When you first start a business – and potentially well into your entrepreneurial run – you’ll probably put as much time and effort into that business as possible. This makes sense; after all, you want it to be a success, and you need to do whatever it takes to push it forward, find new clients, get ahead of the competition, and produce a high-quality end result in whatever sector you are working in.

Although this is a good thing in general terms, if you are neglecting your own health in the process, continuing to work when you really need to rest, skipping meals and exercise, and potentially adding a great deal more stress to your life than you really ever need to, then this is certainly a negative.

What is the answer in that case? You need to work hard on your business to make it a success – particularly right at the start – but if you make yourself ill in the process, you won’t be able to do that anyway. Surely there is a solution? The answer is that you need to keep yourself as healthy as possible while you are running your company. This sounds simple, but that’s why it’s such a successful strategy; staying healthy is something we can all do, no matter how busy we are. Read on to find out how it can be done so you can stay in peak condition and your business can thrive.

Check in with Your Mental Health

When you start a business, and potentially for a long time after you have done, you’ll need to put in a lot of hard work and plenty of long hours. This can lead to burnout, a feeling of being entirely overwhelmed, isolation, and of course, stress. This is bad enough in itself, but when you are entirely focused on what you are doing, you may even find that you don’t notice this is happening, or it becomes such a big part of your life that you don’t even think of it as unusual anymore. After all, you’ve got a lot to do, so of course you feel tired and stressed out.

However, because of this, and to combat it, it’s wise to take stock of your mental health situation regularly. Stop what you are doing and check in with your mental health to see just how you are really feeling and what it’s doing to you. This is easier said than done, but one option to complete this task in the right way is to start a journal. At the end of every day, simply fill it with bullet points about how you feel. This will help you gain clarity over your mental health, especially when you look back and read a week or a month’s worth of entries. If you also use the journal to log how much sleep you’re getting, what you’re eating, and how much exercise you’re doing, you’ll instantly be able to see if things are turning negative and be able to do something about it sooner rather than later.

Find Ways to Laugh

There are sure to be times when you come across obstacles and have to deal with challenges – big and small – as a business owner. As it should be clear by now, this can become hugely problematic if you don’t take any time for yourself and if you don’t look after your own health. One way to do this is to find different ways to laugh.

It might sound strange, but the fact is that when you laugh, you release endorphins into your bloodstream. These hormones help to boost your mood, instantly relieving at least some of the pressure you are feeling and ensuring that less cortisol (the stress hormone) is produced. Therefore, laughing as much as you can and actively seeking ways to be happier will help you. Not only will you be healthier, but you will also be able to quickly de-stress when you need to, which can lead to much less time away from work in the long term.

There are numerous ways you can find something to laugh about. One might be by watching a comedy program on TV or YouTube; another could be talking to friends and enjoying fun memories. You can even pretend to laugh or simply smile – you’ll probably feel a little silly doing this, but you can trick your body into producing the same chemicals and hormones and thus feel better even if it is all fake.

Be Social

Human beings are meant to connect with others; it’s in our nature – for the most part, at least – to be social creatures. Even those of us who are what might be termed introverted can still benefit from the occasional social event or even by connecting with people online and not face to face. The fact is that people will always be able to find some form of comfort when they are socializing more, whether that’s laughing with friends as mentioned above, or simply having a chance to relax more and stop thinking about work and its challenges for a little while.

Therefore, no matter how much you have to do, always try to make time for being social. This could be going out with friends once a week or once every other week, joining in with an online discussion, video calling relatives, and so on. If you live with others, this becomes even easier; they will want to spend time with you, and you will need to create a good work-life balance if you are going to stay healthy and be productive at work. Make sure you make time for the ones who rely on you and whom you love, and you’ll find your health becomes much better.

Manage Stress

When you are stressed, your health is sure to suffer. Stress will bring with it many different ailments and leave you open to dozens more – your immune system will be much less capable than it would be if you were not so stressed, and therefore any bugs, colds, or flu that is going around would be a problem for you. When you become unwell, you will not be able to do so much work, and by pushing yourself to do as much as possible, you’ll only be making your illness last longer, as the body won’t be resting, which is what it needs to do to heal itself.

With this in mind, you need to be able to manage your stress if you want to stay healthy while you’re running your business. Of course, it’s easy to tell someone to manage their stress, but being a business owner is necessarily stressful; there is just so much to do. However, if you can look more closely at what it is that’s causing you the most stress and deal with that, and then work down the list so that eventually everything is dealt with, you’ll find that it can be done.

