Wellness Post, 3/31/20, Pets!

Good morning all,

I hope you were able to enjoy the long weekend even with the new stay at home restrictions. We started our vegetable garden this weekend, so I scooped a year’s worth of compost out of the barrel and added it to our raised beds in the backyard while enjoying the sunshine. My kiddos even put on bathing suits and we pulled out the blow-up pool and slip and slide! But, there were also plenty of moments this weekend and in the last 2 weeks that weren’t enjoyable at all. I have felt frustrated, stuck, concerned, restless, lonely, blah, and irritable at times. In a perfect world I would be practicing what I preach and doing all the self-care things that I’ve been sharing with you in these Wellness posts – such as getting enough sleep, sticking with a daily routine, exercising, being creative, practicing mindfulness, getting some alone time, stepping away from screens, limiting how much media I consume and staying in touch with family and friends. In reality however, I am successful at doing some of that stuff, some of the time – and then, at other times I slump into ruts where I feel unmotivated, uninspired and out of sorts. Because let’s face it, this is a strange experience to be going through. It just is.

So, what I want you all to know is that no matter how you are spending your time and how your emotions are ebbing and flowing, we’re all going through something similar. If you feel like talking to someone confidentially about what this is like for you (or something entirely unrelated) – the positives and the negatives – remember that all you have to do is shoot me an email and we can set up a time to video or phone chat. I can’t guarantee the same level of privacy as I normally would in my office on campus, since it is quite possible that a 3 year old red head might run through the room at some point, but I promise that if you need some support, I will do my very best to connect you with excellent resources or to be a good listener.

So, now let’s get down to the wellness business of the day: participating in Share Your Pet Day! Yes, just like when we have the therapy dogs come during exam week to help relieve some stress, I encourage all of you animal lovers out there to take short videos or photos of your pets and send them to 20klein@da.org or you can DM our student government instagram, @dastudentgov. Please include your name, grade, the name of the pet, age, breed, and any other information you deem relevant. 

And last but definitely not least, Mr. Murray has a new installment in his series of Wellness videos. Check it out here: Murray’ism 5 We hope you have a productive and spirit-filled week and remember to reach out if you or a friend need some extra support!

Be well,

Mrs. Danser