Tag Archives: self love

NOVACares, Tip of the Week

Self-Care in Minutes

Self-care is an intentional activity meant to support your emotional, mental, and physical well-being.  It is often overlooked, but is vital for a healthy relationship with yourself.  Self-care strengthens self-esteem, the experience of positive feelings and self-confidence, and allows you to maintain openness to positivity from others.  Self-care will also help you to have the energy to get through work and personal commitments.  It can look a lot of ways, like asserting boundaries, saying “no”, asking for help, forgiving yourself, and taking a break.  Self-care does not require grand effort or lots of money; below are some examples of what you can do to take care of yourself:

5 minutes-

  • Drink a glass of water or a cup of tea/coffee/cocoa
  • Text a friend
  • Stretch/take deep breaths
  • Meditate or say a prayer
  • Listen to a motivational song
  • Watch a cute animal video

15 minutes-

  • Write in your journal
  • Make a grocery list or menu
  • Go for a walk
  • Have a dance party in your jammies
  • Change your sheets
  • Phone a friend

30 minutes-

  • Take a bath
  • Exfoliate/apply a face mask
  • Engage in a hobby
  • Take a nap
  • Cook/enjoy a favorite snack or meal
  • Exercise

1+ hours-

  • Give yourself a mani/pedi
  • Watch a favorite movie/show
  • Curl up in a blanket, and listen to music
  • Read a book
  • Attend a therapy session
  • Have a video call with family/friends
Events, Mental Health Resources, NOVACares, Public Safety, Resources, Sexual Assault Services

Tip of the Week: Red Flags within a Relationship

Do you know the expression “love is blinding”? This is a true statement. Even when your gut is telling you that something is wrong, you often ignore it. However, your gut is never wrong. Here are some red flags to look out for when in a relationship:
• Blames others for own faults
• Drug/ Alcohol use/abuse
• Explosive temper
• Extreme jealousy or insecurity
• Fascination with weapons
• Strong gender stereotypes
• Difficulty with authority
• Cannot express emotions verbally
• Treats partner like property/possession
• Isolates you from friends and family
• Blows up about little things
• Thinks it’s okay to resolve conflict with violence
• Checking emails, cellphones and social media without permission
• Constantly insulting or putting down partner and/or humiliating partner in public or in front of loved ones

If you or someone you know sees the warning signs in their relationship, then remember you are not alone and that you have the option to seek help. You can always reach out by contacting NOVA Sexual Assault Services (SAS) directly at nova.sas@nvcc.edu or 703-338-0834.
https://www.nvcc.edu/novacares/sas/dating.html
If you would like to learn more about this topic, join us for our Red Flag Campaign on Monday, March 2nd from 11am to 2pm in the LC Café on the Loudoun Campus. Hope to see you there! https://www.facebook.com/events/166424331470492/

Mental Health Resources, NOVACares, Resources, Tip of the Week, Uncategorized

Tip of the Week: Time Management

With the semester starting to pick up and midterms around the corner, managing all your assignments and responsibilities can be overwhelming. Here are some tips on how to manage your time the most effective way:
• Make a Daily To-Do List: With everything going on it is easy to forget an assignment. Make a daily to-do list to prioritize what needs to be accomplished in that day. That way you can use your time efficiently and not be overwhelmed!
• Establish a Routine and Try to Stick to It: You will be much more productive if you stick to a routine and are less likely to mess around when you first wake up.
• Try Not to Multitask: Dividing your time and energy between multiple things will take you twice as long to accomplish both things. Set up blocks of time to do each individual activity. That way you are fully engaged at each task at hand!
• Believe in yourself: Having a lot of assignments can make you feel overwhelmed, but if you believe in yourself that you can get the work done, then it is bound to happen!

For more information about stress management go to https://www.nvcc.edu/novacares/resources.html

Events, Mental Health Resources, NOVACares, Resources, Sexual Assault Services, Tip of the Week

Tip of the Week: Self-Love

 

With Valentine’s Day coming up, there is a lot of talk about love. However, the most important love is self-love!

Here are some tips to feel good about yourself:
• Surround yourself with people who bring you up
• Take time for self-love
• Avoid spreading negativity
• Don’t compare yourself with others
• Spread kindness and optimism
• Appreciate what you have
• Be thoughtful of others
• Compliment a stranger
• Get more sleep
• Be open-minded
• Believe in yourself
• Don’t dwell on the past
In celebration of Valentine’s Day NOVA SEXUAL ASSAULT SERVICES (known as “SAS”) will be visiting the NOVA Annandale, Loudoun, MEC, and Woodbridge campuses to share information on Healthy Relationships. Stop by our table where you can gather information on HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS and create your own handmade Valentine’s Day Cards for family, friends or that special someone in your life for free! Hope to see you there and bring your friends!
Annandale- Monday, February 10th from 11-2 – CA 3rd Floor
Loudoun – Tuesday, February 11th from 11:30-1 – LC Cafe
Medical Education – Wednesday, February 12th from 11-2 – 1st Floor
Woodbridge – Thursday, February 13th from 11-1- WS Lobby

