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This week is a week where many of us are celebrating holidays or holy days, Hanukkah, Christmas, and Kwanza are on many of our minds. Rather than allowing these special days to become stressful by focusing on planning and getting tasks done, focus on the relationships and deeper the meaning of each celebration. The deeper message in all of these holidays can give us hope and strengthen our resilience. Allow them to enrich your faith while you treasure the people in your life whom you love. 

With COVID-19 affecting our holidays, schools going more and more remote, and the lingering post-election stress it is important to ask ourselves questions that help us manage our stress response.   The Greater Good Science Center poses a few questions to help us think about how we are managing and reacting got what is going on around us (Smith & Suttie 10.2020).

This is Thanksgiving week. Gratitude is the quality of being thankful and the readiness to show appreciation and return kindness. Harvard Medical School writes that “The word gratitude is derived from the Latin word gratia, which means grace, graciousness, or gratefulness. Gratitude encompasses all of these. Gratitude is a thankful appreciation for what you receive, tangible or intangible. With gratitude, people acknowledge the goodness in their lives. In the process, people usually recognize that the source of that goodness lies ...at least partially... outside themselves. Gratitude also helps people connect to something larger than themselves.

This week is Homelessness and Hunger Awareness Week. Mental health is an essential component of your overall life experience. It impacts all domains of life including physical, spiritual, vocational, and relational.  One area of life where a person’s mental health has a big impact is in housing. Surveys indicate that close to half of people who are homeless have a mental health diagnosis. Often depression, anxiety or post-traumatic stress can underlie the series of life occurrences that lead a person to homelessness. I would encourage all of us to think of the ways in which we can help those experiencing housing insecurity.

One international study published just this month reports that people who had a strong sense of meaning and purpose in their life were more resilient, especially in relation to Covid-specific stress. What are some things that give us a sense of purpose? Caring for someone who needs your help, an activity or hobby that is meaningful such as gardening or cooking, or being part of a group that connects you with others such as a service club or a church. So if you find yourself stressed don't do less, do more of what gives you a sense of purpose.

If you are in a circumstance in which you are being abused in anyway physically, emotionally, or sexually reach out for help. You deserve to be treated well and in a safe, caring relationship. Help is available by calling Appleseed’s Safe Haven program 24-hour crisis hotline at 419-289-8085. Visit www.safehavenofashland.org for more information.

Appleseed earned the 2020 Platinum Seal of Transparency, the highest level of recognition offered by GuideStar, a service of Candid. By sharing metrics that highlight the progress that Appleseed is making toward its mission, the organization is helping donors move beyond simplistic ways of nonprofit evaluation such as overhead ratios.

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Domestic Violence is the willful intimidation as part of a systemic pattern of power and control perpetrated by an intimate partner against another and happens across all genders, ages, races, and other demographics. This abusive behavior may include physical, emotional, psychological, financial, or sexual abuse. Safe Haven is holding several events to honor victims and survivors of domestic violence throughout October. All events are free and open to the public.  

ADHD can lead to obstacles including impeded academic progress, relationship conflicts, questions about self-worth, and difficulty with decision making. Treatment may include medical interventions, individual and family counseling, and nutrition. Early intervention is key so reach out to your pediatrician or trusted mental health provider to discuss the best way to move forward.

We are winding down National Recovery Awareness Month and National Suicide Awareness Month. Both of these issues can be made worse by interpersonal tensions and stress. With COVID-19 still disrupting how we live and the intensifying election propaganda, we need to intentionally make time for self-care. Below are a few self-care tips for stress management.

If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of suicide or death please know, there is help. Take that step to share your thoughts and feelings with someone you trust. Appleseed has caring staff available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week by calling our 24 Hour Crisis hotline at (419) 289-6111. You may also visit Suicidepreventionlifeline.org for more information.

Recovery is possible. There are many great recovery communities in our area.  Don't let anything keep you from reaching out. There are paths that will allow you to find meaning and purpose in the aftermath of very difficult life experiences. If you find yourself addicted and struggling remember you are loveable, forgivable, and changeable.