January 2012-Letter from the Editor

January 1, 2012 by

“We will open the book.  Its pages are blank.  We are going to put words on them ourselves.  The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year’s Day.”  ~Edith Lovejoy Pierce

We LOVE the New Year’s Holiday!  We invite you to join us in making 2012 your healthiest year yet!  As you do so, it’s helpful to first review the past year.  Ask yourself these questions:

1. What am I thankful for this past year?
2. What did I learn in 2011?
3. What obstacles or who do I need to release to move forward towards my healthiest potential in 2012?
4. What was my happiest/most fulfilling time of the past year?
5. What was my most challenging time and how did I cope/move through it?

If 2011 presented particularly challenging trials, it may be helpful to have some closure through journaling or writing a letter to anyone (or anything) you need to let go of or weren’t able to say good-bye.  As my father always taught me, there are always lessons through the “dark night of the soul.”  My personal battle with health issues in December gave me even more appreciation for life and support around me.  My mother’s risk of her job to nurse me back to health demonstrated her love, as did other family and friends who reached out in support.  As painful as the experience was, it helped remind me to prioritize what’s really important, including self-care.

With greater awareness through reflection on the past year, now ponder the following as you prepare for 2012:

1. What one goal have I been procrastinating that I KNOW I can accomplish this year?
2. What do I want more of in 2012/What do I feel guided to create or bring more into my life or the lives of others in 2012?
3. How can I contribute to helping others more this year?
4. Visualize the life you want or feel you should be living…what one step can you take this month towards living that life?
5. Identify which aspect of your health can be prioritized in strengthening…(physical, mental, spiritual).  We believe health is interrelated and once you focus on one health vein, your overall health will improve.  (Similarly, neglecting your physical, mental, or spiritual health, however you interpret those, will likely spread to impact other aspects of your health.)  We challenge you to test that out and let us know how your overall health improves with simple healthy steps! :)

Moving into your healthiest year yet, we encourage you to:

1. Set realistic resolutions.  Think outside the standard “lose 20 lbs” resolutions and create realistic action steps to achieve those resolutions.
2. Strive to live in the present every moment of 2012.  Rather than dwelling on what happened in 2011 or anticipating everything to come in 2012, appreciate today, this very moment as you read this!  You may have extra weight you hope to lose, but at least right now you have access to ways to lose that weight and motivation right now to lose the weight.  You may not have the job of your dreams, but at least you have the ability to mentally create a resume that can end up on paper and contribute to you applying for jobs and finding one that is fulfilling.
3. Help your children set realistic healthy resolutions that impact not only themselves, but others, near and far.  Keep in mind that they will follow what you practice, rather than what you say…actions DO speak louder than words and children following in our footsteps are a constant reminder.
4. Include a volunteer or community service resolution.  Research has proven over and over again that helping others contributes to improved mood and gratitude for what you have.  As a Social Worker, I’ve always enjoyed volunteer and community service work.  My trip to Haiti in June presented an entirely more intense opportunity for service and a wake up call regarding how fortunate we are.  Reaching out to help another human being in some way will transform your perspective and likely result in you feeling the reciprocity of help, given your realization that things could always be worse and we all have the ability to help one another.  The world can always use less negativity and helping another person also helps weed out unnecessary complaining by helping you put your situation in perspective.
5.  Include positive affirmations throughout the day as self-motivation towards your resolutions.  “I can do it.”  “I am going to make this the best year.”  “Today is going to be a great day.”  This helps you turn your own worst enemy to a best friend and cheerleader..YOU! :)

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!  We look forward to joining you in tackling, accomplishing, and celebrating your resolutions for 2012! :)

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Filed Under: Inspiration, Mental Wellness, Motivation
About Kimberly Rodgers, LCSW, RPT-S

Kimberly is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in the state of Florida and Registered Play Therapist-Supervisor through the Association for Play Therapy. She also supervises clinical social work interns pursuing licensure. She has worked as a psychotherapist for twelve years and holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work from the University of Georgia and Master’s Degree in Clinical Social Work from the University of Central Florida.

Her experience includes foster care, adoption, youth shelter, youth related research, school-based counseling, and sexual assault crisis center settings prior to private practice. She specializes in counseling children, families, and adults struggling with stress, anxiety, trauma, and adjustment to life transitions. Kimberly is a current Board member of the Mental Health Association of Southwest Florida and former Vice-President of the Southwest Florida chapter of the Association for Play Therapy. She is also a member of the National Association of Social Workers and EMDR International Association.

Kimberly is founder of Monarch Wellness (originally Monarch Therapy), an integrative center focused on empowering individuals and families through emotional and behavioral metamorphosis. In addition to counseling and play therapy, the center offers other supportive modalities to further enhance emotional healing and stress management including support groups, yoga, laughter yoga, breathwork, integrative relaxation, and sound therapy. Monarch Wellness' sister site eFitFamily.com offers health related information and inspiration for everyday families to live healthier every day. The center is also involved with House of Gaia community center and other community and service focused organizations. More information about Kimberly and her practice can be found online: www.MonarchWellness.net.

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