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Celebrating Self Compassion This Valentine’s Day

Jaclyn Baker
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Valentine’s Day is all about celebrating love, friendship, and admiration. 

But love can come in many forms. It is not just about romance, but about showing care to those around you. 

Love can be shared between family, friends, peers, and within ourselves. 

With that being said, we encourage you to make room for self-compassion this month (and every month).

Here’s how…

Self Care

Having a spa day and pampering ourselves can be a great way to relax. You can eliminate distractions and refocus your attention on how you feel by treating yourself. 

You can light some scented candles, draw a bath, or read a book you love. 

Reach Out to Loved Ones

Connecting with the people who love us can be a way to give love back to ourselves.

Reminding ourselves of the people who are there for us can reinforce our self-love.

You can take a moment to call an old friend or video chat with a family member who makes you smile. 

Do What You Love

Doing more of the things you love can give you a healthy outfit to explore your interests. You can either participate in activities you know you love or take the opportunity to try something new. 

“To fall in love with yourself is the first secret to happiness.” – Robert Morley.

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Black History Month

Jaclyn Baker
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The month of February is Black History Month, which gives us the opportunity to celebrate the lives and achievements of the black community. 

The origins for this began in 1915 when Carter G. Woodson and Jesse E. Moorland founded the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History (ASNLH). They advocated bringing more African American stories to life. This association still exists today, known as the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH). They continue to educate and inspire communities all over the country. 

To celebrate Black History month, you can get to know the stories and struggles of the Black community throughout history. Learning the actual history and not the white-washed version will also help us all gain a better understanding of the vents in our past as a country as well as recognize systemic racism.  The more we know, the more we can help bring about positive change.

Many noteworthy black figures and black voices have paved the way for change in our world. You can learn more by watching movies, reading books, and educating yourself about history. 

Now is the time to attend virtual events, support black-owned businesses, and donate to charities fighting for anti-racism and equality. 

Events in Oregon for Black History Month

Eugene

  • UO African American Workshop and Lecture Series – “The University of Oregon African American Workshop and Lecture series connects national experts with UO thought leaders and change agents.  It is focused on helping our campus better to understand the most promising practices in this area and utilizing their expertise to institutionalize more effective environments, practices, and policies.”  
  • UO Black History Month: Nuanced Noir  – “Features a wide variety of events and activities engaging the myriad of identities and interests represented in our campus’s Black community. These events include Soul2Soul, an annual networking event at the Lylle Reynolds Parker Black Cultural center, multiple discussions exploring cultural trauma, a pop-up Black Excellence exhibit, a screening focused on Black American Sign Language, screening of “Public Plea,” and discussion around criminal justice reform in regards to Measure 11, and much more.”
  • Peacehealth Stride for Social Justice App  – “A PeaceHealth initiative developed in partnership with the Eugene Marathon – is designed to be a free, inclusive, family-friendly program that will engage and educate participants on the contributions, achievements, and milestones of Black residents of Lane County, and also highlight the injustices many have faced. Together we can stop the cycle of racism, building a more inclusive culture in the Pacific Northwest and beyond. It is only through awareness, understanding, and action that we can truly be part of the solution. And, only by looking back can we move forward.”

Salem (virtual) 

  • Oregon Black Pioneers: Racing to Change Exhibit – A previous museum exhibit that is now available virtually. Visitors of all ages and backgrounds will engage in the examination of the repression and violence against African Americans that made the Civil Rights Movement necessary. The exhibit explores how racist attitudes, policies of exclusion, and the destruction of Black-owned neighborhoods shaped Oregon, as well as the unceasing efforts of the Black community to overcome these obstacles.

Portland

For more resources, visit the links below: 

Black Lives Matter – a global organization in the US, UK, and Canada whose mission is to eradicate white supremacy and build local power to intervene in violence inflicted on Black communities by the state and vigilantes.

Four Black History Month Must-Haves  – It’s not too late to put the best practices into place for honoring Black History Month in February and throughout the year.

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Managing The Winter Blues

Jaclyn Baker
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Do you ever catch yourself feeling blue when the sun sets earlier and the days and nights start to blend?

Even though we can spend time outdoors after work or school in the winter –  we are far less likely if it’s dark and cold outside. 

Spending day after day indoors for long periods of time can lead to what is commonly known as the winter blues.

But it can be managed, and we can flip the script. 

