National Wellness Month

Each month, the Mosaic Committee shares our thoughts about what we can learn from that month’s theme. For the month of August, we are focusing on National Wellness Month to promote evidence-based self-care and stress management despite the crazy times we live in.

What can you do to improve your self-care? It’s all about creating goals for yourself, and then being intentional with how you will go about achieving these goals. Then we can create habits that support our intentions. Your goals don’t have to be massive, and they are most achievable if you start small and build from there. Whether you challenge yourself to a new yoga pose or trying a different spa treatment, making small changes can impact your health in positive ways.

There are numerous ways to make those small changes, too. Some ideas:

  • Increase your water intake.
  • Add more fruits and veggies to your meals.
  • Monitor your sleep and make adjustments for better sleep habits. (This may mean cutting back on alcohol, which has significant negative effects on sleep quality.)
  • Join a yoga, walking, or group exercise class. Camaraderie and movement are a great combination!
  • Learn to meditate. Even 5 minutes can improve your focus and outlook!

These small steps can lead to many more healthy habits in your lifestyle! Sometimes we think that small improvements won’t make a difference and that we need to dedicate large amounts of time to exercise or completely change our diet all at once. But such big changes may not be realistic, and some change is always better than none! So start small, meet yourself where you are, and remember that progress is the goal, not perfection!

We can look to a recent article in Reform Judaism to guide us, as well. (https://reformjudaism.org/self-care-not-selfish-7-jewish-reminders-caring-yourself)

  1. Take time to think.
  2. Remember gray.
  3. Look for God in music.
  4. Recap nightly.
  5. Take time to clear your mind.
  6. Be grateful.
  7. Be aware of the unexpected.

Remember, do something, anything, to care for yourself each and every day!