Jennifer Goble (Courtesy photo) While sitting on an airport shuttle, a man to my left said he would visit his aging mother in TX and said he had to get a ranch sitter. A woman to my right said, “Oh, I can’t image a RANCH sitter I could barely find a dog sitter.” Everyone laughed, and the man continued by saying he lived in the mountains but was from Sterling. I said, “I’m from … [Read more...]
Newspaper Column, "Mental Matters" published each Wednesday in the South Platte Sentinel Health Section
Plant the seed and watch it grow
I saw this quote somewhere: “We find what we look for.” At first, I thought, “That’s not true. If I look for money falling from trees, my odds of finding what I’m looking for are zero.” What the quote’s author meant was similar to the Cherokee grandfather who told his grandkids a story about two wolves fighting inside each of us. One wolf is mean, nasty, and scary; the … [Read more...]
Three words to embrace
I’m writing this before we know the election results, so I hope this finds all humans acting human. I look forward to less drama and more civility in our homes, communities, and country. If you’re reading this, your team either won or lost, the world didn’t end, and the sun came up like it always does. And I still Love Lucy! Now is an appropriate time to discuss three words: … [Read more...]
I know if they can, we can
My favorite things do not match the song lyrics in “The Sound of Music,” but I would like to know if we identify, think about, and do our favorite things often enough. What are your favorite things? Gratitude, thankfulness, and appreciation are vast elements of mental wellness, and we need to know our favorite things and choose them more often. Like all of life, what we … [Read more...]
Win or lose, life goes on—if we get out of its way
Many of us have voted or will vote soon, and the whole process makes me think of the complexity of decisions—choices. Months, maybe years ago, we each started processing our thoughts, forming a wish or hope list for what party we supported, who we wanted to represent us, and cementing a defense for our position. Let’s assume you’re a Democrat and the Republican wins, or … [Read more...]
Excitement can be a false friend or a positive life changer
The Oxford Dictionary defines excitement as “a feeling of great enthusiasm and eagerness.” It is synonymous with words like joy, pleasure, thrill, adventure, treat, and delight. I recently heard a theory where, simply stated, the excitement we feel should/would/could be the guiding force behind our decisions. If we follow the excitement we feel, we will be making correct and … [Read more...]
If you want true love, share your true self
A friend my age has been in love and communicating with a guy for 50+ years. Yep, fifty years. He married in college and had kids; she worked, never married, and had no kids. His wife died unexpectedly—OMG, he was available. After nearly a year of waiting a respectable time, he still had not mentioned her to his kids, and he busied himself with golf and guy things. Let me … [Read more...]
Let’s be King Makers
I recently heard someone use King Maker in a sentence, and I asked what it meant. They explained with an example: Take Apple, for example—all of us using Apple products have made them a King of the tech world. We buy their phone, then we buy their cords, and then their compatible iPads and computers. The same applies to Amazon, Google, Walmart, etc. We have each likely … [Read more...]
That’s a sign
Jennifer Goble (Courtesy photo) For my final article on the painful topic of suicide, I want to address warning signs and suggest what to do if you notice the signs. If someone changes from usual behavior—That’s a sign. If they’re normally cheery, grumpy, talkative, quiet, busy, lazy, whatever, and whoever they are, if it changes, pay attention. If you fear they could be … [Read more...]
Good WILL hug you again, even though
As I address Suicide Awareness Month this month, I speak to the family and friends who are left to live without their person. I write with the utmost reverence and respect for the life ended and for the families and friends who are suffering and trying to put the pieces together. I don’t pretend to be in your shoes—I write from what I’ve read and heard. The road ahead will … [Read more...]
What I’ve learned about suicide
I’ve worked with many people who are left to survive after a suicide. The stories are tragic, and the despair is warranted, accurate, and often crippling. Here’s a bit of what I’ve learned about suicide: It does not discriminate based on a person’s color, religion, politics, sex, national origin, age, disability, talent, genetic information, or financial status. It’s a … [Read more...]
Do you really want to know?
My youngest grandson was recently in Children’s Hospital with a broken leg. I left his room to get some water and met a pretty woman wearing a purple blouse in the snack room. She asked what brought me to the hospital. I told her, and I asked the same. She looked me square and said, “Do you really want to know?” I nodded and said, “Yes.” In very few words, she told me her … [Read more...]
I felt a little hope
I watched the Democratic National Convention, and yes, It’s no secret am a proud registered Democrat. To preface, I have nothing against Republican philosophy; I often vote on that side of the ticket. But I feel the party’s color has shifted from red to something dark, and its current message and tone evoke fear and sadness in my soul. It counters what I believe to be mentally … [Read more...]
I felt like the center of an Oreo cookie
The first of three concerts I recently attended was by a local artist, Braydon Zinc, held at NJC in the Dorothy J. Corsberg Theater. He called it a 10th Anniversary Concert, which felt more like an appreciation celebration. Braydon gave credit and kudos to his roots and the many who supported and encouraged him to live his dream of writing and singing music. Braydon was crazy … [Read more...]
Venus goes to the city
Yesterday, I told myself, “Jennifer, you could feel better about your Methuselah age if you tried a little harder.” So, I made an appointment at Ulta, a beauty supply company. I told them I wanted someone to show me how to apply makeup. I intentionally put only lotion on my face, put my chin down and shoulders back, and walked into the glitz, glam, and mirrors. Did I mention … [Read more...]