For my self-care assignment, I experimented with using art as a coping strategy. I just used sharpie and watercolours to create the image. I chose the words “patience, consistency, and balance” as these represent my aspirations for the new year and always help to centre my mindset. I really enjoyed creating this drawing/painting and found it to be very relaxing. It allowed me to express my thoughts and creativity without being bound to strict criteria. I definitely plan on incorporating more art into my schedule as self-care but also just as a way to spend time and express myself!

Hello everyone,

For my creative component of this assignment, I created 15 meditation/reflection/prayer prompts. My new activity I decided to try out was collaborating prayer/meditation and eco-therapy. Majority of my stress stems from anxious thoughts of the future and “being still” allows me to organize my thoughts. After the eco-therapy project presented in class it inspired me to try practicing being still in an outdoors environment and away from an urban setting. Perhaps some of these prompts will conjure some reflection for some of you, especially during this time of social-distancing.

Take care,  Matthea

Hi everyone, I hope everyone is doing well and staying safe! Sending lots of virtual hugs and positivity 🙂

Thank you in advance, for taking the time to read! I have attached screenshots of what I did for my self-care activities.

The first screenshot is simply a cover page which summarizes how I deal with daily life stressors: nature and my parents. I also chose this design cover because I could somehow sense a hope of radiation through the bubbles during difficult times, my creativity has been acting in my favour these days!

In the second screenshot, you see many pictures from our beautiful campus. Due to severe mental health challenges such as depression and anxiety, I am thankful that as a part of the course, I engaged in a new self-care practice- walking more around campus since I live here because I completely isolated myself last year. The pictures that you see are some snippets from my walks on snowy days, on cloudy and rainy days and also when the sun is out! At times, when I feel stressed I also just look back at these pictures to calm myself down. Breathing in the fresh air and experiencing greenery has been so refreshing and it has helped me feel energized both mentally and physically! I wish to continue with this in the future since it has played a positive impact on my overall well-being.

I am an international student from India, and I am also a first-generation immigrant from my family, this means I am the first to ever move abroad to pursue my undergraduate degree and build a career. It has been a very overwhelming journey and over the past three years, I have faced innumerable challenges, but I am also grateful for the lessons I have learnt and the progress I have made. I am also grateful that I have two most important people with me who continue to support and care for me. In the third screenshot, those are pictures of my mom and dad in India, almost two years ago. I have also attached pictures of my mom (she loves taking pictures, my dad hates it) and just looking at them helps me feel peaceful, I miss them a lot. In the pictures, where you see a little baby in both my parents’ arms, that is me right there. Almost two years ago when I went back home, I took those pictures (and I do plan to take more from my ‘baby album’) which I treasure it with me on my phone. My parents are both working and at times calling each other face-to-face is very hard. So, I save all these pictures including the ones we take back home and when I feel sad and isolated, I look back into these pictures and it always helps me feel a sense of calmness and peace within myself.

Students in the NURS 180 W19 course submitted the things that bring them joy. Here, they are combined in a class booklet.

NURS Winter class 2020 booklet