CELT Notes for April 15, 2026: Faculty Well-Being Series, Part 3: Boundaries as Kindness to Self and Call for Applications

Note from Assistant Director, Christy Vrtis

Happy Wednesday!

Over the weekend, I agreed to attend a funeral in my hometown for my parents as a “family representative.” In the moment, it felt like the right thing to do. I do want to go and support the family members who lost their loved one. However, as I started trying to figure out how to fit it into my already over-booked schedule, I realized that I really, really should have said no. 

As we head into the last few weeks of the semester, the requests on our time and energy will inevitably increase. 

To continue our Faculty Well-being Series this week, I’m sharing two “try it today” exercises from A Pedagogy of Kindness by Catherine J. Denial. I’ve shared some of these in various forms in previous CELT Notes, but I feel like repetition is a good thing for these types of tips.

These exercises come from her section titled “Boundaries as the Bedrock of Kindness” to the Self. There are eight “boundaries” in this section. The two I’m sharing today are: schedule time for eating and rest and guard your yes.

Faculty Well-being “Try it Today”

1. Schedule time for eating and rest 

This boundary is simple in concept: it is critical for us to recognize our basic humanity and to allow that all bodies need fuel, and that rest is a prerequisite for action. Denial acknowledges that many academics treasure the flexible work hours provided by the circumstances of our employment, but that this should not mean surrendering control over our basic needs. Food, water, and rest matter. 

Try it today: Put breaks for food, water, and rest on your calendar right now. The key here: treat them as nonnegotiable commitments to yourself. 

2. Guard Your Yes

Saying no is hard for many of us. Instead, we say yes out of obligation, fear of missing out, some external measure of success, or other reasons. Denial encourages us to shift our mindset about saying yes and really consider the thing we’ve been asked to do and how we feel about it. Rather than saying yes when we really want to say no, we can reframe the approach as the power of a meaningful “yes.” In other words, “If it’s not a strong yes, it’s a hell no” (31). An important thing to keep in mind: by changing our relationship to saying no, we begin to understand that we’re not rejecting something; “it’s that [we’re] saying yes to something else, whether that’s time, opportunity, or peace of mind.” Saying yes too often or too fast is indicative of having too few boundaries and taking on too much responsibility for others which can lead to overwork. 

Try it today: When a new request for your time comes your way, take a few moments and ask yourself the following questions:

• Does this path, this choice, make me larger or smaller?
  • Does this path offer me meaningful engagement with the life (and work, and home, and community) that I long for? 
  • Does this path make me feel jaded, compromised, or put-upon?

Saying a strong yes may lead to conflict, just as saying no may. However, Denial argues that by changing the parameters of the options we’re considering when we evaluate whether to take on a new responsibility, we can learn to reframe our answers as being positive affirmations of ourselves rather than the rejection of others. “It’s hard to tell people no; it’s hard – but so worthwhile – to learn to guard your yes.”

Faculty Well-being Resources

If you want to read Denial’s book A Pedagogy of Kindness, stop by the CELT Office and borrow a copy!

I am also thrilled to announce the opening of applications for CELT’s inaugural Faculty Writing and Reflection Retreat, happening June 2-4 at Bluffside Gardens! See the full call for applications below.

If you have a teaching moment or reflection you’d like to share, or a well-being practice you’d recommend, please email me! 

I hope you have a good day.

Warmly, 

Christy

1:1 Consultations | vrtich01@luther.edu | Valders 240 | 563-387-1587 | Mobile: 804-201-1688

Call for Applications: Faculty Writing & Reflection Retreat

Deadline to Apply: May 1, 2026
Retreat Dates: June 2-4, 2026
Location: Bluffside Gardens, Decorah, Iowa

Note: Accommodations and food will be provided by CELT for the duration of the Retreat.

Overview

CELT invites faculty to apply for a Faculty Writing & Reflection Retreat designed to support sustained, meaningful engagement with your intellectual, creative, and pedagogical work.

This retreat offers dedicated, protected time to write, reflect, and reconnect with the questions that matter most to your teaching, scholarship, and professional life. It also creates space to step back from the pace and pressures of academic life—to restore focus, reduce burnout, and re-engage your work with clarity and intention.

Whether you are working on a research article, reimagining a course, developing a creative project, or simply seeking space to think, this retreat is structured to support both productive work and professional renewal.

