The Wellness Wheel: Emotional Wellness at Willow Brook

In today’s blog, we honor the importance of emotional health. Especially in the last two years, many of us have struggled with our emotional health, and rightly so. Our world has been turned upside down by a virus and our lives have been upended in countless ways. Our emotions have spanned everything from fear, grief, and shock, to elation (a vaccine!), anger, and it seems every other emotion under the sun. We are human beings who feel, and despite our best efforts, sometimes our feelings can run over us, leaving us with anxiety, depression, and worry.

Our emotions and thoughts are not who we are, but it often feels that way. Meditation and mindfulness practices tell us that our thoughts are fleeting, and teach us to simply observe them. We can pray, too, speaking to a God of infinite, unconditional love. We can rest in the knowledge that we are never alone.

We can’t write this post without mentioning the importance of connection and how it feeds our emotional health. One reason why so many of us have struggled during the pandemic is because we feel cut off from friends, neighbors, and loved ones. These human connections are in our DNA and it hurts when they are absent, especially for an extended period of time. 

Let’s not forget the power of human touch! How many of you have missed hugs? Or not being able to hold a loved one’s hand? These losses are deeply felt in the human soul, yet give us the opportunity to grow: in faith, in resilience, and in empathy for others. We seek the good, and we accept a life that is not perfect. We grow as people who have withstood something historic, and have lived to tell about it. 

So what can we do? Let’s take some cues from the Wellness Wheel:

1. We can work to regulate our emotions. Writing down our feelings, talking to a friend, or seeking a therapist, spiritual advisor, or other confidant can also be helpful. (If you are a resident at Willow Brook and need someone to talk to, feel free to reach out to a trusted employee such as a wellness nurse, our chaplain, or even one of our administrative staff - we are here for you!)
   
2. We can step outside. We are part of a world much larger than ourselves. There is earth to feel under our feet, birds that are beginning to erupt in song, and beautiful sunrises and sunsets to behold. (As those of us at Willow Brook know, our campuses are the perfect places for a walk in nature or to sit in the sunshine of a courtyard.)
   
3. We can adjust our attitude. It is easy to get bogged down in negative emotions, but we do so at the peril of missing the good things that exist in our lives. Growing up, how many of us were told to “count our blessings?” Turns out, that was good advice! Gratitude can soften the edges of many an emotion. 

When journeying through emotional health issues, some people need medicine. We thought it would be appropriate to conclude this post with a special prescription that is sure to help. Refills are unlimited and you do not have to call us in the morning! This came to us from Timothy Olson, a friend of one of our Willow Brook employees¹.

Your prescription

Directions: Take daily or weekly, as needed. 

1. Write down five things you are thankful for (in general or specific). If you get on a roll, include more than five!
2. Write down five things that went well today or that you are thankful for about this day. 
3. Write down five things you are looking forward to tomorrow or this week. 

^{1. Timothy’s “prescription” concept stems from a New York Times Bestseller called The 4:8 Principle by Tommy Newberry, which focuses on the text in Philippians 4:8: "Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.” The book delves into how easy it is to complain or focus on the negative in our day to day lives, but you have to intentionally work to think about the good, or center your mind on the positive.}