Prioritizing Wellness

2020 has been a year of consistent uncertainty and endless adjustments. Through having to adjust our way of life while also dealing with the ever-present burden of the unknown, it can become difficult to prioritize our wellness. It is easy to put our own wellness on the backburner while trying to keep up with the changes that the COVID pandemic has forced us to make. However, it is essential to harness wellness now more than ever.

We don’t know what 2021 has in store for us, but it is critical for us to keep ourselves priority. There is no end date in sight for the pandemic, but we can take steps to keep ourselves priority to make the adjustments and the unknown a bit easier to deal with.

Wellness can look different for everyone, but it generally means that we choose to think and act in ways that are in our best interest. Positive thoughts, feelings, and actions that we harness can significantly improve our overall physical, mental, emotional, and social wellbeing. By prioritizing ourselves in this way and taking control of these parts of our being, we can enjoy life to the fullest, build and maintain stronger relationships, and face challenges with a stronger arsenal, particularly the effects of the COVID pandemic.

This is not to say that we will be without struggle – we are human beings, and some days are harder than others. However, adjusting how we operate internally can pave the way for a more positive outlook on life and we are more likely to keep our wellness a priority. Even positive changes take time.

Here are some helpful tips and resources that can help improve personal wellness:

1) Prioritize your mental health:.

There is abundant help available due to the vast expansion of telehealth services.
Needing help does not mean we are not capable of handling things ourselves. It simply means that we need some guidance and time out of our own heads.
Contact Capital EAP to schedule a therapy session.

2) Practice self care:

Self care is always something that we should have on our list of priorities, but making a consistent effort to take care of ourselves can make wellness have an even greater positive impact.
Schedule time for yourself. Yes, that means writing it down in a planner or calendar so that there is less of a chance that something can interfere with it. Plan time for yourself – you deserve it.

3) Brainstorm:

What makes you happy? Though our in-person contact is limited and some things are off the table for the time being, we can use this time to discover or rediscover things that make us happy. Make a list of people, places, and things that bring you joy, and incorporate what you can in your daily life.

4) Pay attention to yourself:

Make it a point to notice when you are feeling “off” or not like yourself. Think about what may be contributing to the difficult thoughts or feelings that you are having. The more that we notice what we are feeling or thinking and why, the more we can learn to handle it positively.

It is hard work to become more aware of ourselves and keep self care in routine, but it paves the way for improved overall wellness.

Below are some links to worksheets to help with improving wellness and self awareness:

Coping skills: Anxiety

https://www.therapistaid.com/worksheets/coping-skills-anxiety.pdf

Gratitude Journal:

https://www.therapistaid.com/worksheets/gratitude-journal-three-good-things.pdf

Journal Prompts for Self Discovery:

https://www.thehowtosocialworker.com/journal-prompts-mental-health/

Symptoms of Stress:

https://www.therapistaid.com/worksheets/symptoms-of-stress.pdf

Wellness Assessment:

https://www.therapistaid.com/worksheets/wellness-assessment.pdf