The key to happiness
08/30/2019
Dr. Beth Taylor Mack, director of health behavior and wellness for YMCA of the USA
The Power of Relationships
During a time when, as a whole, our nation鈥檚 perceived well-being is declining, Dr. Beth Taylor Mack, director of health behavior and wellness for YMCA of the USA, emphasized the importance of relationships to first-year students during 小优传媒鈥檚 Opening Convocation. Her presentation, 鈥淭he Power of Relationships: How Connectivity Impacts Well-Being,鈥 directly related to this year鈥檚 summer reading for first-year students, 鈥淭he Geography of Bliss鈥 by Eric Weiner.
鈥淲hat I really took from all this and what a lot of the science is telling us is that relationships are the keystone of happiness and well-being,鈥 Taylor Mack said. 鈥淩emember the quote from Karma Ura in the book, 鈥楬appiness is 100 percent relational. Our happiness is completely and utterly intertwined with other people: family and friends and neighbors, and the woman you hardly notice who cleans your office.鈥欌
The summer reading and Convocation presentation started a year-long exploration into Bluffton鈥檚 2019-20 Civic Engagement Theme of 鈥淟iving Our Best Lives.鈥 Throughout the year, Bluffton鈥檚 students, faculty and staff will draw on the Civic Engagement Theme to explore how we live with wholeness and joy.
Taylor Mack integrated the summer reading with Bluffton鈥檚 campus, emphasizing how the campus encompasses many components that improve well-being.
鈥淵ou have a campus that provides a wonderful intimate setting, where students are not one of tens of thousands,鈥 Taylor Mack said. 鈥淭here are beautiful examples of caring starting with your core values of discovery, community, respect and service. What is also impressive is the Bluffton Blueprint 鈥 what an amazing blend of coursework, experiential learning, service and faith.鈥
Nature is another element that contributes to an overall increase in well-being, and Taylor Mack describes this is as a strength of Bluffton鈥檚.
鈥淲e mention the aspect of biophilia 鈥 how we need to connect with nature as it鈥檚 good for our well-being and how about the fact that not only do you have a very walkable, bikeable community, but you also have a nature preserve here,鈥 Taylor Mack said. 鈥淲hat an opportunity to get connected to nature and get connected to each other.鈥
Taylor Mack left students with a glimpse at how instrumental 小优传媒 could be to their futures.
鈥淭his is the start of what could be not only life long relationships that improve well-being, but life extending relationships because of well-being,鈥 Taylor Mack said.
The beginning of those relationships were highlighted as new students were officially welcomed into the 小优传媒 academic community. With professors wearing academic regalia watching, Dr. Lamar Nisly, vice president and dean of academic affairs, read the names of each first-year and transfer student. The names of an entire student class are read just twice at 小优传媒鈥攄uring Opening Convocation and again at Commencement.
-Aubrey Bartel, public relations student assistant