.png)
.png)
- Sarah Young-Sheppard
Wednesday Pick Me Up - May 2021
We have been delighted to get to shine a spotlight on Mental Health Awareness this month! We hope that you’ve had an opportunity to check us out on social media and see all of the important information we are sharing regarding mental health. Beyond our social media, we are also hoping to show our support of Mental Health Awareness month through our bracelet campaign. If you haven’t had a chance to learn about it, click here for more info.
We are so grateful for all of the amazing work our MSW interns accomplished this past program year! We’re excited to share a recap of all of their work in next month’s newsletter as some of them are still wrapping up their term with us. But we do want to take this opportunity to give a special shout out to one of our micro interns, Karla Coronado, who aside from all of the work she did in her placement at Da Vinci RISE in South Los Angeles, took time out of her busy schedule to co-write this Wednesday Pick Me Up! Thank you so much Karla, we appreciate you and will miss you tremendously.
To learn more follow us on Instagram (@SEWInitiative), Twitter (@SEWIwellness ), and/or Facebook (@SEWInitiative).
Lastly, we want to take a few moments to show our love and appreciation to all of the teachers, nurses, interpreters as this month acknowledges the vital roles they play in our communities. At SEWI we feel that they should be acknowledged year round!
PS. It’s Strawberry Season! Check out these yummy Strawberry themed recipes Don’t forget to tag us and share a photo of your creation!
As always if you or someone you know needs support. Email us at Care@SEWI.org
SOCIAL
Communication is the way we interact with one another. People may have different styles of communicating. For you to be heard and your needs to be met assertive communication can be the most helpful style of communication. Although not every person feels comfortable being assertive, you can practice this style for your own needs. One important technique utilized in assertive communication is that of “I statements”. I statements allow for you to be assertive and get your needs met in a healthy manner. I statements acknowledge the feelings being felt, the situation, and the change we hope to see. Practicing I statements in your everyday life can motivate the change in how we communicate with the world around us. Using this assertive technique allows for you to take control of your feelings and the way you respond to situations. As mentioned earlier, not everyone utilizes the same communication styles. Therefore, It’s important to remember you can only control how YOU respond. Below are the 4 steps to a strong “I statement”
4 steps:
State your feeling: I feel…
Name the behavior or situation: ...when…
State your reason for feeling that way: ...because…
State what you want: I want… *
*Step 4 is important because we are asking for the change we want to see.
Example: [1]I feel frustrated [2]when you get home late without telling me [3]because I assume something is wrong. [4]I want you to text me or call me to let me know you won’t be home on time.
Now you try it! Practice creating your own I statement for a conversation that may require you to be more assertive. Practice on your own or with a buddy!
EMOTIONAL
Boundaries are limits we set for ourselves and the world around us. Boundaries set a limit on what you will and will not tolerate. We can create boundaries in every aspect of our lives. It is important for us to set healthy boundaries that’ll allow us to be mentally and emotionally stable. Creating healthy boundaries can create healthier relationships, a feeling of relaxation, less anxiety and stress, knowledge of your own limits, a definition of priorities, and a healthier you. There are many examples of healthy boundaries. Below are a few as well as questions that can help you further develop these boundaries:
Take care of yourself and your needs first. “Do you believe self care is important? Why? Do you actively find the time to dedicate to your self care?”
Say no without feeling guilty or over-explaining. “What do you think will happen if you say no to a request that is made of you?”
Know your values. “Have you found yourself in situations/relationships that go against your values? How can you change that?”
Listen to your emotions and acknowledge why you’re feeling this way. “Have you checked in with how you’re feeling today?”
Don’t take on too much work. “How can you advocate for yourself and communicate with your supervisor/co-workers that you are over capacity?”
Be assertive in how you communicate your needs/wants. “Do you struggle with this? Would creating an I statement (read our social section) help you overcome this?”
PHYSICAL
Strength training (a.k.a. resistance training) involves using your own bodyweight or tools, like dumbbells or resistance bands, to build muscle mass, strength, and endurance. It is the key to flexibility, mobility, improved performance and lower injury risk. And it doesn't have to take hours at the gym to see results. Beyond the physical benefits of strength training, i.e. reduce your risk of injury, back pain, arthritis, heart disease and diabetes, its also been proven to enhance your mood and reduce stress. Ready to try it?! Read this article for strength training workouts to try from the comfort of your home. Regardless of your level of expertise this article has a workout just for you.
Good News
Check out this story about a 10 year old refugee boy who became a National Chess Master!
Want to stay updated with all things SEWI? Sign up for our Newsletter here!