How do you practice self-care?
Take a moment to relax and breathe. The last three weeks have been a whirlwind of education and action, so it’s normal to feel a bit overwhelmed. However, to care for the planet, you must first care for yourself. The world needs a healthy and balanced you, now and for the long haul — with the robust energy and stamina to be an effective and enduring changemaker. In moments of personal, academic or social stress, wellness may feel like a low priority. It never is. With a toolbox of techniques and commitment to prioritizing health, you can actually accomplish a lot more, while also feeling your best.
Today, we invite you to sustain yourself! Take another deep breath, clear your mind, and celebrate your extraordinary accomplishments thus far in Project Green Challenge and in life. With that, let’s get started on your daily dose of wellness.
Here are ten simple ways you can choose health and well-being in daily life.
Eat well. You are what you eat, and eating healthy foods can keep you energized, sharp, and yourself! Fruits, vegetables, proteins, and good fats can all help your mental and physical health. Use the Seasonal Food Guide to find what’s in season where you live. Remember that snacks or even the occasional “junk food” can work wonders! Eat what makes you happy; no food is good or bad, as long as you’re maintaining balance and considering your body’s needs.
“As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands, one for helping yourself, the other for helping others.”
— Maya Angelou, memoirist, poet, and civil rights activist
Exercise. It’s important to schedule time to move your body, especially after sitting for extended periods in class or studying. Find a way to stay active that you enjoy — anything from yoga to football to hiking and more! Exercise has immense physiological and mental benefits, including reduced risk of chronic disease, increased productivity, and improved mood. Even a walk around the neighborhood or opting for the stairs instead of the elevator can yield positive impacts. If those don’t work for your body, try to find something that you can do to feel strong and alive!
Disconnect from electronics. As a student, you undoubtedly spend a lot of time on electronics, so give your eyes and mind a rest from digital stimulation. To reduce strain, try turning on the blue filter on devices or wearing blue light glasses. Find leisure activities that don’t involve a screen; even being off for just 30 minutes before bedtime can help you sleep better.
Sleep. Prioritize quality sleep, even when an all-nighter seems like the only option to accomplish everything on your agenda. Sleep helps you retain information, perform better, maintain a healthy metabolism, and strengthen your immune system. For optimal sleep, have a consistent sleep schedule and calming nighttime routine, but don’t be afraid to take a nap when you need it! Most importantly, listen to your body; it knows what it needs.
Study smart. Eliminate distractions when studying. Turning off your phone when hitting the books means you’ll be more productive, leaving extra free time to spend however you’d like. Try the Pomodoro method as a productivity tool or the Forest app, where you can plant trees while staying away from your phone!
Follow your bliss. Have fun! Carve out time to do things that bring you joy and help you relax. Whether that means going for a walk, talking with a friend or family member, painting, tidying up, or reading a good book. Make conscious time to do what feeds your soul.
Practice mindfulness. Being fully present and aware of the world around you has proven to help manage stress, increase memory and attention, and even boost immune systems! = Check out the different types of meditation here, and read this article to see how you can incorporate mindfulness into everyday activities.
Practice gratitude. Be thankful and show appreciation for your life and those around you. Similar to mindfulness, gratitude has been shown to increase happiness, lower blood pressure, improve sleep patterns, and even prolong life. Check out this 2-minute video on the science of gratitude and how to integrate it into your life.
Explore holistic alternatives. Holistic medicine helps people regain balance in life by considering the whole person: body, mind, spirit, and emotions. Consider natural remedies and preventive self-care. Avoid self-medicating lethargy or inattentiveness with chemicals like caffeine or nicotine, and instead focus on considering your body’s physiological and psychological needs. Holistic treatments do not work for everything, but many of these techniques have been practiced for centuries due to their effectiveness. Learn more about safe ingredients here.
Reconnect with the planet. Immerse yourself in nature! Find a natural space — whether it’s your backyard, a nearby trail, or a community green space — where you can sit and engage all senses. Spending just 2 hours weekly in nature has proven positive results both physically and mentally.
