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Depression: Tips to make it through the holidays.

For some people, the approaching Christmas Holidays are the most dreadful time of the year.  While others get excited at the thought of family visiting and gathering for a huge feast, exchanging gifts and reminiscing about Christmas past.  They get right into making sure that everything is perfect, the decorations get hung and the lights strung through the trees.  That the dinner is all planned and the wine is bought.  They have organized everything down to the tiniest details.

This time of year is very stressful and depressing for many people. It's often referred to as "the holiday blues."  The thought of shopping for the perfect gifts, arranging to hold the holiday dinner or, making plans to travel to another family member's home.  It can be overwhelming.  Then there are the company parties, Christmas Eve gatherings and other social activities.  The thought of having to be social or, leaving your comfort space, picking out something nice to wear so you fit in.  You worry about the cost of everything.  It's hard to make ends meet on a regular day and now you have to worry about providing a special Christmas for your children and family.  You feel as though you have to keep up with the Joneses.  You might be afraid that your children will get teased because they got a doll instead of a laptop.  All that adds more anxiety to what you are already feeling and may make you feel defeated.  

This may just be a temporary depression from the pressure you are putting on yourself to have a fairytale Christmas.  For others, they struggle with depression everyday, and have for years.  For them, it is beyond overwhelming.  They can barely plan their day to day activities let alone plan for something in advance. Organization has pretty much gone out the window.  Where do they start first?  What to do next? How will I get everything done?  It is very frustrating when you can't focus on the tasks at hand. You feel like crawling under the stairs and hiding until the New Year passes.

The worst part, that makes matters worse, is knowing that you should be enjoying this time of year. You're family tells you, your friends, people at the check-outs in stores telling you to enjoy your Christmas, even the happy Christmas shows and commercials on TV. Hearing it once or twice is daunting enough but, when you see it or hear it everywhere, it's a real downer.

If your depression is so bad people start to notice, or, you don't feel the slightest joy from anything and can't be bothered.  You should seek professional help immediately.

There are some tips and tricks to help you survive the holidays.  You just have to be open to trying them.  One of the most important to do, cut yourself some slack.  Don't force yourself to be happy and smiling, let your real emotions out.  Express to your family how you are feeling and that you are not up to holding the dinner party this year.  They will understand.  Don't be afraid to spend less. Appreciate what you have and stop worrying about what you don't have.

Forget about getting the perfect gift.  Give a gift card or certificate, the recipient will be happy they can get what they want.  Forget about an expensive suit or dress.  People will be happy that you even showed up and they get to see you.  Shake things up and spend Christmas with someone other than your family, or if you can, go on vacation, relax and do what you want to.  Avoid consuming too much alcohol as it acts as a depressant and can make people more open in a negative way.

Get yourself outside.  Exercise, sun and fresh air will get your endorphin levels up.  Those are the body's natural antidepressants.  Shovel the driveway or, your neighbour's driveway.  Play in the snow with your children or a pet.  Just 20 mins a day outside has proven to greatly help your health and your mental health.

Avoid family conflict.  If you know there is someone you are not fond of, stay away from them. Don't worry about them at all.  If you are too busy thinking about them, you are missing out on things that are positive.  If they insist on approaching you, tell them nicely how you feel and that you would rather not socialize with them. Excuse yourself and take a break from them in another room or, step outside.

Talk to people that support you either in person or on the phone.  Express your emotions, tell them what's going on.  Even if they don't have a solution and just listen, it will be off your chest and you focus more on the positive.

Get out into the community and volunteer.  Help a Santa hand out gifts or help out at a homeless shelter.  You will feel better knowing that you were able to help someone and make them happy.It will give you a sense of accomplishment.

This is just a fraction of what emotional upsets occur to people during the holidays.  There are numerous other resources to help you through the holidays when you need a little support.  There are crisis hotlines, plenty of online information, counselors and organizations there to help as well as doctors.  What works for one person, may not work for another but, there is help that is suited toward your situation.

