SPS Monthly Wellness Tips: Three Goals for 2023-2024

Continuing with our 23-24 focus on movement (physical wellness), connections (social wellness), and work-life balance (emotional wellness), consider the following: 

• Movement: The holidays are full of fun and joy, but they can also bring challenges when it comes to maintaining our fitness routines. Here are a few ways to incorporate fitness into your holiday festivities: 

  • Family nature walk 

  • Dance to holiday tunes 

  • Walk up and down Main Street and look at the Christmas lights and decorations 

• Connections: This month I want to share some of the great ideas that came from our own SPS staff regarding how they are working to maintain healthy connections with others. 

  • I am trying to maintain healthy connections by prioritizing spending time with those I care about, especially the smaller circle of people that I would call my close friends and family. This could be as little as a text or call and as much as hanging with them for a weekend. How we spend our time reflects our priorities and those people are a priority for me.

  • I have been trying to open up and not be so closed off to people. Especially the people that I work with. I am consciously trying to have longer conversation and learn more about them and who they are outside of work.

  • I turn off work email notifications, so I'm not distracted by them in the evenings and weekends. I can then focus on who I am with at the time.

  • Spending time with family and friends while participating in activities we enjoy such as exercising, yoga, sporting events, concerts and plays.

  • Intentionally planning. Connection with others takes a little effort...it doesn't just happen to you.

  • I have started working out almost every weekday with a friend from another school after work.

  • Making time to go out after work with coworkers to talk about life, not just work.

  • Being present and not on my phone. 

• Work-Life Balance: 

  • Set a time to finish each day, or even a few days a week. This could give you time to have dinner with family, exercise or meet friends. 

  • Set free time to rest properly on weekends and weeknights.

  • Sign up for a regular activity, such as a class or club. Connecting with yourself and your passions can help avoid burnout.

  • Set time to move your body. This could be vigorous exercise or something gentle like a walk, yoga or stretching.

  • Separate home and work.

Staying Merry Mental Health & Stress Management tips from SPS District Counselor, Amber Lewis, LPC

The holidays can be a wonderful time but also incredibly overwhelming. Here are some tips to manage stress during a busy holiday season. 

“Ta-Da!”  A little girl was struggling to unbuckle her seat belt in the drop-off line this morning, and when she finally got it, she said, “Ta-Da!” with a big smile of accomplishment.  What a joy to observe that tiny celebration!  Little things can be big deals, and if we honor the smaller things, gaining confidence and joy in those, the rest of our day will be brighter, and a foundation is laid for future success in bigger things.

I encourage you to consider this in the upcoming holiday season.  While the assumption is that this is a joyous season, for many of us, stress can be overwhelming. If this is you, perhaps these principles will be helpful:

1. Set realistic expectations.  Perfection is our enemy.

2. Scale back. You don’t have to go, do, and buy everything; there is joy in not overspending our energy and money; and there is also joy in giving generously to the things that matter most.

3. Be mindful of grief and loneliness; make space to remember those you have lost and seek support when you need it.

So as you go about your holiday season, take pleasure in the smallest things…. Say “no” to an event you did not want to do?  “Ta-Da!,”  Take a shower on a day you did not want to get out of bed?  “Ta-Da!,” Store-bought instead of homemade?  “Ta-Da!,” and so on.  Find joy on your terms, and watch it grow.

More Mental Health & Stress Management tips from Jennifer Barton, PsyD.

1. Say NO. Don’t feel obligated to say yes to every party invite, every dinner, every holiday activity you’re invited to. 

2. Rest. The ability to relax is important in effectively managing stress and anxiety. 

3. Delegate. Many people will need to let go of the “if I want something done right, I have to do it myself” mentality or “I don’t want to bother anybody else.” You need to take a deep breath and just let go.

4. Accept help. While it may sound simple enough, accepting help is something that is extremely challenging for many of us. Remember the goal is to thrive and not just survive.

5. Breathe. Deep breathing is essential daily. A deep breathing exercise allows us to take fuller, slower breaths that reflect a genuinely relaxed state. 

6. Laugh. A good laugh has great immediate effects on the body. When you start to laugh, it doesn’t just lighten your load mentally, it also induces physical changes in your body. 

