Some ways to encourage spiritual wellness

1. Explore your spiritual core - ask yourself "Why am I here," "What is my purpose", etc.

2. Meditate and spend time alone to focus on the present to help achieve inner peace.

3. Search, be curious, and ask questions. Check out all the options before you shut something out.

4. Be receptive to pain, allow yourself to fully feel the pain and then reflect on what it's teaching you.

5. Take action and "do" rather than just reading or learning.

6. Ask yourself what the consequences of a choice will be and what the choice will bring. If it brings happiness or fulfillment, go for it. If there is discomfort, pause and re-evaluate.

7. See life as it should be. Take responsibility and learn from your experiences.

8. Allow yourself and others to be who they are. Give others freedom. Solutions can come out of problems.

9. Play and enjoy music, dance, and art as part of spirituality.

10. Look for deeper meanings and themes in life events.

11. Take breathing breaks. Stop, close your eyes, then do at least 7 deep, slow breaths.

How to improve your spiritual wellness

Spiritual wellness is:

A personal matter
Values and beliefs that provide a purpose
Sense of harmony
Balancing inner needs with the world
Having a value system

Signs of good spiritual wellness:

Clear sense of right and wrong and act appropriately
Comfortable with involvement/non-involvement with religious community
Comfortable talking about spirituality
Can explain why you believe what you believe
Dreams/goals for life
Take time for spiritual growth/exploration
Developed a philosophy of life
Caring about fellow men and women
Take time to think about the meaning of events in your life


Improving spiritual wellness:

Volunteer
Pray
Meditate
Show compassion
Respect differences
Religious community
Be thankful

Resources:

Meditation and deep breathing exercises at:
http://www.umsystem.edu/ums/curators/wellness/video.shtml
Mindfulness practice center – MU
http://www.umsystem.edu/ums/curators/wellness/mindfulness/index.htm

Reflection on occupational wellness

Here are some things to reflect on regarding occupational wellness:

Are you personally satisfied in your career?

Do you have a positive attitude at work?

How can you improve?

What is your ideal career?

Is this similar to your current career?

How can you align the two?

If not, should you be making progress toward your ideal career?

How to improve occupational wellness

Here is a review in case you missed the Adobe Connect session on improving occupational wellness.

Occupational wellness is:
An ideal environment that accommodates each person’s strengths/weaknesses in a healthy way
Knowing that each person’s work is important
Can be a major stress for many
Your outlook on work and career
Improving at work through skill development
Positive attitude toward work and co-workers
Professional satisfaction through lifelong learning
Choosing a rewarding career that is consistent with your values and interests


Tips for improving:
Find a job you enjoy doing and work at it!
If you are stressed at your current job, take time for yourself.
Build your skills for excelling in the workplace.
Find a balance between work and recreation
Talk to co-workers about problems before a dispute.
Manage your time wisely
Prioritize
Seek a mentor
Expand knowledge about your job
Take care of yourself physically
Positive relationships with co-workers
Take a risk
Volunteer

MU Extension values occupational wellness in the following ways:
We know that our jobs are meaningful
Each person’s work is important
Educational opportunities
In-services, skill development, learning opportunities
Great benefits/vacation/insurance/retirement
Our jobs allow for creativity/innovation
We are encouraged to balance work and life


Occupational wellness is contributing your gifts, skills, and talents to work that is personally meaningful and rewarding.

Spring wellness

Don't forget to attend the upcoming Adobe Connect sessions if you are interested!

By completing the occupational and spiritual wellness activity, you can learn some things you may need to work on to improve your well-being.

Check back on the blog at the end of this week for a review of our Adobe Connect sessions on how to improve your occupational wellness.