“People wait all week for Friday, all year for summer and all life for happiness.” Raimonda B. Can you relate? I’m sure you can to some capacity. There’s no denying that Friday feeling and anticipation of a weekend free from weekly responsibilities. Looking forward to the weekend or a vacation is a great mood booster but can also lead to daily dissatisfaction if you’re only living for the big things. Like most things in life, there needs to be a balance, in this case between living in the present and longing for the future. So many opportunities for happiness in the present pass while waiting for something in the future. It’s time to take the bubble wrap off Monday- Thursday, specific months or seasons and start enjoying life NOW!

After spending many days isolated inside your house due to the pandemic, things are finally starting to return back to a “kind of normal”. While some people can’t rip their masks off quick enough, others are paralyzed by thoughts of returning back into the office, going to school in-person, gathering with friends & family and resuming life outside the house. If you’re struggling to resume a “normal” life after the pandemic, you’re not alone. Many people are feeling FOGO-fear of going out. “Over the past year it’s been ingrained in people’s minds that interactions with others, especially in enclosed spaces can be dangerous, if not lethal, so many people may find themselves anxious at the thought of re-entry into society” Sheva Rajaee, Director of the Center for Anxiety and OCD. If you’re currently struggling to shift back to whatever “normal” means for you, here are some tips!

S-T-R-E-S-S, we all experience it and kids are no exception. School, parental expectations, EOGs, soccer, friends and time were the top reported stressors from kids ranging from elementary school through high school at A Little Counseling. Like adults, kids can put too much pressure on themselves or feel the pressure put on them by others. Under stress a child may become irritable, emotional, angry, avoidant, self-injurious, self-critical or clingy to name a few. If you recognize your child is experiencing stress and not managing it effectively, here are three important things adults can do to help kids manage stress better from the MOTT Children’s Center in Michigan, https://www.mottchildren.org/health-library/aba5971: