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Your Best Year Yet: Build resolutions backed by SMART goals
Is it your New Year’s resolution to achieve your New Year’s resolution? Studies show that nearly 80% of people who set a New Year’s resolution fail within the first few weeks. Creating goals that are “SMART”--Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic/relevant and Time-bound--is one way to give us a better chance of achieving our goals.
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Beating the winter blues
Feeling low as the days grow shorter? MU Extension human development specialist Maria Calvert shares practical tips to boost your mood and navigate holiday grief.
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911 and 988: Numbers you need to know on the farm
Call 911 for emergencies and 988 for mental health support. Help is available 24/7 for farmers and their families.
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Resources for Suicide Prevention Month
September is Suicide Prevention Month, and MU Extension has compiled resources to help break down barriers to mental health services for Missourians.
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Good food, better company
We know that eating to meet our nutritional needs promotes physical wellness. But consuming a meal should focus not just on the nutritional value but also the social and emotional value, writes MU Extension human development specialist Maria Calvert.
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The peaks and valleys of travel
Travel can boost mood, reduce stress, and build resilience, but planning ahead helps manage challenges and protect mental health.
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May is Mental Health Awareness Month
University of Missouri Extension has information and resources for individuals, families, caregivers and others.
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10 workplace mental health tips
During Mental Health Awareness Month, two MU Extension specialists offer tips to help lighten the load for others.
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Spring cleaning for the mind, body and spirit
Refresh your habits with holistic goals, new routines, and mindful movement for clearer thinking, better health, and inner peace.
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Colorful flowers, sweet treats and relationship tips for Valentine’s Day
Explore flower-gift ideas, homemade preservative tips, pollinator appreciation, strawberry love lore, pet safety, and romance advice.
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Gardening boosts your immune system
Discover how gardening can strengthen your immune system, reduce stress, and promote overall well-being through nature and physical activity.
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MU Extension works to fight startling statistics on mental health in Missouri
Rural Missouri faces rising mental health challenges; teletherapy and awareness programs provide critical support to farm families.
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Reduce holiday stress with these tips
COLUMBIA, Mo. – It’s the most wonderful time of the year, or so they say. Picture-perfect families with perfectly coiffed hair and pearly white smiles appear in matching holiday attire in countless holiday television commercials. Perfectly wrapped gifts wait under perfectly decorated trees. How merry and bright! And then there’s the rest of us, says Jeremiah Terrell, a University of Missouri Extension human development and family…
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Suicide prevention in the workplace
In the United States alone, suicide accounts for nearly 40,000 lost lives per year, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. That's an average of one suicide every 13 minutes. The truth is that anyone can be at risk. Sometimes you NEED help. Sometimes you ARE the help.
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Do spring safety check on and off the farm
Check equipment, animal safety, chemicals, and stress levels this spring to keep farm and rural life safe for all family members.
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Spring activities bring stress
COLUMBIA, Mo. – The busy time of the year is upon us – prom, graduation, spring sports and end-of-school banquets. This flurry of activities can bring stress, especially in rural communities, where these activities may coincide with spring planting, says Jeremiah Terrell, a University of Missouri Extension human development specialist. Now is the time to set priorities and make a plan for the entire family, Terrell says. Good time…
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A Handwritten Note to a Neighbor Can Be a Game Changer
A handwritten note can have a powerful impact, offering a personal touch that builds connections and encourages others, especially in times of isolation.
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Free hotline offers counseling, referrals for Missourians in crisis
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Missourians in crisis can take advantage of a free 24-hour hotline for stress counseling as well as information and referrals on legal, financial, crisis/disaster and personal health topics. Individuals can seek help by phone or live online chat.
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The gift of time
“The best thing parents can spend on their children is time, not money.” — Anonymous
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Balancing the parent role with relationship needs
It’s challenging for new parents to manage their new parenting role and their couple relationship. The joy of having a baby leads to a transition for couples that can strain even the best relationships.
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Happy relationships good for health
Why do healthy relationships matter? Research has shown that there are physical health benefits from healthy relationships and marriages. For instance, married people have longer life expectancies than single people, especially married men.
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Balancing responsibilities
Do you ever feel as if you are trying to juggle too many items at the same time? Do you care for your kids, go to work, attend school activities, take care of aging parents, help with social events, attend meetings, maintain the car, keep up with the house or apartment, do the shopping, fix the meals and...? The list goes on and on. And when is there time in the day to take care of you?
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Stress reduction for a healthier you
Discover effective techniques for reducing stress and improving mental well-being through relaxation, time management, and building a healthy support system.
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Different strategies for attaining happiness
Discover effective strategies to increase happiness, including fostering relationships, practicing kindness, and staying positive to improve your well-being.
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Becoming more resilient
Discover strategies to enhance resilience: build connections, maintain optimism, help others, embrace humor, nurture spirituality, and prioritize health.