MINDFUL
February 13, 2019
A Special Supplement to the Prosser Record-Bulletin and the Grandview Herald
Wellbeing
Nature
Village
Culture Heritage
ˈmīn(d)f(ə)lnəs/
mind·ful·ness noun
1. the quality or state of being conscious or aware of something. “their mindfulness of the wider cinematic tradition”. 2. a mental state achieved by focusing one’s awareness on the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting one’s feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations, used as a therapeutic technique. Mindfulness is the psychological process of bringing one’s attention to experiences occurring in the present moment, which can be developed through the practice of meditation and other training.
What is Mindfulness? Mindfulness refers to a variety of techniques and practices that help us to pay attention to the present moment. As we integrate mindful practices into our lives, we benefit from increased awareness. The research-based benefits are considerable, including: • reduced stress. • improved mood and energy. • increased focus and mental clarity. • improved communication in relationships. • increased ability to manage difficult situations and emotions. • increased enjoyment and appreciation of life.
Wellbeing
Nature
Village
Culture Heritage
PAGE 4 Meditation 4 Ways to Focus on Self-Care PAGE 5 The How of Mindful Living PAGE 6 Cancer Risk Child’s Eye Health
PAGE 8 Mindfulness in Nature Fish & Wildlife PAGE 9 Endangered Species PAGE 12 Our Pets
PAGE 13 Small Town Village PAGE 14 Mindful Eating Growth Mindset PAGE 15 Grandview
PAGE 17 Culture of Prosser Nature of Grandview Culture PAGE 18 Workplace PAGE 19 Mental Health Day
Welcome to Mindful. In this special edition we are committed to being mindful of our community, news, friends and our families. The paper is mindful of local, county, state and national news and how it applies to our village. We have four sections in this edition: Wellbeing; which addresses health, the Nature section addressing our environment, the Village section which addressing our community and what happens here, and finally the Culture in our town. We hope you enjoy this edition of Mindful and thank you for your continued support through subscribing, advertising and making use of our services.
What is a Mindful Community? Creating and living in a mindful community is an opportunity for personal and communal transformation. The benefits of increased community awareness are considerable for our neighbors and our planet. As a Mindful Village, core values will unite the Media community. Here are some values to consider: • Simplicity - bringing balance to our busy and complicated lives. • Community - living in harmony with others. • Awareness - using mindful skills to cultivate continuously increasing awareness. • Ecological - striving to live more sustainably. • Educational - developing mindful skills and applying them to personal, professional, and community living. • Inclusivity - embracing diversity though increased mindful awareness.
PAGE 2 - MINDFUL
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Meditation
In the beginning stage of a period of meditation practice or simply as something to do for a minute, maybe to stabilize yourself and find a moment of relaxation before going back into the fray: 1) Take your seat. Whatever you’re sitting on—a chair, a meditation cushion, a park bench—find a spot that gives you a stable, solid seat, not perching or hanging back. 2) Notice what your legs are doing. If on a cushion on the floor, cross your legs comfortably in front of you. (If you already do some kind of seated yoga posture, go ahead.) If on a chair, it’s good if the bottoms of your feet are touching the floor. 3) Straighten—but don’t stiffen— your upper body. The spine has natural curvature. Let it be there. Your head and shoulders can comfortably rest on top of your vertebrae. 4) Situate your upper arms parallel to your upper body. Then let your hands drop onto the tops of your legs. With your upper arms at your sides, your hands will land in the right spot. Too far forward will make you hunch. Too far back will make you stiff. You’re tuning the strings of your body—not too tight and not too loose. 5) Drop your chin a little and let your gaze fall gently downward. You may let
your eyelids lower. If you feel the need, you may lower them completely, but it’s not necessary to close your eyes when meditating. You can simply let what appears before your eyes be there without focusing on it. 6) Be there for a few moments. Relax. Bring your attention to your breath or the sensations in your body. 7) Feel your breath— or some say “follow” it—as it goes out and as it goes in. (Some versions of this practice put more emphasis on the outbreath, and for the inbreath you simply leave a spacious pause.) Either way, draw your attention to the physical sensation of breathing: the air moving through your nose or mouth, the rising and falling of your belly, or your chest. Choose your focal point, and with each breath, you can mentally note “breathing in” and “breathing out.” 8) Inevitably, your attention will leave the breath and wander to other places. Don’t worry. There’s no need to block or
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eliminate thinking. When you get around to noticing your mind wandering—in a few seconds, a minute, five minutes—just gently return your attention to the breath. 9) Practice pausing before making any physical adjustments, such as moving your body or scratching an itch. With intention, shift at a moment you choose, allowing space between what you experience and what you choose to do. 10) You may find your mind wandering constantly— that’s normal, too. Instead of wrestling with or
engaging with those thoughts as much, practice observing without needing to react. Just sit and pay attention. As hard as it is to maintain, that’s all there is. Come back over and over again without judgment or expectation. 11) When you’re ready, gently lift your gaze (if your eyes are closed, open them). Take a moment and notice any sounds in the environment. Notice how your body feels right now. Notice your thoughts and emotions. Pausing for a moment, decide how you’d like to continue on with your day. That’s it. That’s the practice. It’s often been said that it’s very simple, but it’s not necessarily easy. The work is to just keep doing it. Results will accrue. If you have injuries or other physical difficulties, you can modify this to suit your situation.
