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SALT LAKE CITY At last, the end of one of the most turbulent years in recent memory.

In 2020 we dealt with natural disasters, a tense election season, and a racial reckoning, among other things all while a pandemic played out, affecting nearly every aspect of our lives.

As people around the world were asked to stay home to help stop the spread of COVID-19, many were forced to slow down and pick up new hobbies. For some, reading books helped create both an escape from the realities of the year and an understanding of them, too.

Welcome back to the KSL.com Book Club. It's a book club with a twist, where some of the KSL.com team members read a different book and then recap our picks at the end of each month. The goal here is to simply read more and escape real-world distractions, if only for a few pages a day.

This month's KSL.com Book Club features book picks from social media manager Yvette Cruz, copy editor Jordan Ormond, and news director Whitney Evans. If you think of a book one of us might like based on our book choices and reviews, feel free to let us know!

A couple and their two kids rent a vacation home outside of New York City hoping to get away from it all for a bit. At first, everything's fine and as relaxing as they'd hoped, but then there's a knock at the door.

The home's owners have arrived in a panic saying there's a major blackout in New York and they've come to seek shelter at their second home. With all forms of communication down at the home, there's no way to know if they truly are who they say they are. The family lets them in but questions arise about the entire situation, including what's really happening in New York.

Over the next couple of days, there's tension between the two families as they deal with each other and differences of class and race all while a possible apocalypse plays out in the background.

This book was more than a thriller. It was thought-provoking and unsettling and stayed with me days after finishing it. Several times, I found myself wondering if 2020 was the right year for me to read it given all the uncertainty we've dealt with, but I couldn't put it down nonetheless.

"Leave the World Behind" contains some explicit content.

Who would like this book? Those who want something really thought-provoking and want to read the book before the Netflix adaption comes out.

Your next read?"The Light We Lost" by Jill Santopolo has been on my list for a while now so I'm hoping to finally get to that one next.

Favorite read in 2020:"The Library Book" by Susan Orlean and "The Vanishing Half" by Brit Bennett

This book was part of the required reading for my MBA program, and I entered into reading it with a decent amount of anticipation. You see, I'd been hearing rave reviews about this book for years but had never gotten around to reading it. After all that anticipation, I came away with a mixed impression.

First, what I liked: The book does a great job highlighting what you can do to help solve some conflicts and has some simple frameworks to guide you through. Is your heart at war (assuming the worst) or at peace (assuming the best)? Do you see those around you as people or as objects? (Hint: Seeing people as people leads to better outcomes.) Is your behavior motivated by the need to be seen a certain way? (If so, maybe question your motivation and approach.)

Next, what I didn't like: I struggled with the parts of the book that, to me, seemed overly didactic and reductive. While this approach can be beneficial, I can see times when maybe it falls short. For instance, the authors used a civil rights protest in the U.S. as an example of times when people were "in the box," which to me seemed to lack the nuance and empathy needed to understand why and what groups were protesting. Part of being "out of the box" involves listening to other groups and perspectives, and it seems the authors did not spend as much time listening to some of the groups they represented in the text. Yes, it's helpful to see people as people and that approach would help most interactions but there are also systems and structures that need addressing that go beyond being in or out of "the box." I think "The Anatomy of Peace" is perhaps a good start to conflict resolution, but not a finishing place.

Who would like this book? This book is good for anyone looking for alternative approaches to solving conflicts and negative relationship patterns.

Your next read? I just started "More Than A Body" by Lexie and Lindsay Kite. Full disclosure: I know one of the authors, so going into the book I had decently high expectations. I'm about one-third of the way through, and this book is already exceeding my expectations. It's so good!

Favorite read in 2020:"Circe" by Madeleine Miller or "The Water Dancer" by Ta-Nehisi Coates

Are you an introvert or an extrovert? Would you describe yourself as less-outgoing, more solitary and cerebral, or quieter than other people? There's power in that, as Susan Cain explains in her book "Quiet."

Published in 2012, this book has been around for nearly eight years now and it's spent every one of them on the New York Times bestseller list. That's because this book is fascinating. Cain has collected an exhaustive amount of research on what makes people introverted and organized it in a way that is easily understandable. She spends time explaining how introverts "tick," the power that lies in being introverted, and why our extrovert-centric U.S. society should make more room for these people. Then she shows us how to do it.

As an introvert myself, I identified with so many of the research subjects and results, so many of the anecdotes about people and relationships, and so many of the attributes of people who tend to be more introverted. I was also pleasantly surprised to learn a little bit more about my extroverted counterparts and how they "tick," as well as learning some tips and tricks for extroverts and introverts to communicate better and accomplish more together.

Whether you identify more as an introvert or an extrovert, I highly recommend you read this book. You will learn so much about yourself and others around you, and you will become better skilled at working with people.

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Book Club: 3 books we read to close out 2020 | KSL.com - KSL.com

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Welcome to 2021 at last. Though theres still a lot to do to get back to normal, its a brand-new year filled with optimism and fresh possibilities. A clean start, lots of positivity, and..and then it all comes crashing down. Because no matter what else is going on, the year always, inevitably, without fail, begins with January. Bummer. Whether youre contemplating the bleak wasteland from home, or dragging through the snow, slush, and ice on the way to work, its interminable.

So, as a public service, were going to help you through the dread January doldrums with 10 new, or at least newish, ways to ease through the month, deliciously. Despite the pandemic, theres a lot happening on the North Coast, and these culinary enterprises represent some of the very best of whats fresh to eat in town.

This is the season of self-help, and right here is a great therapeutic place to start. Its good for you and great for the local economy. With enough applications of some these inspired and indulgent edibles, we might be able to breeze through Januarys long days journey and move briskly on to February, which can be just as grim, but is shorter.

