Tips for relieving stress

If our local shops are any indication, it appears that the holiday season is upon us. Although there are still a few fall things around, the bulk of what's in stock is for Christmas! Are you ready? Or are you already feeling a bit stressed by the upcoming activities? Well, in case you haven't heard, today is National Stress Awareness Day – just in time to help you plan a stress-free holiday season. Since stress is related to health concerns – from physical to mental to emotional – we all want to stress less and feel better. So how do we do that? National Stress Awareness Day is observed annually on the first Wednesday in November. It was founded in 1998 by Carole Spiers of the UK-based International Stress Management Association (ISMA). The day highlights that while stress is a natural biological response, chronic stress can impair cognitive function, increase health risks such as heart disease and depression, and strain relationships. The World Health Organization even classified stress as a major health epidemic of the 21st century, The observance is set for midweek – known as "hump day" – when workloads often peak, fatigue begins to set in, and folks can begin a downhill swing. To prompt both individuals and organizations to address stress before it escalates, many workplaces, schools and community groups offer guided breathing breaks, mindfulness sessions, or reflective discussions. Mental health organizations like the American Psychological Association and NAMI encourage digital detoxes, deep breathing or hobbies to unwind. Other groups host free workshops, screenings or educational seminars in local community centers. How can you as an individual help yourself or others? Perhaps a post on social media to share tips, personal experiences or calming visuals could help someone. You might practice mindfulness, journaling or light exercise; identify and reduce personal stressors. You might suggest or organize stress-relief breaks, wellness challenges or mental health awareness events at work or in your community; join or host local discussions, group walks or meditation sessions. November's National Stress Awareness Day is a "collective pause to acknowledge stress as a shared human experience, normalize its management, and promote healthier coping strategies," and this is the ideal time to begin. Craft and bake saleMany of you have been looking forward to Memorial United Methodist Church's annual holiday craft and bake sale, which will be held this Saturday, Nov. 7, from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. While there, you may also purchase soup and dessert for lunch giving you an opportunity to shop, visit with friends and enjoy a relaxing lunch! Community meetingThe regular Carson Community meeting date fell on election night and was therefore postposed until next Tuesday, Nov. 10, at 5:30 p.m. Please join us then as we discuss purchasing and installing a generator for our building with the grant we received. We will also be making plans to distribute Christmas gifts to the residents of Macon Valley Nursing and Rehabilitation Center and deliver holiday fruit baskets to our homebound community residents. As we look forward to the upcoming season, let's remember that making memories is more important than making things perfect. Your children may not remember the perfect pie or the stunning centerpiece, but they'll definitely remember the laughter around the table. And grandparents? So what if the littles make a volcano with their mashed potatoes and use the gravy as lava? After all, kids will be kids, and those antics often bring back memories of behaviors years ago! Brenda Elliott can be reached at beejayelliott@aol.com

Tips for relieving stress

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