WBI Weekly Digest
Mindfulness
a mental state achieved by focusing one's awareness on the present moment,
while calmly acknowledging and accepting one's feelings, thoughts, and
bodily sensations, used as a therapeutic technique.
Events!
WBI Weekly Walks/Hikes: Sunday, November 21st , 10 AM. Minnehaha Falls,
4901 Minnehaha Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55417
-Contact JiJi Mielke for more info (214) 793-5456.
WBI Wake Up Wednesday: Wednesday, November 24th, 8 AM. Mondale, N20
-Contact Alex Jones for more info (330) 442-1832
City Runs: November 25: St. Paul Turkey Trot 5K
-
November 25: Lake Harriet Drumstick Dash 5K
-
November 27: MPLS Moustache Run 10K
Challenge of the Week: End your day by listing three things that went right
today. It can be as simple as “I brushed my teeth twice today”.
Mindfulness
Being mindful is being aware of what we are, what we’re doing, and not
overreacting to what is happening.
Mindfulness is not just a state of mind but a practice. This practice takes
many forms such as meditation, walking, and listening to others, but the
most important part is being in the moment. Observe the moment as it is,
let your judgments roll by, and be kind to your wandering mind.
Any part of the day is a great time to be mindful. Wake up and start your
day with a good intention. Refocus and re-energize in the middle of your
day, and unwind at the end of your night.
Try with this meditation to start: 10-Minute Meditation to Reframe Stress
<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sG7DBA-mgFY>
Little Ways to Help Yourself
This time of year is stressful! It admittedly feels like we have no time to
take care of ourselves. However, there are little things we can do that can
improve our well-being in the moments we need it most. One of those things
is… eating chocolate?!
Mental Health America compiled a list of 31 ways to boost your mental
health! <https://www.mhanational.org/31-tips-boost-your-mental-health>
While we understand these tips are not a replacement for therapy and other
mental health treatments, they are quick and simple ways to take care of
yourself when you feel like there is not enough time in the day.
WBI Wants to Help You Prepare for Finals
WBI has an outline bank
<https://sites.google.com/umn.edu/wbi/resources/academic-resources/outlines>!
It is open for everyone to use and contribute to. As you prepare for
finals, we hope that this resource will provide some help and alleviate a
bit of stress. If you have outlines you would like to contribute, please
email them to us at [log in to unmask]
Student Well-Being Survey
As some of you may know, the Law School Survey of Student Engagement
recently released a report detailing the difficulties associated with
attending law school, particularly amid COVID-19. In it, 85 percent of
students reported suffering depression deep enough to interfere with daily
functioning. Here at Mondale, the Well-Being Initiative (WBI) works to
combat these challenges by measuring and improving well-being in our law
school community.
We would greatly appreciate you taking the time to assist by filling out
this survey
<https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdSGOpgAbr_KOwlgvf5pqu8OSrFXKTnFX96gxuLtoxXce1Leg/viewform>.
The survey was created to gather data on our community and identify areas
for improvement. It is anonymous and should take 5-10 minutes to complete.
All respondents who complete it before November 24 will be eligible to win
a falafel party for them and five friends!
You can learn more about WBI at z.umn.edu/WBI. If you have any questions or
concerns, please email [log in to unmask]
Advice Column
This week I would like to write about partner relationships and law school.
I have been engaged to a lovely man for a couple of years now who proposed
to me with a kitten in a rose garden. He is my life partner. I love him
very much. Yet, the stress of law school and the responsibilities that come
with it have been new obstacles for us. This topic has been brought up to
me multiple times because it is tied so closely with well-being. Our
relationships with others help tether us to the world and help us cope with
the tough times in life, including law school.
Brené Brown, Ph.D., MSW <https://brenebrown.com/topics/relationships/>
Anything Brené Brown writes, I will read. She is a
researcher-storyteller who aims to create a revolution of whole-hearted
people by researching and giving language to the topics of shame and
vulnerability. If you have not seen her TED Talk
<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCvmsMzlF7o>, I would highly recommend it.
In her book Braving the Wilderness
<https://brenebrown.com/book/braving-the-wilderness/>, she tells a story
about how after her and her husband got into a disagreement, she started to
use the phrase, “The story I am telling myself” instead of blaming or
judging herself. It is a new way to approach our feelings of shame and
vulnerability, especially in relation to partner conflict. For me, this
phrase helps my communication with my partner when I am stressed or in an
anxious panic. It may be worth a try, potentially even just to yourself.
5 Love Languages <https://www.5lovelanguages.com/quizzes/>
Another resource that has helped my partner and I was the Love
Language quiz. Exactly a year ago, we each took the quiz (I know it was a
year ago because I emailed it to myself and pulled it up for this article).
I know that my partner’s top love language is “Quality Time” while mine is
“Acts of Service,” but we both scored the same for our second with “Words
of Affirmation.” Knowing this is only part of the battle, the bigger part
is doing something with the data. He works an opposite shift than I do, so
he is sleeping when I wake up and I am sleeping when he gets home from
work. But we get the weekends together. We plan date nights/days every
weekend to have quality time together; he goes above and beyond when doing
errands or cleaning to help me out when I am stressed. And even though our
“Words of Affirmation” are mainly just memes now, it’s nice to be thought
of.
Law school is hard. It’s even harder to do alone or with
relationship drama. I invite you to take the Love Languages Quiz with your
partner and open a conversation about how you can be more purposeful in the
ways you interact with one another. Or maybe just send your loved one more
memes.
Sierra Grandy is a 1L with a passion for mental health and psychology. She
likes to research productivity and positive psychology tricks in the very
little free time she has. She is honored to bring that research to you.
Please fill out this Google Form
<https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfAqNgKEby8bdtoGJcXV6fRwYDX51qRnYgyxJEhcTgovMeKCw/viewform>
or email [log in to unmask] if you seek advice,* resources, expanded
explanations, or have a comment/question. Law school is tough. You are not
alone. (*not legal or medical advice)
Any questions, concerns, or topics that you’d like some advice on, feel
free to submit them here
<https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfAqNgKEby8bdtoGJcXV6fRwYDX51qRnYgyxJEhcTgovMeKCw/viewform>!
You’ll get real advice, and maybe some memes for your situation.
Resources
WBI has created a Resources Page on our website
<https://sites.google.com/umn.edu/wbi/resources> where law students can
always go to find support.
UMN Law Well-Being Initiative
[log in to unmask]
READ MORE ON OUR WEBSITE <https://sites.google.com/umn.edu/wbi/home>
<https://www.facebook.com/umnWBI/?ref=page_internal>
<https://www.instagram.com/petsofmondale/>
<https://open.spotify.com/user/aw9l8e839jqj0qt6zyqvyjo3v?si=mJCQMIuUR1SqXZAyPwtChQ>Current
Contacts
Annika Cushnyr - [log in to unmask]
Emily Moss - [log in to unmask]
Sarani Millican - [log in to unmask]
Alex Jones - [log in to unmask]
Ali Casey - [log in to unmask]
Luke Srodulski - [log in to unmask]
########################################################################
To unsubscribe from the WBI-NEWSLETTER list, click the following link:
https://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=WBI-NEWSLETTER&A=1
########################################################################