Well-Being Opportunities Week of June 1st

From GMHEC Employee Well-being Program Coordinator Rebecca Schubert
What’s on tap for Well-Being this coming week?Many of our regular offerings will continue in the month of June including yoga, mindfulness, and our lunch time sessions with Yoo-Sun and Jeff. Keep an eye on the Calendar since I do often add new events throughout the week(s).  If you aren’t already a member, be sure to join our Facebook group. This is a great way to connect with coworkers at your school and across the Consortium.
Well-Being Calendar
Well-being is realized by small steps, but it is truly no small thing.
~Zeno, quoted in Diogenes Laertius’ Lives of the Eminent Philosophers, 7.1.26
Well-being and living a fulfilling life are achieved by the actions we take on a daily basis and taking consistent action is often the challenge. Here are a few podcasts I’ve come across recently that speak to habits, morning rituals and committed action. Makes for great listening when you’re out on a lunchtime walk.Kissing the Frog: How to Establish a Morning RoutineCommitted Action with Dr. DJ MoranJames Clear on Making and Breaking HabitsThe Tiny Habits that Change Everything
June is employee well-being month and,
to celebrate, we’ve got a lot of great things planned.
To kick things off…
Wednesday, June 3rd is National Running Day.  Get outside and enjoy a run or walk.  You can find links to lots of cool, local trails here.

Interested in learning more about the anatomy of a sustainable running practice?  Check out Coach Sarah Richardson’s video series here.

To keep our bodies moving and functioning at their best we’ve got to put in the right fuel. Join me, Rebecca Schubert, Registered Dietitian on Friday, June 5th from noon to 1 pm EST for a discussion about “Eating for Optimal Energy”. Healthy, nutritious meals are the key to feeling and performing at your best. When you fuel up with nutritious, whole foods, your body and mind reap the benefits. Learn how to use food too fight fatigue and stay energized.  https://middlebury.zoom.us/j/2462738284  Meeting password 135790

Sign up now for these upcoming series

Foundations of Trail Running
Are you interested in trail running but not sure where to start? This six week virtual program will introduce you to the foundations of trail running in a safe way, setting you up for more technical and advanced trails. Led by coach, ultra-runner and Certified Personal Trainer, Sarah Haley, this program includes daily workouts, access to the Trainerize app, coaching and feedback, private Strava group, group camaraderie and gear recommendations.
We’re working on a tight timeline since the program starts on Monday, June 1st.  Space is limited to ten so if you’d like to register, please let me know no later than Monday at noon.  Rebecca.schubert@gmhec.org.  For more info click here.
 
Maneuvering Within through Challenge and Change
We can ignore the shift that is happening around us and wait for things to go back to ‘normal’ or we can move like water and flow, taking challenges head on, adapting and creating new paths. Join Beth Umba, yoga instructor and empowerment coach for this four week series as we explore challenge and change. Choose your path based on your values and move forward with grace and bravery. Wednesdays, June 3, 10, 17 and 24 from 12:15-1:00 pm EST. This is a closed group and is limited to eight participants. To register, contact Rebecca.schubert@gmhec.org by 5pm on Monday, June 1st.
 
Lake Champlain Virtual Dragonboat Festival 
This annual fundraising event is being held as a virtual event this year and we’d love to put together a GMHEC team. Funds raised will go to support Dragonheart Vermont and Integrative Therapies at the UVM Cancer Center. The event kicks off on Monday, June 1st and culminates with a virtual community racing challenge on August 2nd. Throughout the summer fun team and individual challenges will lead up to the final week (July 24-31) where each person on the team will run, walk, bike, swim, paddle, or erg for 30 minutes. Check out the virtual race details here. On August 2nd there will be a “real-time virtual” ceremony to award the Virtual Champ Cup, the winner of which will be determined by the number of points earned by teams in challenges, individual races and fundraising. Space is limited so if you’re interested in joining the GMHEC team, please let me know by 5 pm on Monday, June 1st.  Rebecca.schubert@gmhec.org. This is a great way to enjoy some team based fun and support our local community.

Whole Foods Plant Focused Food/Cooking Series of 3 Workshops
Join Nancy Wind, yoga instructor, health coach and founder of Peaks and Poses for this three session series Mondays, June 8, 15 and 22 from 6:30-8:00 pm EST. We have the ability to fuel our body and live a life free of disease with a greater understanding of a plant focused diet. We don’t have to give up animal products but by adding more nutrient dense plants, legumes, beans, grains, nuts, seeds and fruits, we can keep our gut healthier, our mind clearer and align more with nature and our planet’s resources. Medical research is showing how a plant focused diet can reduce the risk of many chronic diseases. Workshops include a variety of actions steps toward a healthier lifestyle. For more information, click here. Preregistration is required and is due by 5 pm on Friday, June 5th. There is no cost to participate in this program. To register, please contact Rebecca.schubert@gmhec.org

Commit to Get Fit
The next Edge online 90 Day Commit to Get Fit Program will be kicking off on June 2nd and there is still time to register. This comprehensive online wellness program is designed to provide an education to enrich your life and help you become healthier. Over the course of 13 weeks you will work with a health coach, a Registered Dietitian and a personal trainer to support you to adopt and maintain healthy lifestyle behaviors. Topics will include fitness, nutrition, stress management and behavior modification. This program will help you build a customized wellness plan, improve your health risk factors, reduce body fat and gain muscle, practice stress management and gain new energy and learn how to eat right and stay on track. There is a fee associated with this program, but a portion may be covered by your health insurance and GMHEC will kick in a portion of the payment. To learn more, contact Nicole Williams, Director of The Edge Preventative Care at NWilliams@edgevt.com.
 
 . . .  Employee Assistance Programs (EAP) can help you with so much….addiction, anxiety and depression, eating disorders, grief and loss, violence, abuse and trauma, divorce and child custody, interpersonal relationships, sexual health, special needs resources, child and elder care, parenting support, pet care, stress and coping, adoption and new parent support, educational information and services, legal referral, debt and bankruptcy, identity theft, insurance resources, renter and landlord rights, personal injury, real estate, taxes and audits, wills and estates, budgeting resources, banking and credit, investing and taxes.  Phew….can you believe you can get access to all of that for free with just one click or phone call? Access Your EAPReach Out to RebeccaJoin Well-Being Facebook GroupVisit Well-Being Pages