4 Ways to Focus on Self-Care
StatePoint- It’s no surprise that the concept of self-care is getting a lot of traction in many health and wellness circles. Self-care can improve your mental and physical health and help you be more productive. Unfortunately, many people don’t prioritize it. Whether you are a career-focused professional or a stay-at-home parent, it’s likely you have a tendency to put other people’s needs – those of your children, colleagues, friends or family -- ahead of your own. Here are four ways to focus on making time for essential self-care activities. 1. Make over your morning: Rise an hour before everyone else in your household. Use the time to meditate, stretch, write in a gratitude journal or visualize a successful day ahead. 2. Make a list of your favorite things: Write down things that truly bring you joy and fill you with a sense of purpose. To ensure you’re finding time to do them, schedule them in your calendar. Some ideas could be going for a run, buying fresh flowers or tackling an arts and crafts project. 3. Invest in new gear: Sometimes the best motivator for getting active is a new piece of clothing or accessory you feel confident wearing. “New footwear is a great way to support health and wellness goals, while helping you stay motivated to invest in self-care activities,” says Randy Woodworth, women’s athletic buyer for Rack Room Shoes. To help you on your healthy self-care path, invest in something that is comfortable and can easily transition between activities. For one-stop shopping for footwear and other accessories to help you reach your self-care goals, visit the Athletic Shop at Rack Room Shoes in stores or online at rackroomshoes.com. 4. Take regular walks outside: Never underestimate the power of exercise and fresh air. Find the time that is most convenient for you, whether that’s first thing in the morning, during a lunch break or after dinner. Once you’ve got the plan in place, get into a self-care routine that works for you and stick with it.
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PAGE 4 - WELLBEING
The Fournier Family - Publisher Victoria Walker - General Manager / Managing Editor Annette Jones - Office Manager Rebecca Howell - Production Manager Trudy Hatch - Production / Print Dianne Buxton - Advertising Consultant Chuck Walker - Writer Brittnee Sanchez - Writer Suzie Zuniga - Public Notice Clerk / GVH Office Manager Member of the Washington Newspaper Publishers Association
The How of Mindful Living By Elisha Goldstein, Ph.D., Mindfulness & Psychotherapy
A person once said to me, “I hear about all this research where mindfulness can be healing for stress, anxiety, depression, addiction, chronic pain, etc.., but I have 3 kids and work 50 hours/week, where would I ever find time to sit and practice meditation for my mental health?” While having certain traditional disciplined meditations can be enormously supportive, it can be difficult to cultivate this without guidance. However, even without the time and place in life to set up some formal practice, from the minute you get up in the day to the moment you lay your head on the pillow there is opportunity to engage mindfulness as a way of life, opening you up to greater focus, calm, and peace. Here are some tips on how to weave mindfulness into your workday and life: • As you open your eyes in the morning, instead of jolting out of bed, try and see if you can make room for a STOP practice (Stop, Take a breath, Observe - thoughts, feelings, emotions, Proceed). This tends to start the day off differently with great calm and present moment awareness setting the stage for you to be calmer and steadier during challenging moments through the day. • As you get in the shower, notice if your mind is already at work thinking, planning, and rehearsing all the things that may happen that day. When you become aware of this, gently bring your mind back to the question, what is my purpose right now, what is most important. The answer is getting clean in the shower or waking up. So bring your attention back to your senses, smelling the soap, feeling the sensation of the water on your body, listening to the sound of it in the shower. Becoming more present. • If you have a family or partner, consider taking a morning to practice mindful listening and connecting with them before rushing out. • As you leave the house, slightly slow down as you walk to the car, check in with your body and notice any tension. Try and soften it. • As you drive, once in a while, try driving a little slower and let red lights be reminders to just notice your breathing. • As you walk to the office, walk differently today. Breathe in with every three steps and breathe out with every three steps. Notice the sensation of walking; it took you over a year to learn how to walk in the first place. • If you sit at a desk, practice STOP before checking the computer for emails or updates. • When doing tasks at work, block out time to focus on a group of similar tasks. For example, block out time just for planning and do not attend to any other tasks during that time. If you can, turn off your email during this period. • If possible, maybe once a week, eat by yourself in silence, eat slightly slower and really tune into the sense of taste while eating. • Sprinkle STOP or breathing space practices throughout the day, checking in to see if you are in a proactive, reactive, distracted or waste zone. Then choose what is the most important thing to be doing right now. • When walking back to the car from work, practice the same way you walked to your car. • Remember, it doesn’t pay to rush home to relax, drive slightly slower and experiment with new radio stations, maybe reflect on what you actually did that day. What was positive, what was stuff you would like to do better? You can also choose to plan how you would like to be when you get home. • When getting home, if you have a family, practice STOP before entering the house, notice if your body is tense, and if so, try to soften those muscles by breathing in and out of them, with awareness, and just letting them be.
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CANCER RISK NATURE VS. NURTURE
What Parents Should Know about Their Child’s Eye Health
By Joan Stewart, RT(T), BA HCA Clinical Services Project Coordinator, TCCC
It is human nature to look for quick fixes that solve health problems and cancer has a lot of quick fix news on the Internet. But with more than 100 related, but separate, diseases that are called cancer, can there be a quick fix? This is a disease with no single cause, and what seems to be an infinite number of unique ways to avoid a ‘fix’. Instead of trying to fix cancer once it comes, let’s put energy into avoiding or preventing the disease! Let’s start with healthier lifestyles. Physical activity is paramount to maintaining a healthy weight, good circulation and an efficient metabolism. On the other hand, obesity is directly related to seven different cancers. Recommendations for physical activity start at a brisk walk for 30 minutes five times a week. So find some time for that walk or any exercise. Not only will you be working towards a healthy weight, you will be improving circulation which can flush out toxins and possible carcinogens like free radicals. Researchers in cancer and nutrition have identified many naturally occurring substances in plant foods with the power to defuse potential carcinogens. Some of these nutrients and natural plant chemicals can neutralize toxins before they can cause cell damage that may lead to cancer. Others can assist the body to make repairs at the cellular level. Still others may help stop cancer cells from reproducing. Even after a cell begins to experience damage that can lead to cancer, what you eat and drink, and how you live can help prevent the cancer process. As you work to improve the amount of fresh fruits and vegetables in your diet, the question of organic vs non-organic selections may come up. Next on the list of cancer risk reduction is to simply avoid carcinogens. Too much exposure to UVA & UVB rays causes skin cancer so wear your sunscreen or cover up. Tobacco products are carcinogens so quit smoking or chewing and avoid second hand smoke. Some viruses cause cancer so consider vaccinations (HPV and HepB). Finally, stay current on the screenings used to detect cancer. Without exception, cancer is most treatable (and curable) in the early stages. Your Tri-Cities Cancer Center offers multiple free or low cost screenings every year for breast cancer, cervical cancer, skin cancer and lung cancer. We also offer free fecal immunochemical tests for colorectal cancer- just stop in and ask! It’s a do-it-yourself kit for those who aren’t ready for a colonoscopy. For a quick look at cancer screening guidelines go to: https://www.cdc. gov/cancer/dcpc/prevention/screening.html For more on the link between diet, physical activity, weight management and cancer we recommend information from the American Institute of Cancer Research (www. aicr.org). There you will find interactive tools to assess what you can do to reduce your cancer risk of occurrence or re-occurrence.
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Parents know that seeing clearly is important for their kid’s success in the classroom, but many are not taking their child to get annual eye exams. This is a problem because many kids don’t know what seeing clearly looks like. According to a recent study by VSP Vision Care, the largest not-for-profit vision benefits provider in the U.S., and market research agency YouGov, eight-in-10 parents (83 percent) agree that a regular eye exam helps kids do their best in school, but fourin-10 (41 percent) wait until their child complains about their vision to schedule an eye exam. Clear vision is not only important for academic performance, but also for sports and everyday tasks. That’s why a comprehensive eye exam is so important for children. Early detection and treatment provide the opportunity to correct vision problems. Here are some guidelines to ensure you’re taking care of your child’s eyes properly. • Watch for signs that indicate a vision problem. Common signals include covering one eye, holding reading materials close to the face, a short attention span and complaining of headaches or other discomfort. Parents need to look for these signs, as many kids, not knowing what seeing clearly looks like, won’t complain. • First eye exam should be done at six months of age. Most parents don’t know that children should have their first eye exam when they’re only six months old! This is particularly important, as experts say as much as 80 percent of learning is done visually. • An eye exam can detect early signs of health issues like diabetes. More kids than ever before are developing type 2 diabetes in the U.S, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. An easy way to help detect early signs of diabetes in kids and better manage the condition is through annual comprehensive eye exams. • Don’t underestimate the importance of eye exams. Yearly trips to the eye doctor are as important as annual visits to pediatricians or dentists. Don’t just assume all is well if your child is not squinting or complaining about his or her eyes. Because vision may change frequently during childhood years, regular eye and vision care becomes even more important. Your child should receive a comprehensive eye exam every year, or more frequently if specific problems or risk factors exist or if recommended by your eye doctor. • Eye protection during sports and outdoor activities. Playing sports is important for your child’s overall development, however, thousands of children suffer sportsrelated eye injuries each year, nearly all of which could be prevented by using the proper protective eyewear. That is why it is essential that all children wear appropriate, protective eyewear whenever playing sports or when performing any outdoor activities, such as lawn mowing and trimming. To find an eye doctor near you, visit VSP.com. Taking care of your child’s eyes while they are young will help them perform their best in and out of the classroom and will set them up for a lifetime of success. FREE SPIRIT YOGA AND TRAPEZE
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PAGE 6 - WELLBEING
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Twenty-Five Years of Caring
We are your Tri-Cities Cancer Center Your Tri-Cities Cancer Center is proud to celebrate 25 years of caring for our community by providing world-class cancer treatment, survivorship, prevention and early detection programs delivered with excellence here at home.
Visit us online at tccancer.org/anniversary to learn more! The Tri-Cities Cancer Center is proud to be a 2018 ACCC Innovator Award Winner! Now in its eighth year, the ACCC Innovator Awards recognize Association of Community Cancer Centers (ACCC) member programs that have created inventive solutions to challenges commonly faced by cancer programs and practices, as well as the multidisciplinary care team. Your Tri-Cities Cancer Center was recognized for engaging our community in cancer prevention conversations, improving screening compliance rates, as well as implementing multifaceted public awareness campaigns about the leading causes of cancer death and the importance of smoking cessation and cancer screenings.
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Mindfulness in Nature Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife
Claire Thompson, a project manager at Birdlife International reveals seven mindfulness exercises we can use to enhance our experiences with nature… Just breathe - Bring your attention to your breathing. Where do you feel the air coming in and out of your body? Rest your awareness there. Is your mind wandering? Just kindly bring it back to your breathing. As we breathe, we are borrowing air before returning it to nature. Touch the earth - Stand, sit or lie in your garden, in a forest, in the park, by the sea or up a mountain. Bring your awareness to the parts of your body which are in contact with the ground. Can you feel the ground supporting you? Tune in to birdsong - Find a quiet spot and close your eyes. Listen to the sounds of the birds. If your mind wanders, gently bring it back to your hearing. Are the songs high or low pitched? Which is your favourite? How do they make you feel? Smell the herbs - Visit your local herb garden or grow your own. Crush a few different herbs with your fingers. Do they smell sweet? Aromatic? Spicy? Pleasant? Imagine you’re another animal - Our human experience is one amongst many – what about other animals? If you come across other birds, mammals or insects as you walk in nature or in your garden, have a thought for how they might be feeling. Like you, they are also going about their everyday lives. What’s their take on it? Find your ‘nature sit spot’ - Find a quiet spot where you won’t be disturbed for 2030 minutes. Remain still. What can you see in front of you? What can you see in your peripheral vision? What can you hear? What can you feel on your skin? What can you smell? Bring your awareness to each of your senses in turn. What do you notice over 20-30 minutes? How did things change? Come back and repeat the exercise at different times, on different days, at different times of year. Did you notice any changes? Any regular animals visiting? Book a nature holiday - Spending time in nature is the best way to relax and unwind away from our busy modern lives. Plan a holiday adventure in the wilderness or book a retreat in the mountains.
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As of July 2016, Washington had 48 species—14 endangered species and 34 threatened species—listed under the federal Endangered Species Act (ESA). Of these, 37 were animal species and 11 were plant species. From bats to woodpeckers, the animal species were selected after surveying agencies and organizations that receive calls from the public about local wildlife. While many people call for general information about wildlife, in many cases the calls are from people who are—or think they are—experiencing a conflict with a wild animal and are seeking a way to remedy the problem. It’s important to note that not all wildlife create conflicts. Although it might not appear so at the time, the animals, which are often referred to as nuisance or problem animals, are innocent. When a conflict exists between humans and animals it is usually because the animal is only doing what it needs to do to survive. It is simply following its own instincts and intends no harm or discomfort. Dealing with a conflict can be difficult because it is often a community issue. Some people habitually feed and perhaps inadvertently shelter wildlife, while their neighbor may not want wildlife around at all. “One person’s nuisance is another person’s joy”, etc. This scenario can create undesirable situations for people, pets, and the animals themselves. Raccoons, coyotes and squirrels that are fed by people often lose their fear of humans and may become aggressive when not fed as expected. These hungry visitors might approach a neighbor who might choose to remove these animals or have them removed. A conflict also can quickly alter a wildlife lover’s perception about a certain species, especially when the situation exceeds his/ her current level of tolerance. Such is the paradox that wildlife around homes and property present: We want them and we don’t want them, depending on what they are doing at any given moment. Each entry in the “Living with Wildlife” series begins with a description of a species followed by details on feeding behavior, reproduction, and other biological information. For people needing to learn more about an animal to help solve a conflict, details on tracks, burrows, nest sites, etc. are provided. Finally, for those interested in attracting the animal, tips for attracting and maintaining its habitat are provided. The section “Preventing Conflicts,” encounters between home and property owners and wildlife found in yards, gardens, and structures are described. This section describes several methods for resolving human-wildlife conflicts, including changing human behavior or perceptions so that people are willing to tolerate some damage. Next, public health concerns for each species is described followed by the animals’ legal status. Before taking any action to remedy a conflict associated with wildlife, its legal status must be determined. All mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians that occur in the wild in Washington are protected or regulated by state and/or federal laws. These laws not only pertain to the killing of regulated species but may also prohibit live trapping and relocation, harassment, and possession of the animal dead or alive.
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Mindful of Our State’s Endangered Species Endangered species policy in Washington involves the identification and protection of endangered and threatened animal and plant species. Policies are implemented and
enforced by both the state and federal governments. • As of July 2016, Washington had 48 species—14 endangered species and 34 threatened species—listed
under the federal Endangered Species Act (ESA). • Of these, 37 were animal species and 11 were plant species. “Endangered” means any wildlife
species native to the state of Washington that is seriously threatened with extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its range within the state. WAC 232-12-297, Section 2.4
Blue Whale
Columbian White-tailed Deer
Fin Whale
Fisher
Gray Wolf
Grizzly Bear
Humpback Whale
Orca - Killer Whale
Leatherback Sea Turtle
Lynx
Marbled Murrelet
Mardon Skipper
North Pacific Right Whale
Northern Leopard Frog
Northern Spotted Owl
Pygmy Rabbit
Sandhill Crane
Sea Otter
Sei Whale
Snowy Plover
Endangered Species not pictured: Oregon Silversot Butterfly, Oregon Spotted Frog, Sperm Whale, Streaked Horned Lark, Taylor’s Checkerspot, Tufted Puffin, Upland Sandpiper, Western Pond Turtle and the Woodland Caribou PAGE 9 - NATURE
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DK Bain Real Estate, Inc.
Conovar Insurance
Evergreen Home Loans
Cook’s Ace Hardware
GMC Training
Davy’s Burger Ranch Edward Jones – Evan Tidball
The Grandview Herald Grandview Lumbar Horace Mann Insurance
Elfers – Lyons Pharmacy
Irrigation Specialists
Hall Chevrolet
Jerry’s Pool & Spa
Halstead & Comins Rick Highland Family Dentistry
Kenyon Zero Storage Lower Valley Credit Union Grandview Lower Valley Machine Shop
Historic Downtown Prosser Ass.
Marchant Home Furnishings
Matt Manley - Farmers Ins.
Mike Brenn New York Life Inc., Co.