Bean pies from Bean Pie Heaven LLC. (photo courtesy Bean Pie Heaven LLC)Bean Pie Heaven LLC

Bean Pie Heaven LLC

Bean Pie Heaven LLC began its existence as a fund-raising opportunity for the Islamic School of the Oasis in Cleveland. Sister Rasheedah Abdur-Razzaq eventually took over the business, and made the bean pies her own, reformulating the recipe based on navy beans to make it more healthful and flavorful. Bean pies have a long legacy in the Islamic-American community as a key element of a nutritious diet, promoted by the Nation of Islam founders. Abdur-Razzaqs hand-crafted pies are just sweet enough and properly succulent, the artfully fluted crust tender and flaky. Originally selling from her front porch, with the help of her husband and children, she repurposed a vintage barber shop into a spacious bakery, where everyone can feel safe to come and enjoy a touch of heaven. There, she turns out sweet potato pies, peach cobbler, pecan pies, cheesecakes, rich buttermilk pies, and glamorous meringue-crowned lemon pies as well as her legacy bean pies. It is a place of good temptationsas Abdur-Razzaq herself says, so dangerousYa Allah help me! We know that feeling well.

Bean Pie Heaven LLC 1120 East 105th St. Cleveland, OH 44108.

216-862-9740 Call/text for hours and to order ahead (recommended). Curbside pickup available. Text to request price list.

Cleveland Chocolate Co. owner and chocolate maker Rebecca Hess. (photo courtesy Cleveland Chocolate Co.)Cleveland Chocolate Co.

Cleveland Chocolate Co.

You may remember Rebecca Hess as the chef who made the late-great-and-still-lamented Arcadian Food + Drink the unforgettable dining experience it was -- for way too brief a time. Well, shes back, this time applying her taste and talent to the fine art of single origin chocolate. Lucky us. It all started with a tropical fruit CSA that included fresh cacao pods. She soon fell in love with the process of making chocolate and now, shes says, its been really cool seeing how much joy chocolate can bring someone, and to be able to handcraft each bar with care from start to finish is something really special. Working out of Tremonts Fairmont Creamery in a storefront that is the very model of a modern day confectionery, all bright white and shiny stainless steel, she crafts her organic fair trade chocolate bars from cacao pods from Ghana, Belize, Haiti and other key sources around the world. Each bar, identified by country of origin and varying percentages of cocoa, has identifying tasting notes similar to wine and whiskey (the pleasant ones, like strawberry, honey and butter, no dirt, dill, or dirty socks).

When youre at the shop, or other places around town that stock the bars--check website for locations get a variety and organize a chocolate tasting with your family or a few close friends. Pick a mix of solid chocolate and inclusion bars. If you can, try the 70% dark Dominican Republic bar, deep rich silken chocolate with hints of strawberry and peppercorn, and the exotic Golden Mylk bar, a soft white chocolate made with cashew and oat milk, layered with crystallized ginger, then sprinkled with turmeric, cinnamon, cardamom, and black pepper. No matter which you choose, they all have that really special taste of pure luxury chocolate.

Cleveland Chocolate Co. 2306 West 17th St. Suite 4, Cleveland, OH 44113

http://www.clevelandchocolate.co 440-465-0883 Curbside pickup and online ordering available. Also available at stores, hotels, and restaurants around town.

'Flaming' Fred Stoldt of Fred Hot LLC. (photo courtesy Fred Hot LLC)Fred Hot LLC

Fred Hot

Who could resist a jar full of what looks like dusty chards of broken colored glass with a label displaying a wild-eyed screaming demon head with flaming hair and the immortal words FRED HOT HOT GLASS CANDY: Jalapeno Lime, Habanero Orange, Ghost Pepper Cherry? Ok, I almost passed it up myself the first time I saw it. But then, circling back, I had to have it. You will, too. In the interest of full disclosure, the Jalapeno Lime flavor is kind of bogus. You could give it to your toddler, if toddlers were allowed jagged-edged broken lollipops, which is the basic construct of HOT GLASS CANDY, and she wouldnt even flinch. But the Habanero Orange Flavor has a nice creeping heat, and the Ghost Pepper Cherry is worth every incendiary moment it spends tearing up your mouth. Feel the burn, indeed. Hot glass candy is the brain child, or more like the mutant offspring, of Fred Stoldt, a charming voluble Euclid police officer who develops volcanic edibles on the side. The glass candy is really just a one-off for him. When you check out his website (www.fredhotspice), youll find an entire flaming empire of pretty hot stuff. You could pick one new hot sauce, pickled vegetable, atomic spice blend, sriracha cheese powder, or pepper jelly for every day of the month, and still have a few left over for February. My personal favorite is Himalayan Hell-Fire, 4 oz. of pure Himalayan pink crystal salt blended with the hottest pepper in the world!!! The Carolina Reaper!!! Salt and lots and lots of pepper all wrapped up together. Again, who could resist?

Fred Hot LLC P.O. Box 23423, Euclid, OH 44123 http://www.fredhotspice.com

216-410-4403. Available online and in local stores, refer to website for details.

Marchant Manor Cheeses Henley, Elmstead Ash, and Lapworth Peppercorn Camembert (photo courtesy Marchant Manor Cheese)Marchant Manor Cheese

Marchant Manor Cheese

You would think pathology would not be the typical path to cheese maker and monger, but when purchasing Marchant Manors elegant ashy chevres and creamy peppercorn-layered Camembert, you can rest assured there are no pathogens lurking, thanks to Kandice Marchants medical training. A practicing pathologist at the Cleveland Clinic, she is counting the days until she can segue full-time into the cheese shop on Lee Road thats having a soft opening during the holiday season before going dormant again until future notice. A cheese course gifted to her by her late husband several years ago inspired her to delve deeper into the art of cheese. Encouragement from Trevor Clutterback at Ohio City Provisions pushed her further. He was so impressed with her sample cheeses that he made a match between Marchant and his own partner dairy in Stark County. And now shes doing a deep dive using Guernsey, Holstein, and goat milk to turn out sophisticated multi- textured cheeses of intriguing nuance and complex flavor. Shes also working the other end of the cheese spectrum, producing super premium versions of the simpler pleasures of fresh ricotta and cottage cheese. All this bodes well for Clevelands expanding cheese community, particularly when Marchant will be able to permanently open her shop, a charming mash-up of French Provincial and dairy barn, when her whimsical neon sign will fulfill its promise, and the cheese doctor will be in attendance full-time.

