Today I received a copy of the “Student Life Scoop” email that Dr. K sends out periodically (for those who don’t know, “Dr. K” is Karnell McConnell-Black, EdD, Reed College Vice President for Student Life). In the section of the email devoted to “Keys to Well-Being”, Dr. K gives a shout-out to the many useful resources available online from the Greater Good Science Center at the University of California, Berkeley.

I’ll quote from Dr. K’s email to give you a quick taste of what you can access from that website:

The Greater Good Science Center promotes ten building blocks of individual and community well-being … based on “the behaviors that research suggests will support your health and happiness, and foster positive connections with other people.”

Their webpage includes quizzes you can take to learn about yourself. Check it out and read the sections that catch your eye and matter to you.

Well-being always starts with self-care, and that means focusing and satisfying your primary needs, whether physical, mental, or emotional. Self-care is ultimately an act of kindness. We all want to be more kind, so we should apply that to ourselves, as well as others.

– Dr. K, Vice President for Student Life, Reed College

Well said, Dr. K!

And I was inspired to take a quick look at the Greater Good website myself. Here’s a list of the 10 building blocks that they list.

The 10 building blocks of individual and community well-being list (alphabetical):

• Altruism
• Awe
• Bridging Differences
• Compassion
• Diversity
• Empathy
• Foregiveness
• Gratitude
• Happiness
• Intellectual Humility
• Mindfulness
• Purpose
• Social Connection

If any of these speak to you, check them out! As my mother used to remind me, “You have to take care of yourself. You can’t count on someone else to do it for you.” I first heard that advice over 60 years ago, and while there have been many times when others have cared for me, my lived experience has confirmed this: Mom was right. <3 you, Mom. And thank you, Dr. K.