Well-being opportunities week of 4/13

From: GMHEC Employee Well-being Program Coordinator Rebecca Schubert:

We’ve got another incredible line up coming your way this week.  Occasionally there are changes to the schedule although I do try to minimize that as much as possible.  I will make any updates to the events on the GMHEC Well-being Facebook page and on the GMHEC Well-being calendar.  You can view the calendar on the GMHEC Well-being page.  The password to access the calendar is GMHECWell-Being.  Zoom can be found in the calendar.

We are half way through our GMHEC/DIEMlife “Quest to Connect” and there is still time to get in on the action.   In this four week Quest, faculty and staff are encouraged to seek out creative ways to connect with themselves, with others and with their communities.  The theme this week is to “Connect to self”.  To learn more and join the Quest, click here.  Share what you’re up to around the weekly themes in a newsfeed post in the Quest and comment on your colleagues posts.  Everyone who makes or responds to a post will be entered into the weekly drawing to win some cool prizes.  Four winners from last week each took home a Garmin Forerunner 35 GPS watch and one lucky winner took home a $100 Amazon gift card.  We hope to see you in the Quest and at some of our events this week.

Yoga!  Ongoing with our partner True Center Yoga.  15 classes per week.  Check out their schedule here

Move with Yoo-Sun: Yoo-Sun is Julliard trained violinist, teacher, trainer and co-founder of DIEMlife.  Yoo-Sun will lead us through a short but energizing cardio based workout that will leave us feeling energized and ready to tackle the rest of the day.  This workout is geared for people of all fitness levels and modifications to all exercises can be made by the instructor.  Monday, Wednesday and Friday through April 30th.  12-12:30.

It’s playtime!…Grab your kids (grades K-5) and join CrossFit coaches Grant and Chanelle Shymske of Upper Arlington CrossFit for some fun and play.  This class involves movement, fun games and is a great way for parents to have some with the kids and be active as well.  Suitable for children who enjoy some focus, building of skills, and some light hearted competition.  No equipment necessary but a backpack with books and some toys/furniture to climb on would be great.  Tuesdays and Thursdays through April 30th.  10:00-10:30am EST.

Get the kinks out with Beth:  Join Beth Umba, massage therapist and yoga teacher for a stretch session to release the kinks in your neck, back and hips.  Sitting for long periods of time promotes muscle fatigue and muscle strain, and over time, pain.  Everyone is welcome and encouraged to join Beth as she guides us through some stretches that we can do right from our desk or home office to get our bodies feeling their best.  Tuesdays 10:00-10:30am EST and Thursdays 3:00-3:30pm EST through April 30th

Surf the wave: Parenting in a time of crisis: Join Emily Pines, mom and Managing Director for The Energy Project for this interactive webinar where you will develop:
Increased awareness of your own emotional state, and its impact on your children
Tools for calming yourself when your children lose control
Strategies for identifying and working through the emotional triggers that cause the most friction in your relationships with your children
A method for balancing setting limits with giving your children a safe space in which to discharge their stress. Free. Registration required. Tuesday, April 14th 2:00-3:30pm EST.  Click here to register. 

Your energy is contagious: Leading in a time of crisis: Join Tony Schwartz, CEO and founder of The Energy Project for an interactive discussion about leader’s roles as the “chief energy officer” and cultivating resilience in your teams. By the end of this session you will:
Have an understanding of how operating in “Survival Zone” dramatically diminishes your capacity and effectiveness as a leader.
Come away with specific self-regulation tools and strategies to help you get back into the Performance Zone.
Be able to describe the key practices that fuel long-term resilience.
Feel confident in how to talk with your team, and create an environment that helps them feel safer, more secure and better able to focus.
Free. Registration required. Wednesday, April 15th 4:30-5:30pm EST.  Click here to register.

