Wellness

Workbook
for Adults
Daily habits to support mental wellness
Table of Contents:
Wellness & self-care
30-day challenge
Self-care Q&A
Mindfulness
Calm box
Journal prompts
Websites & apps
Warning signs

This workbook is meant to give you tools to

incorporate wellness into your everyday life. It does
not replace any form of therapy. We encourage you
to review the local resources on the back cover to
reach out for support.
Wellness & self-care
Holistic wellness recognizes how all the domains
What is
of wellness connect. Practicing holistic wellness
holistic
means leading lives that are healthy, engaged,
wellness? and rooted in community.

Is self-care Self-care is a part of wellness. We can practice

different from self-care within any domain of wellness. The
wellness? domains all intersect with and impact the others.

How can I On the next page, you'll find examples of

practice different types of self-care in each domain of
wellness.
wellness?

Use this area to list self-care

activities you'd like to try.

Holistic Wellness and Self-Care - Colorado College

 Domain of wellness Characteristics Self-care activity

Lifelong learning; creativity; critical Read a book; try something new;

Intellectual thinking; supporting academic teach someone how to do something
engagement and success you enjoy

Multi-cultural respect and Learn to say no; spend time with

competence; healthy, respectful people who make you feel good;
interpersonal relationships; values of create respectful interpersonal
Socio-Cultural acceptance, fairness and justice; relationships; stand up for yourself
recognition community and individual and for others around you; volunteer
wellness impact one another for a social justice cause

Take time for self-reflection; spend

Belief system which contributes to a time in nature; find spiritual
Spiritual sense of purpose; hope and community; meditate; dance; pray;
optimism; sense of belonging take yoga; volunteer to help others;
foster self-forgiveness

Express how you feel; laugh; play;

practice self-compassion; journal;
Expression of emotions; stress
cuddle with a pet; engage in a daily
management; assertiveness; intimacy;
Emotional balance between being independent
gratitude practice; identify
affirmations and practice saying
and relying on others
them out loud; take time to reflect
and notice how you're feeling

Get enough sleep; exercise; eat

Physical fitness; healthy nutrition;
healthy; take a walk; dance; turn off
medical awareness and disease
Physical prevention; injury prevention; healthy
your cell phone; pay attention to the
physical sensations you experience;
sleep habits
enjoy a cup of tea; listen to music

Awareness of and connection to

Go into nature; feel your feet on the
surroundings; safety enhancement;
Environmental understanding the impact of personal
grass; watch the sunset; volunteer to
pick up trash
choices; consideration of resources

Save money for the future; practice a

Purposeful and rewarding career or skill that might help you in your career
Career/Financial work; financial stability and planning; or work; reflect on what activities
household management skills give you a sense of purpose and then
do those
30-day challenge
Start practicing self-care by doing one of the challenges below everyday.
They don't have to be completed in order or within a month. Before doing
any self-care, rate how you feel on a scale from 1-10 (1 being the worst
and 10 being the best).

1 2 3 4 5
Take a Clean up a Drink more Go to bed De-clutter
mindful bit water early and donate
walk

6 7 8 9 10
Listen to Take an Journal Write a Watch a
music aromatic how you self love movie
bath/shower feel list

11 12 13 14 15
Start a Practice Stretch for Call Try a new
vision deep 10 minutes someone recipe
board breathing you love

16 17 18 19 20
Take Read a Write a Relax at a Try guided
yourself on book or a gratitude local park or mediation
a date magazine list beach

21 22 23 24 25
Update Watch the Take a Color or Have a
your sunset or social media paint spa day at
budget stargaze break home

26 27 28 29 30
Make your Re-organize Try out a Try a random Schedule a
own 1 area new hobby act of check-up
affirmation kindness
30-day challenge Q&A
After taking the 30-day challenge, answer the questions below to
get a better understanding of which self-care strategies work
best for you.

On a scale from 1-10 (1 being the worst and 10 being the best), how did I
feel after practicing self-care activities?

On a scale from 1-10 (1 being didn't help at all and 10 being helped the
most), how would I score each of the self-care activities I did?

Which self-care activities will I do tomorrow?

What time of day is best for me to practice self-care?

What can I do to make my self-care experience more fulfilling?

What do I need to do to make sure I continue self-care daily?

[Link]
What is mindfulness?
Mindfulness is being fully present and aware of where we are and what
we're doing, and not overly reactive or overwhelmed by what's going on
around us.

