Written by Sid Babla

Welcome back to the Summer of Reflection with the Student Wellness Center! As Summer term comes to an end and we enter finals season, this week we look at our Intellectual Root of Wellness. This is an openness to new ideas, thinking critically, focusing effectively, and seeking out new challenges. It is being creative, curious, and engaging in ongoing learning inside and outside the classroom.

Here are a few possible ways we can begin to nourish our intellectual root as students:

1. Center Yourself – Being open to novel ideas and concepts that provide us with a new understanding requires focus and attention. This can be done by cultivating Mindful presence: the practice of being fully engaged in the present moment with a non-judgmental and accepting attitude. When our minds stop ruminating, we create space to focus on what truly matters. From this stems a clarity that reveals what action is needed for us to meet the present moment. 

2. Simplify to uncover the next action step – completing an assignment, learning a new skill or language, and working through a challenging problem set oftentimes have multiple sub-tasks and sequential steps. This can more often than not make our ‘to-do’ list seem overwhelming. Author Greg McKeown recommends identifying the first obvious action and committing to 10 minutes of focused action called ‘microbursts’. This overcomes procrastination and we start making immediate progress. For example:

Project	First Obvious Action	Microburst
Complete assignment	Open a blank document	Draft an outline for the paper
Finish class reading	Open course curriculum	Identify and search for reading material. Download book/mark it for quick access
Complete group presentation	Open email client	Write and send an email with a When2Meet link to group participants

3. Schedule it and Get to (Deep Work) – Every time we context switch, it takes about 23 minutes to regain the focus that we lost. Each time, it also requires more cognitive energy to reach the same level of focus. It’s no wonder that we find ourselves (cognitively) fatigued by 2pm on most days, unable to concentrate on challenging tasks. NY Times bestselling author and Montgomery Fellow for Summer 2023, Cal Newport ‘04 talks about the importance of deep work to overcome context switches by ‘time blocking’: scheduling an extended block of time to work on a singular, complex task without checking email or social media. (e.g. working to finish a first draft of a paper). 

This 3 step framework of centering yourself, identifying actions to build momentum, and scheduling time blocks is designed to help you go from zero to one in nourishing your intellectual root. Having a system to manage our attention and focus nurtures and grows our curiosity. The more intentional we are with how we use our attention, the more fulfilling our intellectual pursuits become. Over time, this sustains and grows our sense of wellbeing.

Sid Babla, Wellbeing Program Coordinator, Student Wellness Center

Written by Alleah Schweitzer

Welcome back to the Summer of Reflection with the Student Wellness Center! Summer term is winding to a close soon and with it, our journey guiding you to reflect on your roots of wellness. As we forge ahead in self-exploration, we pause to gently turn our attention to our Spiritual Root of Wellness, examining the ways in which we may cultivate a sense of purpose, inner peace, and connect to that which is greater than ourselves.

Here are just a few ideas to try in our efforts to nourish our spiritual wellbeing as students:

1. Practicing Self Awareness & Gratitude – Dedicate time towards the practice of introspection. Try breath awareness as a means of practicing self-reflection in a non-judgmental manner. Try yoga to help you remain in the present moment and to develop a deeper sense of inner awareness. Engage gratitude to develop a sense of appreciation for the blessings you do have in your life.

Reflect on your spiritual wellness: What are the values and beliefs you hold closely and how do they contribute to the deeper aspects of your life’s purpose?

2. Through our Connections with Nature – The time we spend in nature can spark a sense of wonder and interconnectedness. Whether we are heading to class, hiking through Pine Park, or simply appreciating the natural beauty in the sensations around us every day, connecting with nature can provide space for spiritual nourishment. And even if you can’t get outside, check out Headspace for a nature inspired getaway.

Reflect on your spiritual wellness: How might you already be connecting with nature in your day-to-day routine?

3. Through Meaningful and Brave Connections with Others – Connecting with those around you who share similar values and beliefs can help you engage in conversations that investigate and further define your spiritual identity. Consider joining a campus community or group that aligns with your spiritual traditions or interests. Attend an Interfaith Dinner for widening your exposure to different worldviews and carving out space for deepening your self-awareness and interfaith understanding. Seek confidential pastoral counseling for questions of faith, life issues, the loss of a loved one, and more.

Reflect on your spiritual wellness: What is one step I can take today to connect with others?

4. Engaging in Service and Giving – Participate in acts of kindness in your immediate Dartmouth community and beyond. Service to others, or causes greater than ourselves, can help us better define our sense of purpose and find fulfillment. Check out the Center for Social Impact on ways to get involved in a wide range of service-oriented engagements.

Reflect on your spiritual wellness: What can you do, in your own way, to give back to your community?

Reflecting on spiritual wellness is a personal journey only YOU can take—what resonates and is meaningful to you will differ from the needs of others. We invite you to regularly, and kindly, check in on all the ways you can continue deepening your connection to your beliefs and values. Our spiritual selves are ever evolving with time and new experiences. But the more habitually we can turn our attention to fostering spiritual wellness, the better equipped we can be to contribute, positively, to our personal and collective wellbeing.

