{ December 2022 Newsletter }

Guest Contributor:

Mental Health Matters - Holiday Edition

Suggestions to help you get through the holiday season:

Expectations: Making manageable expectations keeps you balanced and saves you from disappointment. Take the time to assess what you want, what you’re physically and emotionally capable of doing, and how realistic your plans are. Prepare for each outcome before it happens. You’ll be glad you thought of everything and aren’t surprised by anything that can spur difficult emotions. Put your plans on paper so you can easily refer back.

Don’t worry about how things should be. There’s a lot of pressure during the holidays,. We tend to compare ourselves with these idealized notions of perfect families and perfect holidays.” But remember, those other families doubtlessly have their own stressors and ruminations to contend with.

Be realistic. You can’t please everyone the rest of the year, so why try to during the holidays? Saying ‘no,’ whether to gatherings, travel or exchanging gifts. Your own mental and physical well-being needs to come first.

Set Boundaries: Say No: Too often, we feel obligated to go places and do things that may not be good for our overall wellbeing. Be gentle with well-intended family and friends who encourage you to “get out more.” Set your own limits of what, when and where you participate. You are the one who will suffer if you overdo it.. Your situation is different now, put yourself first.

Accept Your Feelings: When you picture the holiday season, a few things come to mind: Turkey, presents, and decorations. Plus, everyone seems happy. It’s almost like it’s a requirement! You must take the time to assess your well-being and search for your feelings. Feelings are not right or wrong and you have the right to feel them. You also have the responsibility for how or if you act on them. If you’re feeling low, it’s not necessary for everyone else to understand. Find a safe place to process those feelings.

Mindfulness: When you feel overwhelmed, it’s a good idea to relax and destress as much as possible. Connecting to your body and mind to care for yourself can make stressful times easier. Deep breathing exercises, yoga, walks, you name it. Taking the time to relax will help you feel great and rested and is always worth the effort.

Reach out Spend Time with Supportive People: One key component of a healthy life and mind? Surround yourself with people who lift you, support you, and care about you. You don’t have to tolerate people that hurt you or don’t appreciate your value. This holiday season — and every other day you can — make sure you’re spending time with people who see you and accept you for who you are.

Seek Professional Help If You Need to: Some difficulties are best suited for a professional to handle. Psychology Today maintains a list of qualified counselors in your area if you need help locating one. If you have persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness or if your feelings interfere with your everyday life and you don’t enjoy activities that you once did, and especially if you are having thoughts about suicide, see your health care provider right away for help. This information is not intended for a crisis situation. If you are experiencing a life-threatening emergency or experiencing feelings you want to harm yourself or others immediately call 911 or go to the nearest hospital emergency room

You are not alone. Help is available. Keep your community’s mental health services posted in a convenient place in your home. You don’t want to be looking for this information during a difficult time.

November and December can be tough months if you’re struggling with sadness. But, always remember that there are things you can do to change things for the better. You can start now by putting preventative measures in place before they bring you down. As the saying goes, “An ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure.”

Contributor

Sandy Crisp, LPC-A, CRC, LCDC

Return of the Zooms!

We had an amazing time connecting in person with everyone last month and we would like to provide opportunities to stay in touch. Some of you may remember our zoom sessions in 2020-2021 that helped us stay connected during COVID. Our first zoom of 2023 will be a happy hour social with games. During this zoom we plan out what topics you would like to see covered in 2023. Come join us!

Mark your calendars for January 18th at 7pm central. Link and invitation will be posted on the Skills for Life FB private group and sent out via these newsletters.

Join January Zoom Meeting:

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/97649737361?pwd=VHN3SllxUVRNZ1IzNFVvNTgyZUg2UT09

Upcoming Events/Programs

Ronnie Hindsman's Bowling Tournament

February 18-19, 2022

Livingston, TX

ISPO World Congress

April 24-27, 2023

Guadalajara, MX

Amputee Coalition National Conference

August 2-5, 2023

Orlando, FL

Camp No Limits

January-October 2023

Various US Locations

Get Involved!

Let us know if you have time, experience, resources or referrals/connections with any of the below. Our hope is to be able to hire for these positions in the future.

• Marketing/Social Media
• Grant Writing
• Event Planner
• Scholarship Committee
• SFL 7 Planning Committee (will likely start communicating Spring 2024)

Enhancing Skills for Life, 501c3

Board of Directors

Change a Life, Donate Today

The Skills for Life workshop was developed in 2002 with a specific focus on people living without both arms or more and the unique set of circumstances they face on a daily basis. The nonprofit was founded in 2017 to ensure we could continue supporting the members of our community with programs, events, resources and connections. To donate, please click either the Venmo or PayPal donate buttons in this section. PayPal allows you to donate via your account or with a credit card. Venmo requires you to have an account. Donations can also be made via check, payable to Enhancing Skills for Life, 16111 Park Center Dr, Houston, TX 77059.

Any and all donations, large or small, are greatly appreciated! 

Enhancing Skills for Life, 501c3 Tax ID: 81-2619137.