Pursue Your Passion and Find Your Happiness

Transcription

1 M AY F i n d Yo u r P u r p o s e Mental Health & Mindfullness Pursue Your Passion and Find Your Happiness Studies agree when you pursue activities and interests you are passionate about, you feel happier, more confident and more motivated. But how do you know what your purpose is? What does it feel like when you ve found it? Complete this month s activity for a few useful questions to consider. se ct i o n 01 Your May Activity: Find Your Purpose Consider big questions and write down your responses. If you aren t living your purpose today, think about short - and long-term changes that will help you get there. Defining and Utilizing a Purpose It seems like a fluffy, simple concept, but it can be very hard to define. Your purpose could be anything: work, family, charity, even a hob. It just matters that it matters. And not just to you. If you know what your passion is, consider ways it can be leveraged to bring joy or assistance to others!

2 MAY 2018 Dangers of Anxiety; Reducing Anxiety section 02 A Stress and Anxiety FAQ How Stress and Anxiety Differ? While the symptoms can be similar and often intertwined, stress and anxiety are two distinct things. As obvious as it sounds, stress arises from existing stressors any circumstance or situation that makes you feel angry, frustrated or nervous. Anxiety is a feeling of apprehension or doom that does not have an immediately recognizable cause. It is often felt alongside stress, but also appears without a discernable reason, or lingers after the actual reason for stress has gone. Common signs and symptoms of anxiety include nervousness, a sense of panic or doom, increased heart and breathing rates, trouble concentrating and sleeping, gastrointestinal problems, and weakness or fatigue. Why Do We Feel Stress and Anxiety? It s not just your body being obnoxious and it s not all in your head. The physical component of stress is a chemical reaction in your body that is designed to help you survive. When you feel threatened, certain hormones are released into your body. These hormones speed up your heart rate and breathing, sharpen your senses, increase your blood pressure basically, they trigger the famous fight or flight response. Unfortunately, physical reactions designed to help us survive as cave dwellers aren t always useful in the present day. Even positive change, such as a promotion or a newborn ba, can cause stress that impedes your ability to handle a situation, instead of assisting it. How Can I Reduce My Stress and Anxiety? Keep reading for a number of everyday tips you can practice to reduce the effects of stress in your life. But if you are concerned that your stress is bubbling over into anxiety, seek advice from a professional! Unchecked anxiety can lead to any number of anxiety disorders, such as agoraphobia extreme, life-altering fear of and avoidance of situations that might cause panic or social anxiety disorder, in which self-consciousness and fear of embarrassment causes a person to avoid social situations. Even more frightening, attempts to cope with undiagnosed anxiety disorders can lead to depression, substance abuse, social isolation and other difficulties.

3 MAY 2018 Simple Solace from Stress section 03 Stress creeps up on all of us, whether we know it or not. Sometimes we recognize the hard times while they re happening; other times we don t realize things are getting out of control until we feel overwhelmed. Fortunately, people aren t locked into a certain level of stress management at birth managing, reducing and productively addressing stress are skills that can be learned. Keep these principles in mind and try to practice them every day, even when you feel in control. Stress Management Tips 1. Talk to people you trust. Sharing concerns with someone else helps you feel better, even if the problem can t be solved immediately. 2. Be physically active throughout the day. What that means could be different for everyone, but a consistently active lifestyle reduces mental tension and your risk of depression. 3. Plan and organize. A little preparation goes a long way. Create to-do lists, plan out your time and prepare in advance to make your day go a little bit smoother. 4. Sleep and give up other bad habits. It really is incredible how much poor habits impact a person s stress level. 5. Let yourself laugh. Even when you re yourself. You don t win any awards for not laughing, so you might as well have a little fun. 6. Donate time to others. Helping others is a great way to help yourself. Selfless acts improve a person s immediate outlook and, with regular practice, sense of self-worth. 7. Keep perspective. In the long-term, it really doesn t matter if you mow the lawn today. When you feel the tension rising, ask yourself what tasks need to be taken care of and what tasks can wait. 8. Find time for yourself. It could be as simple as 5-15 minutes each day. Find a pocket of time where you can be alone, then use that time for quiet reflection, or to practice deep breathing techniques and empty your mind.

