Day 1 of Alabama ASDA's Wellness Week

ASDA’s Wellness Initiative encourages you to make well-being a priority with a focus on these five dimensions of your life:

1. Emotional wellness
2. Physical wellness
3. Intellectual wellness
4. Occupational wellness
5. Environmental wellness

Wellness stems from finding a balanced way of addressing all of them, as needed.

Today is Day 1 of Alabama ASDA's Wellness Week! Today we will focus on emotional wellness.

Emotional Wellness

---

​From ASDA's page on Emotional Wellness:
Emotional wellness concerns your ability to express your feelings, cope with stress, maintain satisfying relationships and deal with conflict. It encompasses optimism, self-esteem and self-acceptance. It involves cultivating a positive attitude, but being attentive to your negative feelings as well.

Dental school is stressful and can feel overwhelming. Whatever you’re struggling with, tell a friend, a family member or a professor about it. Reach out for help and you’ll find that there are resources available to get you excited about dentistry again.

What can you do to increase your emotional wellness?
Meditate or practice mindfulness | Learn to say no | Maintain realistic goals and expectations | Express your anger in a constructive way | Laugh freely | Surround yourself with positive people | Talk to someone when you struggle with your feelings | Practice your faith

---

Today at noon in Room 501, we will be watching a webinar: "Dental School, Why So Stressful?" Bring your own lunch, but healthy snacks will be provided.

Alabama ASDA's Wellness week will culminate in the Miles for Smiles this Saturday, September 16! Miles for Smiles is a charity 5k/Fun Run that raises money for Cahaba Valley Health Care, a non-profit organization that provides quality dental care to the underserved community in Jefferson County. Check out the Miles for Smiles page for more details and to sign up!