Join the Challenge!

INTRODUCING THE OCEAN COUNTY LIBRARY’S 2009 HEALTH & WELLNESS CHALLENGE!

Remember the movie "Groundhog Day"? Bill Murray kept living the same day over and over, no matter what he tried to do to change his fate.

Do your attempts to exercise more, lose weight, and feel better end up with the same results no matter what you do?
Maybe it is time for a new approach.
Maybe it is time to look at these issues in a different way, a positive way, a way that emphasizes what you CAN do over what you can't do.

Maybe it is time for you to sign up for the OCL Health & Wellness Challenge.

What is it?
The Health & Wellness Challenge (H&WC for short) is a yearlong series of bi-weekly activities that you can do to improve the health of your body, mind and spirit. You will set your own goals and record your progress. Activities will reflect different aspects of wellness: conscious eating, exercise, stress management, fun activities, and service/spirituality. At the end of the year, we will celebrate our successes.

How will it work?
Any staff member can sign up for the Health & Wellness Challenge. Each branch has one Team Leader. Your Team Leader will help to share information and inspiration. Committee members will recommend some activities for you, and you will also choose your own. You can record your progress privately or publicly.Anyone who participated in the Webthings Challenge can re-use or create a new blog to record their progress. Email will also be an acceptable way to document your progress toward your goals. Activities will be posted on a bi-weekly basis. Some will be general, like "set a fitness goal for yourself and stick with it for a week". Others might be more specific, like "watch the movie "Supersize Me". As you complete a Challenge, you may record your efforts and thoughts on your blog, in an email message, or by using a Tracking Sheet created by Committee members.

How will I find out about the activities?
Activities will be posted on the Committee blog http://oclwellness.blogspot.com and on Open C's.If you have a comment about an activity, or a suggestion for a new activity, you can send an email to the Committee, or post a comment on the blog or Open C's.

What will I get?
At the halfway point, participants who have consistently completed activities toward their goal will get a modest prize. We will share success stories at the Holiday Breakfast and Challenge completers will be entered in a raffle for a Grand Prize. Individual branches may also have prizes solicited from their community.

How can I learn more about health and wellness?
The Health & Wellness Challenge will schedule training workshops throughout the year related to wellness. Keep an eye out for upcoming trainings. There will also be Health & Wellness information at Staff Development Day.

How can I sign up?
Find out at your branch about a Health & Wellness Challenge Kickoff event. You can attend this event to find out more. Or, on or after February 2nd (that’s Groundhog Day, by the way!) just send an email to oclwellness@gmail.com and say "Yes! I want to improve my health!" Please include your name, branch, email address, and blog URL (if you have one). The registration period will last from February 2 to February 16. Round One of the Challenge, which will focus on Conscious Eating, begins on February 19th. Rounds will coincide with pay periods.

SPECIAL PRIZE: All registrants will be entered in a raffle to win a 6 week membership to Toms River Fitness.

DISCLAIMER:Before you embark on any program involving your health, you should check with your physician first. Members of the Health & Wellness Challenge Committee claim no expertise in the field of health, fitness, nutrition or wellness.