Boost Your Emotional Immunity
Guest columinst: Robin Keillor, PhD
Hello Students,
If you’re feeling discouraged, flattened, or world weary, you may be languishing and not flourishing. Corey Keyes, author of “Languishing: How to Feel Alive Again in a World That Wears Us Down” (2.20.24), encourages us to break the habits and cycles that keep us stuck, overwhelmed, foggy, or indecisive and to develop new cycles that will increase a sense of flourishing. Being intentional with your time and energy by using the “behavioral vitamins” below could result in a shift in perspective and improve your well-being.
So, if you want to boost your emotional immunity, the five behavioral vitamins to try are:
- CONTRIBUTE - find an unmet need where you can use (or continue to use) your unique skills and abilities and help others;
- be CURIOUS - commit just 20 minutes every once in a while to increase your knowledge in a new area or learn a new skill “just because”;
- PLAY - briefly break your connection to time and deadlines and be silly, have fun, just enjoy yourself!;
- CONNECT with people who help you feel heard, are able to compromise, and reciprocate – it is grounding to feel attuned with those you spend time with in trusting relationships, and leads to feeling needed and not having to “perform”; and
- CONTEMPLATE - move closer to the sacred, divine, and infinite through meditation, nature, or religious practice – this helps us to feel less alone, pulls the focus outside of the self and leads to improved personal and community health.
Please, take your vitamins!
Robin Keillor, PhD
Associate Vice President of Student Health and Well-Being
