Awareness:
  1. Explore resources by the Center for Healthy Minds here and download The Healthy Minds Innovation’s mindfulness app!
  2. Interested in why mindfulness and intention change our brains? Check out this paper.
  3. The Center for Healthy Minds’ founder, Dr. Richard J. Davidson, has a famous ted talk about neuroplasticity and mindfulness and their potential to change one’s emotions and relationships for the better.
  4. Are you interested in the science of mindfulness? You might be wondering - what does awareness actually do for our brains? Read more here.
  5. Take a 3-minute break when you’re studying to practice awareness skills. First notice things you hear in your environment, then notice things you see in your environment, then notice anything that might be happening in your body. While doing the practice, see if you can invite a welcoming attitude towards whatever you’re noticing.
Connection:
  1. Discover wholehearted Living—a way of engaging with the world from a place of worthiness—with Gifts of Imperfection by Dr. Brené Brown
  2. Watch John Cacioppo’s famous Ted Talk here to further understand why loneliness is so dangerous.
  3. Find organizations and clubs on campus that interest you through the Wisconsin Involvement Network.
  4. Passionate about pottery or interested in meeting people who enjoy art? The Wisconsin Union hosts Free Art Fridays — get creative at no cost!
  5. Next time you’re in line for coffee or waiting for a lecture to start, spend a few minutes noticing the people around you. Strike up a conversation with someone! As you do this, tune into your body and see if any positive sensations arise.
Insight:
  1. Understand how our views toward money and self-worth can either lead to living a life of scarcity or abundance with Lynne Twist’s book, The Soul of Money
  2. Art has long served as a source of therapy, offering people a pathway to peace of mind. The Chazen Art Museum, centrally located on campus and free for everyone, provides a perfect setting for such reflection and tranquility.
  3. Understanding one’s values is a critical step towards understanding oneself better. Here is an exercise that might help whittle down your core values.
  4. Self-awareness is a skill that requires cultivation. If you find yourself struggling to be self aware, here are some tools and activities that might help.
  5. Journaling is a great way to reflect on your views and values.
  6. Learn how to start journaling.
  7. Prompt ideas:
    1. Write about a person who has positively impacted your life.
    2. What does your ideal day look like?
    3. How are you feeling right now? Describe it in detail. Use adjectives that describe both your physical and emotional state.
    4. If you could give your younger self one piece of advice, what would it be?
  8. Find a quiet place and take a few minutes to pause and notice your thoughts. Do your thoughts tend to show up as mental images, mental talk, or a combination of the two? Notice how your thoughts may be influencing your present moment experience—both in positive and negative ways. Notice how quickly thoughts appear, change, and disappear. See if you can approach this whole exercise with curiosity—there is no “correct” experience to have. We’re practicing investigating our first-person experience like a scientist.
Purpose:
  1. Learn about the science of intention in relation to our goals in life with The Source by Dr. Tara Swart
  2. The Morgridge Center for Public Service offers opportunities for civic engagement around the Madison area, which could be a great way to find purpose in helping the community.
  3. You can also search for opportunities at these non-profit organizations:
    1. Food pantries - Goodman Community Center, The River Food Pantry
    2. Animal shelters - Dane County Humane Society, Madison Cat Project
    3. Hospitals and healthcare facilities - UW Health, SSM Health
    4. Environmental organizations - Clean Lakes Alliance, Urban Tree Alliance
    5. Homeless shelters - The Salvation Army, Porchlight
  4. Before starting an activity, reflect on how your core values may be connected to what you’re about to do. Summarize your thoughts in a note on your phone!
We are What we Eat (and think!):
  1. Learn about the microbiome through a master class by some of the world’s leading gut health experts.
  2. Did you know the gut and the mind are connected? If you’re facing anxiety or depression, it may be affecting your GI tract. Learn more here.
  3. If you’re concerned you may have food intolerances, or that certain foods are the source of your stomach pain, learn more about the Whole30 diet or the AIP diet.
  4. Read UW-Madison’s Well-being Tips on Nutrition guide here.
  5. Get in touch with the UHS Nutrition team, or call for appointments: 608-265-5600
Rest is Best:
  1. Did you know sleep deprivation increases your chances of developing Alzheimer’s? Read more here.
  2. Think you need a sleep study done or concerned about your sleeping habits? Check out this video. Find sleep centers near you by contacting your insurance provider or checking for centers through this link.
  3. Make sure to limit the duration and frequency of your naps! Here’s a great article explaining why.
  4. Learn about deep rest with the “Power of Deep Rest” article by the University of California college system.
  5. Dr. Andrew Huberman explains the importance of light for your circadian rhythm in this episode of his podcast.
​Slow your Roll:
  1. Healthy Minds on Campus places a significant emphasis on slowing down through our events. Stay updated about which events are coming up through our GroupMe or Instagram page!
  2. Follow a guided meditation with Dr. Richard Davidson to slow down and take a moment for yourself today.
  3. Phil Powers from the American Alpine club talks about the practice of slowing down. He explains how his experience in learning to regulate his pace brought him to new heights!
  4. “The art of doing less” is a recorded mindfulness practice in the Healthy Minds Program app that talks about the benefits of slowing down.
  5. Redefining rest is a Ted Talk by entrepreneur Bec Heinrich that discusses slowing down can accelerate productivity.
Balance is Key:
  1. Learn about the interactions of alcohol and the brain here.
  2. Is red wine good for your heart? Harvard Health debunks this common myth.
  3. Keep an eye out for fitness and outdoor events hosted by UW-Madison through their events calendar.
  4. What exactly is resilience? Is it the ability to build a tolerance against hardships? Not quite. Read more here.
  5. Part of finding balance is organizing your activities in a way that works best for you. Here’s a list of life management and productivity tools to help you structure your tasks:
    1. Google Calendar
    2. Notion
    3. Microsoft To Do
    4. Evernote
    5. Habitica
    6. Calm