The holiday season is a joyful time of year, but it can also be stressful, and this year that’s truer than ever. We’ve all got a lot on our plates these days, and it’s not turkey with extra stuffing. The following practices can help you manage stress as you navigate this unique holiday season. And the best part about these practices? They are simple enough to incorporate into your existing routine without having to dramatically adjust your day, which makes it more likely that you’ll enjoy and … [Read more...] about Natural Ways to Manage Stress During the Holidays
Columnists
Appreciating the Value of Knowing Yourself
There is so much to be said about knowing yourself. What do you care about? What interests you? What are your talents? What makes your heart skip a beat? Knowing and honoring your authentic self sets you up for a lifetime of fulfillment and helps you steer away from pain. John Mellencamp says, “You’ve got to stand for something or you’ll fall for anything.” And we should listen to John, even though he smokes and rides a motorcycle without a helmet sometimes, because falling for anything in … [Read more...] about Appreciating the Value of Knowing Yourself
Former NFL Athlete Pledges $200 Million to Goodwill
Cameron Colvin, former NFL athlete, real estate investor and philanthropist, has pledged $200 million to Goodwill of Central and Northern Arizona Foundation to help individuals achieve lifelong prosperity. In September, he presented the first installment of $10 million to Goodwill and will continue donating $10 million a year for the next 20 years. The funds will be used to create new adult education programs and future projects to help individuals living in poverty. “Currently, more than … [Read more...] about Former NFL Athlete Pledges $200 Million to Goodwill
Fall Allergies: Could Your Home Make You Sick?
As the weather starts to turn colder and the leaves begin to fall, we start closing up our homes to keep the cold out and the heat in. Many people start to notice allergies flaring up in the fall because of various allergens in the air such as ragweed and mold spores. Often, what feels like a “change of season” cold is actually allergies that present themselves with the same symptoms as the common cold. These symptoms include, but are not limited to, cough, itchy eyes, sore throat, sneezing and … [Read more...] about Fall Allergies: Could Your Home Make You Sick?
Pets Showing Up in Online Classrooms
Students or teachers who started classes again this fall might agree, school looks quite different from how it has been in the past. With so many districts using some form of online learning, we’ve gotten used to our bedrooms becoming our classrooms. Recently, many have noticed yet another shift in the educational atmosphere: pets are becoming classmates, too! They’re not always the most helpful classroom companions as they walk across our keyboards and wait until we unmute ourselves to start … [Read more...] about Pets Showing Up in Online Classrooms
How Healthy Animals are Part of Healthy Communities
It’s hard these days to put aside all of the political rancor and the effects of COVID-19 on our society. These things seemingly have taken over our lives in a way that I never thought possible. However, and it’s a big however, I look at life as a glass three-quarters full rather than half empty. There are truly silver linings under all of these clouds. One of these is the re-dedication of our attentions to the simpler things in life, a commitment to getting back to the basics in our … [Read more...] about How Healthy Animals are Part of Healthy Communities
Considering the Health Benefits of Pet Ownership
We live in a stressful time. Between our jobs or, perhaps, being out of work, our families, and all the time spent on our computers and social media, it is important that we take time for ourselves! For a lot of us, that involves spending time with our furbabies… instant relaxation for us and for them! For most of us, but especially for our veterans, a dog is sometimes a lifeline. Many soldiers return home with battle scars that are both seen and unseen. Dogs provide companionship, … [Read more...] about Considering the Health Benefits of Pet Ownership
Making Thanksgiving Safe for Pets
Thanksgiving is a special holiday, full of home cooking, visitors and gratitude, but it can also have some hazards for pets. I would like to share some tips with you to keep your pets safe and healthy through this holiday so everyone can have a good time! Overindulging in food isn’t good for humans, but for pets, it can be even worse. Fatty foods are hard for animals to digest. Poultry bones can damage your pet’s digestive tract. And holiday sweets can contain ingredients that are poisonous … [Read more...] about Making Thanksgiving Safe for Pets
Animal Rescue Volunteers Sharing a Titan-Sized Success Story
Sometimes it’s the size of a rescue organization’s network that can make all the difference in a homeless dog’s life. In this case, it was one of a rescue’s foster volunteers that alerted the rescue to a lost dog. One of the Yavapai Humane Trappers (based in Prescott) foster volunteer’s mothers lives in the Tucson area and had found a Pitbull mix that had wandered onto her property and was hiding out under her car. She immediately called her daughter, who is the foster volunteer. Katrina Karr, … [Read more...] about Animal Rescue Volunteers Sharing a Titan-Sized Success Story
Ease the Stress of 2020, Make Holiday Gift-Giving Easier
I think we can all agree: 2020 has been a long, stressful year and a year we are ready to put in the books and move forward to 2021. It is both hard to believe how quickly this year has passed and, at the same time, how long this year has been. For many, the thoughts of the approaching holiday season are both welcomed and met with some level of “I just can’t handle any more stress.” We all know the holidays can be filled with the joys of fun, food, family, friends and gifts. Yet, these same … [Read more...] about Ease the Stress of 2020, Make Holiday Gift-Giving Easier