The Balanced Life, Huntsville Alabama

I received a random email one morning last week called “Trivia Daily”. I have no idea how this landed in my in-box or how I got on their email list. Normally I would delete such an email and never look back and I might even delete myself from their email list. But this particular morning I opened and read the email.

Ah, it’s that time again…New Year’s Resolutions! It seems most of us can be divided into two camps- those who have given up on even setting any resolutions each year, because, well, we often don’t stick to them beyond January 15^th or so. And the other camp- those who continue to ambitiously establish a slew of goals for the new year that go to the way side by January 15, even despite our good intentions.

Most people are probably with me when I say, I’m looking forward to a new year! Possibly more than I ever have before. This year has been extra-challenging, to say the least. And while we still may have a ways to go before things are “normal” again, we have had time to adjust and stabilize to a certain degree over the last 10 months and things seem more hopeful with the introduction of the COVID-19 vaccine. I, for one, am optimistic that there’s a light at the end of what has seemed to be an interminably long tunnel.

Anxiety and insecurity about our uncertain future abounds and everyone deals with anxiety and stress differently.

Recently a close family member of mine, who lives in another state, experienced a challenging time accessing mental health services and finding a counselor. 

While we are continuing to face challenges regarding COVID-19, there seems to be a strong desire by many to return to normalcy. This can be achieved by focusing on one’s own mental health and beginning or continuing therapy is a perfect way to do so. 

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, an annual observance designed to raise awareness about the importance of mental health and encourage individuals to take action to improve their own mental wellbeing.

What’s your favorite song?  For many, including myself, it’s impossible to answer that question.  We may be able to identify our favorite genre instead. No matter our taste in music, we all use music in similar ways- to remember a special occasion- such as a wedding, to give a boost to clean the house, to wind down from a long day’s work, to focus on a study project, etc. Music is an integral part of our lives.

September is National Self-Care Awareness Month. So this month, don’t feel guilty for having a little extra “me time”. The term “self-care” has become more and more popular throughout the years, but I still get the question, “What actually is self-care?” from a lot of clients. From my experience, it is definitely NOT eating a whole bag of Doritos in one sitting. Just in case anyone was wondering.