PMH Mecial Center Prosser Dental Center Dr. Robert J. Weber Prosser Eagles Prosser Funeral Home Prosser Record – Bulletin
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Simple Mindfulness and Our Pets
These are some really easy things to do with our animals: 1. Enjoy the outdoors. Go outside. Do a daily walk with you dog. Slow down and instead of rushing through your walk slow down. Take the time to enjoy your surroundings. Smell the salty
air, breathe and feel the sun on your skin. Go in a different direction, don’t do the same walk every day. Enjoy the moment and see what happens. If you’re more of a horse person, great, do the same thing. Don’t hurry, whatever is waiting for you will be there when you get back.
Pet Obituaries
It's no secret that our pets are family members. When they pass away, the grief we experience at their loss is indescribable. We at Valley Publishing are now offering print & online space once a month for Pet Obituaries.
$30.00 for a picture and 100 words that will memoralize your beloved pet. Call Annette at 509-786-1711 to save your space.
Mimi 1999 - 2015
She arrived at our home in August 1999. She was about 4 months old. We already had three cats and Mimi fit right in immediately. She passed away on January 24, 2015 after a three month battle with Lymphoma. She was at least 15 3/4 years old. She is preceded in death by her great friends Pharrah, Spooky, Carley, Patchley and Smudge. She leaves behind her younger friends Sadie, Tiger, Tango and Ziggy. Mimi loved everybody feline or human. She was the perfect cat. Her human parents Juliane and Tristan will always love her and miss her until we all meet again.
PAGE 12 - NATURE
2. Give 100 percent full attention to your animal. Start off with no TV, laptop, phone, magazine or the like. It isn’t easy sometimes. When you pet the cat try not to have any other distractions—If you are grooming your horse, focus on the moment and truly take it in: Sit with your dog and give him your 100 percent attention. Feel the fur, enjoy their personalities, try to feel and enjoy every part of the moments you share—sights, and sounds. Both of you will enjoy the time together. 3. Practice mindful eating—for both you and your animal. Taking care of ourselves includes eating fresh, foods—you can do the same for your pets by serving natural, nutritious foods. Homemade treats are a hit at my house. Now a days there are premium, organic dog and cat foods available. Spoil your pets with the best of everything. They are worth it. 4. Meditate - Find that place that you both can relax together and just be. Try to keep focused on breathing and relaxation. You will benefit from this and so will your pet. It can be in the morning or evening. Just take 10 minutes to breathe, to calm and just “be.” Everyone wins.
Sense of Community in a Small Town
Village
vil·lage /ˈvilij/
noun 1. a group of houses and associated buildings, larger than a hamlet and smaller than a town, situated in a rural area. o a self-contained district or community within a town or city, regarded as having features characteristic of village life. “the Olympic village” o US (in the US) a small municipality with limited corporate powers.
com·mu·ni·ty kəˈmyo͞onədē/
Grandview has a population of nearly 11,000, qualifying us as a small town. Living in a small town is ideal, especially for those who appreciate small town life. Grandview has so much to offer. In Grandview, there is a sense of security and unity. Youth are often eager to explore the world outside of their hometown, however coming home to Grandview is easy. No matter the path you have taken, or how long you have been away, Grandview welcomes those who choose to come home with open arms. Grandview offers opportunities and a loving embrace to those who call it home. From cheering on local athletes and encouraging local scholars, the sense of support one finds in Grandview is heartwarming. Everyone comes together and wraps you in a hug, giving off that welcoming and warm feeling. Living in a small town provides a different experience than living in a bigger city. I could never get the sense of community in Spokane, Boise or Portland that I do in Grandview. Being greeted
with a smile or a hug every time you walk into the grocery store or being recognized on the street is something I have only experienced in Grandview. You are no stranger in this town and it’s incredibly heartwarming to know you have people everywhere looking out for your best interest. Grandview as a community always has meant home and family to me. Living here is indescribable. This truly is a place where you have family in every aspect, some by blood and some by bonds formed over the years.
noun 1. a group of people living in the same place or having a particular characteristic in common. “the scientific community” 2. a feeling of fellowship with others, as a result of sharing common attitudes, interests, and goals. “the sense of community that organized religion can provide” A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet but smaller than a town, with a population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand. Though villages are often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighborhoods.
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Mindful Eating By breaking the habit of mindless eating, you will reconnect with your physical feelings of hunger and satiety. Becoming more aware of your hunger cues, recognizing your non-hunger eating triggers, and choosing foods for enjoyment can all help resolve the lovehate relationship that many of us have with food. Ready to ditch the “diet” mentality and start eating with intention? Try these five simple ways to introduce mindfulness into your mealtimes. Honor Your Hunger – and Respect Fullness The hunger-fullness scale is a helpful tool. Think of hunger on a scale from 1 to 10, 1 being “I’m so hungry I’m going to pass out” and 10 as “I’m so full I’m going to be sick.” Before you eat, ask yourself where on the hunger scale you fall and eat when you are around a 3 or 4 (anywhere from “I’m slightly hungry” to “I’m hungry, and it’s time for my next meal”). Check in with yourself midmeal, and stop eating when you get to a 6 or 7 (“I’m content and satisfied, feeling comfortably full”).
