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Real Life Challenge

We often convince ourselves that change should be easy. Getting healthier, losing weight and living longer should be more than enough motivation to shift habits, right?

The fact is, change is hard and in real life social norms have more of an impact on our daily habits than most of us recognize.

During the next six weeks, let’s band together as an organization, coworkers, family and friends to create a social support system for positive change. Have conversations with the people around you about the habits you’d like to adopt and your motivation for doing so. Begin to create your personal support systems at home and at work. Habit by habit, we can feel more energized, less stressed, more thankful and ultimately happier in our day to day lives, together.

Our call to action this week is to be an agent of change by inviting your friends, coworkers, and family members to be well with you. Remember that everyone is at a different place along their journey to health and well-being, so creating a welcoming and judgment-free environment is important. Here are a few ideas to support and encourage each other’s positive habits from your colleagues at the U:

• Go fill your water bottle at the water fountain on a different floor. Ask a few of your coworkers if they’d like to join you to refill theirs. – Christina M.
• Plan a day to register for an Introduction to Mindfulness class with a coworker. Give yourself time to walk over to the class together. – Kelly M.
• Tell a colleague why you’re thankful for working with them. Give them a specific example of something they do that makes you feel that way. – Ann L.
• Ask your normal lunch crew to join you for a “DIY Salad Bar” day. Suggest everyone bring two salad toppers (at least one of them a vegetable). – Sarah S.
• Start a game of office tag. When tagged, you have 30 minutes to take your 10-minute walking break. Anyone can pass at any time. – Traci T.

For more information about the Real Life Challenge, click here.[/bs_col][bs_col class=”col-sm-4″][bs_well size=”lg”]

Season of SAD

Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a sleeping giant; lying dormant for three-quarters of the year. As the days get shorter and darker, people begin to feel less energy, are less likely to be productive and begin to feel hopeless. These are common symptoms of SAD—a type of depression set apart by a seasonal pattern.

Click here to read the full story.

HELPING KIDS DEAL WITH ANXIETY

Anxiety can be a problem at any age. Babies as young as eight or nine months exhibit normal anxiety when they are separated from their parents. Children of all ages may be made anxious by storms, or dogs or the dark. It’s a part of life. However, there are times when anxiety becomes more than a momentary or temporary thing in a child’s life.

Read the full story here.

For more expert health news and information, click here.[/bs_well][/bs_col][/bs_row]