If you are interested in uplifting songs that inspired this post:
Surfaces- Sunday Best
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xt3m04Tscc8
Lizzo- Good as Hell
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vuq-VAiW9kw

For more tips about staying in a positive mindset, visit http://www.ulifeline.org/stay_well
Visit the NOVACares Resources page for more info: https://www.nvcc.edu/novacares/resources.html

Mental Health Resources, NOVACares, Performance, Resources, Tip of the Week, Uncategorized

Tip of the Week: Feeling Unmotivated?

Tip of the Week: Feeling Unmotivated? Coming back from winter break can make it hard getting back into the flow of the new semester. Here are a few tips on how to get back on track:
1.) Stay Organized: Keep all your papers, books, and assignments organized which will make your life so much easier. If you are organized and know where everything is, you will be more motivated to do your work rather if you know you have to look for it before you even begin.
2.) Create Goals: When you have a lot of assignments due, they can be overwhelming to think about let alone do. If you create a set of goals you want to achieve each day, it will make you feel less overwhelmed and feel even better once you cross them off your list.
3.) Take Breaks When Needed: If your body is screaming at you for a break, you should listen to it! Take a fifteen-minute walk outside or listen to music for thirty minutes. Allowing your mind to re-energize is a great way to come back and be even more motivated than before.
4.) Get a Good Night’s Sleep: You will not get anything done if you are running on a couple hours of sleep every night. Getting a good night’s sleep is an essential tool to keep you motivated throughout the day.
5.) Treat Your Self: There is nothing wrong with giving yourself a reward after finishing a hard assignment. Having something to look forward to after your assignment is a great way to motivate you to keep going and finish!

For more tips about staying emotionally healthy throughout the semester, visit http://www.ulifeline.org/stay_well

Visit the NOVACares Resources page for more info: https://www.nvcc.edu/novacares/resources.html

Mental Health Resources, NOVACares, Resources, Tip of the Week, Uncategorized

Tip of the Week: Eating Disorders

thyTip of the Week: Eating Disorders

While some people may see eating disorders as simply a phase to lose weight or a media glamorized fad, eating disorders are in fact recognized as a mental disorder. It affects you not only physically, but psychologically, and socially. The impacts can be life-threatening. The three main types of eating disorders are Anorexia Nervosa (limiting your food intake), Bulimia Nervosa (consuming large amounts of food in a short time followed by purging), and Binge Eating Disorder (consuming large amounts of food in a short time without purging). No matter the type of eating disorder you or a loved one may experience, it is critical to learn the alarming symptoms and seek help.

You or a loved one with an eating disorder may experience:
-Extreme weight loss or gain
-Depression and/or anxiety
-Social isolation
-Hyperactivity or impulsiveness
-Low body temperature and sensitivity to cold
-Water-electrolyte imbalance and dehydration
-Brittle nails, dry skin, and dry hair
-Irregular or absent menstruation
-Dizziness and fainting
-Headaches
-Fatigue

You may not experience all these symptoms for the disorder to become life-threatening. Help is available! For more information, go to https://www.nvcc.edu/novacares/resources.html
Or
Dial 211 on your phone 24/7 to be connected to a highly trained specialist to help you access the best local resources and services available to you.
Or
Visit the National Eating Disorders Association website for more information or chat online with a trained specialist: https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/help-support. You can also call their helpline Monday- Thursday from 9am-9pm EST and Friday from 9am-5pm to speak with a trained specialist: 1-800-931-2237.

Mental Health Resources, NOVACares, Resources

Tip of the Week: Dealing with Depression

Depression is a mental disorder that causes a constant feeling of sadness, tiredness, and loss of interest. Depression affects how you feel, think, and behave and can lead to a variety of emotional and physical problems. You may have trouble doing normal day-to-day activities, and sometimes you may feel as if life isn’t worth living. Depression can be treated, so it’s important to seek help if you believe you may be experiencing depression. To learn more, go to https://www.nvcc.edu/novacares/resources.html

 

 

Mental Health Resources, NOVACares, Resources, Uncategorized

Tip of the Week: Anxiety

Anxiety can be very hard to deal with on your own. School, finances, or job duties can cause anxiety. It can begin to take over everything, making it difficult to enjoy good moments. Talking to someone or getting help is a great way to manage or overcome your anxiety.
To learn more, go to https://www.healthline.com/health/anxiety#disorders or submit a report for help at https://www.nvcc.edu/novacares/program/index.html – click on “make a report”

 

Multitasking Stressed Business Woman in Office Work Place. Vector illustration