Features:
1. This book took me from sad to sailing! 2. Tools of the Trade: LINKS to even more (modern) tools … & freebies! 3. Work Mood updates+
It’s that time of year … when leaves fall, colors change, temps drop … & sometimes our mood droops.
I suffered from seasonal depression beginning at age 5, so I know firsthand how sneaky this sensation can be——sneaky & somehow pervasive at once. My seasonal affect became chronic through the years, & I lived with Seasonal Affective Disorder (according to the DSM-5) well into my late 30s. Gradually, I found resources that helped me shift my state, moment to moment, to gain more clarity.
One of those was the book The Mindful Way through Depression by a host of educated authors, including meditation teacher Jon Kabat-Zinn. It’s subtitled “Freeing Yourself from Chronic Unhappiness,” & honestly, that is exactly what the insights I gained from this book did for me.
I purchased the book in September of 2008. My world broke open when our property & part of our home flooded the following month. In early November, I checked myself into rehab & spent the rest of the year (& the coming next two years) rehabbing my home, my outlook & my life. And I did it one step at a time, just as I continue to do consciously.
If you or someone you care for is fighting the feelings of fall seasonal depression this season, use the links below to find resources that work for you or them.
Not a teacher, parent or child? Never fear! Our social-emotional tools are good for emotional processing at every age & level. Jump to the ⭐️starred items⭐️ to explore grownup tools for work & home. Sign up for our monthly Work Mood version for more. (New launch details are at the end of this article!)
Links to lighten your load
The best of my inbox this week is for ⭐️grownups⭐️ & kids who feel SAD:
⭐️FOR MOMS⭐️: FREE TICKETS to the (virtual) MOMignited Summit - Tagged as that event “So that when your kid comes home, throws their backpack on the floor you just cleaned, asks, ‘What's for dinner?’ and then says, ‘Ewww, gross,’ when you tell them … you don't immediately lose your cool.” YES, please!
FOR (little) KIDS:
FOR (big) KIDS: 12 bully survival aids - This framework, spelled out in Dr. Laura Markham’s article on how to empower your child, also includes tips against cyber-bullying.
FOR FAMILIES: A one-week FREE TRIAL - Growth Minded has ALL of the resources from Big Life Journal + weekly free printables like the one shown above👆.
FOR ⭐️PROS⭐️: Trauma-informed training - This (also FREE) virtual summit, hosted by pros from the Depression Bipolar Support Alliance, the Anxiety & Depression Association of America + pharmaceutical company Otsuka, aims to dial back depression that’s exacerbated by PTSD. (Tell them Coach Kiki sent you in the Zoom registration!)
Work Mood moves over
We’re building better PROFESSIONAL humans in the work place. That’s why Coach Kiki is launching a whole new Substack that’s 100% SFW: Work Mood is now in its own spot! You can sign up directly right away & be the first to start receiving the latest science on emotional intelligence, short reads on practicing soft skills & more. For a limited time, IT’S TOTALLY FREE.