Loss During The Holidays

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The temperatures are starting to cool, the leaves are changing colors, and everything seems to be pumpkin spice and apple. Fall is finally here! If you are like me, then many of you are loving this and have been waiting for this time of the year.   The stores have displays of Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas items and decoration.   Many find this very exciting…. it means major holidays are rapidly approaching bringing great traditions and festivities.  However, many of us feel increased anxiety and sadness as the holidays approach. We are bombarded by feeling stress and pressure to put on a happy face to express excitement and joyfulness about the rapidly approaching holidays.  Many of us likely looked forward to and enjoyed the holidays in the past. Yet, if you have lost a loved one, you may be struggling to look forward to the holidays as you once did.  Whether due to estranged relationships, our loved ones serving in the military away from home, incarceration, or death, the loss is felt. 

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What Is Burnout, And How Do I Deal With It?

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Crying, exhaustion, increased anxiety, anger, emotionally and physically shutting down….does this sound familiar?  If so, you are like many of us and are possibly experiencing burnout.  Most of us have heard of burnout yet many of us believe that we will know when we are starting to burnout or that we can prevent it before it becomes too severe.  Unfortunately, this is not always true and can lead to many problems in our relationships, jobs, and emotional and physical health.  Furthermore, burnout is not solely related to jobs but also relationships and life in general.  Merriam Webster’s definition of burnout includes “exhaustion of physical or emotional strength or motivation usually as a result of prolonged stress or frustration”.  I like how Michael Gungor explains his understanding as “Burnout is what happens when you try to avoid being human for too long.” 

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Change: Why We Fear Change and Ways To Embrace It

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Change is a good thing, right?  If it is, then why is it so uncomfortable and scary?  Do you find your self wanting to see changes yet dread them at the same time?  You are not alone.  Most of us like changes once they have happened but dread them before and as they are occurring.  We are creatures of habit and even when situations are bad; we often prefer them to change that could lead to better things and we do so due to knowing what to expect in the current situation.  We like a sense of balance and what we perceive as “normal”.  Change gets us out of our comfort zone.  Scary and uneasy which are two feelings that most don’t like except when watching a Horror movie or riding a roller coaster.   

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Easy Ideas To Manage Your Anxiety (And Ways to Help a Loved One Who Might Struggle)

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Racing heart, dizziness, tightness in the chest, nausea, shaking, difficulty sleeping, chills yet sweating….sounds like a heart attack, right?  It could be a heart attack, yet if you are one of the 40 million adults (18.1% of the adult population!) or 25.1% of the 13-18 year old population in the United States, it could also be related to symptoms of anxiety.  

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