When it comes to overwork, delegating some of that work or outsourcing to a third party if that makes more sense and your business can afford it is the best thing to do. This means letting go, and this can be hard, but it’s vital when it comes to staying healthy. Another option is to take some time out every day to unwind. You could take a warm bubble bath, listen to music, make sure you read a chapter of a book before bed, play a game with your children, or anything else. As long as it means you’re not thinking about work, you’ll allow your mind and body to re-set a little, and you’ll feel better for it.

Exercise

Everyone knows – or should know – that regular exercise is something that is crucial when it comes to getting fit and healthy and maintaining your health. Just thirty minutes of exercise a day (some even suggest you only need ten minutes, although it must be high-intensity exercise if this is the case) will help. In order to stay healthy when you’re running a business or doing anything else at all, you must ensure that you are exercising regularly.

Some people enjoy joining a gym and making stopping off there before or after work part of their routine. Others like being part of exercise classes. If your routine is not a set one and you can’t commit to a class or gym time, then you can simply go for a walk after work each day, or cycle rather than drive, or follow an online exercise video whenever you have the time. The kind of exercise you do is much less important than the fact that you’re doing it.

Build Your Mind

Your brain plays a huge part in ensuring you are healthy, which is why it’s so important for you to take good care of it. It really doesn’t matter if you have a good education already or if you didn’t do too well at school; it’s important to find a way to keep learning in whatever manner works best for you. Just like keeping your physical body fit with exercise, exercise will improve your brain too. Not only will this make your job much easier when you can understand more, but it will also make life more interesting and it will help you to de-stress as you won’t be thinking about work and will be concentrating on something else.

When it comes to learning, some will be content to read a book or watch a video or documentary about something they’re interested in, or even a new subject altogether. Others might take a class to learn something but not expect any certification or to gain specific qualifications. Still more might decide that, if they want to do well in business, they’ll need to take an MSN MBA dual degree so they know as much as possible and can truly position themselves as an expert. All of these are excellent ideas, and you’ll need to do whatever it is that suits you the best.

Everything you do, all your successes – and otherwise – will come from your thoughts. It stands to reason in that case that by strengthening your brain and helping to order your thoughts through education, you’ll get more done, and you’ll be healthier as a result. For one thing, you’ll be less stressed, and for another, your brain will be working, and you’ll be enjoying the process of learning too, all of which combine for better health.

Set a Routine

One of the best things you can do when you are a business owner and you want to feel healthier but always seem to be completely exhausted and close to burnout is to set yourself a good routine. When you have an intentional routine that you can stick to – although, of course, it should be flexible because things can quickly change in business and in life – you will always know what you are meant to be doing and what you will be doing next. You can slot any tasks that are required into the specific blocks of time throughout your day that relate to them. In this way, you’ll feel a lot less overwhelmed and much more able to cope with almost anything that comes your way.

Start with the time you wake up in the morning. Although it could be tempting to have a lie-in on days when you don’t have to start until later, if you get up at the same time each day, you can ensure you give yourself enough time to get everything done, including exercise and making a healthy breakfast, for example. Sleeping in means that these important elements of your day might be forgotten. You should also have a dedicated bedtime. In this way, you’ll make sure you get enough sleep, and you’ll know precisely how many hours in the day you have to get everything else done. This is much better for your peace of mind and, therefore, your mental – and to some extent your physical – health.

When you plan a party, you want to ensure that all of your guests have a fantastic time and that you don’t wear yourself out in the process. That is why you should know what things to get help with and which to let go of completely. Here is how you can plan a great party.

Cater the Food

Instead of spending the day of the party stuck inside the kitchen, hire someone to cater the food for you. When you let someone else handle the food, you won’t be stuck running back and forth from the kitchen, making sure everything is warm, and nothing runs out during the party.

When you are looking for caterers, go with a local family-owned restaurant that you love to frequent. Whether you choose a seafood and steak restaurant Fredericksburg TX, or a pasta one, make sure you plan for a few extra plates worth of food in case someone brings an extra guest.

Skip the Decorations

While decorations can be fun for a party, they aren’t always necessary. If you’re throwing a birthday party, get a simple banner that says Happy Birthday and don’t worry about the rest. Even though you don’t go all out with the balloons and streamers, your guests will still have a great time.

