Month: January 2021

Just Breathe! to Manage Stress

“Just breathe!” is advice we may have heard as we prepared for exams and other big events. We breathe in and out all the time, without thinking. Surely it can’t be as simple as just breathing. Actually, it’s good advice, and it is something that we can learn to use to our advantage. In this post we’ll discuss ways you can “just breathe” to manage stress.

Recognizing and managing stress is an important life skill to learn. The stress response is actually a series of responses that begin in the brain. Your brain sends a distress signal (in the form of hormones) to other parts of the body, such as those that control breathing and blood circulation. They are part of the body’s automatic response, and they happen so quickly we’re not really aware of it, we just feel the effects. The key is to interrupt this process. Because deep breathing techniques shift that focus, they are one of the best ways to calm yourself when you feel stressed.

Some key points about breathing:

  • Breathing affects the whole body.
  • Breathing exercises are easy to learn.
  • You can try different techniques to find out which work best for you.

How does breathing work to manage stress?  Researchers are working to better understand how stress and breathing affect the brain. We know deep breathing increases the oxygen supply to the brain. It appears that focused breathing activates parts of the brain that control emotions. It relaxes the nervous system, and therefore it also improves mental concentration, learning capacity, and decision making. Slow, deep breathing helps you concentrate, and therefore it helps you to disengage from distracting thoughts and sensations. When you find yourself drifting, bring your focus back to your breath.

The good news: Focused breathing exercises can be simple, quick, and done almost anywhere.

Here are two of my favorite breathing exercises.

1) Alternate Nostril Breathing **Caution those with asthma to avoid this exercise.

  1. Stand or sit up tall.
  2. Use your index finger and thumb of your right hand for this exercise.
  3. Start by pressing your index finger over your left nostril. Inhale slowly through your right nostril.
  4. Press your thumb over your right nostril and at the same time lift your index finger away from your left nostril. Exhale slowly through your left nostril.
  5. Once you have exhaled completely, inhale slowly through your left nostril.
  6. Press your index finger over your left nostril and exhale slowly through your right nostril.
  7. Repeat at least three times.

2) Countdown to Calm

  1. Stand or sit up tall.
  2. Inhale slowly, and using one hand, lift one finger at a time as you count to 5.
  3. Exhale slowly, and as you do so, lower one finger at a time as you count backwards from 5.
  4. Repeat at least three times.

Today’s Take-Away: Focused breathing exercises can be simple, quick, and done almost anywhere. You can download a tip sheet with the two breathing techniques above, as well as five more. I hope you’ll find one or more that you can make part of your stress management toolbox.

Justin Bower, 4-H Educator in Logan County, has recorded a 23-minute presentation titled Continuing to Cope with COVID. He discusses lots of techniques to support physical, emotional, and mental health, including breathing. Check it out!

Promotion for Healthy Body Healthy Mind SPIN Club

Register by January 14 for the Healthy Body Healthy Mind SPIN Club

Remember, you can sign up for the Healthy Body Healthy Mind SPIN Club that starts next week on January 19 and runs once a week for 6 weeks. You can also find more resources on the Ohio 4-H webpage.

In addition to ways to focus our breathing, there are two other ways to help with the build up of stress: physical activity and social support. We’ll be covering these topics in future posts. Come back for more information and ideas.

Yours in Health,

Signature

Theresa Ferrari, Extension Specialist, 4-H Youth Development

Breathing exercises from “Just Breathe!” in the Coping with COVID: Lesson Plans to Promote Mental, Emotional, and Social Health.

Cultivating Social Connections

In an attempt to stop the spread of the coronavirus, 2020 saw in-person activities limited or canceled. Our homes became the base of operation – for school, work, and socializing. We’ve been challenged to keep up our social connections going in a virtual world. How can we go about cultivating social connections when circumstances dictate that we must keep our physical distance?

Humans are wired to connect to others. Connection is a feeling of being close with others and having a sense of belonging. Remember the eight dimensions of wellness and how they are connected: Social connection creates a positive feedback loop of social, emotional, and physical well-being. In fact, research suggest that the quality of our social ties might be the single biggest predictor of our well-being. Research shows that people who feel connected have lower levels of anxiety and depression, have greater empathy, and can have a 50% increased chance of living longer.

