The month of February has many holidays and observances focusing on kindness, love, health, and well-being. Two of these observances are Random Acts of Kindness Day, held on February 17, and Random Acts of Kindness Week, held February 9-15. These annual events are focused on the importance of...

Building social awareness is an important skill that helps individuals accurately understand other people's emotions and empathize with them. Developing empathy is one of the most important skills you can learn to improve your social awareness. Here are a few tips for encouraging youth to be...

What does resilience look like? It’s that process of how we deal with difficult situations or adversity. Life is full of difficulty, such as experiencing loss, stress, anxiety, depression, fear, just to name a few. On the other hand, life also can bring about an abundance of joy, determination,...

Winter is upon us and those longer hours of darkness coupled with the colder temperatures can make many people experience those “winter blues.” I am much more aware of the signs of mental health challenges having become a certified trainer for Mental...

The holiday season can evoke a wide range of emotions, from anticipation and joy to reflection and nostalgia. This time of year often stirs up a multitude of thoughts, feelings, and memories, offering opportunities for connection and celebration. However, it can also bring added stress to an...

Children can get lost in many places. And at this time of year when we are all doing our holiday shopping, there can be an even bigger risk of a child losing their way. This information is from a new tip sheet by the Illinois Early Learning Project...

Unfortunately, as a person ages, their risk of having a chronic illness increases. According to research by the National Council on Aging, around 90% of people over the age of 60 have at least one...

My office calendar this year has a special feature – a holiday to celebrate every day. That is 365 (or 366 in a Leap Year) days of celebration. Some holidays are familiar, such as Memorial Day, Labor Day, and Thanksgiving. Others are more obscure. Did you know that June 10 is National Ballpoint...

Established in 1963, Older Americans Month (OAM) is celebrated every May. Led by a federal agency, the Administration for Community Living (ACL), OAM is a time to recognize older Americans' contributions, highlight aging trends, and reaffirm commitments to serving the older adults in our...

Recently, I was supposed to attend a family night at a local preschool where I would work with the youth about what it means to care and be kind to each other. Unfortunately, I couldn’t make it at the last minute, but I wanted to share a tip sheet that I was also going to share with the parents....