Written By:  Mike Crawford

Understanding Teenagers in Windsor-Essex

There is no denying that the teenage years are complicated. Always have been, always will be. However, as a teenager myself, I have noticed significant differences between my life now and my parents’ teenage years. We have different opinions, ideas and difficulties and it often causes problems between us. I feel as if that is completely normal for people from such different generations but I also feel that it would be nice if adults could get a better understanding of teenagers. 
I think that it is safe to say that all teens, regardless of their generation, are a mixture of sarcasm, ignorance, melancholy, happiness and intelligence. Then again, I believe that my generation is very different in comparison to those of the past. It seems we either care too much or too little, there is almost no in between. I know of people who could not care less about their future, with little or no aspirations. I know of people who try their hardest every day, who hope and who dream of great things. However, I rarely encounter people who have found a balance between the two. It’s difficult. Finding the balance is hard because there is so much pressure put on teens and young adults to achieve greatness. There are those who thrive under pressure and those who lose interest and stop caring altogether. So, finding a happy medium is easier said than done.
Also, I think that it’s important to let teenagers know that they are loved and accepted. That’s really all they want, even if it’s subconsciously. Nowadays, it has become a trend for them to openly express their negative feelings and to share them not only with those closest to them, but complete strangers as well. This leads them to focus their sadness and dwell on unimportant, insignificant matters. Focusing on such things can cause several problems for teens individually and socially. Sadness is one of, if not the most common emotion felt by teenagers and that is definitely not okay. So, it is important for parents and adults alike to communicate with their teens and for them to acknowledge the difficulties that their teen may be experiencing.
Teens may be reluctant to reach out for help when needed. They seek to feel independent and free. This is perfectly fine and some teenagers may even learn a thing or two by living without guidance. It is good for teens to be exposed to new things as long as they can benefit from them. Then again, evidently, teens can also be easily exposed to things that will affect them negatively such as drugs, alcohol and fighting. It’s becoming easier and easier for teens to access and do such things. In Windsor-Essex, I can confidently say that most, if not all teens have at least experimented with drugs and/or alcohol. Therefore, it is important to set boundaries and confront teenagers about their behaviour. As they are reluctant to ask for help, I think that it is up to adults to reach out to teens. Otherwise, I fear that the situation will only get worse and that the future generations will be the ones to suffer the consequences of our irresponsible actions.
Overall, I think that it is essential that adults have at least a little bit of understanding when it comes to teenagers. After all, they are those who will pave the way for future generations. Even if they may be complicated, they are essential to the development of our society and we must treat them as such. It is important that adults lessen the pressure put on teens to be perfect and exceed their expectations, communicate and acknowledge possible problems and set boundaries for their teens. In doing these things, I am confident that relationships between adults and teens will improve exponentially and the future will look much brighter for generations to come.   

Let Us Help Give The Less Fortunate A Special Christmas This Year.

Every year, at this time of year, we start worrying about our holiday plans.  Who is going to hold the dinner at their house this year, who is going to offer space for out of town friends and family to stay and all the things you are going to do, to make your Christmas special for you and your family. Many people have found it necessary to cut back from previous years for economical reasons but, still provide a decent Christmas for all.

While we are buying the holiday food and numerous, expensive toys to keep Bobby and Susie happy, we don't think of the less fortunate people in our community.  The parents that have next to nothing. There are sacrifices for themselves, so they can provide SOME kind of Christmas for their kids. They may eat less, cut back on necessities they need for themselves or, even borrow money from friends and family that will be a struggle to pay back.

Luckily, there are organizations that are able to help during the Christmas season and throughout the winter.  They provide hot meals when they can to the homeless and less fortunate.  This year has already been a tough year for food banks.  They haven't had much stock to fill the shelves.  Although, many companies give them food, there is still a shortage.  Donations from the communities through food drives and fundraisers are also a great help.  Unfortunately, it's hard to keep up with the needs of the increasing amount of the less fortunate due to more and more people needing help each year.  More people are losing jobs or having their hours cut back and even taking pay cuts.

