Oh, what a year it’s been…
I was recently chatting with my neighbor, who is a personal trainer, and we were talking about the “collective mood” – how more people than not are feeling sad or anxious. He said in all his years of coaching people, he’s never experienced such a sense of heaviness and loss and I know exactly what he’s referencing. Since COVID, the number of patients coming to Restoration Health seeking treatment for anxiety and depression has skyrocketed. Add to that those affected by seasonal affective disorder (SAD), a type of depression related to the change in seasons, and holiday-related emotional triggers, and December and January can feel pretty bleak for many.
So, this holiday season, I’m encouraging you all to spread the most economical and beneficial gift there is…KINDNESS. It costs nothing, but its value is immeasurable. It can be as simple as a smile, a thank you, holding a door, buying a stranger a cup of coffee, donating food or letting someone cut you in line. These oft-forgotten gestures are the stuff of life and can make all the difference to someone, who unbeknownst to you, may have just learned of the passing of a friend or relative, recovered from an illness or doesn’t have the funds for the basics or extras. And even for those not “suffering”, who doesn’t feel lifted by kind gestures? COVID has taken a collective toll, so let’s pay the toll with kindness.
Thank you to all of you have shared your love, kindness and prayers with me and my family. I am grateful beyond measure.
I wish you and your loved ones a New Year filled with perfect health and joy!
