To Hope or Not to Hope? A guest blog about hope and mental health...

You know those friends that you meet, and you instantly fall in line with--- the ones you can tell immediately are in it with you for the long haul?? Ashley is one of those for me.....

I told Ashley about the new Compeer blog, and she immediately offered, "I'd love to write something to share..." Which I was excited about, since really--- no one wants to hear just from me.....over....and over.  I also knew that Ashley would hand over something awesome, because this chick has serious substance.
  Ashley's amazing spirit never fails to shine through her struggles, and her dedication to wellness can inspire us all. 
So, WELCOME, guest blogger Ashley-- lay it on us!

  To Hope or not to Hope? That is the question. 

    Everyone knows that this is a question that crosses our minds from time to time- and for persons with mental illnesses, even more so.
    Some of us struggle day after day (myself included) with the idea that our illness is here to stay. We struggle with knowing that we have to fight for normalcy in our own minds. At these times hope may slip from our grasp....or seem pointless.
    Well, I'll give you a quick and dirty answer to this question:  HOPE!
    Regardless of what anyone thinks, things do get better. The rough times? Well, those are there to make us stronger. The harder it gets, the more we learn and the stronger we become.
The times we can't get out of bed in the morning.
The times we let our anxieties get the better of us.....
Let me tell you a little secret-- every single one of us, (even you reading this) are more than capable of overcoming our fears. Though we cannot control the chemicals in our brains, we can fight them.
You might ask, "How do I do that?" or think, "That's impossible."

With HOPE, nothing is impossible. You can conquer the greatest foes with the simplest of thoughts.

   So, buckle up people! This thing called life will be a tough ride. But with hope that one day you will see the bright side of things again, you can make it.
Maybe as you read this, you feel lost and without hope. Well then, this list is for you:

• Keep your head up. 
• Push yourself.
• Go out of your comfort zones.
• Fight for your personal freedom.
• Don't let anyone or anything take away your happiness.
• And, NEVER, EVER give up hope.

- Ashley Lang


      I am such a believer in hope as a healer.....thanks Ashley. I have a sneaking suspicion, I may be blogging further on this topic.....

Starting the day laughing....

"Laughter is the best medicine......." It's an old adage, and that's probably because there is great truth behind it.

I was tired today. I was tired, and before I ate too many chicken wings for lunch, I was hungry too. Tired and hungry don't work well for me. In the least...... (neither does eating too many chicken wings, by the way, but that's another blog.)

Besides being tired and hungry, I spent the better part of my drive to work this morning going through my mental "to do" list, (and yes, paying attention to the road should have been at the top!) which left me walking into my office this morning tired, hungry and overwhelmed. That was even before I realized that I forgot to take out the overflowing garbage can this morning. UGH!!!

So, like the grown-up that I am, I flopped down in my chair with a big old pout on my face and turned on my computer- grumbling out loud, just waiting to find an e-mail that could make my morning any more unpleasant.

Low and behold- I found the opposite.

A wonderful friend had sent me one of those mass forwarded e-mails full of funny pictures. If you've never recieved one, they are just a compilation of funny photos- usually having to do with a theme that someone, somewhere out in cyberspace, put together. People forward them and forward them, and that's where the term "going viral" comes from-- these things spread like smiles in a candy store! I would link you to the e-mail here, but I'm pretty sure Compeer doesn't want me involving them in a copyright nightmare....so to view some, try google-ing "funny photos" instead.

I scrolled down through the photos this morning, and my grumbling turned to laughter.
After viewing maybe ten of these hilarious scenarios, I felt my mood to be entirely lifted.
I thought to myself, "I should do this every morning!"

What a thought- start every day laughing.

And why stop there?
Laughter produces endorphins, one of the body’s natural painkillers. Laughter improves immune function, and decreases stress hormones. In fact, a good belly laugh is literally good for the heart, because when we laugh it causes our blood vessels to dilate!

For those of us struggling with mental health concerns, sometimes the pain can get overwhelming. It can get frustrating when we have too many obstacles to overcome. We know it's been long understood that laughter heals the mind and the body, so let's take advantage of all the ways we can build it into our lives!
The web is chock full of comedy sites and funny photos.
The library boasts an endless collection of joke books, comedy novels, and even funny movies and CDs.

Why not pick up a comedian on CD and listen to them in the car, or on your headset while taking the train or bus?
Catch a funny movie instead of flipping channels.
Laughing changes the chemicals in our brains to support positive emotions and healing. I say we can't get enough!!
(Chicken wings, I'm finding out, we can get enough of.....)

What other ways do you fit laughter into your life? Favorite funny movies? Good (and clean) jokes??
Post a comment to share.

Let's laugh together!


-Jennifer
Compeer of Greater Buffalo, Adult Coordinator

If you have topics, articles, recipes, photos or stories to share, please send them to jennifer@compeerbuffalo.org.

WHY BLOG??? (in other words.....what's this all about?)

When I mentioned to my boss that Compeer might benefit from having a blog, she answered in her usual way... "Tell me more."
And I did.
And, well, you're reading this, so it's not a surprise that she welcomed the idea, and decided to give this a go. (Shout out to Karen- woot!)
I must tell you, I'm psyched! I have magnificent goals for this blog. (Then again, I have magnificent goals to keep my house clean too....so lets remember to keep it real.)

WHY BLOG?

I think that there are so many of us right here in Buffalo that are ready and waiting to connect with others....but we have barriers that sometimes keep that connection out of reach.

For some, who are experiencing mental health challenges, it can be difficult to make new connections with people. Often fear and anxiety keep us from reaching out.
For others of us, time is a concern-- working long hours and raising families can keep us so busy we don't find the time to reach that part of us that longs to share deeply with others. (I couldn't find time to buy shampoo this week.......which I found out the hard way this morning!)

Compeer does such a fantastic job of connecting people with people and creating friendships that change lives forever. I think that having a blog that supports all of the things that make for healthy living and positive connections is a no-brainer! I want us to have a forum to feel connected- to share inspirations as well as challenges.
Hopes..... dreams.....coupons.....whatever!

Seriously, we're friends. Let's share it all.

If you find a new recipe that you absolutely love- I want to know about it!
Reading a good book? I want to know about it.
I want our whole Compeer circle of friends to know about it!!

Why blog? Because times are changing, but that doesn't mean that we give up our spirit of connection. I say we make it stronger- together.

*Jennifer
Compeer staff and volunteer

Check in regularly for new goodies, and please share comments freely so that we can be a community.

If you have topics, articles, recipes, photos or stories to share, please send them to jennifer@compeerbuffalo.org.

Compeer Blogs!!!

Welcome to the official Compeer Blog!
Join us in exploring and sharing all things wellness related!! Link to our website for updated agency info, find articles about friendship, inspiration and wellness issues, and share your thoughts and opinions.....
Blogging is an interactive experience, and as a fledgling blogger and Compeer staff /volunteer, I can't wait to share it with you.
I welcome your feedback.....
Get started by taking my poll about cell phones in friendships! It's under our mission statement to the right.......

-Jennifer