7. Don’t eat or drink too much. When under stress, we often immediately reach for food or alcohol to soothe ourselves. But this fix is very temporary, and ultimately causes more problems. In reality, we may just need to pull back, rest more, laugh, and breathe.

8. Keep holiday expectations realistic. We set our expectations, and we can choose to set them idealistically high, unintelligibly low, or somewhere in the middle. In certain circumstances, having no expectations can be exciting, because it means you have no idea of what’s coming next. 

The Dietitians Dish: Contributed by SPS Nutrition Director Krista Neal, MS, RD/LD, SNS

Holiday Starter or Souper Supper: Creamy Butternut Soup by Rachel Ray

Ingredients

• 2 butternut squash, halved and seeded
• Softened butter, for rubbing on squash, plus 2 tablespoons
• Salt and pepper
• Freshly grated nutmeg
• 1 bulb garlic, ends cut to expose cloves
• 1 large or 2 medium onions, chopped
• 2 Honeycrisp apples, peeled and chopped
• 10 leaves sage, thinly sliced
• 6 cups chicken stock
• A pinch of espelette or cayenne, to taste
• About 1/3 cup of heavy cream
• Toppings: toasted pumpkin seeds (pepitas), fried sage leaves, chorizo crumbles or crispy strips of salami

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425 °F. Arrange the squash halves on a baking sheet and rub them with softened butter; season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Dress the garlic with olive oil, salt, and pepper and wrap in foil. Roast the squash and garlic for about 1 hour, let both cool to handle. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a soup pot over medium heat. Add the onions, apples, sage, salt, and pepper; cook, partially covered until very tender, 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the stock, squash, and roasted garlic cloves squished from their skins. Purée with an immersion blender, add the cream, blend again, and season with cayenne, just a pinch to your taste. Simmer over low heat until ready to serve.

Upcoming Events:

• November 30-Dec 12: Holiday Concerts at the SHS PAC
  • Thursday, Nov 30: SMS & SHS Orchestra
  • Tues, Dec 5 - SMS & SJHS Band 
  • Thurs, Dec 7 - SMS & SJHS Orchestra
  • Fri, Dec 8 - SMS Holiday Choir 
  • Thurs, Dec 14 - SHS Band 
  • Tues, Dec 12 - SHS & SJHS Choir

• December 1-17: Lights on the Lake (Friday-Sunday only)

  • On cold winter nights, enjoy the twinkling lights at Lake McMurtry! Grab a cup of hot cocoa and head to Lake McMurtry for an evening full of holiday magic! 

• December 7: Parade of Lights 

  • 2023 Stillwater Holiday Parade of Lights and Tree Lighting, 6:30 pm on Main Street 

• December 9: Hand in Hand for the Holidays Fundraiser at Stonecloud 

  • Kid friendly event with a silent and live auction as well as Purdy Q food truck!  You won't want to miss this fun and exciting way to give back to the community. The event will benefit Habitat for Humanity. More information here. 

• December 14: Holiday Cookies and Trains at the Botanic Garden at OSU  

  • Bring the family out to the garden for an evening of holiday music, cookies and hot chocolate or coffee along with a crackling campfire. Enjoy watching the special G-scale holiday train chug along the track. This event is free and open to the public. 4-6 pm. 

• December 14: Stillwater Community Singers Holiday Concert 

  • Let the Stillwater Community Singers get you in the holiday spirit! From familiar favorites to newer renditions, this concert will offer something for every holiday enthusiast. Join us on Thursday, 12/14, at 7:30pm at the Stillwater Community Center at 8th & Duck.

• December 15: Stillwater Community Band Holiday Concert 7:00 PM at the Stillwater Community Center

• December 15: Public Safety Holiday Round-Up 

  • Visit Downtown Stillwater (615 S. Main) to hang out with the Stillwater Fire Department, Animal Welfare, Stillwater Emergency, Management Association and the Stillwater Police Department. There will be hot cocoa, a truck lighting, and swag bags for guests! 4-6 pm. December 25: Community Dinner 

• • The Stillwater Community Center will be handing out hot meals to serve the Stillwater community on Christmas Day. It will be a drive-thru event again this year due to construction at the community center. They need volunteers if you would like to join them. This is open to anyone and there will be a toy and stocking for kids in attendance. The meal provided will be turkey, ham, mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans, dressing, a roll and cake. 11-2