Chaplain’s Moment:  Join the chaplains from the Scott Center for Spiritual and Religious Life at Middlebury every noon time on Monday, Wednesday and Friday for the foreseeable future for a 15 minute reflection on what is happening around us and within our spirits.  Rabbi Danielle, Chaplain Saifa, and Dean Mark will take turns leading a brief meditation on some piece of literature, poetry or world wisdom. There will be room for silence and reflection, and a bit of interaction to conclude. 

Pump up your muscles with Jeff:  Join Jeff Morton, founder of Morton Training Systems for a 30 minute, total body strength training workout. Strength training is one of the best types of activities we can do to stay strong, have better body mechanics and prevent the aches and pains of sitting all day. This workout is appropriate for all levels and modifications of all exercises can be made by the instructor. Grab a set of dumbbells or two or a couple of soup cans and let’s get moving. Tuesday and Thursdays through April 30th.  12:00-12:30 pm EST.

Connecting with Self: MOVE 2 LIVE!  Join Coach Cami Smalley, founder of Guided Resilience for an interactive discussion of M.O.V.E. Mindful Pause – Optimize Strengths – Value the Equally True – Exercise.  Connecting to yourself in Body, Mind, and Spirit is essential for surviving turbulent times.  Please complete the VIA Character Strengths Survey prior to this session.  Tuesday, April 14th 11:00-11:30am EST.  

Connecting with Self: Movement Meditation

Join Coach Cami for an introduction to her Movement Meditation. Explore how postures have meaning and how gentle movement, breath work, and affirmations can deepen our connection to ourselves, each other (even in social distancing), and the natural world. Learn Cami’s simple “Creation Breath” and “Out of the Box” Movement Meditations. Wear comfortable clothing for gentle movement. These flows can easily be done at your desk (home office) or outside if possible.  Friday, April 17th 10:00-10:30am  

Art for meditation with Erin: Join Erin Sparler, artist and founder of the Artist APPEALS podcast as she teaches us how to use the ancient practice of enso.  The zen practice of painting an enso -or circle- has been used since the 1400s by Asian monks as a form of meditation. Used to still the mind, this is a quick and easy practice that anyone can do. All it requires is a piece of paper, a paintbrush and some ink or paint.  Watercolors work great.  Follow along and paint your own enso with Erin. Thursday, April 16th from 7:00-7:30pm.  

Reflexology:  Grab a partner and join Beth Umba, massage therapist as we learn the art of reflexology.  By pressing on reflex points in the foot we can access the entire body, restoring the Qi (pronounced chee), the energy flow that makes for a balanced body and mind, reducing aches and pains and perhaps even disease.  Thursday, April 16th 8-8:45pm EST.  

Let’s get cooking! Join chef and Registered Dietitian Gina Rancourt from Whole Health Nutrition as we prepare a delicious dinner of baked cod with tomato and herb butter.  Grab your ingredients ahead of time and cook along with us.  Wednesday, April 15th 6:00-7:30pm EST. 
https://www.gotomeet.me/GinaRancourtMSRDNCD/baked-cod-with-tomato–herb-butter-with-chef-gina  You can also dial in using your phone. United States: +1 (872) 240-3412  
Access Code: 719-412-589 

Connecting to conquer covid 19 with appreciative inquiry webinars.  Join experts in the field of Appreciative Inquiry to explore questions such as:

· How are we physically distancing AND socially connecting? 

· How are we appreciating the gifts we have AND giving ourselves permission to grieve the losses we are feeling individually and collectively?  

· How are we lifting up what is working today AND daring to ask what we want tomorrow to look like? 

· How are we cultivating resilience AND how are we giving ourselves permission to not always have things figured out? 

· How are we supporting others AND how are we taking care of ourselves? 

April 16 and 23rd.  9:00-10:00am EST.  To register, click here

To streamline event announcement and make it easier for you to stay up to date about events we have created a GMHEC Well-being.  You can view the calendar on the GMHEC Well-being page.  The password to access the calendar is GMHECWell-Being.  I will have the calendar updated by Monday afternoon, April 13th