Mental Health Matters

Thinking of Trying Something New...Go for It!

Working through the commitment of a new year's resolution may seem like a daunting task; especially in our world today, but simplifying this process can be just as rewarding. It's important to welcome the change, challenge, and health benefits of learning a new activity or hobby.

Learning a new activity can also have cognitive, social, and emotional benefits. According to Harvard University neuropsychologist, Dr. Papp, "Until the mid-1990s, we thought that people were born with however many brain cells they would die with. We now know that the growth of new cells—a process called neurogenesis—occurs throughout life, even in older age."

It turns out that the human brain has a great potential for something called neuronal plasticity—that is, it's malleable. It appears that challenging our brains—for example, by learning a new skill—leads to actual changes in the adult brain.

Look for activities that incorporate brain stimulation, physical activity, and social engagement such as learning to play a sport or game, learning a new dance step, taking an gardening class, or learning tai chi, which has been shown to boost thinking skills.

To reap the most benefits, choose an activity you will enjoy to increase your chances of sticking with it. To explore some ideas click here.

One Love, One Gesture

Despair, fatigue, and frustration. These are big powerful feelings that for some have been coming in persistent waves this past year. Perhaps it's felt like a tsunami. However you may be experiencing this "storm" of big feelings, it's important to lean into your support system and check in with your friends, family, and colleagues. We can be a "rock" for others in the storm by simple gestures of support.

For inspiration here are a few ideas:

Individually

Offer your co-worker, friend or family a random act of kindness. Positive text messages, sharing inspirational pictures or a spontaneous delivery of homemade baked goods are just a few ways to show a simple yet incredibly supportive gesture of love.

Community

AISD bus drivers recently provided WiFi services on a cold and snowy day. A group of community members recognized the need to show love and support to the bus drivers and quickly organized an online sign up to deliver warm beverages and food. This generous display of support was led by a “grass-roots” approach by volunteers who saw a need and quickly jumped in to help.

Nationally

Navigating ways to address national concerns is a personal choice and might evoke a range of feelings from empowering to enraging. As you consider how to heal with our nation, first honor your own readiness to engage and consider these resources to start: Braver Angels, National Institute for Civil Discourse, Healing the Political Divide, Teach MLK.

Honoring the Helpers

As we enter a new year and reflect back on 2020, there is no shortage of challenges. Along with those challenges, you will also find helpers. Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, we have witnessed people coming together in countless ways to support each other and our school communities.

In this newsletter edition, we want to highlight two departments that have been monumental in keeping schools up and running: Transportation services and Housekeeping services.

It feels insufficient to just voice our appreciation to these teams of professionals who work tirelessly each day to ensure our school communities are welcoming and safe. These hard-working, front line workers not only keep our schools running but enrich our schools and workplaces with their dedication, and commitment.

Thank you Transportation!

Bus drivers are the first people to offer a warm greeting to students in the morning, and deliver them safely home. During a time when school has looked so different, this has been a needed sense of normalcy. Drivers have also provided WiFi to communities throughout the district, giving them access to virtual school, sometimes enduring extreme weather to do so.

Thank you Housekeeping!

Housekeeping services have arrived early, stayed late and expanded their services to include more frequent cleaning and disinfecting. Not only do they continue to make our spaces feel welcoming and safe, they are also a valued part of our campus family!

“Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.” -Fred Rogers

Developing a Regular Exercise Routine for 2021

"The first wealth is health." Ralph Waldo Emmerson

Exercise improves mental health by reducing anxiety, depression, negative mood, and by improving self-esteem and cognitive function. Research suggests that aerobic exercise (such as walking, cycling, and jogging) provides the same benefits as non-aerobic exercise (such as yoga and pilates). You don’t have to spend hours doing it. Just 20 minutes three times a week will have positive results.

Here are some ideas:

• Schedule a daily walk.
• Complete YouTube video workouts.
• Do a free trial of Les Mills at home workouts.
• Do online yoga with Yoga with Adriene.
• Do the 5-week strength and flexibility plan.
• Set yourself a challenge to run 5k with the support of the Couch to 5k running plan for beginners.
• Invest in some indoor exercise equipment.
• Do this 10 minute home cardio workout.
• Browse Pinterest for indoor workouts.
• Invest in a Fitbit to track your progress.

Making Space for Rest in 2021

In our society, there are unspoken expectations to go, go, go! Many consider rest to be indulgent and a privilege, resulting in feelings of guilt for taking a minute to themselves. With the constant demands of work, caring for loved ones, fulfilling regular commitments, paying bills, and all other things “adulting”, the concept of slowing down can feel so hard to obtain. On top of all this, 2020 was definitely a challenging year as we entered into a global pandemic, dealt with racial injustice, and natural disasters to name a few. Does any of this resonate with you?

If you are like me, this past year has stretched you beyond your comfort zone at times and the Winter Break provided an opportunity to catch your breath and reset, with resting being the antidote. If you have found yourself intimately familiar with the words “fatigue”, “exhaustion”, “weary”, and “burnout” in both the physical and emotional sense, I want to encourage you to become intentional about the practice of finding time and making space for rest.

Click here to learn more about why rest is essential and get ideas for being intentional about incorporating it into your life.

Lean on Me

Sometimes in our lives, We all have pain, We all have sorrow, But if we are wise, We know that there's always tomorrow...

Bill Withers' timeless hit, Lean On Me, could easily be the theme song for 2020-2021! His words are a wise reminder that from time to time, we all need somebody to lean on.

As we are painfully aware, COVID-19 has taken its' toll in many ways- one of those being economic. In light of this, we wanted to share a few resources for people who may be facing unemployment, debt or simply wanting to 'tighten the budget' as we begin 2021!

Resources:

Article: 19 Ways to Save Money during a Covid-19 Quarantine

Website: 360 Degrees of Financial Literacy during COVID

Austin Public Library: Personal Finance

Apps: 8 Best Personal Finance Apps for 2021

Foundation Communities: Prosper Centers

AISD EAP/Wellness: Legal and Financial Consultation

Resource Navigation: ConnectATX

Applying for Unemployment: TWC

Extended Unemployment: TWC Benefits

Affordable housing: Housing Works Austin

Pet Food Bank: Greyhound Rescue Austin

Click here to learn more the Office of Cultural Proficiency & Inclusiveness and ways they provide ongoing, meaningful professional learning opportunities for AISD staff.

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Click here to access employee information. *Must be logged in with AISD credentials to access.