Wellness at Craven Community College
Newsletter
Dealing with Change
"Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future." – John F. Kennedy
Change comes in many different forms: a new baby, changing careers, the loss of a loved one, moving to a new city, just to name a few. At times, change can be exciting and invigorating-other times it can be depressing or uncertain. Consider the following when navigating life's ups and downs.
Be flexible:Life doesn't always follow the plan you have laid out for yourself. However, opportunities often present themselves in unexpected ways-learn to recognize and take advantage of these opportunities even if they were not part of your initial plan.
Limit the 'What ifs": It is easy to start thinking of all the things that can go wrong-so easy, in fact, that it can be difficult to think of anything else. You may try writing down worries or thoughts that continue to circulate in your mind, put the list aside for a few days and then revisit it-sometimes when we give our mind a break from certain thoughts, we return with greater clarity. While it is important to prepare as much as possible for when things don't go as planned, try to keep a positive outlook.
Maintain healthy habits: Change can lead to added stress, in which case it is very important to exercise regularly, eat healthy and get enough sleep. By caring for yourself mentally and physically, you will be better equipped to handle life's challenges. Studies have shown that exercising regularly promotes psychological well-being and reduces feelings of stress, depression and anxiety.
Look at the big picture: Sometimes certain aspects of your life may operate outside of your control. During these times, it is especially important to remember what is still within your control. For example, perhaps your spouse has recently been laid-off and you are concerned about your family's finances while he/she is out of work. While you don't have control over your spouse's employment situation, you don't have control over your family's finances. Look at all your options and develop a plan or strategy such as cutting out entertainment expenses, working additional hours, calling creditors to find out about any payment options you may qualify for due to job loss or financial hardship, etc.
Develop positive relationships: It is very important that you have people to rely on for support. Most importantly, make sure that the people that you surround yourself with are generally a positive influence on your state of mind. If this isn't necessarily the case, be proactive about seeking out other resources for support such as the EAP, support groups and clubs.
Seven Dimensions of Wellness
Social Wellness is the ability to relate to and connect with other people in our world. Our ability to establish and maintain positive relationships with family, friends and co-workers contributes to our Social Wellness.
Emotional Wellness is the ability to understand ourselves and cope with the challenges life can bring. The ability to acknowledge and share feelings of anger, fear, sadness or stress; hope, love, joy and happiness in a productive manner contributes to our Emotional Wellness.
Spiritual Wellness is the ability to establish peace and harmony in our lives. The ability to develop congruency between values and actions and to realize a common purpose that binds creation together contributes to our Spiritual Wellness.
Environmental Wellness is the ability to recognize our own responsibility for the quality of the air, the water and the land that surrounds us. The ability to make a positive impact on the quality of our environment be it in our homes, our communities or our planet contributes to our Environmental Wellness.
Occupational Wellness is the ability to get personal fulfillment from our jobs or our chosen career fields while still maintaining balance in our lives. Our desire to contribute in our careers to make a positive impact on the organizations we work in and to society as a whole leads to Occupational Wellness.
Intellectual Wellness is the ability to open our minds to new ideas and experiences that can be applied to personal decisions, group interaction and community betterment. The desire to learn new concepts, improve skills and seek challenges in pursuit of lifelong learning contributes to our Intellectual Wellness.
Physical Wellness is the ability to maintain a healthy quality of life that allows us to get through our daily activities without undue fatigue or physical stress. The ability to recognize that our behaviors have a significant impact on our wellness and adopting healthful habits (routine checkups, a balanced diet, exercise, etc.) while avoiding destructive habits (tobacco, drugs, alcohol) will lead to optimal Physical Wellness.
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