Stress Better Challenge: What is it?
Feeling anxious, worried and uncertain are common experiences among our Dartmouth student community. Nearly 80% of the students who completed the Healthy Minds Survey in F21 reported feeling "nervous, anxious, or on edge" at least several days in the past two weeks, with 15% reporting feeling this way nearly every day. If these are the numbers for any 2 week period of time, it seems likely that almost everyone feels this way at one point or another during their time as a Dartmouth student.
This challenge is about changing those numbers. We want to give you a new understanding of stress and anxiety - what it is, how it functions, where it comes from, and more importantly: how you can begin to shift these patterns with science-based tools and practices.
This challenge is not about coping with stress; rather, it's about helping you change your relationship with anxiety in a way that can transform your life - especially in the spaces and circumstances that trigger stress and anxiety for you (e.g. social settings, academic tasks, the many performance-related areas of our lives, and more).
We hope this challenge will help each participant take some new steps toward feeling, doing, and being well.
What to expect:
- A daily (1-3 min) audio recording outlining one or more elements from Dr. Jud Brewer's clinically proven step-by-step plan* to break the cycle of worry and fear that drives anxiety.
- A daily 10-minute guided meditation with practices specific to that day's theme.
- Optional "Call to Action" activities that will help you deepen your understanding and practice along with a virtual journal to help you keep track of what you learn and experience
The challenge lasts for 10 days. Try to participate for at least 7 of those days, and if you can, make this a daily practice!
*All of the practices and tips that will be laid out in this challenge are based on the research and publications of Jud Brewer, M.D., Ph.D., neuroscientist, psychiatrist, and best-selling author of Unwinding Anxiety and other groundbreaking books.
**Although the practices presented in this challenge are secular in nature and can benefit anyone it is important to note that mindfulness practices are historically rooted in ancient Buddhist meditative practices and can be found in other spiritual traditions as well.
Spotify Podcast with all recordings as the challenge goes on
