Friday, October 6, 2017

Wellness: A tribute to something that impacts all of us...

2017.10.6

Wellness

A tribute to something that impacts all of us...

“Outtakes”. A snippet of thoughts to kick off this blog post:

There is nothing more valuable than taking care of ourselves. That means many different things to many different people, but we can all be committed to operating at an optimal level.

What I am looking forward to putting into practice, or continuing:

Finding ways to promote wellness amongst the NCPS community, in meaningful ways.

Quote(s) that resonated with me this week:

Exercise not only changes your body. It changes your mind, your attitude, and your mood.

(thank you, Janet Reed, for sharing with NCHS staff and leading the Wellness Walk!).

Positive. Negative. Active. Passive. Indifferent. These are just a few words that describe how people approach the one element of our lives that impacts us all. Understandably, there are variables in all of our lives but we are ultimately capable of directing our overall wellness. Some people choose a more physical approach through exercise. Others choose a more psychological approach through meditation, mindfulness, yoga (also physical), etc. Another popular approach is through diet and hydration. Some will find positive mindsets through helping others. Most people probably do not get enough of the one thing that is most important, sleep (myself included).

I have mentioned in previous posts that I am so proud to work here at NCHS, and in the NCPS system. This feeling of pride grew deeper this week when I attended the Employee Wellness Committee meeting on Wednesday. I have never seen a more committed approach to caring for the needs of a district than here in New Canaan. The fact that a full district meeting was held to discuss and promote employee wellness and the multiple positive impacts is amazing. These impacts include healthier employees which ultimately mean better educators (not that there is a current deficit, by any means!). There are also financial advantages to having a more preventative approach as well. The first thought that came to mind was that: NCPS is committed to educating the whole-child, while caring for and valuing the whole employee. Great stuff! There will be more communication on this in the near future. In the meantime, check out some of the great sights from the inaugural NCHS Employee Wellness Walk this morning (below).

A couple of quick resources that show how health and wellness impact learning and our overall selves:

“Finding time” to take care of ourselves: