Kindness means caring for others and positively influencing someone else. It also includes taking care of yourself physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. As students it’s extremely important to practice self care to keep our bodies and minds healthy for our busy lives.
TRU is promoting Random Acts of Kindness from February 9th– 23rd. Want a chance to win $100 to Aberdeen Mall ?!
First, take a picture or video of you doing a Random Act of Kindness then, upload it to our TRU Wellness Centre page on Facebook (www.facebook.com/truwellnesscentre) with the hashtag #TRUCARES, or upload it to Twitter or Instagram with the hashtag #TRUCARES. It’s that easy! You’ll be entered in the contest to WIN the $100 gift certificate. Contest closes on Monday, February 23rd, so the countdown is on!
Now…why is it important to care for yourself? By taking care of yourself you will have more energy to focus on your school work, helping improve your studying habits and therefore your grades. Another benefit is that you will feel refreshed, and have greater self-motivation. Self-care means that you respect your body, which includes a good sleep, proper nutrition, exercise, and a positive environment. Good self-care will also have positive emotional benefits. If you feel good about yourself, you’ll likely want to care for others and be a positive influence to those around you.
Here are some easy tips for self care:
- Listen to your body
- If you are feeling overwhelmed, it is ok to say NO to extra requests
- SLEEP, EXERCISE, EAT HEALTHY
- Spend time outside- go get some fresh air!
- Meditate, practice mindfulness
- Treat yourself! – take a hot bath, watch Netflix, relax with a cup of tea
- Talk to a friend or family member to debrief about whatever is causing you stress – sometimes just having someone to talk to helps you work out any problems or worries you might have
Being a student in a community also means giving back! So what are some examples of easy ways to give back?
- Compliment someone
- Introduce yourself to someone new
- Leave a generous tip
- Call a grandparent, parent, or friend to let them know you are thinking about them
- Donate a dollar
- Cook someone dinner
- Tell someone how much you appreciate their friendship
- Be a supportive by listening when someone needs a shoulder…do so without judgment
Give back by volunteering!
With busy lives it is sometimes very hard to make time to volunteer. However studies have shown that the majority of people who volunteer on a regular basis live happier, and healthier lives than those who do not. Some benefits of volunteering include:
- It can be a lot of fun!
- Provides you with career experience
- Teaches you valuable skills about collaboration, organization, conflict resolution, team work, etc.
- Is good for your mind and body
- Increases your self-confidence
- Combats depression
- Helps you stay physically healthy
- It connects you to others
- It is a way to make friends
- Aids in increasing your social & relationship skills
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