Here’s how!

Take Action

Even when it’s cold outside, we can still incorporate the things we love into our routine. 

Setting aside some time to go on a brisk walk (even if it’s only 10 minutes) can significantly impact your mood. 

If going outside that day isn’t an option, there are several fun indoor activities you can try out as well, such as listening to a motivational podcast or journaling. 

Celebrate Accomplishments

Celebrating all accomplishments (even the smaller ones) can help encourage us to keep going and help break up the day.

When you finish a task – don’t immediately move on to the next one.

Instead, you can set aside some time to feel proud of what you’ve done. 

Doing so can give you more incentive to continue moving forward!

Do Something Special For Yourself 

Every day is a good day to practice self-care and be kind to ourselves. 

Small acts of kindness can go a long way. Especially the kindness we show ourselves. 

Prioritizing what makes us happy can help us cherish every moment.

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Mastering The Art of Motivation

Jaclyn Baker
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Have you ever started a certain project excited and ready to take it on…

But as time went on, you started noticing your motivation dip? 

It happens more often than you may think – especially with larger tasks.

Breaking tasks up into three sections: the begging, middle, and end can help make the overall process much easier.

The Beginning

Motivation comes from within, and it is often easier to get motivated while doing tasks we love. 

Having to do something and wanting to do something are very different things. 

Going into a project with a positive mindset from the very beginning can’t necessarily guarantee a smooth journey. But it will make it much more likely.

Starting a project with a positive attitude and a clear end in mind can help give you the drive to keep going even when it’s hard. 

The Middle

Having a clear goal is the first step. 

The second step is putting it into action. 

Remember, you don’t have to finish everything on your list in one sitting. 

In fact, it’s often ideal not to.

Our brain can only go for so long without a break. 

Progress takes time. If you catch yourself starting to lose motivation at the halfway mark – take a break.

You may need an hour, or you may need a day. Listen to what your body is trying to tell you and respect its limits and the process. 

The End

Not all of us get stuck in the middle of a task.

Some of us thrive during the start and middle but slowly start crashing towards the end.

Even though you’re so close to being done, all you want to do is walk away. 

Staying motivated to finish a project is much easier said than done. 

It isn’t all about willpower.

It’s about understanding your patterns and what makes you tick.

If you are the kind of person who needs regular breaks, take them!

If you are the kind of person who thrives working with music in the background, listen to music.

There isn’t a set-in-stone rule book for staying motivated. If there was, we’d all be following it. 

When in doubt, follow your instincts and trust the process.

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Gentle Yoga Online Class with Amalia (Thursdays at 11am)

Darcy Knight

Amalia_C_Trieger

Amalia Coxe-Trieger

In this class we will take time to settle into ourselves and to release some of the “shoulds” about how our bodies move through the world. Dominant culture pushes narratives on us about how we ought to think, love, look, eat, work, perform, and relate to one another. More and more people are recognizing the harmful impacts of these narratives, which equate our worth as humans with our productivity, and which center whiteness, thinness, ableism and many other damaging “norms”. The truth is that even folks who don’t identify with marginalized identities are impacted negatively by this narrow view of what is acceptable or good enough. The dissonance of these social constructs often shows up in our bodies, as fatigue, anxiety, pain, grief, rage, numbness, confusion, and fear.
In our gentle yoga practices, we create space for the unwinding and dissolving of these unhelpful narratives, as we unwind tension and stress from our bodies. We build strength and stability as we learn to trust our own wisdom, and form our own definitions of enough. We learn to be curious and open to wonder as we relinquish prescribed notions about how to live in our bodies, and the wider world.
This class will feature fewer transitions from the floor to standing, will have options for fully seated/chair-supported practices, and will move at an unhurried pace. Questions and requests are always welcome.

Reflect & Restore Online Yoga Class with Amalia (Fridays at noon)

Darcy Knight

Taught by our very  talented yoga instructor, Amalia Coxe-Trieger.  In her words, this class is informed by yoga philosophy and spiritual inquiry,and features embodied practices to support ease at all levels of being: Mental, physical, and emotional. Yoga has been used for centuries to help us engage with difficult social realities while centering on justice, truth, compassion, and service. In our world of never-ending newsfeeds and ongoing, and emerging global crises, these teachings are as relevant and as useful as ever.
We’ll explore a variety of movement modalities, meditation, and pranayama, (breathing techniques), sometimes with a dash of poetry thrown in! We will practice standing, seated, and on the floor, sometimes with longer holds and more restorative postures, and sometimes flowing from shape to shape. Accessible options and alternatives will usually be offered, though this class may move at a quicker pace than a gentle or beginning practice.
I hope you’ll find this class a welcoming place to cultivate a resilient mind, body and spirit, and to remember that even when life is seriously hard, we don’t always have to take ourselves too seriously!