Slow Down Take time to enjoy your food, and you’re more likely to notice when you are full, allow for better digestion, and notice flavors you might have otherwise missed. Take a bite, and then put your fork down. Talk with those around you. Chew slowly, and pay attention to the texture of the food, the flavor in your mouth, and the aromas. It can take as long as 20-30 minutes for your brain to catch up with your belly and realize you are full. Slowing down your eating will help you recognize these signals and makes for a more meaningful meal. Try the Carrot Test It can be tough to tell the difference between actual physical hunger and emotional hunger. Learning to recognize nonhunger triggers for eating is an important step in mindful eating. The next time you find yourself reaching for a snack, ask yourself “Would I eat a carrot right now?”. I use carrots as an example but fill in the blank with any food you enjoy, yet
not something you crave (i.e. an apple, cucumber slices, etc.). If the answer to the question is “yes”, eat the carrots (or other food) to provide nourishment. If the answer is “no”, then you’re likely experiencing emotional hunger. Learn to Meet Your Needs Without Food - Once you realize that your food craving is emotionally driven, find something else to meet your needs. Feeling sad or lonely? Call a friend. Bored? Take a short walk, cross something off your to-do list, or pick up a good book. Do something that will help meet your emotional need, instead of filling the void with food. Pay Attention to How Food Affects Your Body - Take time to notice how you feel not just while you are eating, but after you eat. Observe how you feel after you eat a bagel, or grab a chocolate cookie mid-way through the day. You’ll likely notice an initial spike of energy, followed by a crash and subsequent hunger as your blood sugar drops. Compare this to when you eat a nutrient-rich snack like peanut butter with a piece of fruit or roasted edamame. This combination of protein and complex carbs does more to satisfy hunger and stabilize your energy levels. By recognizing that a bagel or a candy bar will cause you to feel worse, it will make it easier to pick the apple and peanut butter next time. Mindful eating isn’t just for healthy meals – it can (and should) be practiced with ice cream, cookies, chips and more. By putting the focus on how you are eating – instead of just what you’re eating – you will find yourself enjoying food more. Plus, once you incorporate mindfulness into your eating habits, you may just find yourself eating differently.
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Adopting a Growth Mindset
Use the following four steps to develop a growth mindset, based on research by Dweck and colleagues: 1. Listen to the voice of a fixed mindset in your head. This is about being mindful of your own thoughts when faced with a challenge. Notice if the thoughts are telling you that you don’t have the talent, the intelligence or if you find yourself reacting with anxiety or anger when someone offers feedback to you. 2. Notice that you have a choice. You can accept those fixed mindset thoughts or question them. Take a few moments to practice a mindful pause. 3. Question the fixed mindset attitudes. When your fixed mindset says “What if I fail? I’ll be a failure,” you can ask yourself “Is that true? Most successful people fail. That’s how they learn.” Or if fixed mindset says “What if I can’t do this project? I don’t have the skills,” reply with “Can I be absolutely sure I don’t have the skills? In truth, I can only know if I try. And if I don’t have the skills, doing this will help me to learn them.” 4. Take action on the growth mindset. This will make you enjoy the challenges in the workplace, seeing them as opportunity to grow rather than avoid. Use the above system if you mind starts leaning towards the fixed mindset. Over time, you’ll find yourself habitually of a growth rather than fixed mindset, leading to greater success and personal mastery that before.
Organizations in Grandview Grandview may be a small town, but there are still many organizations involved in helping keep the community beautiful, secure and active. These organization are what give Grandview that sense of family in a small town. One example is the Grandview Rotary club. A Rotary club is a group of local business professionals who form part of Rotary International, a community service organization that was founded in Chicago in 1905. Members of a Rotary club are called Rotarians. The purpose of a local Rotary club is to connect people, who then work together to solve community problems, provide humanitarian aid, and promote goodwill and peace. Their motto is “Service Above Self.” The Grandview Rotary Club meets every Wednesday at noon in the banquet room of the Vineyard Café. They sponsor the summer swim team, the Grandview Neptunes; host a senior dinner around Christmastime; organize a community day of service; donate scholarships and give back in a variety of other ways to members of their community. The Grandview Chamber of Commerce has recently been revived
and plays a large part in the happenings within the community. The Grandview Chamber of Commerce is an association of business people and other concerned citizens working to promote the business growth and development of the Greater Grandview area. The mission of the Chamber is to add value to local business, to promote local events and tourism in a community with a healthy quality of life. Businesses of all sizes and professions are represented and influence the direction of the Chamber’s programs. The Chamber meets every third Thursday of the month at noon at Casa Tequila. If you are interested in joining or have any questions visit their new website (https:// visitgrandview.com/) or call 882-2100 for more information. The City of Grandview has many departments involved with keeping the town running and safe. The various departments include City Hall, the library, Grandview Fire Department, Grandview Police Department, Public Works, and Parks and Recreation. The Grandview Fire Department was established in 1909. It currently has 40 dedicated volunteers, one paid chief and
a paid captain. Command officers are on call 24 hours per day for any type of emergency. The fire department responds to various types of emergencies including medical calls, structure fires, car fires, and motor vehicle accidents. The annual call volume over the past five years has increased 56% and 75% of all calls are medical related. The Grandview Fire Department has 21 emergency medical technicians, one first responder and 18 members trained in first aid. New volunteers still needed, please contact Chief Mason for more information at 509882-9224 or e-mail pmason@grandview. wa.us. The mission of the Grandview Police Department is to serve and protect persons and property in the City of Grandview. The responsibilities associated with GPD include, but are not limited to: enforcement on the city, county, state, and federal laws; maintaining the peace and order of Grandview; protecting the property and personal safety of its citizens; and generally assisting citizens in urgent situations. In joining this department, officers make the towns responsibilities their own. They are
expected to carry out these responsibilities diligently, courteously, and to take pride in the services they provide. Programs associated with the Grandview Police Department are Animal Control, Block Watch, Reserve Officer Program, and the Youth Explorer Program. The current Police Chief is Kal Fuller and the assistant Police Chief is Mike Hopp. The Grandview Parks and Recreation Department is headed by Gretchen Chronis. Sectors of the Parks and Rec department that Chronis oversees are the Community Center Activities, Senior Programs, the Grandview Museum, and the Public Swimming Pool. If you have any questions about any of the programs, feel free to call Gretchen at 882-9219. There is a lot to offer in a small town like Grandview. Our beautiful little city is an incredible place to live, due in part to these and other organizations that contribute to the sense of community we hold dear. Grandview will always be home and the people that live here will all be family.