Entertain the Kids

If kids are at your party, you want to make sure that you always plan something for them to do. Nothing ruins a party faster than children with nothing to do. Set up a game table with a few options for them. Or, if you have a pool, blow up some fun floats and let them swim to their heart’s content.

If you want to go all out for the kids, consider creating a scavenger hunt for them. Place clues around the property and have them solve riddles to find the next spot. At the end of the hunt, put bags of candy or toys for them as their prize for finishing.

Gift baskets are some of the most delightful gifts you can give a person. They’re highly personalizable, versatile, and a lot of fun to unwrap.

Before you start shopping around for gift baskets, though, you’ll need to do two things. First, know your audience. The items included in a basket should reflect the recipient. A basket filled with coffee-themed goodies likely won’t work for someone who prefers tea. Second, pick a theme. If the basket is intended as a housewarming gift, the items included should be geared toward new homeowners. So, how do you choose the right gift basket? Here are some ideas to help you decide.

Something Consumable

Consumable items can be anything from baby wipes to a bag of coffee, as long as they fit the occasion. A cozy bridal shower gift basket might include tea or a bottle of wine, but a care package for a new mom might consist of snacks for the hospital or even the ingredients to her favorite drink.

Useful Items

Are you delivering a gift to a new homeowner? A BBQ-themed basket or charcuterie board with meats and cheeses would be perfect. Do you have an upcoming baby shower? A baby-themed basket that includes toys and other baby items, such as bibs and onesies, would definitely fit the bill.

Self-Care

Self-care items can be some of the most appreciated things you can include in a gift basket, and it’s an area you can have a ton of fun with. If you’re using self-care items, it’s particularly important to make sure you know your audience, though. Bath bombs, body lotions, and pumice stones or loofahs are great options, but make sure your recipient isn’t sensitive to things such as fragrances or dyes. If you’re unsure whether that’s the case, a plush blanket, puzzle, or pretty journal are also great options.

Now, the fun part: Have a great time shopping!

When your loved ones are ready to retire, they need a home that is safe, comfortable and tailored to their needs. If you’re searching for the best retirement home Woodinville WA has to offer, here are three major things to look out for.

Friendly Service

Your loved ones will be depending on the professionals around them for care and support, so make sure they’re in good hands. You and the retiree should meet with the aides, nurses, supervisors and any other regular employees before choosing a home; use this time to make sure you feel comfortable with the caretakers.

Enriching Activities

Retiring is about more than staying home — it’s about newfound freedom and finding a new lease on life. Your loved one’s retirement home should offer plenty of activities to keep retirees engaged, active and above all, happy. Be sure to ask about activity schedules when meeting with caretakers! This is also an excellent time to learn about the facility’s policies on independent leaves and visitation.

Independence-Focused Approach

Retirement homes tend to have a negative association with a lack of independence, but this couldn’t be farther from the truth. Your retirement home of choice should have an independence-focused attitude and provide each resident with the dignity of autonomous self-care wherever possible. Your loved one may need assistance with certain activities, but their caretakers should allow residents to (safely) perform as many unassisted tasks as they can.

No matter where your loved one chooses to retire, they deserve a home that will go above and beyond in meeting their needs. Make sure everyone feels comfortable trusting your chosen facility’s caretakers and don’t be afraid to ask questions at any point. Furthermore, encourage the retiree to do the same; they will be spending their golden years with a retirement home, and it’s important that they’re satisfied wherever they retire.

Healthcare consultants work with companies in the medical field to improve business practices, streamline costs and increase revenue. An excellent healthcare consultant should have a wide range of skills to handle the complexities of their work. Here are four traits you should look for if you need to work with a healthcare consultant.

Contract Knowledge

A significant component of a healthcare consultant’s work involves reworking contracts to improve revenue. Contracts are evaluated and standardized during this process. Providers can also access new resources and expand their network through a healthcare consultant. By enhancing their clients’ contracts, health consultants can create a cycle of revenue that is more sustainable.

Strategic Vision

Healthcare consultants must be able to look at the big picture when developing a strategy for their clients. There are many details in a healthcare system that can distract from the more significant objective. You will want to find a healthcare consulting firm with a proven track record for balancing short and long-term goals. It’s also important that your healthcare consultant accounts for the different needs held by all the stakeholders in your business.

