The holidays are upon us once again, which can be both an exciting and exhausting time. There can be a lot of pressure to see everyone, find the right gifts, make time for traditions, and see family members a lot more frequently than we normally would. During this time, it can be good for us to remember to take care of ourselves amidst the chaos we’re enduring, and this can look a lot of different ways:

We’re headed into a year that is almost guaranteed to bring political division as we head into an election cycle. Regardless of our own beliefs and stances, we will likely encounter alternate views at work, school, online, and with family. Sometimes these conversations come up when we don’t anticipate it and we can feel trapped. First and foremost, we can grant ourselves the option to gracefully step out of those conversations if it is not the best time to be in them. We can guard our mental state, energy, and time and be good stewards of where and how we spend them. However, if it is a conversation that we feel compelled to step into, here are some ways that we can do this as respectfully and composed as possible. 

Teenage girls face a lot of scrutiny regarding their looks in our society. This can stem from peers, family perspectives, their sports environments, and it can also be connected to their online world through social media and other platforms. These pressures can also impact adolescent males, however this post will speak solely to the experiences of adolescent females given that this demographic is most affected by these expectations.

With the end of the school year approaching, older students can become very anxious or defeated in regards to their school work. There is often a push in the last month to make up for their late work, finish state testing, complete projects, and study for finals. Kids often become overwhelmed with the immensity of what's at hand and this can show in a multitude of ways.