Intentional Wellness... Even in January

How to stay on top of your New Year's Resolutions!

Well, it’s here…January. For most people, January can be the start of a brand-new year with a brand new (hopefully attainable) New Year’s resolution or the possibility of looking forward to a Spring break vacation. But for teachers, January can mean no outdoor recess for learners with abundant energy and daily cleaning of all classroom surfaces with antibacterial wipes. So, how…how on Earth, do teachers ensure their own wellness during this time? Intentionally and with support!

The National Wellness Institute promotes Six Dimensions of Wellness: emotional, occupational, physical, social, intellectual, and spiritual. According to the National Wellness Institute, “Wellness is an active process through which people become aware of, and make choices toward, a more successful existence.” As you have read, this is an active process. Wellness does not appear by luck, and individuals do not just have wellness innately. Being well involves effort and movement…movement through a process where you identify where you are, where you want to go and how you are going to get there.

Maybe you’re thinking, “Great…another process, more goal setting, an action plan that I likely won’t follow. Just what I DON’T need.” Yup, I was thinking the exact same thing, but then I thought…wait a minute, this is actually research-based. We ask our students to do this all the time! So…you guessed it, it’s time to practice what we preach!

Learners Edge wants to support you in making a wellness plan for 2019! To get started, follow these steps:

Click this link and download “the form.” Print two!
Find a wellness buddy, give them one of the forms and complete your wellness plans separately.
Have coffee and share your plans within ONE WEEK of downloading the form. (This is important! No procrastinating.)
Develop a system for checking in with each other WEEKLY. This might be over your 15-minute lunch or a walk after the hallways are clear!
At each check-in, share the following:
1. An action you took intentionally to move toward wellness in one of the six dimensions (pat each other on the back)
2. Roadblocks that are getting in your way (brainstorm solutions)
3. An action you will take to intentionally move toward wellness in the coming week (insert verbal encouragement here)

How long should you do this? Well, we know collaboration and support is also research-based, so I should say forever, but let’s be realistic. Since researchers are currently debating how long it takes to develop a new better habit to replace an old not-so-great habit (21 or 66 days), we will split the difference and go with 30 days…just one month!

Then what, you ask? Share your story or write about your experience on our Facebook page to help inspire other teachers. You work your way toward intentionality and wellness with support from a buddy and you might even inspire someone else!! And before you know it, January will be past and Spring on its way!

Interested in courses to improve your wellness? Check out the following:

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