Mental Health

Daily Dose- Design a Masterpiece

A noted quote from Albert Einstein reads: “Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited to all we now know and understand, while imagination embraces the entire world, and all there ever will be to know and understand.”

Einstein didn’t mean that knowledge wasn’t important, but rather that imagination helps us create knowledge. When people let their imagination go and think about “what if…,” new ideas follow. Everyday objects that we take for granted were once ideas that first existed in someone’s mind.

Imagination is related to creativity, and creativity to art. If you are inspired to explore your imagination through art, check out the “Getting Started in Art” is a perfect stay-at-home 4-H project that is now available as a PDF. Join Heather for an introductory lesson here:

 

Today focus on how using your imagination can lighten your mood! Did you know drawing can strengthen your creativity, improve your memory, and help you de-stress? Find your inner artist today and comment down below with your masterpiece you have made!

Draw a picture, paste in clippings from the paper, magazines, or scrapbooking materials you may have! Show us your masterpiece on social media at the Ohio 4-H Healthy Living Facebook page!

PDF Link to Today’s Journal Can be Found Here!

The first picture is from one of our Ohio 4-H Health Heroes Nat! She came up with this idea to help cheer everyone up! Below are more Franklin County 4-H’ers showing off their masterpieces as well! Post credit to Natalia Kresic, Mahoning County 4-H member and Ohio 4-H Health Hero, Heather Gottke, and Theresa Ferrari.

 

 

 

 

Daily Dose – Learning about Learning

2 ohotos of girls with masks

4-H’ers are using their sewing skills to make masks

When we think of education, we might automatically think about school. But learning is not limited to what happens in a building during certain times of day or months of the year. Opportunities to learn are all around us!

4-H’s motto is learn by doing. 4-H members select a topic they are interested in and complete a project, which is a set of self-directed learning experiences. These learning activities help them to master some new knowledge and learn some new skills.

In this time when some aspects of our lives have been restricted by the coronavirus and the stay-at -home orders, schoolwork has switched to home and students have substituted the dining room table for their desk.

In spite of these challenges, we have some great examples of learning. For some, that means learning some new technology, like Zoom, to conduct our meetings (although five Zoom meetings in a day is a bit much!). Another example of learning is using skills you already have, but they are put to use in new ways. A wonderful example is our 4-H Health Heroes. These teen leaders are using the skills they learned in 4-H sewing projects to sew masks for themselves and family members and for essential workers on the front lines.

Kylie Arnett, 4-H Health Hero from Hocking County, is making masks; she donated some of the masks she made to the Logan Police Department

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Natalia Kresic, 4-H Health Hero from Mahoning County, sewing masks for essential workers

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Throughout our life we will be confronted with opportunities to learn and to apply what we’ve learned. Learning is not over when we complete high school. Ultimately, we want to be lifelong learners.

When I think about a lifelong learner, I think of my maternal grandmother, who survived the flu pandemic in 1918. She lived in northern Italy and was 21 in 1918; she came to the U.S. in 1920. Like many immigrants, she had to learn a new language and a new way of life. Many of my favorite childhood memories are of her telling me stories about when she was a girl growing up in Italy. One saying that she had was “Impara l’arte e mettila da parte.” A rough translation is “learn an art and put it aside,” but the literal translation does not communicate the meaning behind it, which is that what you learn no one can take from you, and it will not go to waste. Although she had only completed a 4th grade education, she was a very wise woman. When I was having a difficult day in school, I would remember her words, and I still remember them to this day.

The changes in our lives during the current pandemic have required us to learn new things, haven’t they? If you’re looking for some ideas, how about taking advantage of some of the perfect Stay-at-Home 4-H project books that are now available as PDFs online. And today’s 4-H Journal Page has some questions to get you thinking about how you learn.

Today’s Journal is Learning about Learning! Check it out!

 

Daily Dose- Create Your Own Playlist

What do you think of when you think of the word mindfulness? Mindfulness is defined by Merriam-Webster as “… the practice of maintaining a nonjudgmental state of heightened or complete awareness of one’s thoughts, emotions, or experiences on a moment-to-moment basis.” That’s a lot to digest, so let’s break it down. Simply put, being mindful means being aware and paying attention. When we are nonjudgmental, it means that we are accepting of what is, without thinking of it as good or bad – it just is. It means taking a pause to take stock of our thoughts, feelings, and what is going on around us.

Being more aware can help us appreciate what is going on around us now. Have you heard the expression “taking time to stop and smell the roses?” Well, that’s what mindfulness is all about! The stream of information that we have running through our heads is constant and can cause a lot of stress. When you become aware that you may need an “attitude adjustment, how can you shift your thoughts in a more positive direction? What are you doing to help yourself to be in the moment and keep from being overwhelmed?