Marchant Manor Cheese 2211 Lee Rd. Cleveland Heights, OH 44118

marchantmanor.com Refer to website for details.

Nosh Butters

In 2018, NOSH began with a single food processor and a pantry full of nuts in Sam and Lauren Trohmans Cuyahoga Falls home kitchen. As Sam describes it, Lauren has a food and nutrition degree and Sams an entrepreneur who thought it would be a good idea to try making pistachio butter at home and seeing if it was any good. And it was! From there the business quickly evolved into a small-batch manufacturing operation and now NOSH butters are available online and all over the north coast, with a brick and mortar shop soon to open. As for that pistachio butter, its now Pistachio Almond Butter, and it is good. Unlike other mixed nut butters, this one has a pistachio punch that gives it real panache. Great on toast, it also begs to be turned into elegant pistachio almond butter cookies.

Not content with just one esoteric butter, Sam and Lauren have now launched six varieties of natural nut butters. 2Seed Almond Butter with hemp, chia seeds, dates and coconut oil packs healthy omega fatty acids, iron, protein, and healthy fats and Golden Cashew Almond Butter provides, as Sam points out, the closest thing to a warm cozy hug that food can offer. Featuring cashews, almonds, ginger, cinnamon, turmeric, and maple syrup, it could be a prescriptive therapy for those in need of immediate succor in sandwich form on a snowy afternoon.

Nosh Butters 3345 State Rd. PO Box 3672, Cuyahoga Falls, OH 44223 http://www.NOSHbutters.com 440-732-2215. Available online and in local stores, refer to website for details.

Pat's Granola a la yogurt parfait (Pat's Granola)Pat's Granola

Pats Granola

Pat Bennett started making granola more than 25 years ago when faced with making healthier snacks for her school age sons who were all athletes. They were always hungry after school and before sports practices, so I made granola as a way to feed them the right kind of fuel to optimize their energy. Pat ultimately ended up with three varieties of granola. Ginger Spiced, with molasses, maple syrup, spices, and coconut oil added to gluten-free oats, dried apricots, cherries, cranberries, and almonds is the perfect mix of delicious and healthy for January, when you need a bit of quick energy to shovel the drive, knock those icicles off the eavesagain.or just take a brisk walk around the block to drive off cabin fever.

Granola making is Pats encore career. A 64 year-old African American woman, she turned her love of food and cooking into a strong and growing small business on the north coast. Her enthusiasm for independent businesses and ability to work collaboratively have put her in the forefront of small business enterprise here in Cleveland. But she still has time to come up with new flavors of granola. Later this year, she will be offering subscriptions for frequent buyers. In the meantime, shes busy distributing Ginger-Spiced, Peanut Butter, and Tropical granola blends. That mix, including dried pineapple, banana chips, and sunflower seeds, sounds like a fun summer treat for if/when we can run freely around the neighborhood again!

Pats Granola 891 East 185th St. #19513 Cleveland, OH 44119 http://www.patsgranola.com 917-623-7230. Available online and in local stores, refer to website for details.

Picnic Hill co-owner and chef Shawn BrownPicnic Hill Gourmet Market

Picnic Hill

Picnic Hill covers a lot of ground. Since it opened in Fairmount Circle in Cleveland Heights in January, 2020, this charming establishment has offered breakfast, lunch and dinner to eat in, or carry out, with lovely daily specials and wine and cocktails as well. Plus a gourmet market with beautifully curated products for cooking, baking, charcuterie and just plain snacking. And, most importantly for us in January 2021, when were looking for something to make our lives a little less humdrum, something Michael Miller and Shawn Brown, the proprietors, call Picnic Fresh. Similar to Blue Apron and other delivery meals you cook yourself, but so much better because everything is fresh and local. Go on their website and pick the number of people youre cooking for and choose one, two or three meals of your choice for the week. Each meal has about six steps and takes 30 minutes each and costs around $13/person. The particulars are all laid out on the site in an easy to follow format, but suffice it to say that you can fill the month with well-directed freshly cooked home-made dishes such as Three Cup Chicken, Sheet-Pan Roasted Salmon Nicoise Salad and Crisp Tofu and Sweet Potatoes. Tasty and fun, right?

Picnic Hill 20621 Fairmount Blvd. Shaker Heights, OH 44118

http://www.picnichillmarketcafe.com 216-795-5660 Refer to website for details.

Charlie Eisenstat Making a Pour Over Coffee (pourcleveland.com) Pour Cleveland.Pour Cleveland

Pour Cleveland

Charlie Eisenstat has been the lodestar, and the rock star, of all things coffee on the north coast since he opened Pour Cleveland in 2013. In mid-March, after closing down the shop that had introduced international roasters to local fans, Eisenstat decided to pivot to promoting five of his favorite European coffee distributors on his website.

There are several ways to get these fresh seasonal coffees. One of the best is to caffeinate with 250 gram bags shipped two or four at a time once a month. Its dealers choice as to what you get, but the coffee whisperer knows his stuff and chances are youll be thrilled. However, if you really want to curate your subscription, Eisenstat says, For anybody who is curious or interested but isnt sure what to get, we have chat features on the site that go right to me so I can make recommendations based on what exactly the customer is looking for. This is part of what I miss most about being in the shop: connecting customers to coffees that completely blow their minds. Well, regular shipments of mind-blowing coffee seems like a great way to get through Januaryand subsequent months. Im signing up now.

http://www.pourcleveland.com Refer to website for details.