There are great companies that donate to organizations what they produce, such as Turkeys and Hams, bags of frozen vegetables and potatoes and such, to provide a Christmas dinner for those less fortunate.  It's all cooked and prepared to serve at various places such as, The Downtown Mission, Street Help and the Windsor Youth Centre, to name a few. For those that have larger families and it would be easier for them to provide a Christmas at home, there are food banks that offer Christmas baskets.  They try to provide holiday favourites like stuffing, cranberries and maybe even a Christmas cake or cookies.  You can also get donated toys from many locations to wrap and give as gifts.

So, this holiday season, while you are out getting everything you need, think of buying a doll or toy truck or crayons and colouring book to donate so these less fortunate kids can receive a present and not feel left out compared to those more fortunate.  It doesn't need to be expensive, they will appreciate just having something new to play with.

Think of a few extra cans of food to donate.  Many grocery stores have a drop off bin or they sell pre-packaged bag and boxes off food you can purchase at the register that will be donated.  Do some extra baking and drop off treats that many children don't get on a regular basis.  If you are crafty, you could knit some hats, scarves and mittens or blankets to donate.  You wouldn't believe how appreciative people are for such items at this time of year.

Clean out your closets if you have old things you don't use.  Clothes, including warm socks and thermal underclothes, old blankets, coats, towels and toiletries, as some places offer a place to sleep and shower.  Most people don't even think about toiletries.  Baby foods and formulas are also needed. You can never donate too much of that.

More and more people have taken to the streets handing out containers of warm food they have left over or, make a cheap and easier dinner and package it and hand it out to those on the streets.

It's understandable some cannot afford to donate their selves but they could volunteer at organizations to help with meals and serving them, handing out toys, help write Santa letters or just read a Christmas story.  If more people even bought 1 or 2 cans of anything to donate or, since food banks are now trying to offer more food groups, items such as hamburger, chicken and eggs are divided up to make smaller packages to hand out.

Every amount of money or grocery store gift card you can donate, big or small, can purchase an array of items like more food, items to help buy supplies shelters need so they can assist those in need.

While you are out hustling and bustling this holiday season, think of something big, or small, that would make someone's family have a special Christmas, full of memories that will last forever.

Although, this story has been about the Holiday season, this help is definitely needed

throughout the entire year.  No one should have to go without!

The CP Holiday Train rolls into Windsor December 2, 2014.
It arrives at 4:30pm and the show starts at 5:30pm.
at
CP Yard at Erie St West and Janette St.

Over it's 3 week journey to get to Windsor,  it stops in every community collecting food and money donations.  They have a concert at every stop that is free but, they do ask you to donate money or a non-perishable food item.  All contributions stay in our community.

CP Holiday Train Website

http://www.cpr.ca/en/community/holiday-train

Happy Holidays from all of us, to all the friends of the 

Windsor Business Networks,

and the Mashup Kaffe.

Written By:  Mike Crawford

'Tis Almost the Season

Well folks, it's the middle of November.  Christmas is a mere six weeks away.  Once we're through the holidays, it's "that time of year" again.....that's right, RRSP season.  The banks will have their signs up urging you to contribute to your RRSP.  Some of the banks even put up neat little countdown clocks to keep reminding you of the urgency.  Question:  Does your banker actually explain to you WHY you need to do this?  Do they take the time to ask you about your risk tolerance and how fast you want your money to grow?  Or does the teller just insist that it's a really good idea and get (more than) a little pushy? 

Many Canadians know that an RRSP can generate a tax break, but not much more than that, so let's being with some basics:  RRSP stands for Registered Retirement Savings Plan.  This is a plan that you set up, that is registered with the government, and that you contribute to in order to grow some savings tax-free for your retirement.  RRSP contributions can be used to reduce your income tax.  The money is taxed upon withdrawal.  

