Mental Matters By Jennifer Goble My husband’s mother had five sisters. Combined, the sisters had seven sons and four daughters born within ten years of each other. The eleven children were close growing up in southeast Nebraska. The aunts, uncles, and three cousins had passed away, and my sister-in-law, Doris, organized a family reunion for the remaining eight cousins. To … [Read more...]
Newspaper Column, "Mental Matters" published each Wednesday in the South Platte Sentinel Health Section
Graduation can be tough on families
Mental MattersBy Jennifer Goble Many families will be celebrating high school graduation. After 18 years of growing together, parents and graduates will be experiencing changes that include separation. After the joy of ceremonies and parties, summer will end, and the class of 2019 will be off to college, full-time jobs, traveling, marriage, starting a business, or other … [Read more...]
Depression: Even famous people have it
Mental MattersBy Jennifer Goble May is the month of graduations; it often means good-bye to the familiar and hello to the unknown. Seniors supposedly, magically transform into adults. They should be prepared to leave home, succeed in college, land real employment, stick with a budget, find new friends, and make everybody proud. It is called pressure or stress and can lead to … [Read more...]
Storms make us stronger
Mental MattersBy Jennifer Goble Resiliency involves the ability to recover or bounce-back. Every person encounters challenges; it could be accidents, abuse, death, job loss, breakups, or illness, to name a few. Resiliency is the power to recover; it’s the strength to move on. Canadian poet Atticus wrote, “I’ve never met a strong person with an easy past.” I think he means we … [Read more...]
What authentic person inspires YOU?
Mental Matters By Jennifer Goble I had the honor of sitting front row center and hearing author, J. A. (Judith Ann) Jance speak as she promoted her new book, “The A List.” Two years older than I, she has published nearly 60 mysteries. She grew up in Bisbee, Az, where we lived for a while, so her Joanna Brady series about the first woman sheriff of Cochise County was especially … [Read more...]
Show yourself love; it’s healthy
Mental MattersBy Jennifer Goble My week has been uneventful, so I decided to clean the garage. Neat, clean, and organized improves my mental health. Lou Holtz, when speaking of his marriage, said, “Opposites attract, and then they attack.” When it comes to tidy environments, my husband and I are opposites. On that thought, he seldom attacks the garage, and he is not a happy … [Read more...]
Let’s improve our world
Mental MattersBy Jennifer Goble We control 100 percent of our thoughts. Therefore, we also earn 100 percent credit for our mental health. Thoughts are things, and when we scrutinize and manage what we allow in our mind, life improves. We are each responsible for our behavior; we can’t blame someone else. That being said, words and actions from others can enhance or decline our … [Read more...]
We’ve come a long way, baby
Mental MattersBy Jennifer Goble As Women’s History Month comes to an end, I reflect on the many inspiring stories involving the strength and innovation of women who have held a vital role in American history. Today, I want to highlight a few great females who forged forward, making a difference in Sterling and the surrounding area. Back around 1914, a group of women in the … [Read more...]
Make America healthy again
Mental MattersBy Jennifer Goble Bloomberg rated the world’s three healthiest nations as Spain, because of its public and preventative health care and the Mediterranean diet, Italy, and Iceland. The United States dropped one place to #35. I was disappointed by the U.S. placing, yet, I was not surprised. Anyone with eyes can see the state of American wellness. Obesity, obvious … [Read more...]
Simplest solution: Be Kind
Mental Matters By Jennifer Goble This past weekend my husband and I attended the Tucson Festival of Books. It was like being dropped in a vat of warm milk chocolate. I sat in classrooms on the University of Arizona campus and digested wisdom, humor, and motivation from authors on the New York Times Best-seller lists. A large number of authors had written on … [Read more...]
Living a lie
Mental MattersBy Jennifer Goble I was cheering for Glenn Close during the Academy Awards to win Best Actress for her leading roll in “The Wife.” Her performance as the wife of a Pulitzer Prize author was stellar, and the story staged from the ’60s to present, was disturbing. The movie involved a young woman who scandalously fell in love with her married literature professor. … [Read more...]
Taking time off
Mental MattersBy Jennifer Goble According to Project: Time Off research, Americans waste 658 million vacation days every year. Not using earned days off is attributed to technology; being connected has decreased workers ability to break free from the office. I’m guilty. When I retired from my last teaching job, I had 35 unused vacation days from six years of employment. It was … [Read more...]
Celebrate GRAND-parenting
Mental MattersBy Jennifer Goble John Dickerson (CBS This Morning co-host) asked John Prine, Americaan singer-songwriter, “At 22, 21, writing stories about an old woman, where was that coming from?” Prine said, “Growing up, I was real close to grandparents on both sides, they just treated me like I was something off a Christmas tree.” As a grandparent of seven, I was touched by … [Read more...]
What moves you to the edge of YOUR comfort zone?
Mental MattersBy Jennifer Goble Last month, I decided to change. In addition to doing my usual activities, I added Duplicate Bridge and Iyengar Yoga to name two. I dread going to both. I’m fair at the bridge, but the other hundred people in the room are experts. They also never smile, so the air is thick. Doing my best still leaves me feeling stupid. Plus, in my second game, a … [Read more...]
To scammers, Shame on YOU!
Mental MattersBy Jennifer Goble “Messages” on Facebook is a means to send private notes to friends — or so I thought. For two weeks, a friend has been sending requests for me to text a number and get my name in the government grant money program available for citizens over the age of 65. Instead of using my phone for what it is intended — making phone calls, I sent back quick … [Read more...]