Stir Studio Kitchen in Tremont (Stir Studio Kitchen)Stir Studio Kitchen

Stir Studio Kitchen

Decidedly not your mothers cooking classes, Stir Studio Kitchen offers group experiences that emphasize the fun rather than the fundamentals of cooking. Thats the whole point of Stir, according to founder/owner Charlie Denk. Our guests undoubtedly learn a lot when they spend an evening with us, but our classes are unapologetically focused on entertainment, fun, and providing a unique, hospitable experience. Our studios are super chic, we crank up the music, and our instructors radiate energy. There are public and private classes being held in the schools kitchens in both Tremont and Chagrin Falls, but you can also get the Stir experience on Zoom. So round up your funner friends and settle in for a very entertaining evening. Drinks sound de rigueur here, you can bring your own regardless of the setting.

The menus reflect an intriguing variety of interests. Theres a seasonal evening featuring cozy pork roulade and butternut squash puree, a Mexican menu with scratch chorizo and handmade tortillas, and Knockout Gnocchi, make-your-own gnocchi to serve with herb pesto and baked meatballs. For remote classes, theres a written packet distributed before hand that includes the recipes, ingredients, equipment, and instructions. People can either shop for themselves or Stir can provide pre-measured ingredients packages. Regardless how you do it, its bound to be an indelible experience. Denk and his instructors work hard to make sure their guests have fun. I like to think Stir is a very special business with incredible people. Were a bunch of kids who work our absolute tails off and are genuinely setting out to reinvent the entire cooking class industry in the US.

Cheers to that!

Stir Studio Kitchen 4461 Lorain Ave. Cleveland, OH

http://www.stirstudiokitchen.com 440-829-3136 Refer to website for details.

Whoa! Dough

We all have friends who are gluten-intolerant. Most of us have friends who are lactose-sensitive. Many of us have friends who are vegan or keep kosher. Or cant eat eggs. Or wont eat GMO foods. For all those friends, you now have one snack that will make every one of them very happy. Whoa! Dough cookie dough bars are all that and still shockingly tasty. Todd Goldstein, founder of Whoa! Dough and self-described Cookie Dough King has always been a foodie. He says, my earliest memory was at six years old working with the baker at my grandfathers restaurant in downtown Cleveland. After graduating college, I moved back to Cleveland and started LaunchHouse and have spent the last 10 years working with entrepreneurs and small businesses. In 2011, I was diagnosed with a gluten intolerance, which began my hunt for healthy, gluten-free products. My sons were born in 2015 and 2017 and later diagnosed with gluten-intolerances, increasing my desire to create a gluten-free treat my family would enjoy. So in 2019, Whoa! Dough was born. Six of the most popular flavors of cookies in a dough bar that can be eaten chilled, but are shelf-stable so can be stashed anywhere to be snacked on later. You can also bake them, 350 degrees for 3 to 5 minutes, if you want the non-raw experience.

So, how are they, really? Really, they are very good. At warm room temperature, when they become just a little gooey and develop the sugary texture thats so attractive in cookie dough is when they are best. The sugar cookie, peanut butter chocolate chip, and brownie batter varieties are a very convincing comfort food for consumers of all persuasions, and are going into my most favored snack list rotation. But if you dont believe me, look at the numbers. On November 1, 2020, Whoa! Dough started growing its retail presence nationwide. Since then, according to Goldstein, brick and mortar store sales have grown over 100% and online sales by 500%. So try them yourself, and when you do, pick up a few more for when you go for a brisk winter walk with your gluten-free vegan friend. Theyll be touched that you were so thoughtful and impressed, that, finally, theres a fun indulgent snack that you can enjoy together.

Whoa! Dough 675 Alpha Drive, Suite E, Highland Heights, OH 44143

http://www.whoadough.com 216-338-3000 Available online and in grocery stores throughout the country. Refer to website for details.

Continued here:
10 great local foodie products to help soothe Clevelands cold January bluster - cleveland.com

It's here. We've finally made it to the end of 2020.

This year has been more of a marathon than a sprint and honestly, really more like a game of Jumanji than anything else.

The hard truth is that it all won't be magically better at 12:01 A.M. on January 1st.

So it's time to restock those self-care toolkits and assess how you want to step into the new year. There's a lot you can't control about what happens next but the one thing you can do is shape how you show up.

Your home is your sanctuary, especially these days when you're spending a lot of time within its walls. If you don't already have a space to help you unwind, Rewire contributor Danielle Broadway has some tips to get you started.

"You might think meditation gardens are too pricey and difficult to create in your own home. In reality, they can be as expensive or as affordable as you'd like them to be," Broadway said.

In "Build Your Own Indoor Meditation Garden," Broadway offers advice on how to create the space, pick the plants and find centering exercises to do once it's all put together.

Not a natural gardener, inside or out? We've got you covered with "8 Hardy Houseplants for Inattentive Gardeners."

As you prepare for your green journey, you may find further inspiration from Jared Alexander's experience learning to garden this summer while quarantining at home with his mother.

"Through gardening I've been able to look outward again, to remember the world around me and where I'm headed," Alexander said.

I've never been more inspired to try to not kill plants. I hope it helps you too.

If I'm attempting to find the bright side of 2020 while doing my best to avoid falling into a toxic positivity trap I think this year has really reinforced the idea that your learning is never done.

You may feel like you're aware of the world around you and how you fit into it but everything we do and think is shaped by perspective. If you get stuck in your own way of thinking, the world becomes pretty one dimensional. But continuing to expand your perspective, now that's where things get interesting.

Instead of doomscrolling for another hour, put some of that time to use taking a free or low-cost online social justice course to shake up your point of view.

Jill Silos, associate professor of history and political science at Massachusetts Bay Community College, shared with Rewire a list to get you started, a jumping off point for anyone "who wants to learn more about social justice and how to work toward a better future."

If the less-formal route to greater awareness is your thing, fiction can be a way to build empathy and understanding without feeling like you're eating broccoli. "8 Contemporary Black Novelists to Read Right Now" can get you started.

Or, go the podcast route with "Essential Listening: Podcasts on Race and Racism."

With all of this self-discovery and centering, it's also a good time to think about how what you value aligns with your actions.

Sometimes we can't do anything about this you need a job and have to accept and work hard for whatever employer you have.

But if you're in a place in your life where you can be more particular, maybe take a moment to reflect. If there isn't alignment between your workplace and your values, should you find a different employer? Or can you try to make change where you are?

It's a complex issue to be sure but one worth examining.

"Prolonged exposure to a harmful workplace culture results in PTSD," saidHR consultant Sarah Morgan to Rewire.

"It impacts our focus, our critical thinking, and our work outputs. It impacts our mental and physical health. It impacts our confidence and our trust of other people."

On a smaller scale even if you can't change your job, you can align your banking with your values.

"Are you comfortable with where your money sleeps? Are the institutions where you're placing it supporting communities you care about? If you aren't comfortable with the answer to that question, it may be time to make a change," saidEbony Perkins, manager of investor and community relations atSelf-Help Credit Union's North Carolina branch.

Learn more in, "'There's Power in Where You Place Your Money.'"

Don't just nurture your private self, think about how you can position yourself at work in the year ahead.

Are you bringing your best self to your job? And if you are, is your work equal to your skills or is there room for you to grow into even more responsibility?

"Put together a proposal first for the work you think needs to get done," career coachHeather MacArthur said to Rewire.

"Showing up as a thought partner to help your manager succeed takes you out of the lane of being an employee that needs to be taken care of, to a business partner that thinks strategically on behalf of the team. Next, pitch how you'd best be able to help achieve those results."

Change may not happen immediately but being proactive and engaged can build trust and create opportunities.

If you're already working hard and feeling under-appreciated, you may be thinking about asking for a higher salary. We've got some expert advice about negotiating from afar in "How to Negotiate Your Salary and Benefits Over Zoom" to get you started.

Your mental health is directly linked to your quality of life and physical health. Make the most of 2021 by prioritizing it.

Work on managing your anxiety in these uncertain times. Listen to other's experiences with mental health, and learn how to talk about your own mental health with the people who love you.

"Go offline. Go off social media when you need to. Live your life. Go outside and say "Hi!" to someone through a mask. It works, " said Lorelei Ramirez, stand-up comedian, writer,actorandpodcaster to Rewire in "Finding Humor in Dark Times."

"Be a little selfish with how you give out your energy to people and with how you're helping. Care for yourself, like you're caring for a little baby that's where people should be at."

Link:
5 Ways to Take Care of Yourself in the Year Ahead - Rewire.org

When conducting refugee health assessments, Michelle Smith, a nurse practitioner at the Community Health Center of Buffalo, sometimes notices jittery behavior, shaking legs and hair pulling. Her patients may not be reporting any signs of depression or anxiety, but their body language suggests it. You can view that theyre having trauma, she said. Theyre not able to express exactly what it is.

Ting Lee, a licensed mental health counselor in Buffalo, works with a range of clients, including those who are American-born and refugees around the world. The way that trauma is manifested is extremely different across the cultures, said Lee, who is from Singapore. Her Asian and Arab clients, she said, tend to externalize their symptoms by noting physical conditions such as, My back hurts, or I cant get out of bed. Sometimes, she added, her clients will see doctors who order an MRI, but then find no serious physical ailments, which then leads to a behavioral health referral.

On the opposite, Lee said, Cultures that identify with Abrahamic religions are very in touch with affect and emotion. Theyre able to say, I have no meaning. I'm unable to build a new home in the U.S. I have a lot of survivors guilt.

Gender differences play out here, too. One example: Research byDr. Isok Kim, an associate professor at the University at Buffalos School of Social Work, found a "pronounced" gender disparity in Karen refugees, who are an ethnic minority from Burma. The rate of alcohol use disorder for Karen men was 24%.

Read this article:
Three ways to help refugees and each other create a healthy path - Buffalo News

Written by Robby Berman on December 28, 2020 Fact checked by Anna Guildford, Ph.D.

A study of severe COVID-19 in the United Kingdom reveals the risk that healthcare workers take to help others.

A new study in the journal Occupational & Environmental Medicine examines the risks that essential and nonessential British workers will develop severe COVID-19.

It suggests that healthcare workers are seven times more likely to develop severe cases of COVID-19 than people with nonessential roles.

Stay informed with live updates on the current COVID-19 outbreak and visit our coronavirus hub for more advice on prevention and treatment.

Although it makes sense that people who interact with COVID-19 patients are at greater risk, this is the first study to compare their risk of developing severe disease with that of other types of workers.

As the study authors conclude:

Our findings reinforce the need for adequate health and safety arrangements and provision of [personal protective equipment] for essential workers, especially in the health and social care sectors. The health and well-being of essential workers is critical to limiting the spread and managing the burden of global pandemics.

The researchers analyzed three sources of data:

The UK Biobank data allowed the researchers to track multiple factors that may be associated with the development of severe disease beyond ones occupation.

A total of 120,075 employees, aged 4964 years, were involved in the study. Black and Asian people, who are more likely to be essential workers, comprised nearly 3% of the group.

Around 32,127 employees, or 29% of the participants, were essential workers.

The team broke the healthcare workers category down further into:

For the purposes of the study, the researchers considered anyone with a hospital diagnosis of COVID-19 and anyone who died of the disease to have a severe case.

Of the total study group, 271 employees had severe COVID-19.

The healthcare workers category overall experienced an average of seven times as many severe cases as nonessential workers.

The study suggests that medical support staff are the most vulnerable. They were nine times more likely to develop severe disease than people in nonessential occupations.

People in the social care and education category had an 84% higher risk, while those providing social care were 2.5 times more likely to have a severe case of the disease.

Transport workers were twice as likely to get seriously ill as nonessential workers, and the risks for people in the other category, in general, were 60% higher.

The researchers analysis revealed a racial disparity in the likelihood of having a severe case of the disease. This parallels the racial imbalance in deaths from COVID-19.

Black and Asian essential workers were eight times as likely to have severe cases as white nonessential workers.

Black and Asian nonessential employees were three times more likely to have severe cases than their white counterparts.

In addition, their severe case rates were roughly equivalent to those that white essential workers experienced.

