Replace a habit with a passion for giving. Press pause on alcohol, caffeine, or nicotine and donate the money you save to a worthy cause. Take a break to feel like yourself again. Instead of burning money, fuel social change.
Challenge yourself for one day, one week, or one month. Calculate your typical spending on alcohol, caffeine, or nicotine and donate that amount to your favorite philanthropy, while you pledge to go without.
The challenge starts Thursday, April 1, 2021
Choose your substance and challenge period. Are you giving up nicotine for a day? Caffeine for a week? It’s also time to choose a worthy cause to receive the money you would have spent on substances. Donate to any cause or organization that you want. If you’re looking for ideas, we have some IUPUI funds highlighted below.
Calculate your typical spending. Rather than pulling a number out of the air, do some quick math to determine how much you actually spend per day, week, or month. Send that money to a better place and make your donation.
Feeling confident? Keep yourself accountable by including your friends and family. Track your progress on your own or with our Tips and Tracking sheet. Tell us how you did and complete the evaluation when your challenge period is over.
Participate in the Pause for a Cause Substance-Free Challenge by donating to any cause or organization you want. If you are looking for ideas, consider the following funds.
A donation to this fund supports the Office of Health and Wellness Promotion, which coordinates IUPUI’s addiction recovery support program for students.
A donation to Paws’ Pantry will support basic needs for students, such as providing food and hygiene products to students struggling to feed themselves and their families.
Supports scholarships for students pursuing a degree at IUPUI who have unmet financial need, have encountered unforeseen financial hardships, and would not be able to continue without financial support.
Are you giving up coffee for a week, or all forms of caffeine? When you set your goal, you should also set very clear criteria for what constitutes success (or failure). One way to help make your goal stick is to physically write it down. Seeing your goal in writing helps to set your intention, taking it from something you could do to something you will do.
Behavior isn’t all about motivation and willpower. Cues from the physical environment influence our actions. Studies show that putting fruits and vegetables at eye level in a school cafeteria can increase consumption. You can use this same trick to your advantage by stocking healthy alternatives within arm’s reach, and hiding the things you want to avoid under a sink or in the back of a closet.
You just happen to be the world’s leading expert on yourself, and you probably have some idea about how and when you are likely to stumble. Put up guard rails to prevent yourself from steering off course. Make a list of the most likely setbacks and the strategy or backup plan for each one.
Tap into positive social pressure by sharing your goal publicly, post about it on social media, and find your accountability buddy. It’s also a good idea to let your friends know about your goal ahead of time so they don’t accidentally tempt or pressure you. Why not recruit others to donate to a worthy cause by joining the challenge themselves?
If you decide you want to cut back or quit using a substance completely, such as alcohol or nicotine, resources from Healthy IU (for employees) and the Office of Health and Wellness Promotion (for students) can help.
Learn more about IU employee benefits for tobacco cessation, and free tobacco cessation coaching for students.
Employees can also use SupportLinc to address substance misuse concerns, and students can participate in a free screening and brief intervention.
Visit the Healthy IU website for a full list of employee resources, and the Student Wellness Directory for student wellness programs.
