension on the wellbeing wheel. For example, your body might feel stressed because your mind is racing with unhelpful thoughts. Therefore, how can you influence your thoughts today?

Tip for today:

When thoughts are racing, give them something to focus on. Find the good. Notice the good. Reflect on the good for 15 seconds. Begin to form new neural networks. Write down what you find each day until April 13. Re-read what you wrote on previous days when you write down your new good thing. Don't forget...find and focus on the good for 15 seconds.
March 17, 2020
Picture

“And the people stayed home. And read books, and listened, and rested, and exercised, and made art, and played games, and learned new ways of being, and were still. And listened more deeply. Some meditated, some prayed, some danced. Some met their shadows.

And the people began to think differently. And the people healed. And, in the absence of people living in ignorant, dangerous, mindless, and heartless ways, the earth began to heal.

​And when the danger passed, and the people joined together again, they grieved their losses, and made new choices, and dreamed new images, ​and created new ways to live and heal the earth fully, as they had been healed." ~Kitty O'Meara