The researchers point out several limitations of their study. These include the following:

However, the study authors do point out that despite these issues, their conclusions are consistent with the findings of other COVID-19 research.

For live updates on the latest developments regarding the novel coronavirus and COVID-19, click here.

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Healthcare workers have 7 times the risk of severe COVID-19 - Medical News Today

TAUNTON After a difficult year, there's much to have learned about ourselves and our world. We spoke to Taunton leaders about their takeaways from 2020 and what they will carry with them into 2021.

"It was a year of uncertainty, true vulnerability and fundamental lessons about health and life. I became more vigilant of the world we live in and that this time that the 'lockdown'was a time to create a new narrative, a wake-up call. Life isnt a competition, but society has conformed many individuals to live for incentives and selfish rewards. Thats not working for us internally, locally, nationally and globally.

Self care is a priority not a privilege.Now more than ever, kids need love. Practice mindfulness, re-evaluate often, reform, learn and apply.

Life is filled with frustration, pain, loss, and unpredictable actions of others. You can't change that, but you can change what you allow in your space.You can have a seat at any table, if you work for it."

"The pandemic has taught us that there is much to be thankful for in our normal everyday lives that we may sometimes take for granted. Connection to friends, family, coworkers, and even the folks you just see in passing. Things can change in an instant, and we should take all of the opportunities we have to love, appreciateand give thanks for all that we have. We have also learned that it is vital for individuals and employers alike to be able to adapt to meet different circumstances while still being able to prioritize physical and mental health."

"In these unprecedented times, I have often been struck by how so many have selflessly stepped forward to help others, and the importance of those whose jobs have been deemed 'essential;'our health care and front-line public safety workers, our teachers, store employees and delivery drivers, among others.So to all those who have sacrificed to help their kids learn remotely, who have resorted to video or phone calls rather than face to face meetings with their loved ones, and our small business owners who have borne much of the brunt of our shutdowns.God bless us, everyone!'

"The greatest lesson Ill take from this year is that anything is possible when you work together and believe in one another. As weve all faced many unique challenges during these unprecedented times, Ive been so fortunate to witness firsthand the incredible amount of compassion, camaraderie and perseverance that is shared by our staff at Morton Hospital. Theyve united as one to provide exceptional care to those who needed us most this year, and they continue to inspire me every day. Im so proud of our team. We are #MortonStrong and we look forward to caring for our community in the New Year.We are in this together and together, anything is possible….#WeAreMorton"

"2020 has been a year of great challenges for the entire world. However, I can say that one of the things we were able to learn from all this is how to improve our family relationships, before it is too late. Enjoy life to the fullest and thank God for what we have. Many have lost everything they had and are in shelters, others are crying for loved ones, and many others in a financial crisis, but we need to move on.

Therefore, let's live it as if today were the last day,let's love our family and those around us with all our might, because we don't know how long they will last, andlet's love God above all things because he is a strong tower and help in times of crisis."

"I discovered the need for flexibility.The pandemic forced us to change the way we operate, but has not stopped the church from functioning.We are online more, observing precautions constantly and we learned to Zoom!

A crisis brings out the best and the worst in people.I am thankful for all who went beyond the call of duty. I have a strong sense that God has sustained me, and all of us, during 2020, and promises to walk with us into the New Year!"

"Like everyone else I have had to adjust to restrictions that 2020 has placed on my accustomed way of life. The pandemic has shown me what it feels like to be deprived of things I enjoy. Zoom connects me to family, friends, work and community. A reasonable accommodation but I miss the hugs.

I have learned to recognize the things over which I have control and not waste time trying to change what I cannot; to focus on the way I respond to the world that makes me happy; to appreciate what I already have and to take nothing for granted."

"2020 has certainly been a year of challenges. We've lost much and have plenty to grieve. We also worked together and learned much. Most importantly, we learned a new definition of 'essential.'Minimum wage workers who make sure we have food and other necessities; nurses, doctors and social workers who face overwhelming numbers needing life saving care; teachers who continue to re-invent education on the fly and so many others who help us get through our days with a bit of normalcy they put their health and safety at risk. Theirwork emerged as essential. We must remember their contributions and their sacrifices."

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What Taunton's leaders have learned from 2020 that they'll carry into 2021 - Taunton Daily Gazette

Picture this: You dont want to cook, but youve spent a half-hour trying to decide which takeout food to order.

Now, you cant decide on which movie to watch. Instead of relaxing, youre stressing out.

If this sounds familiar, you might be suffering from decision fatigue, a kind of mental overload that comes from having to make too many choices too frequently.

All people, regardless of profession, are subject to decision fatigue, said Dr. Michael Wetter, PsyD, FAPA, a clinical psychologist with a private practice in Los Angeles and the director of psychology at UCLA Medical Centers division of adolescent and young adult medicine. It really depends on the number of stressors playing out in their life, the resources available to them to help manage those stressors, and the capacity to engage in appropriate self-care.

There has perhaps been no greater stressor than that of the COVID-19 pandemic. It has resulted in economic, health, political, and family-based stressors to almost everyone, Wetter said.

Its not simply that people are making more decisions. Its also that those decisions are resting on more uncertainty with more impactful consequences.

These days, those formerly uneventful decisions can include whether to go to the grocery store or attend a holiday party.

Making decisions that are based on rapidly shifting data sets, information that keeps changing, and the unpredictability of the nature of the pandemic has most certainly exacerbated peoples difficulty in making fluent and confident decisions, Wetter told Healthline.

Decision fatigue doesnt just complicate making decisions, but also making good ones.

Its very similar to the physical fatigue experienced after a long workout, said Dr. Rashmi Parmar, a child, adolescent, and adult psychiatrist with Community Psychiatry, a California outpatient mental health organization. Once it sets in, your brain will try to compensate by looking for a shortcut, either by making a hasty or impulsive choice or avoiding a choice altogether.

Those choices can have significant effects.

A 2011 study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences reported that judges rates of favorable rulings dropped from around 65 percent to near 0 in court sessions preceding a lunch break. Then after lunch, it jumped back up to around 65 percent, and fell again by the end of the day.