It’s the Quality, Not the Quantity, of Your Friendships. Whether you have a lot of friends or few friends, you can feel high social connection, or you may have feelings of loneliness or isolation. What matters is the internal feeling of connection you have, regardless of the number of friends.

More good news – if you do not feel you have enough social connection in your life, you can nurture it!

 How can you cultivate social connections? Here are some ideas:

  • Take Care of Yourself. Stress is linked to high self-focus and lower sense of connection. If you are happy from within, you are more likely to feel connected and to reach out to others. Find some self-care and stress reduction techniques that work for you. Write, draw, listen to music, do something creative, or talk to a friend. Make sure you’re getting enough sleep and take a break from social media. The American Academy of Pediatrics offers some tips for teens for creating a personal stress management plan.
  • Help Others. Do acts of service and kindness for others. Research shows volunteering can help create a sense of connection and purpose. It takes creativity to come up with ideas for covid-friendly community service activities. In Delaware County, some clubs wrote letters to senior centers, and had seniors write them back and became pen pals as a result. What ideas can you think of?
  • Let Others Help You. When we need help, we need to remember that it’s okay to ask for it. We often don’t want to bother others with our troubles. However, research shows people are willing to help, but they don’t know we need help if we don’t ask. And it will help create a sense of belonging for those we ask!

Today’s Take-Away: Social connections matter for your health and there are things you can do to cultivate them. You can download the Social Connections Tip Sheet here.

More resources can be found on the Ohio 4-H Mental Health Month page. Come back here for more information and ideas.

Yours in Health,

Signature

Theresa Ferrari, Extension Specialist

Laryssa Hook, 4-H Educator, Delaware County

Adapted from: Seppala, E. (2017, June 28). Connectedness & health: The science of social connection. Stanford University. http://ccare.stanford.edu/uncategorized/connectedness-health-the-science-of-social-connection-infographic

Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025

When thinking about health, physical health is likely one of the first aspects to come to mind, and the connection of food to physical health is not far behind. The foods we eat and the beverages we drink have a big impact on our health. However, we know that over time the eating patterns in the U.S. have remained below recommendations, while the science linking food and health has only become stronger. In the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025 you will find advice on what to eat and drink to meet nutrient needs, promote health, and help prevent chronic disease.

The U.S. Departments of Agriculture (USDA) and Health and Human Services (HHS) update the Dietary Guidelines for Americans at least every 5 years, based on current science. The guidelines translate science into recommendations to help people make healthy choices. The new edition for 2020-2025 is the first set of guidelines that provide guidance for healthy dietary patterns by life stage, from birth through older adulthood. It’s never too early or too late to eat healthy!

As this graph shows, teens are the least likely age group to have a healthy diet.

graph showing adherence to dietary guidelines by age group

Teens are the least likely age group to have a healthy diet.

Healthy eating is not about following a particular diet for a short amount of time, but rather it’s about making healthy choices throughout life. A healthy dietary pattern is not a rigid prescription, it’s about a pattern of eating over time. The Dietary Guidelines provides a framework with a set of principles. These principles allow for flexibility to take into account personal preferences and cultural traditions.

How do we make every bite count? Making choices rich in nutrients should be the first choice. Nutrients are the building blocks of food, such as protein, vitamins, and minerals. When foods have a lot of nutrients, we say they are nutrient dense.

Small changes to individual parts of a meal can make a big difference. Let’s take a meal that is a favorite for many – a burrito bowl. The table below shows a comparison of two burrito bowls. Looking at the photos, they may seem pretty similar. But on closer examination, the comparison illustrates how the more nutrient-dense choices significantly improve the nutritional profile of the meal. The result of these changes is reflected in the calories count, as well as in lower amounts of fat, sugar, and sodium.

