August is National Wellness Month and The Fortune Society has been celebrating all month long. Alisha Bailey, a Bronx County Re-Entry Case Manager, has taken the initiative to share tips and suggestions for self-care with Fortune staff throughout August.  

“The pandemic changed so much in the last three years and we have all been through a lot. Celebrating Wellness Month was important to me because I wanted to let my co-workers know that I was paying attention to their needs,” said Alisha. “I started Wellness Wednesday Tips to say to them ‘I have some solutions and suggestions to a better and healthier lifestyle for you!’ The response has been awesome!”  

We are excited to share some of Alisha’s tips for mindfulness and self-care to guide your own celebration of Wellness Month.  

• Set a positive intention at the start of the day: Set yourself up to have a successful day by writing down a positive intention to keep you focused. It can be a work goal or something personal.  
• Take a meditation break: Sometimes you need to clear your mind to focus on what’s important. Take a 5- to 10-minute break during the day to go sit outside. You can listen to a quick podcast or use a meditation app to reset your mind. 
• Stretch it out: Mindfulness isn’t just about being in tune with your thoughts. It’s about being aware of your physical body too. Whether you work at the computer or are on your feet all day, take a break to stretch.  
• Focus on one task at a time: It’s important to focus on one thing at a time when practicing mindfulness. Start by making a list of tasks to complete and then, at the end of the day, look back at what you completed.   
• Write down your accomplishments: Sometimes you don’t realize how much you accomplished at work until you actually write down all of the positive things that happened. Take a moment to run through your day and jot down any successes you had.  

Other Fortune community members shared what National Wellness Month means to them and how they prioritize their own wellbeing in their daily lives. Charles, a Fortune participant, shared that his favorite tip for personal wellness is something simple. 

 “Just breathe,” Charles said. “Take your time and consider all perspectives. If you really focus on multiple perspectives other than your own, you can come to a higher understanding of things and figure out what option best fits you. But that starts with just taking your time and breathing.”  

Charles, along with Tracee, another Fortune community member, also underscored the importance of having proper outlets and finding activities that bring them peace. Tracee shares that she deals with mental illness and does a few different things to help her cope.  

“I draw a lot. I sing. I cook. Those things help me de-stress. I used to think I did those things for other people but now I know I do it for myself,” Tracee said. 

Doc is a Fortune artist and also seeks support from Fortune’s Better Living Center (BLC), our outpatient mental health and substance use treatment center. He acknowledges that having a therapist has helped him to find his “community of care” as well as daily practices that work for him.  

“I meditate. I do breathing exercises. I’m working now in BLC on envisioning. I do yoga and other physical activities. I try and stay away from the news,” Doc said. 

Danielle L. used her talents as a writer to reflect on what wellness means to her and its connection to incarceration: 

Wellness and self-care can also mean dismantling systems that can damage people’s health and well-being. Taking part in advocacy efforts to end mass incarceration or discrimination and supporting the development of vibrant communities are other ways to commemorate National Wellness Month.