Register here

International Holocaust Remembrance Day

Jaclyn Baker

By:  Christina Bein, LCSW

“I swore never to be silent whenever and wherever human beings endure suffering and humiliation. We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.” -Elie Wiesel, Holocaust Survivor and author of “Night”.

On January 27, the world remembers the devastation of the Holocaust and how far hate and othering can go. The genocide took 6 million Jewish lives and millions more of other victims stemming from Nazi ideology. 

Today, we can honor the lives lost by learning and remembering this part of history and find ways to support the prevention of future genocides. A step in that direction is as clear as Elie Wiesel’s words, that to be an ally is to be vocal against the suffering and humiliation of others.

To learn more about the International Holocaust Remembrance Day please visit these links for events and articles.

www.ushmm.org/remember/days-of-remembrance/resources

www.un.org/en/outreach-programme-holocaust/page/2022

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Overcoming Procrastination in 2022

Jaclyn Baker
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I don’t know what I should do.

I am afraid I will fail.

I keep getting distracted.

I don’t have what it takes to move forward. 

If any of those thoughts sound familiar, you are not alone. Starting something new can be scary. And when something scares us, we can often procrastinate. 

The limiting beliefs we listed above are feelings. And feelings are not facts. 

Just because something feels true doesn’t mean it is. Remember – limiting beliefs are easy to form. But they are also easy to break. 

Success Breeds Success

Small wins are far from small.

Appreciating and acknowledging previous small wins can give you a newfound confidence boost when you need it the most.

Thinking about previous success stories can help remind you that you are strong and have what it takes to succeed in whatever you want to do. 

The next time you catch yourself feeling afraid to start a new task – don’t dive in headfirst. Instead, do something unrelated that you know you excel in.

Doing so can help get your creative juices flowing and your confidence soaring.

Having No Limits is Limiting

Being faced with too many options can be stressful. 

Having unlimited options in front of us can often lead to feelings of indecisiveness.  

Instead of spending time and energy sorting through dozens of options, pick the one that feels best at that moment.

You can always change your mind later on if need be.

Act The Way You Want to Feel

It’s so easy to tell yourself, “I will go to the gym or apply for that job once I feel motivated.”

When we wait for motivation, we risk it never finding us.  

When we go out and find motivation, we secure it.

We can’t always force ourselves to feel a certain way out of the blue. 

However, we can go out of our way to engage in activities that we know bring us joy, confidence and motivation.

If listening to a certain song makes you feel upbeat and motivated, listen to it more often!

“Action will destroy your procrastination.”  – Og Mandino

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Martin Luther King Jr. Day

Jaclyn Baker
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By: Jen Champion

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. is an inspiration. He acted with compassion and nonviolence towards all people. His actions sought to bring freedom, peace, and equality to our community, country, and world.

Dr. King said, “Nonviolence means avoiding not only external physical violence but also internal violence of spirit. You not only refuse to shoot a man, but you refuse to hate him.”

Deeper in history, around 400 CE, we see this theme in Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras. In this classical yoga text, there are eight limbs of yoga, revealing the importance of having moral discipline and restraints known as Yamas. One of the Yamas is Ahimsa, Sanskrit for nonviolence. We are to cause no injury with our deeds, words, or thoughts. The code advises to be gentle to oneself and all creation and refrain from all forms of violence, including criticism and judgment.

Most of us have visited the cycle of self-doubt and criticism. When we can recognize the behavior, we can begin to change it. It becomes easier to acknowledge our harsh thoughts and create space to ignite compassion, understanding, and forgiveness. We can find the courage to move forward with grace and be a positive force in our lives and communities.

Dr. King said, “In the nonviolent army, there is room for everyone who wants to join up. There is no color distinction. There is no examination, no pledge, except that, as a soldier in the armies of violence is expected to inspect his carbine and keep it clean, are called upon to examine their greatest weapons: their heart, their conscience, their courage, and sense of justice.”

