Mental health is important all year long.
But around the holidays it can be especially difficult to feel your best. The
holiday season brings a lot of demands — parties, shopping, baking, cleaning
and entertaining — which can lead to stress and depression. To make sure your
holidays are happy ones, it’s important to keep some perspective and stop the
celebration from taking an emotional toll. These tips from the Mayo Clinic can help
keep stress and depression away.
1. Acknowledge
your feelings. Just because it’s the holidays doesn’t mean you absolutely have
to feel happy. Give yourself permission to feel what you’re feeling, whether
it’s sadness, grief or frustration. Your heart doesn’t run by the calendar. If
you’re feeling blue, don’t add emotions of guilt and anxiety on top of it.
2. Don’t
go it alone. Human beings are social — we are meant to be with others. If
you’re feeling lonely or isolated, seek out community, church, or social
events. Join a club or spend time volunteering.
3. Manage
expectations. Sometimes we put too much stress on ourselves because we think
things are supposed to be a certain way. But, it’s important to remember that
change is possible. Traditions are great but changing them as families and
demands grow is fine too. Relax and find new ways to celebrate. It’s okay!
4. Stick
to a budget. A huge source of stress and depression during the holidays is
money. It’s common to overspend, or to feel guilty because you think you
haven’t spent enough. Understanding this and taking steps to stay on budget can
help. Before you head to the mall, decide on how much you can afford and stick
with it. Or, consider alternatives to gift giving such as donating to a charity
in someone’s name, making homemade gifts, or drawing names for a gift exchange.
5. Be
selective. The holidays bring a slew of invitations to parties, potlucks and
concerts, and it’s easy to overload your calendar and soon feel resentful and
overwhelmed. Instead, think about the events that are important to you and
prioritize those. Don’t take on too much or feel you have to say yes to
everything. In addition, carve out some time for yourself and do things on your
own that reduce stress and restore your inner calm.
6. Stay
healthy. Throughout the parties and busy schedules, keep healthy habits on
track. It’s tempting to blow off a workout or grab those cookies someone
brought to the office. But don’t let the holidays become a free-for-all, as
overeating and not exercising only add to stress and depression. Try to limit
sweets, cheese, and alcohol. Get plenty of sleep and stick to your exercise
routine.
7. Seek
professional help if you need it. Despite your best efforts, it is possible
during the holidays or anytime, to still feel blue. You may feel persistently
sad or anxious, irritable, or hopeless. You may have difficulty sleeping,
experience a change in appetite, or find yourself unable to face routine
chores. If these feelings last, it’s important to get help. Depression is
treatable. Talk to your doctor or a mental health professional.
8. Take
back control. Finally, just because the holidays are here doesn’t mean you have
to be subject to past feelings or new pressures. Learn to recognize your
holiday triggers, whether it’s overspending, overscheduling, or overeating.
Slow down and regain perspective. Think positively and try to find peace and
joy.
The holidays can be stressful, but with
some planning and understanding, you can make the most of them. For more tips
on healthy living of the spirit, mind, and body, contact the wellness
professionals at the Glendale Sports Center managed by the YMCA.
Justin is the Lifestyle Medicine
Coordinator at the Glendale Sports Center managed by the YMCA of Metro Denver.
He has worked in the fitness industry since 2015 and received his BS and MS in
Exercise Physiology from Western Kentucky University. He joined the Denver YMCA
in 2019 after moving from Bowling Green, KY.
It’s been over 50 years since Ed and Connie
Thomas first met here in Denver, nearly 47 years since they bought their first
and only home together, and 25 years since Connie was diagnosed with
progressive multiple sclerosis.
Friends Of The Family: From left, Barbara Betcher, Ed Thomas and Ashlie Woods.
The first 15 years after the diagnosis
Connie seemed to be doing okay, but eventually the disease advanced to the
point where she couldn’t work and had to retire. While Ed took care of her in
the beginning of her diagnosis, he could no longer handle the responsibility of
caring for his wife. He had to make the difficult decision to move his beloved
Connie into an assisted living facility, and soon the house became too much for
one man. So, he resolved to sell their family home.