4 MAY 2018 section 04 May Recipe Spinach, Chicken and Wild Rice Soup Use leftover chicken or pull apart a roasted chicken for this warm, soothing bowl of soup. Total Time (Cook and Prep): 260 minutes Servings: 6 INGREDIENTS 3 cups water 14 oz. can of reduced-sodium chicken broth 10 3/4 oz. can of reduced-fat and reduced-sodium condensed cream of chicken soup 2/3 cup wild rice, rinsed and drained 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 3 cups cooked chicken 2 cups fresh spinach, shredded INSTRUCTIONS 1. In a to 4-quart slow cooker, combine the water, chicken broth, cream of chicken soup, uncooked wild rice, thyme and pepper. 2. Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 7 to 8 hours or high-heat setting for 3-1/2 to 4 hours. 3. To serve, stir in chicken and spinach. NUTRITION INFO: 216 calories 4 g fat 64 mg cholesterol 397 mg sodium 19 g carbohydrates 2 g fiber 26 g protein This newsletter/poster is provided for general informational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice, diagnosis or treatment recommendations.

5 May Activity Find Your Purpose Love What You Do and Live a Happy Life We all want to know we re making a difference. How we make that difference varies for everyone it could be through work, family, charity, little league sports or another endeavor that allows you to achieve goals and help other people. Use this worksheet to think about what makes you, you; what your skills and interests can offer other people; and what you need to change, improve or eliminate in order to pursue your passion. Ask Yourself These Questions: 1. What do you choose to do with your free time? What activities are you drawn to and why? Is it natural talent, a personal interest, simply what you have around you, or something else? 2. What activities make you lose track of time? When do you get in the zone? Have you ever been so invested in a project you lose track of time for hours? 3. Where do your talents reside? What comes easy to you? What activities feel natural and comfortable? 4. Which people, places and activities make you feel energized? Not complacent, but energized and excited. 5. What do your family and friends think? Have you often been told you re perfect for a certain job or career? Do people close to you seek your advice on certain subjects? 6. What morals or values guide your life? What do you feel strongly about? On which subjects are you unwilling to budge? 7. What are your biggest life goals? Go big with this one what experiences would you regret missing out on? Are there places you need to visit? Activities you need to try? People you need to work with?

6 May Activity Make a Roadmap to Your Purpose After you ve considered the questions above, start thinking about a plan that will guide you to where you want to go. Consider what you need to change, improve or stop in order to follow your passion, as well as tactics you can implement to make lasting, not superficial, progress. Complete this exercise for as many goals as you like. Create Your Roadmap This week, I will take a step closer to my purpose : In the next month, I will take a step closer to my purpose : By this time next year, I hope to achieve this goal:

7 May Activity Changes Necessary to Achieve Your Goal Write down a situation you hope to change, improve or stop (repeat as needed). What Changes Will You Make? If you have trouble determining a charitable enterprise, new interest or life change that will help you feel fulfilled, that s okay! Continue to think about it and seek out new experiences that may open up unexpected avenues. The information in this activity document is provided for general informational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice, diagnosis or treatment recommendations.

8 May Activity Employer Activity Tracking Please complete the following information and submit it to your employer to receive credit for this activity: Name: Date: Did you take time to reflect on your purpose? oyes o NO Did you complete your roadmap? oyes o NO If yes, on what date did you take your first step closer to your purpose? Did you write down changes you must make to achieve your goal? oyes o NO Are you satisfied with the outcome or your progress toward success? oyes o NO

9 Reduce Your Stress Make time to take care of yourself: Talk to people you trust Be physically active throughout the day Plan and organize Sleep Let yourself laugh Donate time to others Keep perspective Find time for yourself MAY ACTIVITY Find Your Purpose Consider big questions and write down your responses. If you aren t living your purpose today, think about short - and long-term changes that will help you get there. Your first tip? When you pursue activities and interests you are passionate about, you feel happier, more confident and more motivated to succeed! Powered The information in this activity document is provided for general informational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice, diagnosis or treatment recommendations.