Typical Burrito Bowl (1,120 calories)

Nutrient-Dense Burrito Bowl (715 calories)

Typical Burrito Bowl Total Calories = 1,120 Nutrient-Dense Burrito Bowl Total Calories = 715
White rice (1½ cups) Brown rice (1 cup) + Romaine lettuce (½ cup)
Black beans (⅓ cup) Black beans, reduced sodium (⅓ cup)
Chicken cooked w/ sauce (2 ounces) Grilled chicken w/ spice rub (2 ounces)
No grilled vegetables Added grilled vegetables (⅓ cup)
Guacamole (½ cup) Sliced avocado (5 slices)
Jarred salsa (¼ cup) Fresh salsa/pico de gallo (¼ cup)
Sour cream (¼ cup) No sour cream
Cheese (⅓ cup) Reduced-fat cheese (⅓ cup)
Jalapeño (5 slices) Jalapeño (5 slices)
Iced tea with sugar (16 ounces) Iced tea, no sugar (16 ounces)

I hope this comparison has given you a sense of how small changes in the choices you make can produce big results and improve the nutrient density of a meal. Were you surprised by the difference in the number of calories? The nutrient density and healthfulness of what people eat and drink often is determined ultimately by how a food item, dish, or meal is prepared, whether at home and away from home, and the extent to which it features fresh versus processed foods. Look back at our posts on Tips for Taco Tuesday and Pizza with Pizazz for some ideas for foods you can prepare at home.

Today’s Take-Away: When it comes to nutrient density, remember that small changes can produce big results. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics offers some additional tips for choosing a nutrient-rich diet.

The topic of making healthy food choices is too big for one blog post – this is just a small bite. We’ll return to this topic in the future, so come back for more information and ideas.

Yours in Health,

Signature

Theresa Ferrari, Extension Specialist, 4-H Youth Development

Adapted from: Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025

Learning Is Fun and Healthy

By Justin Bower, Logan County 4-H Educator

I’ve always had an interest in music. I was in choir and band and loved to dance too. As a 4-H camp counselor you usually found me in the rec hall at 4-H Camp Ohio teaching line dances as early as 6:45am. Now let me be clear, I was decent at music, but by no means am I great at any one of these things.

My singing voice tends to be too nasally, I cannot play complicated pieces on instruments, and my dancing range is stuck in line dancing. However, in high school I still wanted to learn something new. I had learned piano, and several brass instruments but I wanted to be able to play while camping and dragging our upright piano around did not seem like the most practical thing.

I settled on trying to learn guitar. My mother had a travel acoustic guitar that no one had touched for a few years. So I decided to start looking up lessons on YouTube, printing off chord charts, and taking the time to practice and learn. Now I am in no way a skilled guitar player now but I can get myself through leading worship or camp songs by using chords (and just so you know, Alice the Camel is a great song to play on guitar).

With us having to stay at home more than we are used to, you might find yourself bored or in a rut. Take the time to learn something new!

Here is a list I created of some useful skills you can learn on YouTube:

  • Using hotkeys/keyboard shortcuts
  • Changing a tire
  • Mastering folding
  • Speed-reading
  • Craftsman skills
  • Learn Spanish

Here is a list of some not as useful but fun skills on YouTube:

  • Rubix Cube
  • Ukulele
  • Drawing
  • Juggling
  • Unicycling

Taking time to learn skills you want is great for your mental health and well-being. Doing things you enjoy and challenging your brain makes you feel good and encourages you to be more positive.

When you decide what you want to learn feel free to use YouTube, Google, and books to teach yourself the skill. Know that it takes time and practice. The key to learning a skill is identifying what you are weakest at and continually practicing that. For example, I struggled playing a F chord, but after intentional practice and playing songs with the chord in it I was able to do it.

Here’s my challenge for you:

Take time this weekend to practice a skill that you are trying to learn.

guitar and guitar case with 4-H sticker

This is my guitar and guitar case. I decided for 2021 that I was going to start putting some of my favorite stickers on my guitar case. Notice which sticker I put on first.

 

Justins Sig

Justin Bower

Logan County 4-H Educator

Thoughts for “The Day After”

“Not everything that is faced can be changed. But nothing can be changed until it is faced.”