A former Denver City Councilman, a police
officer of 23 years with the Denver Police Department, and former editor of the
Glendale Cherry Creek Chronicle, Ed Thomas has played an important role in the
Denver community. With his decision to move, he soon found himself seeking
support from the community that he helped serve and protect for so many years.
Friends of the family, Ashlie Woods and
Barbara Betcher, two brokers from the local Denver real estate firm Leonard
Leonard & Associates, stepped in to assist Ed with the sale of his home.
Woods and Betcher, who have known Ed for over 20 years, told him, “we’ll get
you through this and we’re ready to help in any way we can.”
Woods and Betcher were there from the
beginning, in 2016 when the decision was made to move Connie into assisted
living, for not only the physical process of moving but the emotional process
as well.
“They took control of the entire process
and did everything that needed to be done. I was a basket case, and they
handled everything,” Ed recounts. The decision to sell did not come easily.
Ed’s home meant, and still means, everything to him. It’s where he spent his
adulthood raising his family, a son and a daughter, and where he welcomed home
his three grandchildren. It is the only place he had known for years.
The Thomas Home: The family home at 7th and Cook — purchased in 1972.
Woods describes the entire process as “a
hands-on project, from beginning to end.” First, they needed to clear out the
house and downsize Ed’s belongings. Ashlie took the time to walk through with
Ed, often a couple times a week, to determine what needed to go and what he
could keep.
Next, Woods and Betcher needed to get the
house in shape and ready to show. They began with making small repairs
including updating the flooring, plaster fixes, and other jobs to ensure the
house was in saleable condition. They hired a staging company, while Betcher
helped with most of the staging.
Thomas proclaims, “It was absolutely
perfect and spotless.” So much so, that the first weekend the house went up for
sale, one of the first couples to walk through the door said, “We’ll take it.”
The house went under contract quickly,
selling for asking price the first weekend it was on the market.
With the quick sale of his home, Thomas
needed to move, and do it soon. When moving day came, Woods was there, stepping
in for his daughter, who could not be there to help. Without hesitation, Woods
assumed the role and offered her help.
Family Photo: Photo taken just after Connie was diagnosed with MS.
In helping find Thomas a more permanent
home, Betcher found the condo Ed resides in now, making sure he didn’t overpay
and negotiated the best deal for him.
Woods describes Thomas as a “real trooper
throughout this whole process.” With just his son here in Denver, Woods and
Betcher assumed the role of family and not just the professionals they are.
Taking the lead throughout the entire
process, Woods and Betcher went above and beyond what was required of them, all
without taking a commission for three years worth of work.
While life didn’t quite turn out as
expected, Thomas feels blessed to have his wife still with him despite this
disease. He is grateful for his life and what it has afforded him and is
appreciative of the community that gathered around him in a time of need.
Simply put, “You don’t get that lucky in
life very often,” Thomas expresses with gratitude.
Thomas says he would not have survived this
situation without his children, Betcher, or Woods. And for those who find
themselves in a similar situation, Thomas shares this sentiment: “Cherish the
love of your family and friends because one day you will need them.”
Strong Family: A family that has stayed
together with the help of their community.
Denver Union Station puts on quite the show
every holiday with a variety of events, festive decorations, and classic
holiday cheer for the entire family to enjoy. Don’t miss the quintessential
holiday celebration at Denver’s iconic landmark with these events and
activities that are sure to get you in the holiday spirit.
Photo courtesy of Denver Union Station
Grand Illumination
Friday, November 29, 5-8 p.m.
The holidays officially kick off with the
Denver Union Station Grand Illumination event. Join in the merriment of the
season with the ceremonious lighting of the Union Station building and the
40-foot Plaza Christmas tree. Entertainment is taken to the next level with a
vintage holiday performance by the Denver Dolls, holiday jingles by the Denver
Bronze, and a visit by Santa and Mrs. Claus. Open to the public and free to
everyone, with the lighting taking place around 6:15 p.m.
