I have started and stopped writing this post for about six years now.

Frankly speaking, as a Founder and CEO, I really thought that coming out as someone who has battled mental health issues would be viewed as a weakness; a frailty, and that people would think twice about working for and with me.

Depression is a disorder, not a choice. Sadness is temporary, depression is not. Those who battle depression and its closely related cousin anxietyknow all too well that being asked to simply snap out of it only minimizes the severity of mental illness.

I want to share my story because as someone who has come to terms with his condition, and who works every day to manage it through talk therapy, medicine and acupuncture, I feel obligated to help normalize the discussion around this disorder that still lurks in the shadows of our society.

Over the past several years, I have had my fair share of curveballs thrown my way, but those incidents didnt cause my depression. My mind is simply wired differently and, upon reflection, I realize I have battled this illness since I was a young boy.

Related: How Working as a Midwife Helps My Mental Health

Depression is often hopelessness, not just sadness. For those who dont struggle with this, let me try to frame the condition for you. Lets say youre having a bad day. A few things dont go right, a deal goes bust, you get into a fender bender and your child comes home with an attitude. If your mind works the right way, these things will impact you, but you will probably move on relatively quickly, put these thoughts in the rearview mirror and likely never look back.

When you have depression, triggers like this create a sense of hopelessness; a belief that things just wont get better. You are unable to move on from the incidents of the past and instead find yourself in a constant state of reliving the worst, while failing to remember any of the best.

If you also have anxiety, your mind bifurcates into two related patterns. One half focuses on the past and all the negative emotions that come with those experiences, big or small while the other half creates a future based on these negative emotions. You suddenly feel as if the future is written, and its a horror show. You are unable to control events, so you resign yourself to the belief that things just cant get better in fact, they will only get worse.

Related: How a Cutthroat Corporate Job Drove Me to Suicidal Thoughts

These thoughts begin to take over your day, week and month. Soon a few hours of shouting from your depressive and anxiety side becomes an ongoing chorus of noise that barely, if ever, ceases. Like the car alarm that wont turn off, or the drilling outside your window its noise that just will not stop.

Now imagine living every day with a tsunami of negative thoughts rooted in the past and shaping what you think the future holds. There is no escape. You cant make it stop. Its a voracious beast of negativity that feeds on negativity. It is at this point that some find ways to numb the pain and in many cases, this takes the form of alcohol and/or drugs. But heres the worst part the numbing agents only add to the negativity so the cycle picks up steam. Day in and day out, youre caught in a horrific cycle of downward pressure and the negative past fuels the negative future, so you numb yourself more and that only causes more negativity rinse and repeat.

Related: New Study Shows Common Antidepressant Doesn't Work for Depression Like Experts Thought

It is at this point that those without help, support or treatment begin to contemplate ending their life. Its not about being cowardly, its about making the noise stop. Theres a reason why sound torture is such an effective component of psychological warfare.

I wonder at times how loud the noises got inside the heads of people like Colin Kroll, Robin Williams, Anthony Bourdain, Hideki Irabu and so many others who arent famous enough to get a byline or Wikipedia page. It must have been all-consuming.

I have often referred to my depression as my long shadow a hitchhiker that never quite goes away, no matter what angle the sun is at. One day in the not too distant past, I hit another rock bottom, probably my eighth or ninth over the past several years. I cant point to a specific trigger. I didnt lose a big deal, no child was injured, my physical health was fine but thats kind of the point. Triggers dont need to be major, life-changing events. (Thats not saying that major life-changing events arent triggers.)

I believe that when you struggle withdepression, triggers are like the causes of disorder. It can be traumatic, like being exposed to airborne asbestos, or it can come in the most subtle of ways, like touching a door knob or being downwind from a sneeze. While the outcomes may be drastically different, both of these examples result in sickness. The same thing goes for depression. It can be a memory, an email, a commercial all it takes is one moment.