James Baldwin, American writer and poet

There comes a time when it is important to think and talk about difficult topics. Today is one of those days. We know what happened: On January 6th at the Capitol legislators were meeting to certify the results of the 2020 election when a mob pushed past police and entered the Capitol building and burst into the chambers. They smashed windows, broke furniture, and trashed offices. Members of Congress were evacuated, and the Capitol went on lockdown. Later in the evening, the legislators reconvened and finished the business they had started. It is a day that is now part of our collective history and will be discussed for years to come. But for now I offer some thoughts for “the day after.”

Know that it’s natural to react emotionally to events that occurred–to be worried, confused, angry, or more. Anger is often in the first round of emotions we experience. Anger by itself is not bad, but it may lead people to behave well or badly.

This bundle of emotions is stressful. Here are some suggestions for what young people can do to manage stress:

  • Express your emotions in a healthy way – write, draw, listen to music, talk to a friend.
  • Reach out to adults in your life who will listen and let you voice your feelings.
  • Engage in mindfulness-based practices, such as breathing exercises and getting out in nature.
  • Seek facts from credible news sources and consult more than one source.

By writing this post, I realized that I took my own advice – I wrote down my thoughts.

Our country is facing a crisis; how will we face it? What will we do when the emotions of “the day after” subside? There is no one right way. As we go forward, the discussions that take place might get uncomfortable. But in that discomfort is where our growth lies.

When I’m struggling with my emotions, I often turn to the words of others to give me guidance (as you can see, I’ve already used two quotes in this short post). I’ll close tonight with this quote from Thurgood Marshall, civil rights activist and first African American Supreme Court Justice.

“Where you see wrong or inequality or injustice, speak out, because this is your country. This is your democracy. Make it. Protect it. Pass it on.”

Yours in Health,

Signature

New Year, New Habit!

Create habits

New Year, New Habits!

It can be difficult to discuss January without using the word new – new year, new start, New Year’s resolution, and sometimes even a new waist size after indulging in one-too-many holiday treats! No matter the ‘new’ you envision, ideas of starting a new habit – practicing mindfulness, calling family more often, or embracing gratitude  – run through our minds at year’s open. But what is a habit, really? It can be tempting for us to make habit building complicated. However, researchers remind us that habits can be simple, automatic responses to simple environmental cues. So, let’s give our lofty New Year’s resolutions a break for a moment, and explore what we really need to know about setting sustainable habit goals this year.

I am sure many of us can think of one or two bits of advice about habit formation we’ve heard over the years. Maybe, like me, you have been told that it takes 21 days to make or break a habit. In fact, a study published in the European Journal of Social Psychology concluded that it can take anywhere from 18 to 254 days – 66 days on average – to build a solid habit. Now, before you become completely overwhelmed by the idea of potentially waiting more than 8 months to make that morning walk a routine, the same study suggests that many factors play a role in determining how fast habits are formed and how strong those habits will be.

The good news – success is simplicity and it starts with what you can control. Studies show that having a realistic plan and repeating simple behaviors within the same or similar settings, every day, has a major effect on reducing the time it takes to form and sustain a new habit! Additionally, the Learning Center at The University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill recommends that gathering social support from friends or family, as well as building in a reward for following a new routine, further contributes to success.

Well, what does all this mean? In short, consider starting with a simple, achievable act you can repeat every day in the same space, at roughly the time. If your New Year’s resolution is to form a new habit of starting every day with yoga, try the following:

  • Begin your first 1 to 3 weeks by waking up at the same time each day, sitting where you plan to do yoga, and taking a few mindful breaths.
  • Ask a family member or a friend to support you by holding you accountable. (Holding you accountable is different from judging you; we talk about judgment in our “Getting Started in Mindfulness” post earlier this week. Taking part in the Healthy Body Healthy Mind SPIN Club is another way to hold yourself accountable).
  • When this simpler habit has been built, then add some yoga poses to your morning process.
  • Promise yourself the reward of a special treat after each week that you follow your routine.

Follow these steps and you might just build that new habit in as little as 18 days!  But don’t be discouraged if it takes longer. If you miss a day, just pick up where you left off.