King’s messages are valuable lessons we can uphold today. He emphasized, “You don’t have to see the whole staircase; just take the first step.” This inspiration reminds us that small changes and steps can lead to significant differences. May we all be encouraged to practice Ahimsa with all life and live with a peaceful consciousness steeped in compassion, peace, and equality.

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New Year’s Resolutions – Stages of Change

Jaclyn Baker
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By: Tanya Kramer, LPC

Everyone’s New Year’s resolution journey is unique, and what works for someone else may not work for you.

With that being said, here are a handful of best practices that may be able to help you set resolutions this year.

Image Source

Consider what “Stage of Change” you are at right now. 

Please see the Stages of Change graphic above. 

Once you’ve acknowledged where you are at now, see if you can move a step closer to taking action. 

Then you can decide if you are ready to take action by January 1st. If you are not, that is completely fine – don’t rush it. 

Make a plan before taking action and then decide when you would like to start taking action. 

On the designated date, take action on your resolution. This date doesn’t have to be January 1st if you need more time.

If you slip, hold yourself with grace. What did you learn? Are there additional steps you may need to add to your plan? Take action again.

How Do I Make a Plan Before Taking “Action”?

While creating your plan, you’ll want to think about the current patterns and behaviours you would like to change.

You will also want to see if anything needs to be addressed before getting started. 

If you are a visual learner, it can be helpful to draw yourself a map.

Brainstorm any barriers that might impact your success and then come up with possible solutions. 

Example – Quitting Smoking

 

In the example above – the individual realized that they tend to smoke while studying, in the morning, when they are bored, and during social events. 

Quitting smoking or any habit for that matter can’t be achieved overnight, and there may be some setbacks along the way.

Now, setbacks are all part of the process. Even if your journey doesn’t turn out as planned or takes a bit longer than anticipated, don’t give up!

You can achieve anything you set your mind to!

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Dry January

Jaclyn Baker
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After the rush of the holidays, some want a change from the sweet drinks and the bubbly. You do not need to have a problem with alcohol to be able to gain benefits from taking a break from it.

This is where Dry January comes in. It’s a time where many people choose to avoid alcohol for the entirety of the month. 

For some, they believe it is a chance for them to start the year off fresh. Others might like to try something different.  And it is a chance for anyone to make a positive impact on their health. 

Here are some ways drinking less alcohol can be beneficial for our overall well being:

  • When we drink alcohol it can decrease our restorative REM sleep. Giving it up for a month may improve our sleep and give us more energy. 
  • We can boost our moods with less alcohol as excessive alcohol consumption has been shown to impact the chemistry of the brain by decreasing the brain chemicals that are linked to energy levels and good mood. 
  • It can also affect our long-term health. Cutting out alcohol can lower our blood sugar, reduce cholesterol, and decrease headaches or heartburn. 
  • Cutting back can also improve the skin’s appearance as alcohol causes dehydration of your skin as well as puffiness and acne.
  • Decreasing alcohol use can help us maintain a healthy weight. Alcohol is empty calories on top of gaining VIP status in your body’s processing of calories for energy.  So it jumps the line ahead of other food items that may offer more nutritional benefits.

Cutting back can also help us save more money. We may not even be aware of how much it costs to purchase drinks but it can add up. With Dry January, we can give our wallets and our bodies a healthy break.

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Celebrating Louis Braille on His Birthday

Jaclyn Baker
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When we think about the past, we can honor those whose inventions have impacted the world we know today. One of those people is Louis Braille. As we approach January 4th, the birthday of Louis Braille, we can remember all that he did for those who are visually impaired.

He was a French educator and inventor of the reading and writing system known as Braille, which is used worldwide today to help those with limited vision. Louis himself lost vision in both of his eyes and developed a system of tactile code that could allow others to write and read. 

Now, the Braille system is still used in many different languages to aid those in their everyday lives. He paved the way for communication and equality with this system. 

With braille, he made sure that each letter had its own dots that could be recognized with the touch of a finger. Since its development, it’s completely changed the way we use language. 

We now have access to Braille on magazines, in books, on bathroom signs, bus stops, and elevator panels, to name a few. There even continues to be technological advances with braille as it becomes even more widespread. 

It’s important to look back and acknowledge all of the wonderful things that have allowed our society to become more accessible and equal to everyone.

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