What we're thinking about...

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Hi Reader,

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Today is World Mental Health Day. 🌎

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Younger generations are missing work due to stress. A majority of Gen Z--over 54% globally, say they have felt so stressed that they could not go to work during the past year. 😦

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The media, our friends, and family (all well-intentioned) tell us to "relax" or "meditate," but what does that mean? I want to love yoga. But, honestly, when I'm sitting still for 45 minutes, I can't help but think of my to-do list 📋 and what's for dinner 🤔 🍔 or 🌮? So, we asked the experts for some tips. 🤓

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So, "what is meditation?" Here's what we learned:

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1️⃣ It's just focused attention. Meditation is simply the practice of focusing your attention on something specific, like your breath or a mantra. It's that feeling when you lose yourself when you're coloring (adult coloring, anyone?) 🎨, gardening 🌱 or even giving yourself a manicure. 💅🏼

2️⃣ No need for particular poses. You don't have to sit cross-legged or hold your hands in a certain way🧘🏻‍♀️. Although, this little girl went viral for doing just that 🤣. Any comfortable position works, whether sitting, lying down, or even walking!

3️⃣ Short sessions are valuable. Even 5 minutes of "meditation" can be beneficial ⏰. You don't need to meditate for hours to see results. Take a break (without your phone), walk around the block, and focus on something else–tree leaves, the clouds, dogs, Halloween decorations 🎃--anything to re-shift your thoughts!

4️⃣ It's not about emptying your mind. This might be the biggest myth! 👈🏼 The goal isn't to have zero thoughts but to observe your thoughts without getting caught up in them. We put a lot of pressure on ourselves to "get it right." But we love the idea of not stopping our thoughts but simply observing our thoughts instead. 😌

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There's no "right" way: Many different meditation techniques exist. It's about finding what works for you.

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📌Mental wellness is important because it affects your career wellness. 🙌🏼💯

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What's coming up:

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This month, we are bringing expert Larry Gomez to teach us "How to Meditate Without Meditating." Larry is a philosopher, artist, musician, and author who explores the intersection of nature and technology and helps everyone get off their phones and come back to their senses, literally, the 5 senses (touch, taste, sound, hearing, and smell). Learn more here. More on this to come soon! 🌟

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Also, we have LOTS of exciting announcements coming up--so be sure to follow us on Instagram and LinkedIn and look for a special note from us next month! 🎉

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See you then!

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THE WELLNESS CORNER

Wellness: the quality or state of being in good financial and mental health, especially as an actively sought goal.

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MAKE MONEY MAKE SENSE

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October is also Financial Planning Month! So, we're going to spend a minute talking about Compound Interest. It's all about getting money to work for you. 💪🏼

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Banks will pay you interest for letting your money sit with them. Three essential parts are your initial amount, new contributions, and growing your money (earning compounded interest).💰

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Let's start with a $5,000 initial amount with 5% interest. In year one, you add $1,000 new contributions + your interest--now you're looking at $6,300 at the end of the first year. Let's say you keep putting away $1,000 every year for 20 years (and keep your $5,000 in there). You now have $71,474 and gained $46,474 from just interest! 😎

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This example shows the power of:

1. Starting with an amount you can commit to
2. Consistently adding more over time
3. Letting compound interest WORK FOR YOU! 🤑

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Click here to learn more, and here's a list of financial institutions that can offer savings programs. 🌱

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MENTAL HEALTH

📌 Are you feeling overwhelmed? You are not alone.

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Our friends at Crisis Text Line offer 24/7, FREE, bilingual text support. Text CURA to 741741 to talk to a trained volunteer. 💛

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JOBS FOR YOU

📌 Digital NEST. Open positions are open! Digital NEST creates sustainable and scalable technology learning centers for Latinx youth in order to foster economic equality.

📌 #Latina Geeks Job Board. Helping to increase the number of Latinas in technology-related careers. Check out their job board here.

📌 Catholic Charities of Santa Clara County. Multiple positions open.

📌 Nonprofit Job Board. Check out Silicon Valley Council of Nonprofits Job Board.

📌 College Recruiter. Top 10 job boards for diverse students who want to work for non-profits, government.

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About Cura Cura is a platform for ambitious first-generation and early-career talent to launch and grow their careers faster. Our mission is to empower first-generation and early career workers to launch their careers, accelerate job readiness, and make a bigger impact in the workplace. Visit cura.us and subscribe to our newsletter to stay in the loop on our latest speakers, events and resources. ​ Co-founders Jen Elena Romano & Sylvia Bonilla Zizumbo​ ​ Cura.us ​