Negotiation Skills

To solve complex problems, a healthcare consultant should have strong negotiation skills. Most healthcare providers are focused on giving the best care possible to their patients, and many lack experience with the nuances of business negotiations. A healthcare consultant can help navigate these situations. In addition, they should have good communication and conflict resolution abilities.

Data Analysis

In today’s world, the best healthcare consultants supplement their expertise with modern technology, using data and analytics to create the best possible strategy for their clients. Some healthcare consulting firms are even using machine learning and artificial intelligence to model solutions. Make sure you ask about the computational techniques and software your consultant uses.

A great healthcare consultant can develop strategies that increase revenue and improve business for their clients.

We spend around one-third of our day in bed. Whether we spend that time happily slumbering or turning and twisting is entirely determined by the quality of our mattress. Moreover, the bedroom must be conducive to a restful night’s sleep. Hence, make your bedroom safe, cozy, and pleasurable to ensure a good evening’s sleep each night.

However, many individuals don’t give importance to their mattresses. In this article, we’ll discuss why mattresses are crucial for getting a good night’s sleep.

Mattress Benefits That Bring About Healthy and Restful Sleep

You may believe that settling for any sleeping surface is acceptable. However, did you know that your mattress has a significant impact on your sleep health? The following are the benefits of utilizing a mattress in getting a better night’s sleep:

It Gives You Enough Quality Sleep at Night

The biggest advantage of a good mattress over a bad one is that you will always get a comfortable night’s sleep, nap, or relaxation. They may provide pressure point alleviation or back support, depending on the kind of mattress you purchase.

Furthermore, rather than disrupting your sleep, decent mattresses can enhance it. It’s time to acquire a new mattress if you’re often restless at night, have difficulties sleeping, or wake up in pain.

Also, if you have back problems, go here and get the finest best mattress for heavy people.

It Relieves Anxiety and Stress

The finest mattress helps more than enhance your sleep; it completely transforms your life. Without question, a good night’s rest can do wonders for you! It improves your productivity, performance, and memory, as well as the overall quality of your life quality.

You may suffer increased worry or tension, as well as disorientation. Long-term stress and sleep disruptions might result in depression or other psychological issues. However, you may prevent all of this by selecting the ideal bed for sleeping requirements. A comfortable mattress promotes peaceful sleep, which reduces stress. It also improves your mood while also promoting relaxation and peacefulness.

The Best Mattress Enhances Quality of Life

The best mattress does more than improve your sleep; it changes your life. Without question, a good night’s sleep can do excellent for you! It increases your efficiency, performance, and memory and thus raises the quality of your life.

It Develops Proper Posture

People sleep in a variety of postures, and they may not even realize it. Having the nicest and most suitable bed might assist you in maintaining or improving your posture. When you lay in the same position every evening, you should get a bed that promotes good posture.

 

Foam mattresses are ideal for better sleep. The material’s reactivity can aid keep the spine straight while also cushioning pressure areas. If you choose a mattress that isn’t designed for side sleepers, your spine and joints may suffer. As a result, consider your sleeping posture while selecting a mattress.

It Relieves Pain

Whether you lay down in one position for an extended period, the mattress’s uneven downward gravity and upward resistance might misalign your body and generate pressure spots. As a consequence, you often feel pain and your joints hurt when you move. Sleeping in such a lousy bed often causes back pain, hip discomfort, and neck pain.

Moreover, a suitable mattress provides enough support for your body and supports a healthy sleeping posture. It maintains your spine curvature in all sleeping positions. A good mattress also distributes your weight evenly and removes needless strain in any area by offering excellent cradling. A good mattress may also help to alleviate or significantly lessen chronic aches and pains over time.

It Encourages Sleep

Unfortunately, some individuals dread sleeping for various reasons, one of which is a bad mattress. Furthermore, some individuals are so preoccupied with jobs, school, and other responsibilities that they do not get enough sleep. With a nice bed, you may be able to go back to sleep basics!

Conclusion

Your mattress might be the reason why you don’t feel content after a good night’s sleep. It may also encourage you to sleep more if you have a pleasant sleeping environment.

Sleep deprivation has an impact on every aspect of our lives. It disrupts our circadian cycle. It impairs our metabolism, which often leads to obesity and weight gain. Choosing the perfect mattress may change our whole lives. When you sleep well, your chances of gaining weight diminish.

