This year’s holiday season comes with many unique challenges.  Safeguarding ourselves and the community from COVID-19 has been a marathon and will continue into 2021.  The effects of this pandemic during the holiday season will test our resiliency. Here are some helpful tips to stay mentally safe and healthy.

Embrace Winter Activities:

Enjoy the fresh air and sunshine. Although this area is legendary for taking to the slopes, there are many other fun outdoor activities

• Run/hike/camp/snowshoe/cross-country ski/sled are just a few ways to enjoy the winter.
• If tubing is more your speed there are plenty of free hills, from Ogden to Bountiful. And for a fee, there are hills that have been engineered to be very fast. Some locations feature refreshments, music, lift to bring you back up the hill, and lights for extended hours.

New hobbies and ‘alone together’ COVID-style:

• Schedule FaceTime with new and old friends, family, faith-based community or a new virtual group of people who share a common interest.
• Some ‘alone together’ time suggestions include taking the opportunity to learn a new hobby or activity such as painting or playing the guitar.

Be realistic:

• The 2020 holidays will not look like they did in years past.
• Leave and/or travel requests may not be approved or contain restrictions but that doesn’t mean you can’t make the best of it. Much of life is not what happens to us but what we make of it. New traditions may emerge as we find ways to be ‘alone together’ and find meaning in celebrating the holidays locally.

Don’t forget about your health:

• Remember to take time for yourself. This may mean taking a break from watching television or social media.
• Work on getting enough sleep, avoid alcohol, eat well and exercise.
• Make time to unwind with meditation or prayer, yoga, journaling, crossword puzzles, listening to music or reading.
• As winter progresses, and the days get shorter, find time to get some natural sunlight. Great satisfaction can be found in volunteering a service to a needy population.

Finally, reach out if you’re struggling! Below is a list of the local resources and support services available here at Hill. You do not have to manage this season alone.

Resources:

• Airman and Family Readiness Center (A&FRC): 777-4681
• Chaplain: 777-2106
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP): (866) 580-9078
• Family Advocacy Program (FAP): 777-3497
• Mental Health/ADAPT: 777-7909
• Military Crisis Line: (800) 273-8255, then press 1, or access online chat by texting 838255
• Military Family Life Counselor (MFLC): 385-285-5107/6590
• Primary Care Behavioral Health (PCBH): 586-2273
• Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Program (SAPR): 777-1985
• Vets4Warriors: (855) 838-8255, or chat online at www.vets4warriors.com