Dear Dartmouth,

Here in the United States, it is the morning following our Election Day. As of this moment, many outcomes are undecided, meaning that there is now further uncertainty for each of us to manage, and generally speaking, uncertainty is not great for our health and wellness. To promote your wellbeing in the midst of this pervasive instability, it might be helpful to focus on things that are within your control, and in that sense, it is as good a time as any to take up our fourth wellbeing pathway: Acting Intentionally.

Acting with intention involves making decisions and choosing actions and behaviors that are aligned with our values, who we want to be in the world, and what we need for our wellbeing and happiness.

This may sound complex or abstract, so consider this simple practice for starting your day called  “Let Go, Embrace, Focus.” Before you launch into the demands of your day, take 5 minutes for yourself and identify the following:

• Let Go – What is one thing (literally anything – a behavior, a belief, a worry, a hope, a goal, a thought, a relationship, a tension in your body) that you’d like to let go of today? Perhaps it is something that holds you back. Perhaps it is something that has started to feel more harmful than helpful. Visualize yourself physically letting this go, like a helium balloon or a backpack you can just set down and walk away.
• Embrace – Having let go of that thing, you might find that you now have some space or energy to fill its place with something new. What behavior, belief, hope, goal, thought, relationship, etc. would you like to make more space for, or try on in your life? How can you take one intentional step toward embracing this today?
• Focus – What requires your focus today? Sometimes the things that matter most can be displaced by distractions or demands to put our focus elsewhere. And sometimes we procrastinate because we feel uncertain about how to begin a project or question our ability to be successful. What could you prioritize today, giving it some energy and focus that would help you move one step closer to your goals?

Acting with intention is about putting your awareness into action. When you recognize the agency and wisdom you possess, it can empower you to take ownership of your life more fully, choosing actions and avenues that bolster your wellbeing on a daily basis.

Ask Yourself (Reflective Questions)

• Generally speaking, do I feel like my day to day life is aligned with what I care about and how I want to be living? If not, what changes would help me be more purposeful?
• How do I balance my own thoughts, ideas, goals, beliefs, and decisions with perspectives of the people around me? Where am I able to take ownership of my life, and where does my autonomy and agency feel supported or constrained by others?
• Would it be helpful to be more specific, or more open with the things I’d like to accomplish? Where would it be helpful to be more goal-oriented (specific) and where might it be liberating to shift from goals to intentions (where I can know that I’m moving in the right direction, even when I don’t have a set outcome in mind)?

Try This (Wellbeing Practices)

• Set goals in a way that works effectively for you
• Make those goals come alive by setting your intention
• Take ownership of who you will become

Explore Further (Dartmouth Resources)

• Contact your Undergraduate Dean for information and guidance regarding the experiences you want to create for yourself at Dartmouth
• Use the many resources at the Center for Professional Development to explore career possibilities that align with your values, interests, skills, and strengths

As you consider your options for responding to external events and forces that bring uncertainty to your life, we encourage you to return to the foundational skills of Cultivating Perspective, Engaging Mindfully, and Connecting Authentically to gain clarity on actions you can take that align with your strengths and values. And remember that you don’t have to do this alone. If further conversation would be helpful, please connect with us in a wellness check-in, or draw upon the many other resources available to you at Dartmouth.

Two weeks from now, we’ll wrap us this series by looking at how these first four pathways all contribute to the final component of our wellbeing framework: Living Meaningfully. Until then…

Take care and be well,
Todd