In prepandemic life, most people dont have to make as many consequential decisions as a judge might on a daily basis, but the circumstances of COVID-19 have changed that.

A seemingly ordinary day in your life today requires you to make a series of decisions with every passing minute, Parmar told Healthline. With the uncertainty and chaos that set in earlier this year with the COVID-19 pandemic, people have been forced to make additional choices about their lifestyle and safety, which has added to the dilemma of decision fatigue.

She said, this has led to mental burnout earlier than anticipated in the day, further causing reduced functioning at work/home. Peoples overall stress levels have skyrocketed, leading to worsening mental health problems.

Among those worsening health problems are adjustment disorders, which are similar to symptoms of depression and anxiety but directly caused by having trouble adjusting to a new situation.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, nearly everyone had to adjust to a jarring new normal relatively quickly, leading to a kind of mental whiplash.

There were lots of adjustment disorders caused by the inconveniences and added stress of being under a kind of house arrest, said Charles Figley, PhD, founder of the Traumatology Institute at Tulane University in New Orleans and a professor in their School of Social Work. Stress is our signal to pay attention.

The condition is a preventable and treatable syndrome, fortunately, Figley told Healthline.

If youre feeling particularly anxious from the sudden shift, Figley said, you may talk with your doctor or a mental health professional.

Figley recommends following these steps to reduce decision fatigue and lessen adjustment disorders:

And if youre working from home, make sure to take breaks between meetings to clear your head.

Virtual calls and pandemic restrictions have altered some of our movement habits, Alison Henderson, a certified movement pattern analyst, told Healthline.

At the simplest level, we arent giving our brains the chance to task transition between meetings when we would usually move from office to office, she said. Our brains take that physical transition to clear thoughts from one meeting and begin to focus on the next. With stacked virtual meetings, we are ending one and starting the next with no physical transition for brains, and decision fatigue can set in.

Henderson suggests remote workers to walk around their house for a couple of minutes between meetings. This would help counter decision fatigue.

Change a load of laundry. Walk the dog. Run up and down the stairs a couple of times, she said.

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COVID-19 Decision Fatigue: What It Is and How to Deal With It - Healthline

SOLON, Ohio -- As a trauma survivor who has battled self-esteem issues much of her life, Deborah Hallal Bradt has found that writing poetry has helped with her emotional health.

Now Bradt, of Solon, is sharing poems she has written over the past 40 years in an effort to help others who have struggled as she once did to know that they are not alone.

Her first book, Lay Me Down Among the Words: A Poetry Collection by a Trauma Survivor Whose Inner Voice Saved Her Life, was published in July.

The inner voice inside me kept saying, You can do this, Bradt said.

In my head there were two voices -- one telling me I was worthless and was never going to amount to anything, and the other voice was my connection to God and family and saying, Youre needed on this planet.

Because of the poems, I was able to take that positive voice and channel it into these words. When I would read these poems, I would feel my depression start to lift, because these poems are so close to my heart. Its about the authenticity.

Bradt said her poems are all about being real and authentic and loving yourself, even if you feel no one else does.

My poems are a way of processing my grief over things that have happened in my life, she said. I could read the poem and somehow feel a little more resilient, that I was loved and worthy and going to make it through.

Many of the poems were written in difficult moments. I felt that if I could share them, maybe I could inspire people to save their lives.

Bradt said the fact that the suicide rate is increasing -- and her belief that everybody deserves to have an amazing life -- also motivated her to publish the book.

If this book gives even one person a little bit of hope to love themselves in a new way, then it will have been worth it, she said.

The 97-page book also includes a few essays and some of her artwork, but its 85 percent poetry, Bradt said.

It was published by Balboa Press, a division of Hay House. Based in Bloomington, Ind., Balboa Press is a self-publishing company that specializes in self-help books with a positive message, according to its website.

The cover was designed by Andrew Sykaluk, a local graphic designer.

I worked on these poems a very long time, Bradt said. Im 48, and I have written poems (almost) every year of my life.

Because Im a writer and never published before, theyre from the last 40 years of my life, but most are from 1995 to the present.

Noting that her poems share a theme of resilience and unity and send out a message of hope, Bradt said it was important to her to have the book published in 2020.

I was hoping some readers would find it comforting in the midst of a pandemic, she said.

Nobody deserves to be bullied

A Cleveland native, Bradt grew up in Central Florida. Her parents divorced when she was 3. She is a rape survivor who has struggled with prejudice, bullying, depression, anorexia and chronic pain through much of her life.

Im Lebanese, and I was bullied very much and teased a lot when I was younger, she said. Nobody deserves to be bullied.

Bradt admitted that she was close to suicide a couple times.

In college, I had a terrible bout of anorexia and was very close to suicide; that was very difficult to get through, she said. I dont think I would have gotten through it if not for my faith and my writing.

They actually go together, and the writing seems to bring me closer to my source.

Bradt earned a bachelors degree in communications from Florida State University in Tallahassee. Her minor was writing, with a concentration in poetry.

In addition to writing poetry, Solon resident Deborah Hallal Bradt says painting helps her to process her emotions. One of her paintings is seen here in the background. (Photo courtesy of Deborah Hallal Bradt)

She said the title of her book was inspired by her final project in college, Lay Me Down Among the Words.

It was always my dream to make it into a book, she said. The first section of the book is almost entirely from that final project in college.

Every poem in the book is dedicated to someone or a group, Bradt said, including her son, Henry, 13. She said family is very important to her.

Bradt and her husband, Bill, an architect, moved to Solon from Cleveland Heights 7 years ago primarily so that Henry could attend Solon City Schools, she said. He is an eighth-grader at Solon Middle School.

Being a mother is the best job I have ever had, and I thank God every day for my precious son, Henry, she said. He is the most important person to me and closest to my heart.

Bradt, who was diagnosed with fibromyalgia about five years ago, said she has a special interest in those affected by chronic health conditions. But she added that her book was designed to reach a wide array of readers.

