Wellness Medium and Your Wellness Plan

Student: Allie Gaither-Banchoff

Date: February 21, 2020

1. What medium have you chosen? Please describe and/or attach/upload visual.

For this assignment/personal commitment I have decided on the medium of photography. Over
the past month I have made an effort to take photos with my friends and family every time I see
them. I then took these photos along with some other favorites from the past few years, printed
them, and hung them on a string of lights by my desk and bedside using small binder clips.

2. What does this medium represent to you? Why? Please describe why this is meaningful.

The meaningfulness of this project is less in the medium of photograph, but rather, in the
message that the photos convey. Oftentimes I am so busy with school and work that I come
home feeling exhausted both mentally and physically. Unfortunately, this sometimes leads me to
cancel plans I have arranged with friends or family. If done occasionally this can be restorative
and rejuvenating, but in the long run, doing this repeatedly actually worsens my mental health. I
will start to feel sad, tired, irritable, and disconnected. When my mental health is not good, I also
lose motivation to focus on schoolwork and career goals as well.

Anytime I see my friends or family I always notice an incredible boost in my mood and energy
afterwards. Even if it is something as simple as talking on the phone for a few minutes, grabbing
a coffee, or watching a movie on the couch together, I feel much better. When my emotional and
mental health are stable, I feel energized to work towards my goals (e.g. gradating nursing
school!) and overall just more positive and caring in my everyday life and at work. By hanging
photos of my friends and family somewhere I see them daily, I am reminded of this fact and that
it is important for me to prioritize social time with loved ones. These photos help remind me that
even when I am tired, I should make an effort to spend time with friends and family because I
will feel physically and emotionally better after spending time with them. An unexpected benefit
I have gotten from these photos is that even when I don’t have the time to see friends and family,
just looking at the photos will remind me of good times with them and can boost my mood.

3. Post your personal wellness commitment statement and plan to care for YOU below. Be
specific.

Physically I am very healthy – I run 4-5 days a week and go to yoga frequently. I also spend lots
of time buying fresh food and cooking at home. Because I feel that my physical health is good in
terms of diet and exercise, I chose to focus my wellness commitment on my mental and
emotional health instead. Inspired by the benefits I reaped from my photo project, my wellness
commitment is to integrate an activity with friends/family into my schedule at least once per
week. For this commitment, texting will not qualify as an adequate social activity. A FaceTime
or phone call will be counted as a social activity; however, I believe it will be more effective and
enjoyable to see my friends and family in person and am committed to making this a priority. My
emotional stability has not been as great as it could have been over the past year, so I am excited
to implement this commitment and witness the benefits it has on my mental health!

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