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Gratitude, Grit and Grace Challenge
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It goes without saying that the past year or so has been a difficult one for our community. Thus, our theme for 2023 has been named “The Year of Gratitude”.
Expressing gratitude has been shown to have a multitude of positive benefits, both psychologically and physically. Studies have shown that practicing gratitude can increase happiness levels by about 25%, greater optimism for the future, and increased levels of contentment, satisfaction, and overall wellbeing with one’s life[1]. Some physical benefits include increased amounts of sleep as well as sleep quality[2], decreased pain, and increased immunity[3].
This challenge is designed to lead you through your own journey of gratitude. Each week includes articles, videos, programming and other resources that focus on different dimensions of wellness. There will also be weekly prizes, so make sure to keep an eye out for our weekly emails and participate in the week’s programming if you can! This challenge begins Monday, March 6th, 2023, and runs for 6 weeks.
[1] Alspach, G. (2009). Extending the Tradition of Giving Thanks Recognizing the Health Benefits of Gratitude. Critical Care Nurse, 29(6), 12–17. https://doi.org/10.4037/ccn2009331
[2] Emmons, R. A., & McCullough, M. E. (2003). Counting Blessings Versus Burdens: An Experimental Investigation of Gratitude and Subjective Well-Being in Daily Life. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 84(2), 377–389. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.84.2.377
[3] Brydon, L., Walker, C., Wawrzyniak, A. J., Chart, H., & Steptoe, A. (2009). Dispositional optimism and stress-induced changes in immunity and negative mood. Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, 23(6), 810–816. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbi.2009.02.018
This is a six-week challenge which runs from March 6, 2023, until April 16, 2023.
Weekly Dimension of Wellness
Environmental wellness refers to your sense of safety, comfort and connection with nature and your personal surroundings. These recent weather events have caused increased stress levels when thinking about the environment and lead us to spend a lot of time in our homes. While at first this can seem negative, this weather lends a great opportunity to improve our home environment and plan for ways to get outside when the warm weather returns. Below, we have compiled articles and resources to help improve your surroundings and strengthen your connection with your community and environment.
Resources:
Social wellness focuses on your relationships with others and your community. That’s why it is so important to build and maintain healthy relationships with friends, family and with your community. Studies have shown that expressing gratitude can help to develop and create these relationships. Below we have linked some articles and resources on how to show gratitude and improve your social wellness.
Resources:
This week focuses on occupational wellness which has a close connection to intellectual and financial wellness. Your job and career are very important aspects of your life and can be the source of a lot of stress as you try to navigate your work and home life. Take some time to read and watch the resources we have included below to think more positively about your work.
Resources:
Emotional wellness focuses on handling and adapting to life’s stressors. With everything that has occurred over the past few years, this is one of the most talked about dimensions of wellness. Below, we have provided articles, studies and talks about how gratitude can improve your well-being and how to show gratitude to everything in your life.
Resources:
Nutritional wellness is generally one aspect of physical wellness. Food is central to our lives. For many people, it can also be a source of stress. Mindful eating is an eating practice that has been shown to improve your relationship with food by focusing on the feeling of the food and your body. It also involves showing gratitude for your food and being appreciative for the food you eat. Below are articles and a podcast on what mindful eating is, how it works, and how to start incorporating this into your life.
Resources:
Physical wellness is one of the first things that comes to mind when the subject of wellness is discussed. Complex aspects, such as nutrition, physical health, disease and sleep are all a part of this dimension. Gratitude has been shown to improve many of these aspects of physical wellness, with improved sleep, exercise and immune response. Below are articles, studies and videos expanding on these aspects of physical wellness.
Resources:
Challenge Schedule
Week | Dates | Dimension of Wellness |
|---|---|---|
1 | 3/6 - 3/12 | Environmental |
2 | 3/13 - 3/19 | Social |
| 3 | 3/20 – 3/26 | Occupational |
4 | 3/27 – 4/2 | Emotional |
5 | 4/3 – 4/9 | Nutritional |
6 | 4/10 – 4/16 | Physical |
Related Programs
| Date | Time | Program | Register |
|---|---|---|---|
Tuesday, March 7, 2023 | 12:00 pm | Gardening Workshop | |
Thursday, March 16, 2023 | 10:00 am | Mini Mental Break: Social Media | |
Thursday, March 23, 2023 | 12:00 pm | Get Engaged and Avoid Burnout at Work | |
Thursday, March 30, 2023 | 12:00 pm | Mindfulness Presentation | |
Thursday, April 6, 2023 | 12:00 pm | Staying Healthy In Your Busy Day | |
Thursday, April 13, 2023 | 10:00 am | Chair Yoga |
For program descriptions and complete list of programming, visit our Workshops page.
Intended Audience
UB faculty and staff
Fee
Free
Contact for Questions
Michele Poitras
Wellness and Work Life Balance
Peter Logiudice
Wellness and Work Life Balance