The idea of the RRSP is to encourage Canadians to save for their retirement years.  The RRSP is designed to work for the LONG TERM.  Unfortunately, too many Canadians only see it for the immediate tax break and then end up pulling out early because of some "emergency" or other.  In the industry, these folk are known as "put-and-takes".   

When you withdraw from your RRSP early, it is taxed as income at your full tax rate for the year you took the money out.  If you take out enough, you can push yourself into a higher tax bracket without meaning to and really create some problems for yourself.  So, consider carefully whether your "emergency" really is one.

This is where a financial advisor can help you.  Any financial advisor worth their salt should be taking a look at your whole life -- what you have now, what you need, where you want to go, when you want to get there.  The advisor will help you set up your long-term planning, which may or may not mean you need a registered plan, and help you become disciplined enough to have short-term savings for real emergencies.

More to come........

Mary

Remembrance Day: Remembering Our Veterans And All Our Fallen Canadians.

November is the month we remember our Service men and woman.  The Veterans that fought for the freedom we have today.  November 11 has been dedicated to honour those people across Canada. This day is observed yearly.  Our Veterans deserve to be recognized all year round.  In Windsor, Ontario, ceremonies and dedications take place throughout the year.

Canada has participated in many different wars.  More notably the First and Second World Wars, the Vietnam War and the Korean War.  There was also the Boer War, War of 1812, D-Day and Normandy.  These wars went on many years ago.  More recently, there was the Gulf War, the Afghanistan and Iraq wars.  Those are just a few of course.  There is quite a history of Canada and the wars Canadians were involved in all over the world.

Canada has often joined forces with the United States as allies.  Not always actively fighting, they were more peacekeepers.  They did however, export weapons and other supplies and provided medical services to the wounded and those that could not mentally continue on.  Canadians still were exposed to the horrors of war.  Living in tunnel, trenches and bunkers and trying to survive in the open fields.  Hundreds of thousands of soldiers, nurses, and notable people either lost their lives, became prisoners of war or, were missing in action.

Windsor, Ontario, Canada became a very large training camp where men and women from the surrounding counties came to prepare for war.  There were eventually sent off to Camp Borden and were deployed from there.  Windsor also became known for manufacturing weapons, some vehicles and supplies to take to war.

Windsor is home to numerous monuments and memorial sites throughout the city that recognize and honour the Veterans and fallen soldiers.  Many of these monuments have been placed parks all along the riverfront.  Ceremonies and dedications take place throughout the year on anniversaries and the addition of monuments and plaques.  The service men and woman of the Windsor-Essex County area should be recognized as much as possible, not just on November 11.

Some of the larger monuments that can be found are, The North Wall which is also known as Canadian Vietnam Veteran's Memorial.  Located under the Ambassador Bridge in Assumption Park, it lists 103 names of casualties of known Canadian origin.

The North Wall Memorial

The First World War memorial stands at the gates of Memorial Park, which dates back to 1925.  This memorial has the names of 837 men and woman from the Windsor area who have died.

World War I memorial

The Second World War monument can be found in Jackson Park.  Located just South of Downtown. This park has many other monuments, plaques and trees that were dedicated to Veteran's from land, sea, and air.  Another WW II Memorial can be found along the river.

World War II Memorial

The Korean War memorial can be found Downtown in Dieppe Gardens.  On the left side, the names of 516 fallen Canadians and on the right side, the names of those from the Windsor-Essex County alone.

Korean War Memorial

Every year a Remembrance Day ceremony takes place at the Cenotaph at the City Hall in downtown Windsor, Ontario. Wreaths are laid, the Colour Guard Marches along with Windsor's divisions and forces of the military. 

Written By:  Mike Crawford

The Cenotaph at City Hall In Downtown Windsor

The Colour Guard

Assembled crowd at the ceremony

Some of the other monuments that can be found around Windsor.

Afghan War Memorial

Boer War Memorial

Windsor Junction