Cultivating Wellness

While schools focus on the how-to of academics, this monthly newsletter aims to emphasize support, encouragement, and connection to optimal mental health and wellness. The goal is to share tips and strategies that are simple enough to incorporate into an already full plate. At the very least, this newsletter is a regular reminder that we are in this together. We are all human and are all desperate for small successes and even more in need of worthwhile connection.

The start of a new school year is a wonderful time to set new goals. These goals often fall into one of the following categories.

PROFESSIONAL: Get a promotion. Invent or promote a new product or management technique. Do more public speaking. Be an ambassador for your organization, make a positive impact in your community, profession, or sphere of influence.

PERSONAL: Take a family trip. Write a book. Start a new degree, learn a foreign language, or fulfill a longtime ambition like skydiving, scuba diving or snorkeling. Taking contemporary dance classes is another option. Build your dream house or vacation home.

PHYSICAL: Commit to participating in thirty minutes of physical exercise every day. Varying the type of activity (walking, swimming, weight training, or in-line skating) will help keep you engaged.

Ten Commonly Adopted Goals for a New Academic Year:

1. Plan a cute photo session with your family and pets.

2. Visit a pumpkin patch or apple orchard.

3. Design new Halloween costumes for your children, grandchildren and pets.

4. Attend a tailgate party for your favorite college or university.

5 Play in the leaves with your children, grandchildren, and pets.

6. Enroll in a new degree program.

7. Join a book club.

8. Establish a regular exercise routine.

9. Establish a healthy dietary program.

10. Adopt a leadership role in your child's school or athletic activities.

Tips for Successfully Achieving Your Long-Term Goals Include:

1. Prepare yourself for a change. Analyze your past successes in achieving your goals.

* List where and how you were successful in effecting desired changes.

* Keep a positive attitude.

* Realize that change is often a slow and gradual process.

* Build upon small steps to realize your goal.

* Expect to intermittently make an error. Recover from your mistake and resume forward

momentum.

2. Set goals that excite you. Pick something that aligns with a priority. dream or aspiration.

3. Limit your resolutions and goals to a realistic number. Trying to accomplish

goals too quickly can result in disappointment and failure.

4. Set concrete and specific goals. Review the S.M.A.R.T. objectives below.

Make your goals S.M.A.R.T:

* Specific

* Measurable

* Achievable

* Realistic

* Timely

5. Break big goals into small, easily achievable steps.

6. Write your goals in a journal or on post-it notes that you can display on the bathroom

mirror or refrigerator. This increases the likelihood that you will achieve them.

7. Share your goals and resolutions with trusted friends and colleagues. This helps you

establish personal accountability for their completion.

8. Where possible, use technology to assist you in reaching your goals such as:

* Google or Outlook Calendar

* Calendar apps on your mobile phone

* Explore specific application programs from Apple and Android App Stores

With a little SMART planning, you will achieve your resolutions, goals, and aspirations for the 2023 - 2024 academic year.

Suggested Family Friendly Activities:

Flint Cultural Center: http://flintcultural.org/calendar.htm

Genesee County Parks: http://flintcultural.org/calendar.htm

Michigan Princess Cruises: https://www.michiganprincess.com/Events

Michigan Football Schedule: https://mgoblue.com/sports/football/schedule/2023

Michigan State Football Schedule: https://msuspartans.com/sports/football/schedule/2023

Wayne State University Football Schedule: https://wsuathletics.com/sports/football/schedule/2023

Central Michigan University Football Schedule: https://cmuchippewas.com/sports/football/schedule/2023

Eastern Michigan University: https://emueagles.com/sports/football/schedule/2023

Saginaw Valley State University: https://www.svsucardinals.com/sports/fball/2023-24/schedule

Grand Valley State University Football Schedule: https://gvsulakers.com/sports/football/schedule/2023

Michigan Technological University Football Schedule: https://www.michigantechhuskies.com/sports/fball/2023-24/schedule

Northern Michigan University Football Schedule: https://nmuwildcats.com/sports/football/schedule/2023

Lawrence Technological University Football Schedule: https://ltuathletics.com/sports/football/schedule

Suggested Links for Weekend Getaways:

https://www.michigan.gov/dnr/places/state-parks

https://www2.dnr.state.mi.us/parksandtrails/

https://vacationidea.com/michigan/best-weekend-getaway-in-michigan.html

https://mymichiganbeach.com/weekend-getaways-in-michigan/

https://familydestinationsguide.com/best-family-vacations-michigan/

https://familydestinationsguide.com/fun-family-weekend-getaways-in-michigan/

• The National Alliance on Mental Illness-Genesee County Chapter provides free support groups to families and individuals, both in-person and online. Click the link to learn more!
• Michigan Department of Health and Human Services
• Covid-19 Testing Sites
• Asking for help is a strength! The National Parent Helpline can connect you with someone who will provide emotional support, help you solve problems, and help you connect to local resources. Visit here to learn more!
• Self Care Ideas
• The Genesee Health System: Crisis and Access Services page provides help for individuals seeking immediate support for a crisis or directions on how to access non-emergency support. GHS offers support both in-person and in virtual formats.
• The State of Michigan has created a Stay Well program that encourages individuals to be kind to their mind by providing access to support groups, helplines, webinars, behavioral health guides, and video resources. The Mindfulness and Stress Resilience Guide is one tool provided. Click the link to learn more.
• Michigan 211 helps to connect individuals to a variety of services, including mental health providers.

Supporting the whole child starts with supporting all the adults involved in the educational process. From direct providers, such as teachers and paraprofessionals, and to those indirectly involved with student success (business, transportation, operations, human resources, etc.), a need for optimal self-care is shared to bring our best self to work each day.

The GISD has taken initial steps to providing a customizable wellness toolkit available to staff throughout Genesee County schools, programs, and GISD departments. This toolkit has been created to help administrators and managers implement and create sustainable staff wellness initiatives. While resources are often spread thin and opportunities for added programs may be far between, one key is for programs and departments to start where they are and commit to intentional moves toward creating and sustaining a culture of wellness.

The Cultivating Staff Wellness (CSW) Toolkit is based on SAMHSA’s Eight Dimensions of Wellness: emotional, physical, spiritual, environmental, occupational, financial, intellectual, and social. Complete the Cultivating Staff Wellness Registration Form so that your school, program, or department can begin receiving access to the CSW Toolkit.

Our team is committed to promoting wellness in schools as well as in our communities through support of students, staff, and parents. We strive to highlight what's working in wellness, bring you relevant and helpful information for wellness, and to provide connections to community resources that may assist with wellness.

To learn more about health and wellness for teachers, students, and families, check out our page on the GISD website.