91福利社

For Day 1 of our 19 days to wellness & well-being, we focus on Building Your Community. 

We have many facets to our life, work, relationships and health. There will be times when a community can provide tremendous benefits, social change, and learning opportunities.  

Community is no longer proximity-based; not limited to neighbors, race, ability, religion, or even being in-person. Finding your perfect community can be as easy as 1, 2, 3.  Here’s how:  

First, identify a category of interest, based on the six pillars of wellness & well-being; second, determine a subcategory of interest; third, know how you want to contribute.  Example:  

• You want to improve your social connection, specifically with parents of children the same age as yours, and you are able to contribute to group functions; or  
• You want to improve financial well-being, specifically with those actively looking to retire early and you can contribute through coaching and motivation to others.    

Using the category, subcategory, and engagement method, jot down a few areas of interest or communities you could benefit from joining, then seek them out, join and participate!  

Wellness & Well-Being categories  

• Physical Wellness  
• Emotional Well-Being  
• Purpose or Career  
• Social Well-Being  
• Financial Well-Being  
• Community Well-Being  

Now that you have pinpointed your interests, below are a few sites to get you started in your search for a community based on hobby, interest, or trying something new. 

• Community based involvement at 91福利社 if you wish to contribute your skills 

Once you have found a new community, it is important to feel valued and connected to the group and its people. This may take time or you may need to pivot to a similar group. Summer in Michigan is the perfect time to connect with a new community, why not start today!

Movement is remarkable. Beyond the physical effort it takes your brain and body to function, movement has the ability to preserve traditions, show expression, and convey emotion.

People all over the world have used dance and physical movement to strengthen and unify their communities while at the same time receiving immense physical and mental benefits.

Being actively aware of the connection to your body can be incredibly profound. Self-expression has no physical limitations, as shown in this incredible .

When learning a new dance style or simply watching, it’s best to understand the culture and style behind the dance to fully engage.  A great example is this page on the .

Now are you ready to learn a few new steps?

If you have mastered those moves, why not take the time this weekend to dance like no one is watching? Motown Museum is offering a on Detroit ballroom on Saturday, June 3, from noon to 4 p.m.

Thoughtful movement can give you a sense of agency, gratitude, and appreciation for your entire body, and in the words of renowned Dancer and Choreographer, Martha Graham:

Dance is the hidden language of the soul, a powerful form of self-expression that transcends words. In every leap, twirl, and gesture, we communicate our deepest emotions, aspirations, and stories to the world.

Wishing you a wonderful weekend,

Day 3 of our 19 days of wellness & well-being celebrates Audiobook Appreciation Month.

Audiobooks have the ability to bring words to life and ignite the imagination. This not only enhances storytelling, but is a necessary part of daily life for many individuals. The  offers assistive technology resources along with audio materials for books and magazines.   

Before you head out for vacation or your daily commute, be sure to check out 91福利社's . The list has something for every mood, whether reading or listening! 

Day 4 of our 19 days of wellness & well-being combines physical wellness with community and social well-being by volunteering to Keep America Beautiful!

Register today to participate in a national event next Sunday, June 11 from 9:00 - 11:00 am to clean up litter at a location near you. If you aren't available June 11, you can still take part by volunteering to be notified of cleanup events in your area.

The  website also offers beautification opportunities such as "Retreet", a campaign aimed at planting trees in dedicated locations, and river and waterway cleanup. The website allows for several areas of volunteering.

Whether you sign-up for an event or simply pick up litter and debris when you see it; those efforts make a measurable difference and set a great example. As the old English proverb states, Many hands make light work.

Day 5 of our 19 days of wellness & well-being focuses on strengthening your Financial Well-Being.

One of the most overlooked areas of increasing your financial well-being is to fully utilize the benefits you receive and the services you are paying for.

Subscriptions and auto-renew make life convenient but that convenience comes at a price (a monthly price). This week, take time to evaluate the benefits and services you are not fully utilizing and are ready to disconnect from. Here's how:

• Visit the Human Resources Benefits Page for tuition remission details, employee discounts, and attend an in-person or virtual open enrollment session to make an informed decision on benefit elections. 
• Use a service like  to find and remove subscriptions you no longer use and forgot to cancel.
• Make it easy to access your money by banking on campus or with an  account. 
• Review any "set it and forget it" elections on your retirement accounts, life insurance and long-term finances.
• Track and categorize your spending through your bank or with a service such as . 
• Investigate the services you are keeping, such as AAA, Amazon Prime, Peloton, Adobe, Costco, Sam's Club and see what free or discounted benefits you have not been using. 

Finally, now that you have a full understanding of what you are paying for, build that financial muscle by evaluating your purchases to see if you truly need it; if so, is there a discount to be used.  

On Day 6 of our 19 days of wellness & well-being, we applaud National Higher Education Day.

Yes, we applaud this day to recognize the benefits of higher education.