Participants will join a small cohort of colleagues committed to focused work, optional structured reflection and renewal activities, and a supportive, low-pressure community environment.

Our Approach

This retreat is designed around a simple premise: sustainable, meaningful academic work requires space to think, reflect, and rest.

In a culture that often prioritizes constant productivity, it can be difficult to claim time for the quieter but equally important parts of intellectual life—revisiting ideas, making connections, and allowing new questions to emerge. This retreat invites you to treat that time as valuable, necessary work.

Participants are encouraged to define productivity broadly. For some, that may mean drafting pages. For others, it may mean reimagining a course, clarifying a research direction, or creating the mental space needed to move forward with intention. There is no expectation of a finished product—your time at the retreat is yours to use in ways that are most meaningful and sustainable for you.

What to Expect

• Extended, uninterrupted time for writing, thinking, and reflection
• Optional goal-setting and reflection sessions
• A flexible structure that supports both focused work and intellectual rest
• Encouragement to approach productivity in ways that are sustainable and meaningful
• A collegial, supportive atmosphere with fellow faculty
• Space to slow down, think deeply, and reconnect with your work

Eligibility

All faculty and teaching staff are encouraged to apply. CELT is able to select six participants for this initial retreat. 

Application Requirements

To apply, please submit a brief statement (approximately 250–500 words) that addresses the following:

• What work do you hope to focus on during the retreat?
  (This may include scholarly writing, creative work, course design, or reflective/strategic thinking.)
• Why is this retreat a good fit for you at this moment in your faculty journey?
  Consider what draws you to this opportunity, including any need for focused time, renewed motivation, or space for reflection and recovery as part of your ongoing professional work.
• How will participating in this retreat support your development as a faculty member?
  You might reflect on how this experience could shape your teaching, scholarship, creative practice, or overall professional well-being and sustainability.

How to Apply

Submit your application here: June 2026 CELT Writing/Reflection Retreat Application Form.

Selection Criteria

Applications will be reviewed based on:

• Clarity and thoughtfulness of proposed work or goals
• Alignment between the retreat’s purpose and the applicant’s needs
• Potential for the retreat to support the applicant’s professional growth and well-being

We aim to build a cohort of faculty from diverse disciplines, career stages, and areas of focus.

Questions?

Please contact Christy Vrtis, vrtich01@luther.edu with any questions.

Upcoming Spring 2026 CELT Programming

Note: This spring we are returning to scheduling CELT workshops during shadow block on Thursdays in response to faculty time constraints and scheduling. Pop-up programming will be added on the days/times that work best for the program leader. 

Sign up for Spring Workshops here. Please register 48 hours before the workshop begins. Workshops/programming with 2 or fewer registrations may be canceled. 

Looking Ahead: April Workshops

Telling Your Academic Story, led by Christy Vrtis, Thursday, April 30, 9:45-10:45 a.m.

In this workshop, participants will learn about different story structures that can aid us in telling our academic stories to different audiences and at different times in our academic journeys. Then, participants will practice constructing their own academic stories. This workshop may be especially useful for faculty preparing for third-year review, tenure, promotion, or retirement. 

Additional Development Opportunities

ACM webinar: Supporting Student Mental Health and Wellness

From Dr. Clay: 

Supporting Student Mental Health and Wellness

Thursday, April 23 | 12:00 – 1:00 pm CT

REGISTER HERE

 

This workshop offers an accessible overview of the current student wellness landscape, including how to recognize early warning signs that a student may be struggling, and provides practical, research-informed strategies that staff and faculty can use in their day-to-day interactions to better support student well-being.

 

Presenters:

• Marit Lysne, Director of Student Health and Counseling, Carleton College
• Patrick Gordon, Director of Health Promotion, Carleton College

 

Informal CELT Programming

Friday Flow

Friday Flow is an opportunity to gather in the CELT Office and write. What you write is up to you, and the possibilities are boundless. Think of Friday Flow as your accountability partner or the friend that says “hey, you CAN take 30 minutes to reflect on the week – or write a poem – or outline your journal article – or work on your novel!” There will be snacks and drinks and, at points throughout the semester, time to share your work. No registration needed.

 

Friday, April 17, (Drop-in anytime, 1-4 p.m.; CELT Office, Valders 240)

Wellness Wednesday

Join Christy and Erin for a walk around campus (weather permitting). No registration needed.

Wednesday, April 22, from 11:00 – 11:30 a.m.; CELT Office, Valders 240.