Our Employee Wellness and Support Services provides opportunities and resources for employees to develop and maintain healthy emotional, mental, and physical well-being through support and guidance, as well as promoting personal and professional productivity through educational engagement. Visit our website for more information about Employee Wellness and Support Services: Employee Wellness and Support Services

December is Read a New Book Month! December is all about getting ready for the holidays and the new year for yourself. What should you read?

1. Reach for something unexpected.

Branch out to something new and maybe you'll be able to find your next favorite genre. Try a fiction book if you only read non-fiction.

2. Learn something new.

Have you been trying to learn how to invest? Need some new interior design ideas? Take some time to pick out a book where you can learn something new.

3. Don't overthink it.

Simplicity is sometimes best. Pick a random book off the shelf if you are still contemplating on what to read.

Source: HCPL

Did you know that December 26th is National Thank You Note Day? A verbal "Thank you" is important, but thank you notes are often more meaningful because they require more time and thought. National Thank You Note Day gives us an opportunity to celebrate kindness with our close friends and family.

Here are some fun facts about National Thank You Note Day:

1. According to traditional etiquette, if you open your present in front of someone and thank them in person, you can either skip the note or send it anyways.

2. Emails are fine if you normally talk to someone through email, but a card or a letter tends to be more meaningful.

3. Writing thank you notes with your kids is a practical way to teach gratitude to children.

Source: National Day Archives

Each year on December 7th, Pearl Harbor Survivors, veterans, and visitors from all over the country come together to remember the 2,403 service members and civilians who have lost their lives.

Source: National Park Services

1. Have you heard about the guy who stole the calendar?

2. Why is a doctor always calm?

3. What do you call a can opener that doesn't work?

4. What's the worst part about working at a calendar factory?

*Answers will be at the end of the newsletter.

At times it may sound unreasonable to even begin to think about happiness or enjoying family gatherings when your heart is broken. Someone you love is gone and it has cast a shadow over everything that used to be enjoyable. Nonetheless, there you are trying to put up a front and going through the holiday motions. One thing we know about grief is that one may feel helpless, but there are actually intentional steps we can take to endure this dark time in a season of lights.

Source: Very Well Health

Sometimes we put all of our efforts trying to make dreams come true through the gifts we buy. That is a beautiful sentiment and a beautiful tradition as well. But if you feel there is something missing after the gifts have been opened, check out this article explaining 5 Ways to Make Memories This Holiday Season.

Source: Very Well Health

Have you ever felt as if you feel sad or depressed every year at around the same time? There is an actual mental health condition that has to do with mood changes connected to the changes of a season. Click the link below to talk more about this condition.

Source: Help Guide

Are you ready for Christmas? Why not try making this herb roast pork with vegetable roasties & apple gravy? It goes well with other healthy plates such as chestnut salad or honey-roast beetroot.

Source: Good Food

We are slowly approaching winter. Even motivated exercisers can find it difficult to maintain their exercise routine during the winter. However, it is extremely important to continue your routine during the cold-weather months to maintain your heart health. Some of the benefits of working out during the cold-weather months includes curing the "winter blues", increasing your energy levels, and boosting your immune system. Here are some recommendations for cold-weather exercises:

1. Start gradually. Make sure to stretch and warm up before starting a strenuous workout.

2. Wear the right gear by dressing in layers. Exercise generates a lot of heat. It's best to dress in layers that you can remove as you begin to sweat and then put back on as you cool down. Try to avoid cotton as it will absorb your sweat and stay wet. Additionally, wear a fleece layer as insulation. Lastly, wear a breathable outer layer.

3. Wear sunscreen. You can also get sunburned in the winter as in the summer.

4. Protect your head, hands, feet, and ears. Your blood flow leaves your head, hands, feet, and ears when it's cold.

5. Drink plenty of fluids. It's important to hydrate yourself even during cold weather as it is in the heat.

Source: Texas Heart Institute

Time can be even more valuable than money when it comes to saving and investing. Compound interest means you earn a return not only on your money deposited but also on the interest already accumulated. This means that you are earning interest on interest. The sooner you begin, the more time your money has to grow. For example, if you invest $500 per month for 25 years, you could wind up with about $400,000. However, if you are able to invest that amount regularly for 35 years, you could wind up with roughly $900,000. Check this compound interest calculator out to see how much your money can grow.

Source: Acorns Grow

Did you know that this one simple trick can save you hundreds of dollars? You can use those savings to buy holiday gifts for your close friends and family. You can compare costs through BCBSTX's Member Rewards program and save yourself up to $599 in credit per plan year toward future medical expenses when you choose a lower-cost, quality provider for certain medical treatment.

You can compare costs via Personal Health Guide (PHG) or call 1-866-355-5999.

1. He got 12 months.

2. Because she has a lot of patients.

3. A can't opener.

4. No days off.

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Contact:

Jose Villasenor (Strategist) | Veronica Maples | Brian Kim | Nedra Brown (Cluster Leads)

Jovillasenor@irvingisd.net | Brikim@irvingisd.net | Vmaples@irvingisd.net | Nbrown@irvingisd.net

972-600-5249 O | 972-600-3133 M

iisdewsresources@irvingisd.net

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