In addition to career-boosting benefits, done by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services have shown profound benefits to health and well-being for those who have pursued education beyond high school.

Studies show that individuals with post-high school education are at a reduced risk for premature death. Additionally, college graduates have better self-reported health than high school graduates, and individuals with post-high school education are less likely to report conditions such as heart disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes, and more likely to take part in regular exercise, drink less alcohol, and seek preventive health care when needed.

No matter the age of someone pursuing higher education, the benefits of challenging assumptions, collaborating with others, and building a community of peers are immeasurable.

Thankfully, our brains are not “fixed”. What you may view as difficult and arduous is actually helping you to establish new connections and strengthen neural pathways. This article on by professor of Psychology at Stanford University, Carol Dweck, expands on the importance of a growth mindset individually and within an organization. Whether you are a graduate of higher education or a graduate of hard knocks, embracing growth can be a priceless lesson.

In the words of Anton Chekhov: Wisdom comes not from age, but from education and learning.

On Day 7 of our 19 days of wellness & well-being, we help to Design your Own Self-Care. 

Have you ever thought about how you can best support your healthiest self and your goals?  YOU are the best one for the job of planning your support needs, and sometimes that job gets put on hold.

Self-care is often loosely defined as treating ourselves on occasion, doing yoga or meditation, or journaling in our spare time. It can mistakenly be thought of as a female need, rather than a dedicated care-technique that each of us, regardless of income or gender, can benefit from creating.   

Here are a few examples of self-care activities to help restore your well-being: 

• Setting boundaries with yourself and others;
• Intentionally exploring what your own personal goals are;
• Identifying ways to reduce unhealthy behaviors that don’t benefit you;
• Recognizing destructive or limiting talk, whether internal or with others;
• Eating and moving for health and longevity; and
• Making dedicated time and space to think and process your thoughts and emotions. 

Now ask yourself: 

• What could get in the way of me consistently caring for myself in the ways I want?
• If I can’t remove the barriers to me practicing self-care, how can I adjust to still make myself a priority?
• In what ways can I begin to incorporate the goals I have for self-care?

Now, start to document your own self-care goals that don’t rely on the actions of another person or involve the care of others, such as children with mental health challenges, parents or loved ones with physical or mental health challenges, or financial limitations.

Focusing on your own improvement and recognizing your needs of support is not weak or selfish.  Instead, it is one of the highest forms of love you can give. Check out some of the amazing virtual and in-person  

On Day 8 of our 19 days of wellness & well-being, we are not stressed out about being Stressed.     

He is so stressed, she is so stressed, we all are just so stressed! Is that a bad thing? 

Stress will remain present in our lives every day, but what one-person views as an extremely distressing event, another may view as only a minor inconvenience.

You have an incredible mind-body connection with a built-in response system that scans the environment for threats. However, your body and mind may perceive a threat rather than a short-term problem or minor issue of everyday life. 

Each person views stress-related events through the lens of previous, positive or negative experiences and challenges. Often these challenges occurred, or began in childhood, so it is difficult to apply a one-size-fits-all solution to reducing harmful stress. 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has outlined methods to reduce that can carry long-term and disruptive effects throughout an individual’s life. Childhood trauma is just one area that could exaggerate your stress response. 

Each person has a unique tolerance for adversity; therefore, a traumatic or negative event could have been food insecurity, moving homes, abuse, living with a family member with a mental health challenge, or substance abuse, as a few examples.

Below are some common reactions to perceived threats. Which one’s do you employ during stressful events? What kind of physical or mental effects happen during stress?

• Fight: facing any perceived threat aggressively;
• Flight: running away from danger;
• Freeze: unable to move or act against a threat;
• Fawn: immediately acting to try to please others to avoid conflict; or
• Connect: slowing down to evaluate a problem, connecting with yourself or others.

In the article titled , Olivia Guy Evans describes our physiological effects of these threats, how we can recognize these occurrences, and ways to correct or cope to stressors.

Building awareness of stressors so they are less likely to negatively affect you can be done through increasing skills for coping and managing stress. Physical activity, social connection, and relaxation techniques can be healthy ways to cope with stress and produce significant improvements in conditions exacerbated by stress, such as anxiety and depression.  

Today, evaluate your areas of stress and determine what stress is motivating and what stress you need to address and cope with in a more-healthy manner. Then, learn ways to through connection. 

For further information on the effects of major stress-related events in your life, the article in the journal Nature, describes the amazing capabilities of our brain and body to heal from adverse events.

On Day 9 of our 19 days of wellness & well-being, we explore how to Hold Space.      

The act of “holding space” is generally accepted to mean that you are creating a safe and supportive environment for someone to express thoughts or emotions, freely and without judgment. Holding space for yourself and your own inner dialogue is a great place to start practicing. 

When we hold space for ourselves, we approach our inner dialogue, perceptions of our interactions with others, and our review of past experiences, with a matter-of-fact and kind voice. This does not mean we dismiss accountability. Instead, the process is used to work toward full un