I tried my best to make (the book) a variety of poems that could touch peoples hearts and lives and spirits, she said. Families could read it together.

When you read something that touches your soul, it can change your life. I tried to put in there poems that could help shift peoples perceptions of themselves and see their world in a new way, because thats what the writing does for me.

One poem in the book, titled Can We Rise Up?, is dedicated to George Floyd, the Black man who was killed after a white police officer knelt on his neck for more than eight minutes on Memorial Day in Minneapolis. The incident triggered a series of protests against police brutality across the country.

Its the last poem in the book and probably one of the most important poems Ive ever written, said Bradt, a social activist. When I wrote it, I literally had tears running down my face.

Its about how we need to rise above all that gets in the way of loving each other and find a way back to connecting. Theres just no reason to have violence, hatred or racism.

Bradt, who said she has a passion for teaching and the healing arts, is a registered yoga teacher who specializes in therapeutic yoga. She taught yoga for about 18 years and hopes to resume doing that in 2021.

A member of Church of the Resurrection, a Catholic church in Solon, Bradt is already focused on her next book, a memoir and self-help book that will feature poetry, as well. She expects that book to be published in early 2021.

While Bradts first book was dedicated to her father, David W. Hallal, who died in 2004, she wants to dedicate the second book to her stepfather, Martin Michael Gaydan, who died in July.

Lay Me Down Among the Words is available through Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Balboa Press. It retails for $11.99 for the soft-cover edition, $28.95 for the hardcover book and $3.99 for the e-book.

Bradt said some proceeds from sales of the book will be donated to the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance, the Happy Buddha Precious Temple and Tian Ran Temple in Cleveland.

For more information about Bradt, visit her website, flyfreehealing.com.

Read more from the Chagrin Solon Sun.

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Solon author hopes poetry book will inspire others to love themselves - cleveland.com

Sacramento Self-Help Housing (SSHH) is proud to present the 3rd Annual Housewarming for the Unhoused winter donation drive-thru at the Cal Expo main gate loop on Saturday, December 12, 2020, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. The donation drive is presented by Sacramento County Board of Supervisors Sue Frost (District 4) and supported by ABC10, Mayor Darrell Steinberg, Sacramento City Councilmember Eric Guerra (District 6), Sacramento City Councilmember Vice Mayor Jeff Harris (District 3) and Sacramento Self-Help Housing Staff Member Ken Bennett.

To make it as safe and easy as possible for the community to participate, SSHH staff and dedicated volunteers will be on-hand to collect linens (such as blankets, single and double bed sheets and towels), small appliances (such as microwaves, toasters and coffee makers) and kitchenware to be distributed to hundreds of recently homeless individuals in Sacramento County.

Sacramento Self-Help Housing is a non-profit 501(c)3 agency dedicated to assist those who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless to find and retain stable and affordable housing, which is more critical than ever during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Sacramento Self-Help Housing organization is a leader in the housing first model of homelessness response by providing shared housing. Sacramento Self-Help Housing is partnering with Sacramento County Department of Human Assistance, the City of Sacramento and the Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency to move people off the streets or emergency shelters into permanent housing. SSHH also provides homeless outreach navigation in locations throughout the Sacramento area, and a Renters Helpline which includes the regions fair housing enforcement program to address illegal fair housing discrimination.

The Housewarming for the Unhoused needs list includes the following (new or gently used items only please):

Each donation, big or small, will go directly to furnishing a home for a recently homeless individual or family in our community. For more information about Sacramento Self-Help Housing, please call 916-341-0593 or visit http://www.sacselfhelp.org.

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Sac Self-Help Housing Invites the Community to Donate Items to Housewarming for the Unhoused Drive-Thru - The Sacramento Press

Traditions and gatherings look very different for many people this holiday season because of COVID-19.But a local nonprofit is working to make sure every Lowcountry family has a meal on the table this Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is such a meaningful holiday for so many. Its about family, its about coming together," says Kimberly Hall, Executive Director of Bluffton Self Help.This Thanksgiving, Bluffton Self Help is seeing an increase in clients like never before because of the COVID-19 pandemic.The need continues to rise right here in our community, and people that are coming through that have never really asked for help before, were here to serve them," says Hall.This week their volunteers hosted two drive-thru Thanksgiving meal giveaways making sure every family drives away with a turkey, potatoes and stuffing.All the food was donated by the community.In total, the nonprofit was able to serve 400 families.Providing this food is more than just putting food on the table, its really giving that sense of community, that sense of support," Hall says.Bluffton Self Help serves those who live and work in Bluffton, and the nonprofit encourages anyone in need to give them a call.We want to continue to make sure nobody in our community goes hungry or homeless and well be there for them," Hall adds. Bluffton Self Help will host more holiday food distributions and a toy drive next month.If youd like to donate or volunteer, click here.

Traditions and gatherings look very different for many people this holiday season because of COVID-19.

But a local nonprofit is working to make sure every Lowcountry family has a meal on the table this Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving is such a meaningful holiday for so many. Its about family, its about coming together," says Kimberly Hall, Executive Director of Bluffton Self Help.

This Thanksgiving, Bluffton Self Help is seeing an increase in clients like never before because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The need continues to rise right here in our community, and people that are coming through that have never really asked for help before, were here to serve them," says Hall.

This week their volunteers hosted two drive-thru Thanksgiving meal giveaways making sure every family drives away with a turkey, potatoes and stuffing.

All the food was donated by the community.

In total, the nonprofit was able to serve 400 families.

Providing this food is more than just putting food on the table, its really giving that sense of community, that sense of support," Hall says.

Bluffton Self Help serves those who live and work in Bluffton, and the nonprofit encourages anyone in need to give them a call.

We want to continue to make sure nobody in our community goes hungry or homeless and well be there for them," Hall adds.

Bluffton Self Help will host more holiday food distributions and a toy drive next month.

If youd like to donate or volunteer, click here.

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Bluffton Self Helps gives 400 families a Thanksgiving dinner thanks to generous community donations - WJCL News