Moreover, the mattress improves good mood, and you begin the day with enthusiasm and zeal. People should cherish their mattresses as sleeping companions to have a good night’s sleep.

Unfortunately, an outdated mattress may become the most significant impediment to a good night’s sleep. But what is perhaps more shocking is the tremendous impact of a good night’s sleep on our life’s health. One would think that a nice mattress is necessary for excellent rest, but it does so much more! It reduces anxiety and stress, helps our body and mind, and enhances our entire life quality.

There are many different types of therapies and rehabilitation programs, all geared toward different goals, including physical improvement, mental wellbeing and finding employment or assistance with chronic illnesses. One of these is vocational rehabilitation. Here are three facts about it.

1. What It Is

The most common reasons people seek out vocational rehabilitation are workplace injuries that affect one’s ability to do his or her job and disabilities acquired due to military service. This rehabilitation is specifically designed for you to gain the assistance or training you need to be able to return to or find new employment. There are options across the United States, so whether you’re looking for vocational rehabilitation Oregon or Rhode Island, you’ll probably be able to find assistance that works for you.

2. How It Works

The type of vocational rehabilitation you receive will depend on the reasons you’re seeking it and will be customized to meet your needs. There are several common options people access. They include help finding or keeping employment, counseling and assistance planning to find a new job, medical referrals or case management and various job training options, including on-the-job training and post-secondary education.

3. Who May Be Eligible

Your eligibility for vocational rehabilitation will depend on the type of disability you have, how it was caused and an evaluation to determine what kind or kinds of assistance you’ll require. It also depends on how much of the rehabilitation your employer or insurance provider will cover and how much you’ll need to pay for yourself. For example, veterans must not have been dishonorably discharged, must have a disability rating of 10% or higher and must submit an application. They can apply up to twelve months after their tours of service end and their coverage depends on what types of rehabilitation they require.

Vocational rehabilitation can help you ensure you plan your job search, practice for applications and interviews or find various types of training.

When it comes to your home, you want to ensure safety for yourself and your family. However, emergency precautions are often time-consuming and sometimes even seem irrelevant as they are a backup. Don’t worry, there are easy, low-effort ways for you to adequately protect your house against unexpected disasters such as fire. 

Detect a Fire Early

Your home is most likely required to have working smoke detectors in at least every bedroom and on every level. Do not forget to be avidly checking and testing these life-saving devices! You need to be sure they are properly installed and that the batteries are still working, as this is your first line of defense in a fire.

Put Out a Fire Fast

Many people do not think about the convenience of having emergency sprinklers in their homes. With installation of fire sprinklers San Diego Ca, you will have a powerful way to control a spreading fire quickly. Your home will benefit from this extra safety measure as having sprinklers will give you a wide range of coverage.

Maintain Your Devices

Make sure your sprinklers and alarms are quickly fixed if they malfunction in any way. If you can not, or do not want to, repair these devices, then leave the job to professionals. It is easy to find an expert service to repair your protective measures adequately and promptly.

Make an Emergency Plan

In the event of a fire, your family should have an evacuation plan and meeting place. Make sure your family knows to leave the house immediately if a fire is to break out, even if the sprinklers are going off. They should know not to take time to gather items, and that they should never, under any circumstances, go back into a burning building.

Once you have established how to get out, discuss a good meeting spot that is not dangerously close to your home. It could be one of your neighbors’ houses or your mailbox at the end of the driveway. No matter where you choose, you will sleep a lot more soundly knowing your family has an emergency plan and meeting spot.

As scary as it is to think about a fire breaking out in your home, rest assured there are ways for you and your family to prevent, control, and evacuate the flames safely. As long as all of your fire preventing or controlling devices are running in tip-top shape, and you have a plan, you are doing the best you can!

Drug addiction has been a hot topic in the U.S. in recent decades, and rightfully so, given that it affects thousands of people every year.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 841,000 people have died from a drug overdose since 1999. Over 70,600 people in the U.S. died from overdoses in 2019. Synthetic opioids are driving these numbers, the CDC says. Seventy-three percent of overdose deaths are caused by synthetic opioids. But for people living on the edge, using drugs recreationally or after an injury, it may not be clear when their drug use has become a problem — at least, not to them.

As with many things in life, self-awareness can be difficult, especially when it comes to such a sensitive topic. Family members and friends may wait before they step in, wanting to be sure about a loved one’s problem.