After hitting my last rock bottom, I finally decided to seek help. (Dont get me started on the state of mental health care in this country, for that is an entirely different post.) Fortunately, I had access to health care, health insurance and an incredible family and friend support structure, led of course by my amazingly resilient, herculean and patient wife whose abilities know no bounds. After an initial session, I was quickly deemed as someone in dire need of medicine and talk therapy.

Ever since I began to realize that I had depression, I always had this visceral response to medicine as if it was a weakness, a white flag, a surrender the easy way out. This is the main reason why I chose to self-medicate for years as opposed to seeking professional care, and this is part of the stigma that I hope to break. Everyone reacts differently to medicine and yes, there are people who may turn to it too soon, there are people who might abuse it and there are people who judge others for being on it. But these cannot be the reasons why those in need should shun it. Personally, I like that my doctor pairs medicine with talk therapy because medicine by itself might only address the symptoms, while the therapy helps to address the root cause.

My doctors philosophy is simple: she wants to get her patients in need on and then off medicine as soon as possible.

The only way Ill describe the medicine is with an analogy that my doctor has stolen, with my complete approval. If youve ever taken a child bowling, you know that when its their turn, bumpers come out in the gutters. This is how Ive experienced medication. Its bumpers that prevent me from literally and figuratively ending up in the gutter. Your ball will still roll from side to side and it wont be a strike every time, but youll at least stay in the field of play.

The final piece I want to add is something that occurred more recently while on a few days vacation. I am a very curious person always have been so I wanted to better understand the causes of depression, a journey that I could now take as I was seeing things from a more level-headed approach than I have ever before.

I came across an amazing book by Michael Pollan called How to Change Your Mind: What the New Science of Psychedelics Teaches Us About Consciousness, Dying, Addiction, Depression, and Transcendence. Yes, most people I know who go on vacation bring along a good science fiction book a deep autobiography, a story about magic or mischief. Me, I wanted to dive into the building blocks of the human psyche.

I do not want to spoil what I consider one of the three most impactful books I have ever read in my life, but there is one major takeaway that is relevant to this article. One of the theories/beliefs that has emerged from the modern understanding of psychedelics and depression is that depression is rooted in the minds inability to properly grasp the concept of time.

The book provides better evidence than I can share, but in essence, depression is a condition rooted in the past where an individual is unable to break free from the vicious cycle of reliving unpleasant memories versus just remembering them. Theres a lot more here, so I encourage those who share my curiosity to read Pollans book. Once you understand that depression is related to the brains ability to grasp the concept of time, you can begin to understand it or, at least, have more compassion for those that struggle with it.

So here I stand, or rather sit, at the end of a post that has taken me four plus years to write. I could go on about so much more, including what my triggers are, the types of curveballs Ive been thrown (including some very nasty ones), and the amazing and horrific journeys Ive been on to get to this point but that will take a lot more time and emotional capital to articulate.

For now, I hope that if you are struggling in silence, in the shadows, you know youre not alone. Depression is not a weakness, its a medical condition. And just as you shouldnt be judged for having another type of condition, you shouldnt be judged for having a brain disorder either.

I am fortunate enough to own my own business, so I came out to my company a few weeks ago about my depression. I cant preach the virtues of erasing the stigma if I perpetuate it and, what safer environment can I ask for than one where I have no boss? The response I received was tremendously heartwarming and the few private notes I read made me feel like I made the right decision.

My company has always offered unlimited sick and vacation days and from the beginning, I emphasized the importance of taking mental health days but no one ever took one, including me. Again, I was perpetuating the stigma. So now when I need a day off to rebalance my mind, I will be quite transparent in sharing the reason and hope that a mental health day becomes as acceptable as a traditional sick day.

If this post helps just one person choose to seek help, then I will feel overwhelmed with joy. Youre not alone friends and the sooner we can normalize this disease, the sooner we can improve treatment and give everyone the chance they deserve to live life in peace, free of noise.

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Why I Opened Up to My Employees About My Battle With Depression - Yahoo Lifestyle

Coinciding with the premiere of Under Three Moons, theatre company Box of Tricks have joined forces with a number of charities to deliver a programme of mental health engagement activities across Manchester, Huddersfield and Liverpool.

Working with Mind Manchester and The Samaritans, the programme aims to raiseawareness, engage new audiences and spark conversation about everyday mental health for men.

Under Three Moons tells the story of two men growing together, a relationship thats close but often unarticulated. It shows how the lack of direct expression can become the defining trait in life. The new play explores male friendships, our perception of masculinity and how our attitude towards mens mental health has shifted over the years.

In recent years, a long-overdue conversation about male mental health has been sparked, explains Co-Artistic Director of Box of Tricks, Adam Quayle.

As a society, were finally beginning to recognise that a culture of not talking, of manning up is making men miserable. Suicide is the biggest killer of men under the age of 45. Thats a pretty stark fact.

With that firmly in mind, alongside our tour of Under Three Moons, were delighted to be launching a raft of activities to get people talking and to raise mental health awareness.

Box of Tricks will be running the Under Three Moons Social Club, an informal post-show chat about the play and issues raised.

Alongside voices from local mental health charities, the cast and company will spark a relaxed conversation about everyday mental health in the modern age, the changing face of masculinity and the nature of male friendship. The Social Club is free and everyone is welcome.

The first sessions are:

Under Three Moons will open at The Lowry, Salford from the 24th to 28th September and then tour to Huddersfield, Liverpool, Crewe, Hull, Ormskirk, York, Leeds, Newcastle, Mold and Whitehaven.

For further information on the production and programme of mental health engagement activities visit http://www.boxoftrickstheatre.co.uk.

Link:
Box of Tricks to raise awareness of men's mental health - Entertainment Focus

Theyre gigantic, theyre often defensive, and you wouldnt want to run into them in a zoo after hours. Meet a few of the worlds biggest birds with attitude, from flightless giants to modern-day pterodactyls.

Everyone knows that the ostrich is the worlds biggest bird, weighing an average of 230 pounds and standing 7 feet tall (and some individuals can grow up to 9 feet). They can also chase you down: Ostriches are the fastest species on two legs, with a top speed of about 43 mph. They can maintain a swift 30 mph pace for 10 miles, making them the marathon champs of the avian world.

Often called the most dangerous bird on Earth, in addition to being one of the planets biggest birds, the southern cassowary is roughly 150 pounds of mean. On each foot is a 5-inch claw that cassowaries use to defend themselves. At least two people have been kicked to death by cassowaries, the most recent being a Florida man who unwisely kept one of the birds as a pet.

Like a smaller, shaggier ostrich, the 5- to 6-foot emu is the second-largest bird on Earth (as well as a goofy spokesbird for insurance). During the breeding season, female emus fight enthusiastically over unattached males. But the results of this mating ritual are impressive: clutches of forest-green, oval eggs that resemble giant avocados.

This flightless bird is named for the Titan goddess Rhea, who gave birth to all of the Olympian gods and goddesses in Greek mythology. At up to 5 feet tall and 66 pounds, the greater rhea may not seem like as much of a terror as the ostrich. But it gathers in massive flocks of up to 100 birds during the non-breeding season, so watch out if you happen to be in its South American habitat.

How scary can a pelican be, you ask? When it stands almost 6 feet tall, weighs 33 pounds, and has a wingspan of 9 feetall traits of the Dalmatian pelicanit's pretty petrifying. These scruffy-feathered monsters, native to Europe and Asia, breed in colonies of up to 250 pairs and can gulp impressive mouthfuls of fish in one go.

One of the heaviest flying birds, mute swans look harmless as they glide over ponds, lakes, and rivers. But mute swans are far from silent when defending their families and territory. Male swans warn interlopers that theyre getting too close with a hiss, then can launch a straight-up assault, bashing the intruder with their wings. Theyll even attack kayakers, canoeists, and people just minding their own business.

This freakishly big vulture isnt satisfied with just any carrionit prefers large carcasses like cattle and deer for dinner. Maintaining its average weight of 25 pounds requires a lot of calories, after all. Its wingspan is slightly less than its northern cousin, the California condor, but it still reaches a dramatic 9 to 10 feet.

Another big bird with a 10-foot wingspan, this Old World vulture has excellent vision to spot carrion while it flies, and a featherless head that resists the accumulation of gore when it feeds. Though its intimidating to look at, the cinereous vulture plays an important role in its ecosystem by cleaning up roadkill and other dead animals.

As if its red-tinged wattle, black back, and dagger-esque bill werent alarming enough, the marabou stork is sometimes called the undertaker bird thanks to its Dracula-like appearance. It also eats other birds. The largest verified wingspan on a marabou stork measured 10.5 feet, though unverified reports cited a specimen with 13.3-foot span.

Shoebill storks may not be the tallest, heaviest, or widest-winged birds, but just look at that death stare. On top of having a nutcracker for a face, the 5-foot-tall shoebill leads a fearsome lifestyle. It stands absolutely still for hours to hunt prey, watching for lungfish or baby crocodiles, then spreads its wings and collapses over it while trapping the target in its bill.

Original post:
Photographer Captures Polka-Dotted Zebra Foal in Kenya - Mental Floss

Express News Service

CHENNAI: Most of the physical illnesses have their roots in psychic causes or the psychic factors especially ones negative outlook, negative attitude, negative thinking and erroneous lifestyle. However, this truth still lies hidden from so-called modern humans view that ones outlook, attitudes and lifestyle are determined by the ethical and spiritual aspects of his personality. As a result of this lack of realisation, only a few steps have been taken by the health scientists to give a spiritual touch to the environment in hospitals and a moral and spiritual orientation to the doctors, surgeons and nurses.

There might be some hospitals and institutions that may be training nurses while keeping above-mentioned factors in view, but their numbers are indeed small. A nurse is a unique soul who will pass through our life for a minute and impact it for an eternity. Hence, it is very important for such a person who is responsible to look after a patients well being, to take care of her/his mental as well as spiritual health. Nowadays, many nurses are spiritually inclined and they have those qualities within them, but if the health authorities give this aspect due importance in training, then things would be much better at hospitals.

Each one of us react differently to a situation of stress depending on our values, belief system, weakness and spiritual strength. Therefore, the delicate job of nurses requires that their functioning must have spiritual qualities also. A patient must be free from mental stress and in order to achieve it, he/she must have his/her spirit also healed by receiving spiritual treatment along with medical treatment. By receiving spiritual treatment, he/she would become strong enough to face stress in his/her life without getting affected by tension, trauma or depression.

It should be understood in this context that if a patient gets cured, but does not change his attitude and outlook and gets emotionally disturbed again and again, he/she will then have to be treated again for the same or for a more complicated disease. So, in order to get a lasting cure, the psychological, social and mental aspects of his/her personality have to be attended to, and for that purpose, it is essential that he/she should get spiritual treatment also.

It is high time that health professionals across the globe realise that a comfortable bed and room does not enable a patient to have rest, nor do sedatives or pain killers remove his/her pain for a long period if there is a trauma or a conflict in the patients mind. It is necessary to provide spiritual wisdom that would give him/her peace and emotional stability. There is a power within each one of us, which helps us regain health. This inner power has to be re-awakened because anyone who has lost the will to be well or the will to live cannot survive for long.

Our strong and awakened will can work wonders in matters of health. Positive thinking, positive attitude, faith in the Almighty as well as spiritual meditation can repair what seems to be impossible for medical science. Medicines play their own role, but a persons inner power along with harmony of mind, intellect and emotions enable nature to work its way to good health. Medication removes the barriers and meditation awakens the inner power and helps nature in process of cure. So, let us practise meditation along with medication to achieve fast recovery from all kinds of physical and mental ailments.

