Self-Care
By: The Center for Cura Personalis
Self-care is a phrase we hear all the time, but what does it really mean? In the Center for Cura Personalis, we like to talk about self-care with your student in two ways:
First, self-care means being intentional about creating time and space to recharge and re-invigorate yourself. Ideally, self-care is not finding small moments to try and “catch up” when your tank is completely and desperately empty, but rather a lifestyle of healthy habits that keep your tank full. You can help your student develop these healthy habits in many ways – we’ve included some examples below:
Create a healthy routine – Small steps are valuable and a morning routine that both promotes a sense of calm and fosters a positive outlook helps begin each day in a healthy place. Encourage your Zag to wake up and go to bed at regular times each day and focus on getting enough sleep.
Stay active – Physical movement has both physiological and psychological benefits. Encourage your student to enroll in a yoga course or take a walk around campus with friends.
Healthy eating – It’s no surprise that we generally feel better when we eat healthy foods and there is growing literature linking mood and food choice. Encourage your student to try exploring new foods both on and off campus.
Connect with nature – Spokane is surrounded by nature and we shouldn’t underestimate the calming effect that fresh air can have on our minds and bodies. Encourage your Zag to sign up for a hike with GU Outdoors or take a drive to the top of Mt. Spokane and enjoy the view of the city below.
Be in community with others – Social support is one of the strongest predictors of resiliency in students, and helping others has been shown to boost mood and help us move away from feeling “trapped” in our heads. Encourage your Zag to grab a friend or two and sign up for a weekend service event through the Center for Community Engagement in Hemmingson.
Second, self-care means making sure that you are healthy enough to care for others in true Zags Help Zags fashion. At Gonzaga, our students often pride themselves on the level of care and community that is present on our campus and it is important to them that they continue that tradition of care for their fellow Zag. But, as we tell our students, “you cannot pour from an empty cup.” In other words, as much as your student may want to help out a fellow Zag who is struggling, they can’t effectively help someone else if they aren’t healthy themselves.
The Center for Cura Personalis believes strongly in the power of self-care, so we have designated February as Self-Care month on our campus. There will be a wide variety of programs and education happening that you can encourage your student to pursue, including some very special events!
Zags Help Zags Get Support: Throughout the month, there will be trainings on how your Zag can support their peers, and themselves, through struggles with mental health. Students are invited to join us for a one-hour express training to learn the basics of helping a friend struggling with mental health. Participants will leave with tangible skills to feel empowered to take action to help a friend! This is just one of the many ways Zags Help Zags and are great bystanders. Dates and times are available on Zagtivities, and RSVP is preferred through Zagtivities.
February 5-9: DONUT be afraid to C.A.R.E: students can find the CCP in Hemmingson giving out free doughnuts to Zags who share how they embody the “Zags Help Zags” mentality.
February 12-14: Your Zag can show someone they care by sending a Valentine’s Day consent gram!
February 16: We are offering a free lunch in the COG to learn more about self-care from professor Emily Clark.
February 23: Encourage your Zag to attend a panel all about embracing failure. Faculty and staff will share their experiences with failure over pizza dinner.
February 25: The incredible student-led Zags Help Zags Summit around bystander intervention.
In addition, every week we offer programming focusing on empowering your student to be their best self. Be sure to follow our social media, @gonzagaCCP, for more information on our recurring and upcoming events!