Union Station’s Holiday On The Plaza
November 30-December 31, 2019
Monday through Friday, 3-10 p.m.
Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m.-10 p.m.
Join the first ever Union Station’s Holiday
on the Plaza event as the Terminal Bar’s Patio will be transformed into a
holiday winter wonderland! Throughout December, join Union Station for themed
family-friendly DIY crafts, Christmas trivia, live carolers, and more!
Santa At The Station
Sunday December 1, 8, 15, and 22
Santa Claus: Visit Santa at the Station on the first four Sundays in December. Photo courtesy of Denver Union Station
9 a.m.-2 p.m.
Kris Kringle will make his annual trip from
the North Pole to Union Station the first four Sundays in December. Check-in
when you arrive with Union Station’s new text-to-wait system and enjoy all the
station has to offer. Visits with Santa are free and open to the public, but
they are also offering a paid option called the St. Nick Express Family Pass.
For only $50, you can reserve a time slot and go directly to the front of the
line at the time designated. The pass will also include a commemorative Union
Station Christmas ornament.
Breakfast With Santa
Saturday, December 14, 8-11 a.m.
Visit Santa himself at breakfast with
Santa. Bring the kids and enjoy a curated breakfast buffet, story time, and of
course photo opportunities. For adults, Christmas cocktails will be provided
alongside breakfast. To help remember the event, attendees will receive a
commemorative Union Station ornament.
Shop & Dine
Get your Christmas shopping done early with
a visit to Union Station. With several shops located inside, you are bound to
find something for all those on your wish list. For the bookworm in your life,
stop in at a slightly smaller version of Tattered Cover Bookstore or pay a
visit at the 5 Green Boxes and walk away with a locally made craft, jewelry,
and gifts for those on your list. After you’ve crossed everyone off your list,
be sure to stop in at one of the many gastronomic choices that call Union Station
home. From breakfast at Snooze to an elegant dinner at Stoic and Genuine and
drinks at the Terminal Bar, there isn’t a reason to go anywhere else!
Grab A Drink At The Cooper Lounge
Add a little flare and a bit of decadence
this holiday season with Denver’s most glamorous lounge, The Cooper Lounge.
Enjoy views of downtown and Union Station’s Grand Hall Christmas tree, all
while sipping on one of their holiday drinks. Indulge in high-end, hand-crafted
cocktails, an extensive wine list, and food to pair it all with, for the
perfect night out this holiday season.
New Year’s Eve Party
Tuesday, December 31, 9 p.m.-1 a.m.
Start the New Year off right with Denver
Union Station’s New Year’s Eve party. Enjoy one evening, with three different
dazzling experiences.
Ring In The New Year: New Year’s Eve at Denver Union Station.
The Great Hall Silent Disco & Light
Show brings an epic light show to Union Station’s Great Hall all while dancing
to your choice of three live silent disco DJs, using provided wireless
headphones.
The VIP Speakeasy is a great way to start
2020 with the new “Roaring Twenties” and an exclusive VIP speakeasy in the
historic lower level of Union Station. VIP tickets include unlimited
complimentary drinks and hors d’oeuvres, a musical piano performance, and
access to the Great Hall Silent Disco and Light Show.
Or enjoy table service at The Cooper
Lounge. Partake in a selection of passed canapes and a complimentary midnight
toast with Ruinart Blanc de Blancs Champagne. Plus, patrons will enjoy access
to the Great Hall Silent Disco and Light Show.
The spring and summer months of 2019 were a
troubling time for Denver’s LoDo district, as incidents of late-night violence
rendered multiple stabbings and shootings resulting in several fatalities. Such
details are troubling in any district, yet the fact that this area is home to
an array of high-end restaurants, luxury hotels, high-priced boutiques and
high-class clothiers makes the juxtaposing crime rate an anomaly indeed.