Read the original:
Nursing with spirituality - The New Indian Express

Of the extremely athletic cast of Survivor: Island of the Idols, Elizabeth Beisel stands chief among them. The 26-year-old is an Olympic swimmer and two-time medalist, appearing in the past three summer games. She comes to the island at a bit of a crossroads, having retired from the sport and looking for the next career to dive into. Despite her lack of confidence in the future, shes ready to charge into the next 39 days willing to do anything for the gold. After all, swimming with sharks wouldnt be a far cry from her status quo.

Read on for my chat with Elizabeth, and make sure to check in with Parade.com every day for interviews with this seasons contestants and other on-set tidbits. Survivor: Island of the Idols premieres on September 25 with a special 90-minute premiere on CBS.

Tell me about yourself.I was born and raised in Rhode Island, so Im an East Coast girl. I went to three Olympics and have two medals. I was captain of the 2016 Olympic team. Now I do a lot of motivational speaking in clinics throughout the country, teaching. Swimming is the only sport that can save your life. Thats been my mission since I stopped swimming. Im on the Board of Directors with the USA Swimmers Foundation, and our mission is to save lives and build champions.

How did you get into swimming?I grew up in the Ocean State and lived a block away from the beach. My parents were like, Were going to be at the beach all summer; she needs to learn how to swim. That turned into a love for the water, and ten years later, I became an Olympian.

Are there any similarities in the mental preparation between the Olympics and Survivor?Thats what excites me most about Survivor. I havent been challenged since the Olympics with such high pressure and stakes. Going into this game, Im probably the most excited and nervous Ive been since the Olympics. And thats huge to say. This is a completely different beast in itself. When Im swimming at the Olympics, Im fully rested. Im fully fueled. The pool is heated to my liking. Here I am trying to compete with that same physical ability with no food, no sleep, in natures pool. It will be interesting to see if Im the athlete I truly think I am. This is the equalizer.

What prompted you to jump into the Survivor pool?I grew up watching it. The first-ever Survivor winner, Richard Hatch, was from Newport, Rhode Island, about five minutes from where I live. Whenever something in Rhode Island happens, its huge. Because Rhode Island is basically a small family. The entire state gets behind them, and thats what Richard was for us. So I had the chance to do this, and I thought, Yeah, Im going to challenge myself!

Are you going to tell anyone about your Olympic career?No. Unless its brought up in conversation or someone says, Hey, youre a really good swimmer. Did you go to the Olympics? Im not going to lie, but Im not going to offer that information to somebody. Thats how I go about my daily life. I dont go to the grocery store and say, Hey, Im Elizabeth. Youre checking out my groceries. By the way, Im an Olympian. Thats not who I am. I dont think I want to change that just because Im here.

How are you going to adapt coming from such a team environment into a tribe setting?Swimming is an individual sport. But youre on a team, representing the United States of America. You want everyone to do their best, but at the same time, you dont want them to do better than you. Its very similar to Survivor. When Im on a team, Im typically in a leadership role. But that leadership role is not me being a dictator. Its me being a servant to others, making sure they need what they need to be the best. Ill be out there fishing every day if I can get a fish for everybody. Thats the type of leader I want to be. I also want to be able to lift people up. Its going to be extremely hard out there. Were probably all going to hate each other at one point. And Im human; Im going to have those days. But I would rather us all have more good days than bad.

How do you think others will perceive you in this game?Definitely as an athlete and a physical player. But I also have a lot of mental toughness. Im most looking forward to going toe-to-toe with the men. Were in a very physical group. Half of us are probably athletes. One of my favorite things in swimming was keeping the men honest. They hate it when women beat them. (Laughs.) One of the words to describe Survivor is outlast, not outsprint. Im not going to be stronger than them; physiologically that doesnt work. But Im confident I have more endurance than they do.

What line will you not cross morally in the game?I wouldnt want to be completely blindsided. If I had a secret alliance with somebody and we were each others ears, and I walk into Tribal and they knew I was about to get voted out and dont tell me, that would really hurt. At the end of the day, were all humans. When you look someone in the eye and say, Hey, I trust you. Ive got your back and then they dont, it stings. Even if it is a game. Im going to do my best not to do that to somebody, as well as avoid somebody doing that to me.