Our partners for today’s challenge are united by the mission of looking after wellness through responsible practices. Acure provides healthy and sustainable skin care and hygiene products that champion care for our bodies and for ecosystems worldwide. Women’s Voices for the Earth works to eliminate toxins from our bodies and the environment. MADE SAFE is the first third-party certified non-toxic seal for daily use products. Here’s to coming together to prioritize wellness!
Life is stressful and PGC is surely adding to your workload this month, but we want you to always always remember that you are important and deserve to rest. Taking time for yourself to breathe and destress will help you far more than burning yourself out. So join us and together let’s learn how to take a load off.
Healthy habits don’t just become a part of your life overnight. Project Green Challenge is a month-long process for a reason! No one has ever created or broken a habit instantly. It takes conscious thought, attention, and repetition over time, so let’s focus our energies on wellness practices to make them an enduring part of our daily life. During PGC, we’ve asked you to go outside, explore, get in touch with nature, listen, set intentions, and reflect, all of which connect us to ourselves and our surroundings in meaningful ways. But how do we make those types of practices second nature, and thereby improve our long-term health, concentration, and happiness?
Picture positive habits in your life. And, while you are thinking; sit comfortably inside or out, with your phone off (or on airplane mode to take away any distractions) and a notebook or upcycled paper and pen in hand.
First, define wellness in your own terms. What is your definition?
Next, write down at least three habits or activities that foster wellness and bring you joy. Then, write three habits or go-to behaviors that you would like to change or let go of to be a healthier version of yourself physically and mentally.
Create a visual depiction, doodle, or word cloud with as many positive habits that support WELLNESS as you can think of. Take inspiration from the above introduction or any place of your choice. Post it on Instagram with a brief caption of what wellness means to you, tagging @TurningGreenOrg in the image and caption, plus #PGC2023.
Upload your results, responses and visual in a PDF document including a screenshot of your social post. Include your name (or team name), username, and school on your upload.
Submission Guidelines
Showing appreciation for life and those around us is one of the simplest ways to improve well-being, yet few of us make gratitude a daily practice. It’s never too late to start being grateful or put that emotion into higher gear.
Start by watching An Experiment in Gratitude: The Science of Happiness.
After taking a moment to reflect on this video, think of a person for whom you are grateful. Write a letter to this person detailing why you are grateful. Include at least 5 ways they have positively contributed to and impacted your life. Make it personal, intentional and genuine.
After you have written your letter, read it to that person (if possible), whether face-to-face, by phone or video call, or even send it by snail mail. Take note of their reaction and how it made both of you feel.
Share your letter and write a short reflection on this experience.
We will post winning submissions, unless you prefer to keep it private. If so, simply let us know and it will stay between you and our team. If you feel comfortable, post it on Instagram. We would love to have your words inspire gratitude practices far and wide. Tag @TurningGreenOrg and use #PGC2023, as always thank you!
Upload your responses in a PDF document including a screenshot of your social post. Include your name (or team name), username, and school on your upload to be eligible to win.
Submission Guidelines
The benefits of mindfulness are widely known, promoted by health professionals, celebrities, self-help gurus, students, and many more. While it may seem complex, mindfulness is simply practicing the art of creating space to think, to breathe, to recognize connections between ourselves, others and our surroundings. Mindfulness is a mental and spiritual practice, but having a dedicated physical space to support the process can aid in the attainment of mindfulness. Read about the 7 Principles of Mindfulness here. We hope that heightened self-awareness will prompt you to think about and further craft a vision of how you will find peace in yourself and work to effect change in your community and for our planet.
Envision a self-care sanctuary for practicing mindfulness, self-connection and relaxation. Be creative and dream about how you will create your own sanctuary. And, remember to prioritize sustainability, health, and joyfulness with your key learnings from the past 20 days.
Share a picture of your sanctuary on Instagram with a caption about why self-care matters and your experience in creating space for mindfulness. Tag @TurningGreenOrg as well as #PGC2023.
Upload your responses in a PDF document including a screenshot of your social post. Include your name (or team name), username, and school on your upload to be eligible to win.
Submission Guidelines
Up to 10 Greener and 10 Greenest outstanding submissions will be selected as winners.
Each Greener Winner will receive:
Each Greenest Winner will receive:
