Writing in a journal

Week 5! One third of the way through the semester. This is a nice point in the semester to check in with yourself- how are you doing? What are you behind on? How are your classes? What is your stress level like? What is contributing to your stress level?

Simple ways to manage stress – take some time and get organized, prioritize your “to do” list, make sure you are getting enough sleep and drinking enough water and eating healthier foods, schedule breaks to have fun and relax- but if you are relaxing too much – set a timer an create a schedule so that you can still check off your “to do “ items and balance some time for YOU!

 If you are struggling with managing your stress and are feeling a bit overwhelmed – Counseling Services can help- Call +1 (607) 778-5210 or email us at counselingservices@sunybroome.edu, or check us out at Counseling Services to schedule an appointment with one of our trained professionals.

Mindfulness Monday out of the Counseling Corner:

Check-In Exercise

Adopted from: The Check-In Exercise: My Favorite Practice For Practicing Mindfulness In Every Day Life (and Increasing Self-Awareness)

by Dr. Jennifer Franklin | Jun 9, 2017 | Healing, Mindfulness

Part 1

For one day from the time you wake until the time you go to bed, set an alarm on your phone or watch to go off every hour. Each time your alarm goes off ask yourself, “What am I experiencing right now in this very moment…?” using the questions and subquestions below for guidance.

Go through the entire list of questions for this first day. At the end of the day, take some time to answer the self-reflection questions below, and jot down some notes in a journal or just a notebook or peice of paper

What Am I Experiencing Right Now In This Very Moment…

  • In my HEART: What am I experiencing emotionally right now in this very moment?
    1. Specific feelings—“Feeling x.”
    2. General mood—“Feeling x.”
    3. Use words of emotions such as “joy”, “peace”, “discomfort”, “love”, “fear”, “anger”, “frustration”, etc., as “x”. See additional handout on emotion words for additional emotion words.
  • In my BODY: What am I experiencing sensationally right now in this very moment?
    1. Posture—“Feeling x.” or “Noticing x.”
    2. Senses—Sights, sounds, tastes, skin sensations, and points of contact with the ground/floor/earth, your chair, etc.—“Experiencing x.”
  • In my MIND: What am I experiencing mentally right now in this very moment?
    1. Thoughts—“Thinking about x.” or “Noticing my mind going to x.”
    2. Qualities of the mind—“My mind is doing x.” or “I’m mentally feeling x.”
  • In my sense of CONNECTEDNESS: Am I feeling connected right now in this moment?
    1. To Myself—How connected to myself or disconnected from myself am I feeling right now in this moment? Do I feel close/closer to my feelings, sensations, and thoughts or distant/more distant?
    2. To Other beings—To whom or what are you feeling connected? Acknowledge this person, animal, or other being and how it feels sensationally and emotionally to be feeling connected in this moment.
    3. To God/Spirit/the Divine—Are you experiencing connection to something greater than any one person or being in this moment? Are you in touch with your sense of spirituality in this moment? If so, notice what it feels like to feel connected to God/Spirit/the Divine.
    4. To Nature/Natural Things—To what are you feeling connected in this very moment? Acknowledge if there is a place or an image of a natural setting or tree, plant, body of water, rock, etc., to which you are feeling connected in this very moment.

Note: If asking yourself the questions in Section 4, the Connectedness category, is confusing or does not resonate with you, skip it. Working with mind, heart, and body is sufficient.

Counseling Services can help- Call +1 (607) 778-5210 or email us at counselingservices@sunybroome.edu, or check us out at Counseling Services to schedule an appointment with one of our trained professionals.

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