Your take-away for today: Turn that New Year’s resolution into a simple habit and make a realistic plan for change. Lucky for you, we have just the tool to get you started! Download this Hunt 4-Health card to start your journey toward healthy habits (the embedded links will take you to an activity; they’re also listed on the back of the card). Grab friends or family and commit to completing the entire card together. Be sure to set up a reward to enjoy when you complete several challenges. The fun of completing the challenges may itself become the reward. Who knows, you might form a new healthy habit!

To take it a step further, follow this link to check out even more healthy offerings on the Ohio 4-H Mental Health Month website. Habit formation is different for everyone, so get creative and make it fun! Your ‘Hunt 4-Health’ starts right now!

Tyler Kessler, 4-H Educator, Adventure Central

Why Mental Health Matters

Scrabble tiles spelling "mental health matters"

   Mental Health Matters in 4-H!

What is mental health? Mental health is a very broad term referring to our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It’s about how people think, feel, and behave. Just like the definition for overall health, mental health is not only the absence of mental illness, it also refers to the presence of positive characteristics. Ohio 4-H is promoting mental health in January. In today’s post we discuss why mental health matters.

Why mental health matters

Mental health is important because it determines how people handle stress, relate to others, and make choices. Positive mental health is important because it allows people to do the following:

  • Realize their full potential
  • Cope with the stresses of life
  • Be productive
  • Make meaningful connections to others
  • Make contributions to their communities

Your mental health can change over time. It depends on many factors. Having good mental health doesn’t mean that people never go through bad times. Experiencing setbacks is inevitable – it’s part of life. It means we have the tools to cope with life’s challenges. It helps us keep problems in perspective and bounce back from those setbacks.

image of coronavirus and sign "pandemic #covid19"One of those challenges we are all dealing with now is the coronavirus pandemic. COVID-19 plunged us into a world of Zoom meetings in place of our usual face-to-face interactions. Life has been turned upside down by stay-at-home orders, school and business closures, and social distancing guidelines. We want nothing more than to return to normal, but are not sure when that will be. If you are struggling with mental health issues, you are not alone. A new survey commissioned by the National 4-H Council in the wake of COVID-19 found that 7 in 10 teens are struggling with mental health issues.

Key findings from the survey include:

  • 81% of teens say mental health is a significant issue for young people in the U.S.
  • 55% of teens say they’ve experienced anxiety, 45% excessive stress, and 43% depression
  • 71% of those surveyed say schoolwork makes them feel anxious or depressed
  • 65% of those surveyed say uncertainty about the future makes them feel anxious or depressed

Everyone can benefit from learning ways to maintain and improve mental health. Some ways that people can keep mentally healthy are: Health Post-it notes

When the demands placed on us are greater than our resources and ability to cope, it can have an impact on our mental health. Reaching out to get help is not a sign of weakness. Some mental health situations may call for professional help. If you or someone you know needs to be connected to professional resources, Ohio State University’s Center for Public Health Practice has put together Mental Health Resource Guides. Go to u.osu.edu/cphp/ohio-mental-health-resource-guides/, find the county you need, and select it to bring up local resources.

In 4-H we pledge our “health to better living” – that means mental health too. How are you helping your 4-H club learn about mental health? Download the Journal-Page-What-Can- My-4-H-Club-Do-to-Address-Mental-Health to get started on making a plan for what you can do to address mental health in your club.

Check out our Mental Health Month resources. And come back for more information and ideas!

Yours in Health,

Signature

Getting Started in Mindfulness

hands hold mug of tea

        Getting Started in Mindfulness

Mindfulness has become a popular term. But what exactly is it? Mindfulness is the ongoing process of paying attention to your thoughts, emotions, and experiences in a particular way: on purpose, in the present moment, and without judging. How can you get started in mindfulness?

To start, let’s break down this definition:

  • On purpose – Doing something on purpose, or being intentional, means you don’t leave it to chance. You make it a priority to use mindfulness techniques and to go about your day in a mindful manner.
  • In the present moment – Often we are worried about things that happened in the past or might happen in the future. This worry overtakes us to the point where we can’t focus on the present. Being mindful means that we focus on what we are experiencing in the here and now. This doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t think ahead and plan, because that’s important too.
  • Without judging – Sometimes we are so hard on ourselves. We get down on ourselves for not doing better and then feel like a failure. That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t “make the best better” and try to improve our skills. It means we need to be kind to ourselves, because these negative thoughts can actually have the opposite effect – we give up trying to do better. Without judging also applies to how we approach others.

