Ignite your potential
Here are two ways to bring in the new year!!!!
Enjoy the great indoors
Sometimes it is nice to relax and ring in the new years in the comfort of your home. You don’t have to think about fighting the crowds or finding a designated driver because you had a little too much alcohol. Watching TV, keeping warm by the fireplace, having family and friends over, getting drunk can be a great change from going out and partying.
Triage by area
Prioritize. I usually prioritize from the areas of most damage because I used those places the most. Questions I ask when triaging are: Which areas need the most cleaning? Which areas are utilized the most? Which can be sacrificed until later?
One place at a time
Cleaning/ organizing is much more manageable in pieces. Just as a Nobel award winning author wouldn’t write a 300 page novel in 1 day, nor should anyone have to clean their entire house in 1 day. You can be productive and effective.
Food Preparation:
Certain foods are better when they’re cooked at the last minute or right before the party. For example, the cooked turkeys, stuffings, etc. My dad, who is a chef, always says with cooking expect the unexpected. There might be an ingredient you forgot or time running out before the guests come. He says the best thing to do in this situation is to improvise or stall the guests.
Ambiance Preparation:
Christmas is a fun time to awaken all your senses. Christmas carols playing in the background can create a great holiday ambiance. Prepare last minute decorations such as floral centerpieces for the table, lighting, and candles.
I was surfing the web for a unique way of contributing this holiday season and came across Donors Choose. It is a novel idea that links students and donors.
The organization works in three steps as outlined in their homepage.
Teachers ask for classroom project materials (money for books, art supplies, etc)
You choose a project that fits your passion (reading, math, photography)
Students learn and appreciate
The holiday season is a great time to bring joy into another’s life. I recently came across a unique way to make that difference. It is an organization called KIVA. Its mission is to link lenders with entrepreneurs in the developing world. As a lender you can providing the stepping stone for entrepreneurs who are otherwise unable to foster their ideas. You can help their dreams become reality.
It is a great and easy way to connect with people all over the world in various industries. Their stories are posted on the website with a concise summary on what they would want to use the money for. You can choose based on your passions. Loans have helped entrepreneurs with their photography business, farming business, supporting education, etc.
Schizophrenia is a rare psychiatric illness in children, occurring 1 in 40,000, compared to 1 in 100 in adults.
Causes of childhood schizophrenia- research is still needed
Damage to the nervous system during early development
Genetic predisposition (family history)
Symptoms of childhood schizophrenia
Trouble distinguishing dreams and fantasies from reality
Auditory and visual hallucinations: seeing things and hearing voices that are not real
Confused train of thought
Bizarre thoughts and ideas
Fluctuations in mood
Peculiar or behaviors
Depression is treatable. Early identification and treatment helps children reach their full potential. Children who show signs of depression should be evaluated by a pediatrician and referred to a child psychiatrist. Early assessment can help provide a comprehensive treatment plan. The treatment could involve combination of:
Short term psychotherapy
There are many types of therapies, but research has shown cognitive behavioral therapy to be most effective. Cognitive behavioral therapy focuses on how a person thinks and believes. Children with depression have patterns, which skews the way they perceive the world. During the therapy sessions, the psychologist works with the child to identify dysfunctional thoughts. Other therapies include play therapy (children express their difficult feelings through art, playing activities, music), interpersonal therapy (interpersonal relationships and coping mechanisms), family therapy (exploring family relationships).
All children can feel sad or have a bad day once in a while. However, when these feelings persist and begin to interfere with a child’s ability to function in daily life, depression may be the source. It is estimated that 2.5% of children in the U.S. suffer from depression.
Signs and symptoms of depression in children:
Like depression in adults, the illness has the following symptoms in a child:
Hopelessness
Excessive guilt
Suicidal thoughts or ideation
Loss of energy
Helplessness
Fatigue
Increase or decrease in sleep patterns
Think about the weather
Depending on the time of year and part of the world, weather can drastically change. It may be sunny in California but rainy in London. With the internet, it is now easy to predict the weather and plan accordingly.
“When in Rome do as the Romans.” There are certain culturally nuances to take into consideration when traveling internationally. For example in rural China, people do not wear shorts as that is considered rude. In Saudi Arabia, women must be fully covered and they cannot show their faces in public.
Plan your own get together
Holiday is a time when people come together. It is fun to go out with friends to a bar, restaurant, or have your own potluck.
Volunteer your time and contribute to others
Holiday time is also a time of giving. Many organizations are in need of volunteers to help. These include Salvation Army, American Red Cross, hospitals, homeless shelters, etc.
Relax
Taking time to care for yourself is important. Listen to holiday music, read a good book, watch TV, etc.
