How To Participate
Scroll down to read our key messages, hear from experts in the field, try a new health behavior, and submit your reflection to earn your free t-shirt and enter the raffle for a 1 year subscription to Headspace.
Key Messages
Be Your Authentic Self: Give yourself permission to be open, honest, and vulnerable with yourself and others
Establish a solid support system: Rely on more than one person to meet your needs, find mentors, and people you truly connect with
Practice Positive Communication: Use “I” statements, show empathy and respect, and be an active listener
Set Boundaries: Know your dealmakers and deal breakers, and what makes a healthy relationship
Live wholdheartedly: Know you are worthy and enough as is
Be Mindful, Prayerful, and Reflective: Stay present, sel-aware, and practice self acceptance
Cultivate Gratitude: Take time to appreciate what you have, rather than always wanting more
Celebrate and Connect: To a power greater than ourselves
Find joy with others: Spend time with people who are important to you
Find your flow: Get involved in activities that make you lost track of time
Be inclusive: Be proactive in celebrating and including others
Have fun: Leave time for play, things you do because you want to not because you have to
Contribute: Your skills, talents, strength, and time
Care: Give to others and make your world a better place
Conserve: Respect the planet you live on and what impact you can make
Strive: To be authentic, curious, and non-judgemental towards yourself and others
Listen
What messages do you receive related to your soul and the ways in which you connect to yourself, others, and the world? Listen to these new perspectives, reframing the way we think about our soul with the hope of cultivating more balance in our lives.
Spirituality
Too many people try and take care of their emotional health on their own. Listen to Guy Winch’s TED Talk to hear why he thinks we should practice taking care of our emotions with the same diligence that we take care of our bodies.
Ted Talk: Before I Die I Want To…
Article: NPR: 8 Skills to Practice Gratitude and Cultivate Joy
Social Life
Our most important institutions, such as schools and workplaces, are designed mostly for extroverts. Being social and outgoing is often prized above all else. Listen to Susan Cain’s TED Talk about why introverts should be encouraged and celebrated too.
TED Talk: What makes a good life?
Article: The Art of Socializing During a Quarantine
Podcast: Beat Your Isolation Loneliness
Community
Listen to Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s TED Talk to learn about the importance of having multiple perspectives and hearing many stories.
Ted Talk: Helping Others Makes Us Happier, But It Matters How We Do It
Article: 9 Ways to Help Others During the Coronavirus Pandemic
Podcast: Let’s Talk Community with BC Students
Bonus: Agape Latte: Father Jack Butler on community (2 min video)
Relationships
The ability to love is a skill we can all build and improve on over time. Listen to Katie Hood’s Ted Talk to recognize the five signs that you might be in an unhealthy relationship and learn what you can do to love with respect, kindness, and joy every day.
TED Talk: Asking for help is a strength, not a weakness.
Article: How To Be a Better Friend
Podcast: Brene Brown “Unlocking Us” ft. Glennon Doyle
Bonus: Agape Latte: Father Himes: A Lesson in Love
Do
Are you willing to do an experiment to help fuel your soul and connectedness? We would like to challenge you to try something new in the hopes of building new skills for your toolbox.
Spirituality: Religious and spiritual beliefs are an important part of how many people deal with life's joys and hardships. Faith can give people a sense of purpose and guidelines for living. Spirituality can mean different things to different people, think about what it means to you:
Build Your Spiritual Life:
Have you been wanting to try journaling, meditation, or a new religious community, but never had the time? Do you feel most connected to something greater than yourself when you are outside? Read this article on how you can use your time away from campus to make space for spirituality or reflection. Try going on a short mindful walk each day, try a meditation app like Headspace, be surrounded by nature, or find a religious service to stream.
Cultivate Gratitude:
In these uncertain times, it can be difficult to find ways to feel grateful, but remember that gratitude can be simple. Start a note on your phone and write down the things that make you smile throughout the day. They don’t have to be big, just highlight a few bright spots. Simple things like blooming flowers, eating lunch outside, or lighting a new candle can bring moments of joy. At the end of the day, look over your list to see all the things that are bringing you comfort. For more ideas on how to cultivate gratitude right now, check out this article from Talkspace.
Social Life: Social distance doesn’t make you a hermit, there are ways to maintain your social life and connection with others while still being responsible:
Get Creative:
Keep your social calendar full with virtual gathering options, such as a Zoom trivia night or game night, movie night via Netflix Party, host a virtual dinner party or healthy happy hour featuring your favorite foods and meals, try a virtual workout class with Campus Rec, or visit The Social Distancing Festival live stream directory for daily events. Make things interesting by trying a new recipe or workout video while on the phone or sending photos to friends of your progress on the projects you are working toward. Who says you can’t have an accountability buddy from afar?
Play for Fun:
Playing doesn’t have to involve other people. Many of us are faced with a lot more free time then normal. Why not take this opportunity to find new activities that you can get lost in? Find your inner child again. Check out this article about finding your flow state and challenge yourself to spend an hour each week doing something you truly enjoy. See the 100 things to do while stuck inside. Whether it’s reading a book, making music, dancing, drawing, cooking, doing puzzles, or organizing your closet, give yourself permission to have fun and play, just because you want to!
Community: During these challenging times, you may be reflecting on your role in the community. There are ways to help others and help yourself:
Contribute:
Support your community and give back during the COVID-19 crisis. Read the article to learn about 9 ways that you can help others during coronavirus. See this comprehensive guide on how to help and get help. Choose one task, no matter how small, and commit to doing it this week. This can include seeking help for yourself, whether around career, financial, or personal support, you can contribute to your own and/or others’ well-being.
Conserve:
Cooking and eating a lot at home? Buying a large amount of food at one time to avoid going to the grocery store too often? Read these articles (here and here) for tips on how to reduce food waste as you plan out your meals, and learn about the benefits it has for you, your community, and the planet.
Relationships: Being in isolation doesn’t need to mean feeling isolated. It is important to connect with all those important people in your life - friends, family, romantic partners, professors, etc to help you get through this pandemic together
Talk Openly:
Make an effort to practice positive communication from afar! The next time you send your family or friends a quick message or pick up the phone to call them, do more than just let them know you are thinking about them. Share a positive memory, highlight a trait of theirs you admire, or talk about a moment you felt really connected to them. Speaking openly will cultivate a deeper relationship and bring joy into their day and yours. Check out some of these conversation starters.
Check-In:
Maintain your BC relationships from afar. Reach out to a professor, mentor, or friend from a club that you have lost touch with since being home. Even though you no longer see them each week they can still be an important part of your support system! You may want to create a list of people to do “weekly check-ins” with, send each of them an email, share what you’ve been up (a song or podcast you’ve been listening to, movie or show you’ve been watching, inspiring quotes you’ve found, etc), and ask them to reply and let you know how they’re doing. Also you may want to read this article and reflect on what being away from campus means for our students.
Reflect
What have you learned as a result of listening to new perspectives and engaging in new practices related to fueling your soul and connectedness? Submit your reflection to be entered into the raffle!
Let's Talk More...
We want to help you find joy in your journey, wherever you’re at. We have many resources within OHP and throughout campus to continue this conversation—we’re here to listen, reflect, and help you set and achieve health goals that feel intuitive, sustainable, and balanced.
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Visit Feel Better Now and Stay Connected for more resources being offered on campus
Check out these 10 Tips for Staying Healthy and the 30 Day Wellness Challenge to Support Your Soul
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