We are also often quick to judge others and their motives. I try (but don’t always succeed) to give people the benefit of the doubt, and hope that people will extend that same consideration to me when I’m having a bad day. I was reminded of this one time on an airplane trip a few years ago. The woman next to me had the air blasting and was fanning herself. I did an internal eyeroll and thought to myself, “This is going to be a long flight.” As we were nearing the end of the trip, we struck up a conversation. It turned out she had been flying all day and was on her way to a funeral of a family member. Boy, did that put me in my place. You never know what someone else is dealing with that might explain their actions. At least I kept my thoughts to myself and didn’t say anything mean to her. It was a good reminder to withhold my judgment. And if there is anything that 2020 taught us, it’s to approach life with a healthy dose of grace.

            Watch: Everyday Mindfulness

Today’s Take-Away: This short video explains what everyday mindfulness is, and how being aware of what is going on around you and inside of you can help make life more enjoyable and less stressful.

Why mindfulness? Research shows that mindfulness can improve mental health and well-being. When young people learn and practice techniques for mindfulness, it can help them pay attention, which can lead to better school performance. It can also reduce stress levels.

As Patrice Powers-Barker, Extension Educator, Family and Consumer Sciences, reminds us in her Introduction to Mindfulness fact sheet, the purpose of practicing mindfulness exercises on a regular basis is not necessarily to get better at it. The goal of the practice is to make mindfulness a habit or routine as part of a healthy lifestyle. As the 4-H slogan says, we “learn by doing.” As with anything new, it can take a while for these techniques to seem natural and become part of your routine.

To Learn More…

Mindfulness is a way to bring connection between the brain, mind, body, and behavior. In yesterday’s post, I shared the upcoming Healthy Body Healthy Mind SPIN Club. The activities in this SPIN Club, such as yoga and breathing exercises, will help you learn some mindfulness techniques. This SPIN club is a great place to start your mindfulness practice.

Extension Educators Shannon Carter and Pamela Montgomery will be offering a program next week to introduce teen volunteers, adult volunteers, and 4-H parents to the concept of mindfulness. The Mindful Wellness program will be held on January 12 from 5:30-6:30pm. This one-time program is designed to equip healthy people with practices and skills to strengthen the mind and body connection and promote holistic health and wellness across the lifespan.

  • When: January 12 from 5:30-6:30pm
  • Where: Zoom (link sent after registering)
  • Who: Designed for adult volunteers, teen volunteers, and 4-H parents
  • What: Extension Educators Shannon Carter and Pamela Montgomery will lead this session.
  • Cost: It’s free to participate.
  • Register here.

It’s never too early to encourage the practice of mindfulness. In her Cloverbud Connections article, Aubry Fowler, Extension Educator, 4-H Youth Development, Fairfield County, shares some ideas for working with Cloverbuds (ages 5 to 8).

We’ll revisit the topic of mindfulness as part of Ohio 4-H’s Mental Health Month. Come back for more information and ideas!

Yours in Health,

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Dimensions of Wellness

Health and wellness are broad concepts. The World Health Organization defines health as “a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.” That means that being healthy is more than just not being sick. Overall wellness includes many areas. It means being healthy in many areas of our lives. Achieving wellness is a lifelong process of “making the best better.” International Mind-Body Wellness Day gives us an opportunity to reflect on the many dimensions of wellness and the connections between body and mind.

Every aspect of wellness can affect a person’s life. The Eight Dimensions of Wellness take into account not only a person’s physical health, but all the things that contribute to a person’s overall wellness. These dimensions are interconnected, each one building on the other.

Eight Dimensions of Wellness

8 Dimensions of Wellness

Eight Dimensions of Wellness

  • physical
  • emotional
  • social
  • intellectual
  • environmental
  • spiritual
  • vocational/occupational
  • financial

For an overview of what each dimension entails, you can view a short 3-minute video from Northwestern University.