If you’ve thought “I have it under control,” “it’s only once in a while,” or “I don’t have to use, I just want to,” the following may be important to recognize.

Here are some signs that you may have a drug problem:

1. First and foremost, if you’ve ever thought you might need help, there’s a good chance you might. Click here for more information on how to do that.
2. Changes in behavior are not uncommon as drugs impact the brain. Depression, lethargy, aggression, irritability, dramatic changes in habits, personality changes, and criminal activity are all pretty clear signs a drug you’re taking is a problem.
3. Physical symptoms are also important to look out for. Sudden changes in weight, trouble sleeping, or sleeping too much can all be caused by drugs. More common symptoms most people might recognize have to do with your eyes. If your eyes are bloodshot or glazed over, a drug you’re taking may be the cause.
4. Continuing to take a drug prescribed to you that you don’t need anymore is also another sign that you might be reliant on it. Make you sure understand what your doctor recommends and be honest. If you have too much of a prescription left over, dispose of it properly through a drug take-back program or at a pharmacy.
5. If someone you trust expresses concern over your drug use, it may be time to accept that your use is affecting others, and you, in ways you might not recognize.

While it’s possible for some people to use drugs recreationally, they become a problem when they interfere with your life. Keep an eye out for impacts on your work, behavior, and relationships. 

According to Help Guide: “There is no specific point at which drug use moves from casual to problematic.” You and those who know you best will be able to see when it becomes a problem. It’s not a matter of willpower. It’s a matter of getting treatment. If you’ve experienced any of the signs in the list, it’s probably time to seek out some help, whether that’s starting with your doctor or a professional who can connect you to the proper services.

Moving a loved one to an assisted living facility has many challenges, especially if the person is a parent. Therefore, it is crucial to plan before moving in because this can make the transition somehow easier. Your aim should be to make their life more comfortable, safe, and more manageable. The following are some tips you can use to transition your loved one’s life smoothly.

Talk Things Out

Although a person may be anxious to pay attention to practical issues, it is essential to take time to talk with their loved ones about their hopes, fears, and needs. After understanding and addressing those issues, you can consider having a conversation that focuses on St. Augustine assisted living benefits.

Check the Finances

If you want to clear out any doubt about the kind of care your loved one can afford, it is crucial to ensure the finances are in order. Furthermore, this is a requirement of many assisted living facilities and retirement communities, since they require detailed documentation of assets and income based on their specific admission policies.

Consult Doctors

If your loved one has major health issues, you should consult a doctor to help you to decide which facility best suits your loved one. You can also consult a specialist who focuses on seniors for a complete evaluation.

Shop Around

There are many elderly care facilities available across the country. So, you should conduct thorough research on which facility suits your loved needs and their level of service. You can consider seeking referrals from friends, colleagues, and family members. After narrowing down the list, you can visit the facility with your loved ones and observe what they like based on its condition.

Planning is usually a brilliant idea before implementing anything. This also applies when moving your loved one to an assisted living center.

Life can throw curveballs at times. Maybe you or a loved one is facing an unplanned pregnancy or other circumstances that you weren’t expecting. While it may seem overwhelming at times, there are many things you can do to help get through this rough patch.

1. Remind Others You’re There For Them

If you have a friend or family member that’s in a challenging situation, let them know you are available to talk about it. Provide a safe space and a nonjudgemental ear to hear them out. They may not be looking for your advice, but rather they may simply need the opportunity to share their feelings with someone that cares. Conversely, if they want to be alone for a little while to process, that’s okay as well.

2. Take Care of Yourself

Whether it’s you that is facing difficulties or someone else in your life that you are providing support for, remember to practice self-care. Don’t be too hard on yourself. It’s okay to cry. In fact, bottling up your emotions has been shown to cause dangerous health problems. Seek out healthy stress-relieving activities such as meditation or light exercise.

3. Make a Plan

After you’ve gotten your bearings, put together a roadmap for how to deal with the circumstances and heal afterward, if needed. If it helps you, think of the process as several small steps instead of one huge undertaking. Evaluate all of the options that are available. If you need to seek help or advice from a professional, there are several available to help. Find a list of providers in your area online or, if you feel comfortable, get recommendations from others.

Remember that you will get through whatever is going on and there are bright spots ahead. Times can get stormy and test our resolve, but there is plenty to look forward to in the future.