Spending too much time planning, problem-solving, daydreaming,

worrying, or thinking negative thoughts can be draining. It can also make
you more likely to experience stress, anxiety and symptoms of depression.

Practicing mindfulness exercises can help you direct your attention

away from this kind of thinking and engage with the world around
you.

Aim to practice mindfulness every day for about six months. Over time,
you might find that mindfulness becomes effortless. Think of it as a
commitment to reconnecting with and nurturing yourself.

Jot down mindfulness exercises you'd like to try. There

are several examples on the next page.

Mindfulness exercises - Mayo Clinic

 Mindfulness
Description/instructions
exercises

It's hard to slow down and notice things in a busy world. Try to take
the time to experience your environment with all of your senses —
Pay attention
touch, sound, sight, smell and taste. For example, when you eat a
favorite food, take the time to smell, taste and truly enjoy it.

Try to intentionally bring an open, accepting attention to

Live in the moment
everything you do. Find joy in simple pleasures.

Accept yourself Treat yourself the way you would treat a good friend.

When you have negative thoughts, try to sit down, take a deep
Focus on your breath and close your eyes. Focus on your breath as it moves in
breathing and out of your body. Sitting and breathing for even just a minute
can help.

Lie on your back with your legs extended and arms at your sides,
palms facing up. Focus your attention slowly and deliberately on
Body Scans each part of your body, in order, from your toes to your head or
head to toes. Be aware of any sensations, emotions or thoughts
associated with each part of your body.

Coloring utilizes areas of the brain that enhances focus and

concentration and nurtures attention. Mindful coloring is a
Coloring
purposeful act of paying attention to what you are doing in the
present moment.

Sit comfortably with your back straight, feet flat on the floor and
hands in your lap. Breathing through your nose, focus on your
Sitting meditation breath moving in and out of your body. If physical sensations or
thoughts interrupt your meditation, note the experience and then
return your focus to your breath.

Find a quiet place 10 to 20 feet in length, and begin to walk

slowly. Focus on the experience of walking. Be aware of
Walking
sensations from standing and the small movements that keep your
meditation
balance. When you reach the end of your path, turn and continue
walking, maintaining awareness of your sensations.
Calm box
A calm down box is a tool for easing big emotions for all ages. This could
be anger, sadness, panic, sensory overload, or anything else that feels like
it’s too much to handle in the moment. Everything in your box represents
something that you enjoy, find soothing, or are fond of. Since the overall
goal of a calm box is to soothe yourself, your kit should contain the things
that you find soothing. To start building your box, start with your senses.
What feels good to touch, smell, look at, and hear?

Take a look at the examples below and create your own

list of items for your own calm box on the next page.

Senses Sample object

photo album, DVD, book or magazine, a picture of a beautiful safe

place (or use safe place imagery [Link]), a reminder for a
Vision
funny or inspiring YouTube video, a walk or sit in the park or garden,
guided meditation

soothing or inspiring music on CD or playlist recordings of a friends

Hearing voice, reminder of phone numbers to ring, a talking book, self help or
calming sounds

Smell scented oils, favorite perfume, a sachet of coffee or lavender

fruity snack, favorite treat, ready prepared cake mix, chocolate or

Taste
candy

soft woolly socks or blanket, teddy bear, comforter or grounding

Touch object, hand or foot lotion, massage oil, warm bubble bath, nail
varnish, make-up

1. [Link] ([Link])
2. [Link] ([Link])
My calm box
Journal prompts
Journaling is a great way to practice self-reflection. These prompts
will help you focus on yourself and your well-being. Try answering as
many as you can in the next few pages.
1. What are three things you’re grateful for?
2. How can you be kinder to yourself today?
3. What are three things that make you feel
loved/supported?
4. What is your favorite thing to do in nature?
5. What is a good habit that makes you feel good?
6. What motivates you to keep going when things get
tough – even on days when nothing seems to be
working out?
7. What is the best advice someone has given you? Why
do you still take it to heart even now?
8. What kind of work environment would be ideal for you?
9. How can you improve your work-life balance?
10. What is your favorite thing to do in your free time?
11. Do you feel like you need to expand your circle of
friends? Why or why not?
12. When do you feel most energized?
13. How can you improve your time management today?
14. What is one thing you are proud of yourself for?
15. How can you help someone else today?
170 Self-Care Journal Prompts to Help You Reflect, Relax, and Recharge - brilliantio
Websites
Here is a list of various websites to learn more about mental
wellness and self-care. The sites below are informational and do
not take the place of treatment. Please refer to the resources on
the back cover of this booklet to access local treatment options.
Healthline
[Link]
Health and wellness advice that’s inclusive and rooted in medical
expertise.