Until next week,

Alleah Schweitzer
Student Wellness Center Wellbeing Program Coordinator

Post written by Alleah Schweitzer

Welcome back to the Student Wellness Center’s Summer of Reflection! As we explore our Roots of Wellbeing, we dedicate time and space to bringing awareness to each of the dimensions of our wellness, paying attention to the areas that deplete or fortify us. Along the way, we will pause and reflect, and equip ourselves with attitudes of kindness, patience, and curiosity. In this week’s reflection, we will explore our Environmental Root of Wellbeing and our capacity to feel renewed, balanced, and awakened by engaging with our natural surroundings.

It was only a few months ago that I was sitting on a snowbank alongside the roaring Big Wood River, less than a mile from my old home in Idaho. May was here and yet, the typical signs of spring were not. The past winter had been one for the record books. In fact, over five feet of snow still blanketed much of the region. Summer being around the corner felt as improbable as the notion of ever wearing a t-shirt again.

Despite the snow, I resolved to sit by the river that day— it was, in theory, spring. After post-holing a taxing quarter mile to the riverbank, I laid down a picnic blanket atop the snow crust. My mind was far away, spinning with worries about the things I still needed to do, and I could feel my pulse quicken as I bemoaned another cold, lifeless day. Every fiber of my being longed for the days of flip flops, bonfires, and juicy watermelon. 

Noticing that my worries weren’t serving me at that moment, I slowed my breath and directed my attention, instead, to my surroundings. My eyes caught the sunshine and the shadows of dancing, bare tree branches, which were projected like a filmstrip onto the white screen of snow at my feet. This movie played to the soundtrack of a raging torrent, thundering off the mountains and snaking past me into the valley below. Beneath the river’s song was the delicate rhythm of snow itself, clicking and dripping, as it melted. My nose detected sweet, earthy wafts of thawing leaves and pinecones. The numbing chill of the frozen landscape crept through my sweater and I, at last, tasted the light crispness of clean spring air. 

“Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth find reserves of strength that will endure as long as life lasts. There is something infinitely healing in the repeated refrains of nature– the assurance that dawn comes after night, and spring after winter.” – Rachel Carson

The relationship I developed with my own backyard in that moment is something we can all try. We don’t even need a riverbank to do it! Here are some ways we can work towards becoming more rooted in our relationships with the environment: 

1. Practice land acknowledgement— Long before Dartmouth College was established, Indigenous nations like the Abenaki have been in relationship with the land. Land acknowledgements help us to recognize the longstanding history that has brought us all to reside on and learn on this land, including recognizing the enslaved and disenfranchised Black and Indigenous peoples who helped build Hanover, Dartmouth, and surrounding infrastructure. Bring mindfulness to our present participation in colonization and acknowledge the privilege we have in occupying this space.
   
   
2. Find nature wherever you are— Whether we are observing a ladybug on a blade of grass, a robin flitting past our window, or the warmth of sunshine on our skin heading to class, nature surrounds us and is always ready to be discovered. Dartmouth’s campus has ample spaces for the enjoyment of nature. Find a quiet place in nature and revisit it many times of year, at different times of day, alone and with others.
   
   
3. Use all of your senses and engage your curiosity in natural settings– Forest bathing, or “shinrin-yoku,” involves immersing yourself fully in a natural environment. This practice can provide many health benefits, including reducing stress and even lead to higher feelings of body appreciation. Find a quiet spot and try these tips for Forest Bathing.
   
   
4. Learn to recognize and manage eco-anxiety– As our relationships with nature deepen, we can experience feelings of grief, guilt, and despair at the recognition of environmental degradation and climate change. Use a mindfulness practice with Headspace to regulate your nervous system. Process feelings in a non-judgmental space by connecting with a counselor or setting up a Wellness Check In.
   
   
5. Take bold action– Mitigate feelings of eco-anxiety by making our voices and opinions known. Take this poll to help generate ideas and energy for student-led intersectional climate action on campus. Looking for other ways to take action on campus? Check out Dartlist or visit the Free Market thrift store (basement of North Mass) instead of buying new. Embrace sustainable bike culture. Volunteer at the O-farm.
   

Spring did eventually arrive. In fact, it was unfolding right before me on that riverbank (even if I was *sigh* wearing a turtleneck). I will never forget the understanding that came when I realized spring was something that I could participate in, rather than waiting for it to happen to me. My time on the riverbank, while only a few minutes long, provided me a sense of surety and renewal I never thought possible from noticing something as simple as the change of seasons. As I fell deeper into appreciating what many outdoor enthusiasts refer to as “shoulder season” or “off-season,” I found myself connected to an unlikely time of year, and with it, this planet and the natural beauty that is all around us every day.

Until next week,

Alleah Schweitzer
Student Wellness Center Wellbeing Program Coordinator