{ January 2023 Newsletter }

Guest Contributor:

Mental Health Matters

NEAR YEAR, NEW YOU

Sandy would like to welcome in the new year by sharing this article from Kenneth Wong, originally published December 2021.

12 Steps to Plan Your Most Successful Year Yet

Reflect on the past year

To make a solid plan for a successful new year, you must know your starting point. Take a moment to reflect on the past year to know where you currently are in your life.

Let things go

The second step is to let things go, both physically and emotionally. Take time to decluttering your room and get rid of anything that you do not use, or do not spark joy.

Define who you are

To know what kind of goals you want to set, you need to define who you are. Knowing who you are as a person helps, you set goals that lead to your definition of success.

Create a vision board

Bring out the artist in you by creating a beautiful vision board for next year. Not only are they visually pleasing, vision boards, help attract what you want into your life.

Find your Ikigai

Ikigai is a Japanese concept that means “a reason for being”. This balance is found at the center where your passions and talents intersect with the things that the world needs, and is willing to pay for.

Let fear guide you

To build up your self-confidence, you have to make fear your Northstar, and let it guide you.

Set yearly goals

Now that you have your theme and vision board. It’s time to gain clarity by listing out the big ticket items you want to accomplish for the next year.

Upgrade your habits

Make a list of habits you want to form and have it do you want to give up then expand on that by writing down the reason and how forming or eliminating the habit will help you.

Start using a planner

A planner is a fantastic tool to organize your tasks, events, and thoughts, so you know exactly what to do every day to achieve those goals you set earlier.

Break down your goals

Remember those big, and your goals you said earlier? They might look intimidating at first, so let’s break those down into specific, achievable goals.

Review your goals

Schedule in monthly check, ins and quarterly reviews to assess your progress and check if you need to adjust any of the goals you set at the beginning of the year.

Make a bucket list

One of the things I look forward to the most when planning for the next year is making my bucket list. Your bucket list is a list of items that you want to do in the next year simply for your pleasure and fun.

Contributor

Sandy Crisp, LPC-A, CRC, LCDC

Zoom Meetups - Next Steps

We connected with people from the US, CANADA and JAPAN in January to help plan future meetups for 2023. Take a look at the below ideas, let us know what we are missing. What else you would like to cover? Would you like to lead a session or know someone who could lead one of the below?

• Speed Dating “Networking Style” / Find a Mentor
• Mental Resilience with Counselor
• Adaptive Yoga/Mindfulness/Breathing
• Breakout Day: quad, congenital, above elbow, below elbow, caregiver/family
• Adaptive Equipment Share, everyone brings top 3 to discuss
• Sepsis Alliance & PSS
• Pediatric/Congenital Roundtable
• Prosthetics Overview with CP
• Q&A with Driver Rehab Expert
• Overuse, Body Mechanics with OT/PT

Hopefully we can connect again in February! Link and invitation will be posted on the Skills for Life FB private group and sent out via the email a week in advance.

Zoom Meeting Link (you can bookmark this as it is the same link every session)

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

Amazon is ending the AmazonSmile program, citing limited impact. We want to thank everyone who chose Enhancing Skills for Life as their charity to support. We are sad to see this program end, but will be looking for other opportunities where you can make an impact just by shopping with your preferred retailers.

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 Summer 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.