Prevention
[Link]
Health information and practical strategies to improve physical,
mental, and emotional well-being.

Bites of Wellness
[Link]
Learn to make healthy meals that are easy to follow and fit in any
lifestyle or budget.

Mellowed
[Link]
A weekly newsletter with the latest wellness trends, self-care tips,
practical advice, and resources.

7 Cups
[Link]
7 Cups is an on-demand emotional health service and online therapy
provider. Also available as an app.
Apps
There are also many apps that can help you access wellness and
self-care strategies right from your phone. All apps listed are
available on the App store and Google Play.

What's Up? A Mental Health App

Provides easy-to-follow methods to help you cope with depression,
anxiety, anger, stress, and more to find what helps you the most.

MyPossibleSelf: Mental Health

Interactive tools and coping strategies, using cognitive behavioral
therapy (CBT), customized for digital use.

The Safe Place

Geared towards minority mental health and the Black Community
providing information/learning, self-assessment, and self-care tips.

Simply Yoga - Home Instructor

The app contains six level 1 yoga routines that step you through
each pose, as well as streaming yoga classes.

Healthy Minds Innovations

With a combination of podcast-style lessons and both seated and
active meditations, you’ll learn what the science says about the brain
while developing skills to tap into these learnings.

UCLA Mindful App

You can practice mindfulness meditation anywhere, anytime with the
guidance of the UCLA Mindful Awareness Research Center.
What if wellness isn't helping?
If you are experiencing the suicide warning signs below, reach
out for help. Please review the back cover of this booklet to
access local support in Santa Clara County. You are not alone.

Category Warning signs

Thinking life is not worth living, thinking about hurting yourself, or having
Thoughts suicidal thoughts.
Thinking others are better off without you.

Trouble coping with health changes.

Physical
Unbearable chronic pain.

“I just want out.”

Verbal “I won’t be around much longer.”
"I'm a burden to other people."

Feeling hopeless, desperate, or trapped.

Feeling abandoned or betrayed.
Feeling no sense of purpose.
Feelings
Sudden mood changes.
Feeling ashamed of who you are.
Feeling unbearable emotional pain.

Giving away prized possessions.

Doing reckless things that put you in danger.
Putting affairs in order.
Behavioral
Increased drug, alcohol use or other ways to numb pain.
Withdrawing and spending most of your time alone.
Not caring for personal hygiene or health needs.

Conflict with or rejection from your family, support system, or community.

Exposure to trauma, such as abuse or bullying.
Financial stress.
Chronic or terminal illness.
Situational Death or suicide of a loved one.
Discrimination or being treated unfairly because of who you are.
Not having others who understand you.
Failure to meet expectations.
Trouble adjusting to a new culture.

Chu J.P. PAU, Be Sensitive, Be Brave: Mental Health, 2019.

Notes:
SANTA CLARA COUNTY
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH RESOURCES
Services are available for all ages and in other languages unless noted.

Suicide & Crisis Lifeline

988*
*For area codes other than 408, 650, and 669: (800) 704-0900, press 1
Free, 24/7 support for anyone experiencing mental health distress, including:
thoughts of suicide
mental health or substance use crisis
just need to talk

Trained counselors will provide compassionate support to individuals in crisis. Speak to a clinician
who can screen and assess crisis situations over the phone and intervene wherever the crisis is
occurring. The lifeline is anonymous and confidential: information will not be shared unless in-
person services are needed. Services may or may not involve law enforcement in emergencies.

Mental Health & Substance Use Services Call Center

(800) 704-0900
Free, 24/7 access to County services, including:
specialty mental health
substance use treatment or prevention
support for survivors of suicide
general information, grievances, and appeals
Trained and licensed mental health and substance use treatment services professionals will provide
support. Referrals for Assisted Outpatient Treatment are available.

Crisis Text Line

Text RENEW to 741741 (English only)
Envía COMUNIDAD a 741741 (Spanish only)
Free, 24/7 crisis support via text message.

Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) Officer

911
In emergency situations, ask for a C.I.T. officer trained in mental health issues.

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Email: SuicidePrevention@[Link]