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The Culture of Prosser
Prosser is a community of individuals and families that have created an environment of mindful living. Prosser is small and life is simple which is part of its charm. Living simply, and slowly, in a community that shares similar values. Prosser is located between Yakima and Tri-Cities cradled at the base of the Horse Heaven Hills with the Yakima river flowing nearby. Prosser is an agricultural community and the farmers are stewards of the land. Prosser is considered to be the “Birthplace of the Washington Wine Industry.” Renewable energy, the reduction of waste, and recycling are part of the community mindset. There are several outdoor activities available in the area that includes fishing, camping, hiking, boating and golf. Prosser also offers a wonderful bit of culture including: The 6th Street Art & Gift Gallery and The Princess Theatre. Some cultural events include: The Great Prosser Balloon Rally, Prosser Art Walk & Wine Gala, Streetscapes Car Show, The Scottish Festival, The Harvest Festival and The Street Painting Festival. Our historical downtown area even has buildings that date back to the turn of the 20th Century. Prosser also has several community resources which include: banking, building information and supplies, health care providers, landscaping, newspapers, foodbanks, library, churches, parks and recreation, realtors, transportation and telephone and internet services. There are Fraternal organizations: Eagles, Masonic, Rotary, Chamber of Commerce and Kiwanis. Prosser embraces diversity and respects the many different cultures and traditions of the Native Americans and migrant workers who pass through the area. Theses are the things that build a true community. The long-term side effects of Prosser living are happiness and peace.
Grandview Museum
On June 29th, 2018 The Ray E. Powell Museum officially opened their doors to the public after months of planning and preparing. The Grandview Museum began its relocation process to the new location at 115 East Wine Country Rd from the former location at 313 Division St in 2017, thanks to the efforts of the museum board members and community volunteers. The museum first opened to the public in 1969, which also happened to mark the 60th anniversary of the incorporation of the City of Grandview. There is so much history on display, each piece tells a different story about the history of our city. On display at the museum, and of prime interest to citizens of all ages, is the Kiblinger automobile from the early 1900s. It is one of the very last two in existence, and it is exhibited by permission from Ray Powell and Earl Shirk. The museum is set up as a walkthrough history. On display are photographs of past graduating classes from Grandview High School. Children can
walk through and find photos of their family members who have attended and graduated from the high school. Many volunteers put in a lot of work including Ray Vining, Mike Carpenter, Susan Cowan, Mary Barrett, Jeanne Marie Coursey, and Eugene Lange. Without the hard work of these volunteers, it would have been difficult for the museum to reach its’ full potential. The museum is currently open Thursday, Friday, and Saturday from 2-4 p.m. If you would like to schedule a tour during off hours, call 882-9219.
Culture
cul·ture /ˈkəlCHər/ noun 1. the arts and other manifestations of human intellectual achievement regarded collectively. “20th century popular culture” 2. the customs, arts, social institutions, and achievements of a particular nation, people, or other social group. “Caribbean culture”
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Mindfulness in the Workplace: The What, Why and How of Building a Mindful Culture
By Sarah Greesonbach Your employees are busy, but nothing is getting done. Your team is working hard, but projects fall behind. Everyone’s inboxes are abuzz with activity, but decisions don’t get made. Individual members of your team are talented and hardworking, but as a whole, the team is not as productive as it could be. …. Does any of that sound familiar? We live in a distracted age. Phones buzz, watches tweet, and even the commute to work has dissolved into an endless array of options: radio? Streaming? Podcast? Sirius XM? There is a constant influx of information battling for your employee’s attention, a constant risk of distraction not just pulling them away from the work at hand but draining their mental energy and leaving them unable to perform at the level they’re capable of. So, as a leader within your organization looking to protect your team’s ability to
consistently do good work, what can you do? The answer many high-performing companies are turning to is mindfulness. What Is Mindfulness? Mindfulness in the workplace is not just an excuse to splurge on branded yoga mats for the office (after all, not everyone’s flexible enough for OneHanded Tree Pose!). Rather than a specific physical practice like yoga or meditation, mindfulness is an approach to work and time that respects the mind’s ability (and need) to concentrate on one task at a time and an approach to work that leaves room to reflect on the implications of our actions and decisions. The technical definition of mindfulness is an awareness of yourself and your surroundings in the present moment. In practice, mindfulness in the workplace is … Thinking through an email before you send it so that you provide all the
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details the recipient needs the first time... Focusing on the customer’s needs and making sure you’ve met those needs before ending an interaction... Releasing a product that represents the best of your team’s abilities, not the result of frenzied multitasking... Making decisions that reflect your company’s values instead of decisions that solve the short-term problem as quickly as possible... Being intentional about how you communicate and how you spend your time What Are the Benefits of Mindfulness in the Workplace? There’s a reason that industry-leading companies like McKinsey & Company, Procter & Gamble, and Apple implement mindfulness programs for their employees: it’s been proven to deliver significant and long-lasting benefits in three areas that are critical to maintaining high levels of creativity and productivity: focus, attention, and behavior. Focus - The ability to focus is really an ability to avoid distraction. By practicing mindfulness techniques, employees increase gray matter in the brain, thus increasing density in the areas of the brain responsible for learning and memory. As a result, they can maintain higher levels of attentiveness and concentration and spend more time on a given thought, project, or task, than usual. Attention - Mindfulness stabilizes attention in the present and helps employees pay attention to visual and audio information longer. In particular, mindfulness has been shown to improve the “three qualities of attention”: control, stability, and efficiency. As a result, instead of allowing our minds to wander for approximately half of our waking hours, we gain back control over that time, and we can put it to good use. Behavior - Mindfulness techniques have been shown to enhance the function of parts of the brain and result in superior