Creating balance in our lives is an important part of wellness. When we’re trying to get through a tough time—whether it is stress, an illness, trauma, or an emotional challenge—balance is especially important. In these times, our habits and routines can help us get that feeling of control back. This means focusing on ourselves as well as the roles we play in the lives of others including family member, friend, classmate, and club member.

Maybe you made a New Year’s resolution related to improving some aspect of your health. But maybe, with so many areas to consider, it can seem overwhelming to know where to start. In our posts, we’re going to break it down into more manageable chunks, day by day and week by week.

To start the new year off, we’re offering the Healthy Body Healthy Mind SPIN (special interest) Club to learn fun ways to keep your body and mind healthy. This SPIN club will be offered virtually through Zoom, with live sessions on Tuesdays from 5:30-6:30pm for 6 weeks starting January 19, 2021.

  • When: January 19 and 26 and February 2, 9, 16, and 23 from 5:30-6:30pm
  • Where: Zoom (link sent after registering)
  • Who: This SPIN Club is open to all 4-H ages youth 8 to 18.
  • What: 4-H professionals Frances Foos, Lori Now, Amanda Raines, and Cassie Turner will lead you through Yoga for Kids, games, activities, and more, all from the comfort of your home.
  • Cost: It’s free to participate, but some supplies will be suggested for activities.
  • Register here by January 14.
Promotion for Healthy Body Healthy Mind SPIN Club

Register by January 14 for the Healthy Body Healthy Mind SPIN Club

We’ll be addressing these dimension of wellness throughout the month of January, Ohio 4-H’s Mental Health Month. Come back for more information and ideas!

Yours in Health,

Signature

Adapted from: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2016). Creating a healthier life: A step-by-step guide to wellness. https://store.samhsa.gov/product/Creating-a-Healthier-Life-/SMA16-4958

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Give Yourself a New Year’s Resolution Break

Self-Care Saturday New Year's Resolution Break

Give Yourself a New Year’s Resolution Break

Should you make a New Year’s resolution for 2021? It’s a time-honored tradition – making a New Year’s resolution. With the turn of a calendar page, the start of a new year presents a clean slate. Research conducted at the University of Pennsylvania found that tying goals to specific dates, or what they called the fresh start effect, can help people to be more effective at setting and achieving goals related to changing their behaviors. Like the 4-H motto, many of us want to “make the best better.” However, after the challenges of 2020, 2021 may be the time to give yourself a New Year’s resolution break.

I’m not suggesting that you shouldn’t think about the coming year and what you might want to accomplish. By giving yourself a break, I mean being kind to yourself about what’s possible, especially given the current circumstances. Although setting goals can be a motivator, making too much change in a time of chronic stress can be have the opposite effect – it can actually increase our stress level and sidetrack us from taking action. Then when we don’t achieve our goal, we get discouraged and give up.

If you do decide to create a New Year’s resolution this year, here are some tips:

  •  Set small, specific goals. Setting small, specific goals will help you experience more immediate success, especially if your goal is one with delayed rewards.
  •  Accentuate the positive. Researchers in Sweden found that those who what they called approach-oriented goals were significantly more successful than those with avoidance-oriented goals. In other words, focus on what you want to do, not on what you don’t want to do (e.g., eat 3 servings of vegetables a day vs. don’t eat junk food).
  • Make a plan. Having a goal is great, but how will you achieve it? A resolution without a plan for achieving it will likely not succeed. Come up with some concrete things you can do and when you will do them.
  • Write it down. Writing helps you remember your goal and the steps in your plan. Tape your goal in a place where you will see it to remind yourself.
  • Get support. Identify a support person and give them periodic updates on your progress. The Swedish researchers found that group that received some support was more successful at keeping their resolutions.

Not surprisingly, health is at the top of the list for New Year’s resolutions. Throughout the month of January, we’ll share more information and ideas for keeping healthy in 2021.

Use this page to think about a New Year’s resolution.

Yours in Health,

Signature

#4hhealthyliving #4thH #Ohio4Hmhm #MentalHealthMatters #4HGrowsHere