I decided to do today’s 4-H journal activity because of my love of music and its ability to transform my mood, reset my attitude, and soothe me. I played instruments all through high school and into college. I find joy in all sorts of music and the artists who create it. Allow yourself to think about what music makes you happy right now. What do you enjoy? What brings you great joy?

Some of my favorite songs right now include:

  • “Be a Light” by Thomas Rhett, Keith Urban, Reba McEntire, Chris Tomlin, and Hillary Scott
  • “Can’t Stop the Feeling” by Justin Timberlake
  • “Try Everything” by Shakira
  • “Good Morning” by Mandisa and Toby Mac

Today’s 4-H journal activity is to create your own music playlist of songs that you enjoy right now. Write down the name of the song and the artist. You can doodle pictures or music notes to your page and decorate it as you choose!

We’ll share more ideas about mindfulness in future posts! In the meantime, you can read more about mindfulness here.

Download PDF Here

Enjoy!

 

 

 

 

Daily Dose – The Loss of What Might Have Been

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Sometimes we experience a loss like no other, a loss that means that something near and dear to our life is put on hold, or may not happen the way it was supposed to. We certainly have a lot of that going on right now with the current Coronavirus pandemic. It’s changed the way we learn, work, live, laugh, and love one another. One loss after another stacks up until finally one day you realize, this is too much. This is too much burden to carry.

I’m telling you it’s okay to cry. It’s okay to grieve the loss of what you thought would happen or was supposed to be. You can be angry, be sad, or just be. Whatever you do, you must express and manage your emotions in a healthy way. We will all handle changes differently. When one person is expressing sadness, another may simply be quiet. We process all things, all trauma, differently.

Yes, I said trauma. Trauma is defined by Merriam-Webster as “…c: an emotional upset.” Mental health experts remind us that any situation that leaves us feeling overwhelmed and isolated can result in trauma. The changes, challenges, and things happening to us right now are causing trauma. It’s upsetting because there are so many unknowns and the changes keep coming. It’s okay to feel these emotions. With time, you will realize that you have what it takes to get through these feelings. It’s okay to reach out to others to help you get through tough times. You will learn that we humans are given the great power of choice and ability to do the best with what we have, when we have it.

For today’s 4-H journal entry I want you to identity a change of plans that has happened due to the Coronavirus pandemic. In this journal page you can explore feelings related to it, your ability to change it, and who you can talk to. Writing a letter to this pandemic to express what it has done to you is another way to share how you feel.

It’s upsetting because there are so many unknowns and the changes keep coming. It’s okay to feel these emotions. With time, you will realize that you have what it takes to get through these feelings. It’s okay to reach out to others to help you get through tough times. You will learn that we humans are given the great power of choice and ability to do the best with what we have, when we have it. We are 4-H’ers after all. There is much work to be done and you all are up for the challenge. The choice is within you and deciding what that challenge will be and how you can make an impact on the world given the change that has happened to you.

The Loss of What Might Have Been (PDF Download)

 

In great love,

 

 

IN A CRISIS?
Text HOME to 741741 to connect with a Crisis Counselor

 

 

Daily Dose – Mental Health

National Public Health Week and COVID-19

Public Health Week - Mental Health MondayMONDAY: MENTAL HEALTH — advocate for and promote emotional well-being

Dealing with COVID-19 is causing heightened levels of stress. In particular, isolation and quarantine can be highly stressful. Because it means separation from loved ones, especially those detained off-shore or in other countries. Many in the public health and health care sectors, as well as those working in affected industries, are shouldering a significant mental health burden.

Reach out and check on your loved ones and community members. Read and share such resources as the World Health Organization’s Mental Health Considerations During COVID-19 Outbreak and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s tips on managing anxiety and stress.

 

Journal Entry of the Day

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Benefits of Staying Home Journal Page

Today’s 4-H Journal is focused around Mental Health and how we have changed our lives since the onset of Stay-at-Home orders, working from home, and dealing with COVID-19. Staying home is definitely a change, but today we are going to consider the benefits of staying home right now! What are five (5) benefits of staying home? What things have you enjoyed being home with your family? Have you tried any new activities?

Heather’s List of 5 Benefits of Staying Home

  1. Regular walks in the neighborhood!
  2. Spending more time with my dogs.
  3. Working on hobbies at night and learning new skills.
  4. Exploring ways to share information from home to 4-H’ers like you all!
  5. More time to sit, relax, and enjoy the sunshine.

To download the full PDF of this, click the following link: https://osu.box.com/s/wskthmlsezylub0scskc9zhc5yz917jw

In great love,