DFAS 30 Days of Gratitude A Month of Mindfulness

30 Days of Gratitude 2023: Self-Love is Self-Care

Feeling thankful? Need help learning to be mindful in the moment? 2023 marks the seventh year for the DFAS 30 Days of Gratitude Challenge and the wellness program is ready to get registration rolling and DFAS employees down the path of their gratitude journey.

What to Expect?

30 Days of Gratitude is an annual journaling challenge that encourages employees to take time to focus on self-reflection and appreciation during the month of November.

 Since its inception, hundreds of DFAS employees have participated in the challenge by registering, downloading the journal, and making an active choice to engage in mindfulness each November.

“The autumn season brings many celebrations and family gatherings,” said Shayla Jones, DFAS Wellness program director. “As DFAS employees come together with loved ones during the holidays, I challenge employees to take time each day to be grateful,” she added.

All employees who register for the challenge will receive an e-journal for their personal use. Weekly emails will also be sent to participants with daily journaling themes designed to inspire them to develop a mindset of gratitude.

2023 Gratitude Theme: Self-Love is Self-Care  

Last year, the wellness program incorporated a Gratitude Jar Challenge into the mix of daily journaling.  This year, 30 days is all about taking time to focus on me, myself, and I.

We’ve all heard about the importance of Self-Love. Self-Love is defined as follows:

“The state of appreciation for oneself that grows from actions that support our physical, psychological, and spiritual growth. Self-love means having a high regard for your own well-being and happiness. Self-love means taking care of your own needs and not sacrificing your well-being to please others.”

This year’s 30 Days of Gratitude is all about Practicing Gratitude with Self-Care.  Creating a Self-care routine is the ultimate form of Self-Love. Participants will receive a e-journal containing 30 wellness practices all centered around small and intentional acts that spark joy.  Employees are encouraged to journal about their experience with these practices.

“I’m looking forward to employees taking time each day to put themselves first by engaging in these intentional self-care practices” Jones said.

Self-Love in Action:  

Often, the best self-care practice is being able to show yourself through ACTION how much you love, appreciate, and value YOU. When we take intentional steps towards learning how to love ourselves unconditionally, it puts us in position to be able to show up for others effectively.  As employees journal and work through the daily acts of self-care, our weekly challenges encourage participants to move from the internal reflection to external engagement. Each weekly challenge will focus on the Mind, Body, Soul, and Heart. Sign up today to learn more!

Registration:

Employees can register for 30 days of Gratitude at the link below or via Wellness 360 ( learn about Wellness 360 here: Wellness 360 Symposium 2023: Recover, Refresh, Renew – DFAS Business Journal Registration via Wellness 360 closes on Friday, October 27th . If you miss Wellness 360 or prefer alternate option, you can sign up at link below through Tuesday, October 31st:  Wednesday November 1 and runs throughout the month.

“Many find journaling very therapeutic,” Jones said.  “In addition to reflecting on gratitude themes and exercising the mindfulness muscle, it is my hope that employees will gain an appreciation for written therapy and add some aspects of journaling into their lives beyond the challenge.”

For questions, please contact Shayla Jones, Wellness Program Manager, or your sites Wellness Council POC:

  • Indianapolis: Lora Clayborne, Joshua Adams
  • Cleveland: Jacqueline Felty, Mark Mikkola
  • Columbus: Kimberly Lafferty
  • Rome: Beth Evans, Kristen Szarek  
  • Limestone: Sare Giberson, Candyce Marsh   
  • Texarkana: Cassie Anderson, Tiffany Clayton  
  • Mark Center: MSgt Ilene Scrubb
  • Europe: Sara Vanderwyst     
  • Japan: Lynne Keith 
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