I think we all can agree that we have COVID-19 fatigue, and what we thought would go away in 2020 is still with us. As we are winding down Ohio 4-H Mental Health Month, I am hopeful you have found a few tips or tricks that you can add to your mental health tool kit and pull out whenever you need a little boost.
Today’s “Thoughtful Thursday” post really hit home for me. Helen Keller has always been an inspiring individual, and I have read so much about her and all the things she was able to accomplish. If you do not know much about her, now is a great time to research her and reflect on today’s quote.
One of the groups I work closely with in Fairfield County are the Junior Leaders. This group of teens, ages 13 and up, work with peers from all over the county to promote 4-H, develop leadership skills, and conduct community service projects. In 2019, this group of teens decided to use another Helen Keller quotation on their club shirts. “Alone we can do so little. Together we can do so much.” I think this quotation holds as much power today as the one in our social media post!
During this time of COVID, I know I feel like I am spinning my wheels and not accomplishing nearly as much as I should be. But I do not think that is what I should be focusing on. Instead, I need to shift my thinking and focus on the good things happening around me and getting back to how I felt before ‘the world shut down.’ Resilience is just that, the ability to recover from any difficulties and to come back stronger than before. Another definition of resilience that I love is ‘toughness,’ which I think we all have developed from experiencing and surviving the pandemic thus far.
For some of us, we need that support and connection from others to do great things, and it is important that we realize that trait in ourselves. My challenge for you today is to take time to reflect on what makes you resilient and what you may need to come back stronger than before. When things return to ‘normal’-ish, I hope you are able to share those skills and activities you have discovered during this difficult time with your 4-H club members, family, or friends. Let us all work together so that we can accomplish all the things we want to do and more to make our world a better place.
Wish you all the best,
Aubry Fowler, Fairfield County 4-H Educator