Meet Ben Croner

Ben Croner, a “regular” at the monthly Mind-Body Connections workshops, is Admissions Assistant in the McCourt School of Public Policy. We invited Ben to respond to our wellness questions.  He has a very mindful approach to caring for self and has good ideas to bring mindfulness into his everyday life here at Georgetown and beyond.  

What does “wellness” mean to you?

For me, wellness is all about taking care of myself and believing that I am worthy of my own self-love and attention. It’s so easy to neglect ourselves, or worse, do damage to our bodies, especially when we’re feeling low. Part of wellness is recognizing that this is happening and then making a concerted effort to look after ourselves. It’s (wellness) not about feeling great all the time or always being at our best. But at some point, with enough care and attention, I do think that this kind of approach will translate into someone actually feeling better, even if it doesn’t happen right away.

What wellness opportunities do you participate in at GU and are proud that GU offers?

Since coming to Georgetown last August as a temporary employee, I have been taking advantage of the monthly, MBC (Mind-Body Connections) workshops. I always leave feeling more centered and at peace with myself. It also makes me feel like more a part of the GU community, despite my temporary status within the University. It’s never easy starting a new (temporary work) assignment; there are new tasks to learn, staff to get used to, and so forth. It’s nice knowing that MBC is there to help provide a little continuity whenever I have had to change offices and adapt to a new role.

What suggestion would you give to someone who wants to “be well?”

In order to “be well,” we must be willing to examine ourselves and the behaviors that are contributing to our well-being, and those that are not. Earlier this year, I deleted my Facebook account. Yes, you heard that right. It seemed like a big move at the time, but I can solemnly swear I don’t miss it. It wasn’t adding much to my life, and was more of a distraction than anything else. I’m not saying everyone needs to do this, but this is the kind of introspection that it takes if we are to be well.

What do you envision the future of wellness to be on campus and in our world?

I think a lot of people feel like they’re not enough; not accomplished enough, smart enough, good looking enough. We’re constantly comparing ourselves to those around us and wishing we could be more like them in this way or that. Social media sites have only served to further distort the perceptions we have of one another. Just being at an elite institution like Georgetown, it’s easy to feel like you’re somehow not measuring up. A personal mantra of mine has been to repeat to myself “I am enough” whenever I take time out to pause during the day. I think if more of us were to start seeing ourselves as being “enough,” we could recognize and appreciate the unique gifts that each person brings without feeling threatened or like we’re being outdone. This, in turn, would go a long way toward creating a culture of cooperation, rather than competition, both on campus and in the world.