Dear Wellness Community,
Hello 2023. As we enter the heart of winter, we embrace the seasonal soul. It is a time of great stillness. It is a time of turning inward, reflecting on the past and planning the future. As each day gets imperceptibly warmer, longer, and incrementally brighter, I am struck by the optimism and hope of the approaching Year of the Rabbit.
2023 is a time to reground oneself and rediscover what makes you… you. This year instead of a resolution choose your “nudge word”. This method sets a value-based intention of how we want to live our life for the coming year. The nudge word acknowledges that we are all a work in progress and helps to create new practices that push us to positive change. For example, my nudge word is curiosity which I use as a replacement for judgement and fear. What is your nudge word and how will you be using it as a value to live your life? If you choose one, please email your word to Howard at the Wellness Corner and we will share them in an upcoming issue.
2023 is also a time for Exploration. Put on a warm coat and witness the yearly bald eagle migration. Clip on a pair of snowshoes and take a hike through a freshly powdered mountain pass. Visit a winter beach. Take a moment of mindfulness and sit by a warm fire. It also a time of Celebration to welcome the Lunar New Year, to honor the life and memory of Dr. Martin Luther King and to appreciate the arts and culture of the Lumens Festival or the incredible photography of Dawoud Bey and Carrie Mae. It is also a time of Reflection to remember the meaning of January 6th and to honor the brave people of Ukraine who are courageously fighting for freedom and democracy each day. Finally, it is a time for Restoration. A time to hug someone you love or care about.
So, as we enter 2023 let us remember the words author and activist Ellen Goodman stated:
“We spend January 1st walking through our lives, room by room, drawing up a list of work to be done, cracks to be patched. Maybe this year, to balance the list, we ought to walk through the rooms of our lives…not looking for flaws, but for potential.”
Our wellness salutes you and in all you do in building the health of our community. Thank you.
Warmly,
This week’s Wellness Corner authored by:
Howard Schafer, LMFT
Mental Health Counselor
hischa5@uw.edu
GME Wellness Counseling
Contents
GME Wellness Event: Underground Tour & Feedback Survey
- GME Wellness is kicking off the New Year by going underground! Join us for Bill Speigle’s famous Seattle Underground Tour, Saturday, February 11th and explore the interconnecting tunnels, storefronts, and sidewalks just beneath our feet!
- As we enter 2023, the Wellness Team is interested in your feedback regarding upcoming wellness events.
Upcoming GME Offerings
- Navigating Parental Leave for Resident and Fellow Physicians event on January 10th from 6:30 – 7:30pm on Zoom. At this event, Hayley Fisher, GME Director of Housestaff Affairs, will educate trainees about navigating parental leave, how upcoming ACGME requirements may alter provisions and answer trainees’ questions.
- Register today: Registration will close at 8:00am on January 9th. All residents, fellows and guests are encouraged to attend via Zoom.
- Navigating Parental Leave for Resident and Fellow Physicians: January 2023
- GME Outreach Event at UWMC-ML on February 2nd from 11:00 am – 1:00 pm: Throughout the year, the GME Office hosts outreach events for residents and fellows to come meet our GME team and learn about some of the services our office provides. Please stop by to say hello, meet our GME team members and grab a packed lunch. Look for an email closer to the event with room details.
Celebration
Exploration
Meditation
Outdoor Fun
- Grab a jacket and go outside. On the snow front, it’s not just about hurtling down a hill on two twigs. Winter in outdoor-loving Washington also means making a snowy figure out of slush, sledding, hiking (yes, really again) on snowshoes, and even camping. Snow’s not everything, though. Here is a pretty epic list of winter beaches.
Entertainment
- Be dazzled by winter lights, a festival of light, art, and sound in downtown Tacoma. 3 nights of free performances: Illuminated Ballroom, Jan.12, Candlelit Waltz, Jan. 13, Emanate, Jan.14
- Be enthralled by the work of glass artist Ginny Ruffner. Ruffner takes us on her unique journey of artmaking, spanning over forty years. Ruffner’s prolific career includes paintings, public art projects, metal and glass sculptures, and works activated through augmented reality. At the Bainbridge Art Museum now through Feb. 15.
- Be amazed. The Harlem Globetrotters 2023 World Tour are coming with game like never before! They are bringing out their amazing basketball skill, outrageous athleticism, and a non-stop LOL good time. Join the Globetrotters as they go head-to-head against the Washington Generals who will stop at nothing to try and defeat the world’s winningest team! Appearing in arenas throughout the Seattle area: Jan.22, 27 and 29.
Wellness Corner Quick Links
Black Lives Matter: Honoring the life and memory of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
- “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.” Letter from Birmingham, Alabama jail, April 16, 1963.- Dr. Martin Luther King
- 2023 march and rally Seattle
- Join us on January 16th (Martin Luther King Day) for a volunteer opportunity to support the Seattle Martin Luther King Jr Coalition. Seattle Martin Luther King Jr Coalition holds an annual MLK Day Celebration to celebrate and honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr’s legacy
- King Day 2023 at the Northwest African American Museum. Hosting activities and events for the entire family on January 16th. 11am-5pm.
Mindfulness Minute
- In this 10-minute New Year’s meditation by Aruni Nan Futuronsky, you’ll discover the power of a different kind of resolution. You’ll generate commitment based on the yoga practice of intentionality.
Henri's Corner
A Great Read
Winter Comfort Food
Did you know? Resources
- Kick off the new year with focus, inspiration, and community. Join The Whole U in Dare to Be 2023, an eight- week well-being experience from January 9 through March 5. Skip the pressure to make big life changes, and instead explore the small actions in everyday life that make a meaningful impact. Through the Dare to Be 2023 experience.
- New Parenting Resources: For many residents and fellows, a decision to begin or grow a family overlap with their years of residency and fellowship training. Here are some resources for growing your family. Also, assistance from a peer with experience in balancing a family with being a trainee can be an invaluable asset. The parenthood peer mentorship program can provide great support.
- If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat org to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. This is the number to call or text when experiencing a mental health crisis, or if you are worried about a loved one in need of crisis support. You could also call 1 800 273 TALK (8255)
Gems from Treasure Valley
- FAMILY SECOND SATURDAY: ROOTS OF WISDOM EXIBIT Hands-on activities from 12-3 at the exhibit opening of Roots of Wisdom. Learn about weaving and materials in Roots of Wisdom, then design your own woven creation. January 14th.
- KUNA CHRISTMAS TREE BONFIRE – Join in for a warm BONFIRE of trees with a little music, beverages, and a bite to eat at Bernie Fisher Park at the dirt hills on 2nd St.
- Enjoy FREE admission on Saturday, February 1 for Wild at Heart at Zoo Boise. This family friendly Valentine’s themed event will be full of fun things to do. There will be face painting, photo-ops, and special Valentine themed enrichment for all the Zoo Boise animal residents. Plus, you’ll be able to make a Valentine’s Day card for your favorite animal!
Got Feedback for Us?
We’d love to hear it! Share your thoughts about the Wellness Corner, suggestions for future events, discounts or articles to highlight, or anything else you’d like to share. Please email your thoughts to Dipti Chrastka (diptic@uw.edu), Julia Kocian (jkocian@uw.edu), Patty Long-Brohm (pattylb@uw.edu), and/or Howard Schafer (hischa5@uw.edu).