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performance in self-regulation, learning from past experiences, and decisionmaking. In one report, 80% of senior executives at General Mills who took a company-sponsored mindfulness course reported a positive change in their ability to make better decisions and 89% said they became better listeners. Mindfulness has also been shown to have a positive impact on resilience, collaboration, and complex leadership ability. Click here to read more. How to Incorporate Mindfulness Into Your Culture - If you’re reading the Culture Summit blog and getting your plans in place to attend this year’sCulture Summit, we don’t need to tell you that you can’t just throw mindfulness into a mission statement and assume it’s a part of your culture. Like any other culture attribute, mindfulness is something that your organization needs to embrace on a deep level so that your processes and policies grow out of it. If you want to build a more mindful company culture, plan ways you can exemplify and incorporate mindfulness into leadership decisions, company-wide processes and policies, and reinforcement opportunities. Here are a few examples to get you started: • Encourage employees to take mindfulness breaks throughout the day, whether structured (meditation, yoga, etc.) or unstructured (looking out the window, closing your eyes, etc.). Be sure to ask managers and members of the leadership team to model these breaks and share insightful thoughts or surprising benefits with the rest of the team. • Invite employees to turn off notifications for email and texts and instead check computers and communication tools at appointed times. (But make sure such a schedule is appropriate for your industry and your team’s job requirements – this would not be appropriate in a newsroom or marketing agency in which quick responses and approvals are critical). • Provide as much context as possible for leadership decisions and process and policy changes. “Because we said so,” and “Because it’s always been done this way” are not mindful policies. • Explain what impact the leadership team hopes each decision will have on the future to show that decisions are made in a thoughtful and deliberate way. • Incorporate brainstorming and thinking time into the creation of policies by setting a time limit for implementation, such as, “New policies will be approved five days after a draft of the policy has been agreed upon.” (The trade-off, of course, is that this will slow down decision-making, so it may conflict with other values such as being agile). • Ask managers to provide positive feedback and awards to employees who display qualities of mindfulness in their everyday work, such as setting aside time for brainstorming or provide well thought-out context to decisions.
Benefits of Taking a Mental Health Day
You are so stressed that even your stress is stressed out. You are overworked and strained, aching for a day off to relax and recharge, but you keep putting it off. Well, no more. It’s time to take a day off. Everyone gets exhausted from working too much, and you are no exception. This is where a mental health day can come to the rescue. Research has shown that Americans rarely take any time off from work, yet there are so many benefits to taking some space from the confines of the office. You can easily get stressed in the workplace, which makes you so irritated that you can’t stand going into the office. don’t really want to quit, you just need a break. A mental health day gives you that. Below are a few healthy excuses to take a day off just for yourself:
1. Eases Stress Long hours coupled with demanding to-do lists are enough to make anyone feel exhausted. Work is one of the leading causes of stress. Workplace burnout can become a serious issue if it is not addressed properly, which is why psychiatric professionals recommend taking a day for yourself if you’re feeling overwhelmed or bogged down more than usual. If you consistently feel anxious or nervous when you come to work, that is a sure sign that you are needing a mental health day.
2. Explore When was the last
time you stopped to appreciate the beauty your town has to offer? With a mental health day, your schedule is cleared for you to do so. You can picnic in the park or explore some areas of your childhood, it’ll improve your mood in the process. Whatever you do, make it an adventure. 3. Increase Productivity Breaks are a breath of fresh air for your brain. You are giving your mind a chance to decompress, which can help boost productivity and creativity in the long run. In other words, you are essentially helping your company by taking a day off.
4. Tackle Your To-Do List No, not the one sitting on your desk. Your personal to-do list. Have you been meaning to clean the living room? Try that new lunch joint? Now’s the time to do it. IF you are anything like me, you can never seem to find the time to get make any checkmarks on your todo list. Giving yourself a chance to catch up on personal pleasures will allow you to return to your desk in a better state of mind. Sometimes you just need that day off to unwind.
There are no doubts about it: Sleep is a performance enhancer. One way to get it? A day off. Experts agree that an ideal workday would start at 10 a.m. so employees can sleep and be at their most productive, but since that’s likely not happening anytime soon, a mental health day can help alleviate some of the exhaustion. Take some time to rest, naps help! Then you can return to work wide awake and ready to conquer your tasks. 6. Refreshed Feeling Ultimately, mental health days allow you to unplug from your computer and refocus, which can make you a happier, healthier employee. Of course mental health days aren’t cure-alls, but they are a pleasant break and gives you the opportunity to charge your batteries.
5. Catch Up on Sleep
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