With a new year under way it's a wonderful time to reflect on how great our town is. We are made of all the good stuff: down to earth, humble, a little gritty sometimes, innovative, and generous as all heck. Even those of us who don't have too many coins to rub together are not short on a truly generous spirit.
Special thanks to those of you who responded to my Christmas challenge to donate to a good cause by supporting the Women's Network. You may never know what a difference your actions and kindness toward supporting local women to live happier lives makes, so please consider this a personal message from me with heartfelt gratitude.
Your willingness to give goes a long way. It encourages me to know that the community values the work that we have been doing for over 30 years supporting women across the life span at every age and stage, with anything and everything that can [and does] go belly up in our lives from time to time.
People need safe places to tell their stories and to be heard. Most of us know what it is that we need to do to solve our own problems, yet somehow the ears and confidence of a stranger provide us with the outlet we need to really hear ourselves, with some gentle encouragement to step out in a more positive direction. Before Christmas and the holiday season we experienced more women coming forward needing assistance with stress management and communication strategies. Spending extra time with family, and sometimes even with intimate partners can be enough to raise tension in otherwise 'normal' households. Preparing yourself with strategies to navigate your way through these times is an important part of minimising stress and anxiety for yourself and those around you. We have spent a lot of time focusing on breathing and mindfulness techniques, as well as reminding women about the importance of self-care. Taking time for ourselves and for those we love is one of the best gifts we can ever give. The gift of presence.
A new year is a great time to think about what we might like to do differently. It's important to set achievable goals. Success breeds success. It's simple really, the more achievable our goals, the more likely we are to want to keep setting new ones and achieve even more. We are here to help if you feel that an extra dose of encouragement will support you to strive for the best.