Crime Scene: Violent crime is on the rise in downtown Denver’s LoDo district.
Several socioeconomic dynamics intersect in
this grid, creating what could be called a perfect storm for senseless violence
occurring on an escalating scale.
This area is home to the 16th Street Mall —
a retail mecca for shopaholics, tourists and sightseers with expendable income.
The fact that, on any given day, thousands of people on foot navigate the
marketplace in search of keepsakes, tech necessities, high-end accessories and
urban adventure is irresistible to buskers, scam artists and spare changers.
The majority of the latter live on the streets, and according to nation
alhomeless.org, “a high percentage of homeless people struggle with substance
abuse [which] can cause homelessness, but it often arises after people lose
their housing.”
A clearer understanding of the problems in
the area can be gained by considering the types of people drawn to it beyond
those living downtown at very high rental rates. The focus here is on homeless
people, tourists, drug dealers and nightlife party people and how their overlapping
motivations may be the root cause of late-night violence.
Behold The Stampede
According to Longwoods International — a
data compilation firm providing statistics to Visit Denver Convention and
Visitors Bureau — 31 million people visited the Mile-High City in 2018,
resulting in tourism revenue of $6.5 billion. The firm also lists the 16th
Street Mall first among the top shopping and entertainment destinations for
visitors from New York, L.A., Chicago, Houston, Dallas-Ft. Worth, Kansas City
and Phoenix. According to a high number of negative reviews on tripadvisor.com,
many visitors firmly attest to the fact that an astonishing homeless presence
defines the area, complete with aggressive panhandlers, overflowing needle
disposal bins and the occasional fatality from drug overdose. The old adage of
“If it didn’t work, they wouldn’t do it” applies here, meaning that panhandlers
needing to support their addiction can do so by panhandling tourists for money.
Violent Crime: Denver police officers are increasingly called to the scenes of violent crime in the LoDo district.
Summon The Dealers
Addictions thrive on the availability of
the substance in question, be it crack, meth, fentanyl, heroin, prescription
drugs, etc. A large concentration of people dealing with the stress of living
without a residence, without family, without treatment for mental illness and
any number of other terrible conditions equates to a ripe market for any
enterprising drug dealer. According to part of a statement issued by the
National Drug Intelligence Center, “Gangs are the primary distributors of drugs
on the streets of the United States.” As there are over 110 known street gangs
in Denver, the LoDo district is undoubtedly targeted by more than one
organization, which gives rise to the violence inherent in territorial
disputes.
Hail The Party People
As the downtown foot traffic shifts from
shoppers looking for a good deal to young people looking for a good time, one
can reasonably postulate that the drug commerce adjusts in tandem to a more
lucrative yet discreet clientele. According to the opinions of local business
owners and their employees, territorial tensions may escalate as the night
marches on. Mike Villano, former owner of Chances Bar and Grill and longtime
contributor to the LoDo workforce, attests that “The violence is definitely
gang related. Gangsters are capitalists and weekend nights in LoDo are a
concentration of their target market.” The presence of alcohol and the general
eruptive nature of crowd mentality makes it easy to see why altercations
between rivals are inevitable. Meanwhile, a manager at an area establishment
who preferred to comment anonymously states that “ … with people blasting
(discharging weapons), one can only assume that some sort of gang affiliation
is involved.” The longtime LoDo worker continues with a cautionary piece of
advice for bar-hoppers, “Pay attention to your surroundings and know when to
vacate the area in a hurry.”
Dramatic Change: Lower downtown Denver can go from pristine to deadly in a matter of a couple hours.
The reality of the situation is that people
in LoDo are carrying guns around, pulling them out in the middle of the night,
and shooting strangers. If you’re going shopping downtown you can keep the
panhandlers at bay with stony veneer or a pocket full of spare change, and if
you’re going out for drinks afterward, keeping the danger at bay can be very
difficult.
