Desire to Improve Your Health This Year? Join BPL's 2024 Self-Care Mastermind Class Series
.jpg) |
| C.J. Wade, instructor of BPL's 2024 Self Care Mastermind Class Series |
Desire to Improve Your health This Year? Join BPL's 2024 Self-Care Mastermind Class Series
What: The Self-Care Mastermind—a group wellness coaching series
Where: Central Library, 1st Floor Grand Commons
Dates: 2nd Monday of each month, September 2023–June 2024
Time: 5:30–6:30 p.m.
Remaining Program Details:
Monday, March 11, 2024 | Food Is Your Friend!
Monday, April 8, 2024 | How to Advocate for Your Health
Monday, May 13, 2024 | Party of One: How to Date Yourself
Monday, June 17, 2024 | Journaling For Life
Birmingham, Ala. - Did you make a New Year's resolution to get your body, mind and soul in shape in 2024? Are you off track? Then you need to take advantage of the Birmingham Public Library's Self-Care Mastermind class series held monthly at the Central Library downtown.
The 10-class series from instructor Christina "C.J." Wade began last September and concludes in June. The next session, Monday, March 11 from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., is on the topic "Food Is Your Friend!
Classes are held every second Monday from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. on the first floor of the Central Library in the Grand Commons.
The instructor for the Self-Care Mastermind Group Wellness coaching series is Christina (C.J.) Wade, a licensed massage therapist and certified health coach. She has owned and operated her own private practice, You Matter Massage and Wellness, in Mountain Brook since 2018.
In a Q&A with BPL Public Relations Director Roy Williams, Wade talked about her inspiration for the class series, and what she hopes participants learn.
BPL: CJ, what inspired you to come up with this "Self-Care Mastermind Group Wellness" class series?
Wade: I love training self-care champions and The Self-Care MasterMind is my signature health coaching program. After completing an entrepreneurial cohort program with Neena Speer, Esq at the Central Branch of Birmingham Public Library, I was inspired to create a community version of my program to increase self-care awareness and accessibility to resources. When people realize their value, they treat themselves accordingly then communities can be well.
BPL: Give a brief synopsis of what will be happening Monday, March 11th during the "Food Is Your Friend!" class.
Wade: I'm so excited about this class because food is not something to be feared. Food has the opportunity to help us with brain health, metabolism, detoxing, and more. So, we'll learn how to eat for lifestyle needs instead of stressing about calories. I'll share tips on shopping for healthy meals and snacks on a budget and how to address food cravings. Everyone will leave ready to eat well!
BPL: Hate that I missed your December class on "Water Works; Hydrate for Life" because I learned the hard way the importance of drinking water after developing a large kidney stone in January 2023 that required removal by surgery - simply because I drank too many sodas and not enough water. Talk about what you discussed during that class.
Wade: Oh no! I’m glad you’re healing from that experience! Yes, dehydration or minimal water intake is the answer to so many “system alerts” in our bodies. I see water as a master key we rarely use to unlock our overall health.
In Water Works: Hydrate for Life, we discussed the power of water for our physical bodies as well as watering our lives with nourishing activities. Some people act harshly toward others because they are dry on the inside and it’s difficult to be a giving person when you feel spiritually dehydrated. We also practiced mindfully drinking water as a meditative exercise. Participants left the session feeling grateful and empowered to incorporate new self-care activities in their lifestyle.
BPL: You have had some interesting classes so far, from the Self-Care Truth or Dare kickoff debunking myths last September to topics like healthy eating & a 60-second self-care challenge. For those who missed those classes, share what you taught.
Wade: Self-Care Truth or Dare was an eye-opener to the community that attended that afternoon. It was great to see their faces as I smashed each myth! We have this concept of what self-care is and it seems too expensive or far-fetched to be deemed necessary. We addressed it all in that session and the participants absorbed the truth that self-care is a lifestyle, not a luxury. This included exercises like mindfully eating your food so you’re not always eating in a hurry or eating while watching television.
Mindful Eating makes you slow down and truly think about the process of caring for yourself instead of letting what's "eating you" end up on your plate.
The 60-second Self-Care Challenge was so much fun! Participants spun a wheel of various self-care activities such as drinking an 8 oz bottle of water, line dancing, hugging themselves, and more. Everyone left with smiles that evening and said they appreciate the reminder that self-care is accessible at any time!
“Dance Your Heart In, held last month on February 12, is the brainchild of my creative self and my health coaching self. I host this event a couple of times a year. I’ve been a dancer and choreographer for almost 30 years. When I became a licensed massage therapist and health coach, I thought - what better way to merge self-care and dancing? Self-care is also about being free to love yourself inside and out, so in the spirit of National Heart Month and Valentine’s Day week, we grooved and made our hearts happy!
BPL: Give a brief synopsis of the last classes in the series by month as listed below from April through June:
Monday, April 8, 2024 | How to Advocate for Your Health
Monday, May 13, 2024 | Party of One: How to Date Yourself
Monday, June 10, 2024 | Journaling For Life
Wade: About April 8's How to Advocate for Your Health - It is easy to feel defeated after a medical visit. I know this first-hand. So, I’m sharing everything I learned through my personal journey and more, like asking the right questions, finding the right physician for their needs.
May 13's Party of One: How to Date Yourself - Social anxiety is real and for some, it can dismantle the social care part of their overall health. In this session, we discuss and practice how to break down the walls of social anxiety by self-caring in public places, such as a restaurant, park, and more! There’s an art to being comfortable in solo situations and participants will learn how to customize their own self-care date! Introverts, this class is especially made for you!
June 10's Journaling For Life - Lastly, the Journaling For Life session will use tools from previous sessions to incorporate journaling as part of their self-care regimen. If you missed the previous sessions, it’s OK. I’ll have a recap to help.
BPL: What do you hope participants learn from these classes?
Wade: I hope people will recognize that self-care is not a lofty, expensive thing you have to chase. It’s reachable and customizable. My activities may not look like yours and both can be effective. Everyone deserves a healthy version of themselves and it just takes one step at a time to believe it.
BPL: Any last minute advice for those interested on the importance of getting started on a self-care program series at home for individuals and their families?
Wade: Yes! Use your calendar as accountability. Notice how many times YOU are in it. That is your first step as an individual. The next is respecting that practice among your family. They will reap the benefit of you being a healthy you and even accept your example as one to follow. I’m a witness of that.
Comments