How much is honesty going to be a part of your game?Im going to try to be Switzerland as much as I can. (Laughs.) I hate confrontation and backstabbing. But unfortunately, thats the premise of this game. Ive obviously going to have to partake in that if I want to make it all the way. Im going to try to stay as loyal as possible to the people in my alliance. Hopefully, I have a strong enough group to bring me to the end. And if I have to jump ship to win, its something Ill have to do. Its wired in my DNA. Im a competitor, and I have to win. I go into everything I do with a winning mindset. I may have to give up my honest, loyal persona to get myself further in the game.

How are you going to utilize your speaking skills from your job in the game?Im not the most argumentative person. But I do feel like Im well-spoken and I can state my case factually. Thats what it comes down to. I want to state all the facts and leave it at that. There will have to be some lying and aspects that Im not a fan of. But its what I signed up for.

What do you desire in an ally?I would love an unlikely pair, working silently with somebody who would be the opposite of me. But outwardly, I would like to be paired with another strong woman. I think two indomitable women leading this game like Wendell and Dom did would be amazing. Were in the world of women being powerful right now, and this would be a true testament to that. It would be an awesome scenario.

Whats your game plan when you touch down on the beach?Im going to sit back and watch, sizing everybody up and getting to know each other. The people who run off immediately put a target on their backs. I will definitely be looking for the idols, but Im going to wait a couple of days.

If you find an idol, are you going to disclose that to anyone?Absolutely not. Ive watched it a lot, and I feel like no matter how tight you think you are, you really cant trust anybody. Im going to keep that as a secret because thats my life in the game. Nobody needs to know about it.

Whats your biggest goal going into the game outside of winning?I dont want to let myself down. I want to push myself to limits Ive never been pushed to, no matter how far that takes me in the game. I want to leave with no regrets. Thats a hard thing to do because this game is so subjective. Its not swimming, where you can say, I have the best time, so Im the best in the world. Case closed. You dont control your fate; other people do. Thats going to be a hard thing for me to grasp. Im used to forming my outcome. If I prepare for a swim meet, Im going to swim well. If I didnt, Im going to swim poorly. I can play the best game of my life in Survivor, and people can still say, Shes a threat, she needs to go.

Do you have any other passions or hobbies outside of swimming?Violin was actually my first love. When I was three years old, I went to a birthday party. There was a violinist there, and I fell in love. My parents got me a violin that Christmas and Ive been playing ever since. I put it to the side while I was training for the Olympics because your body can be at its peak for so long. I can play the violin when Im 90 years old, but I wont be swimming 10,000 meters. It was good to know I had something to fall back on when I was done swimming. Thats one thing a lot of athletes deal with. Its almost PTSD of leaving your sport. You lose identity when you stop your sport, and you have to re-figure out what youre about. The past year has been that for me. Im figuring out what I dont like to figure out what I do like.

So what has that transition process been like?Its hard. I think one of the things thats become more prevalent in swimming is mental health. I was definitely sad after I finished swimming. You lose identity, almost like a death of who you are and who youre known as. Im Elizabeth Beisel the Olympic swimmer. Ill always be an Olympian, but that chapter of my life has closed. Ive done a pretty good job navigating those waters. Nobody can give you a set path to take, and even so, youre on your path alone. Survivor is going to be a great chance for me to disconnect from the world, do some thinking, and figure out what I want to do with my life and where I want to be.

A couple of seasons ago, I remember Chrissy Hoffbeck saying something like, I was so wrapped up in work. I spent no time with my family and didnt put importance on things that are actually important. Now being out here, disconnected, I realize the importance of family, friends, and personal relationships. That will definitely be eye-opening. Youre out here alone. Its desolate, and you dont know these people. All you have time to do is think. Im going to come away with hopefully a clearer mindset as to what I want my life to look like when I get back.

Give me a Survivor winner and non-winner you want to play like.I loved Wendell. He was a physical player but was so quiet in his leadership. I feel like I can relate to him that sense. He was able to do well in the challenges, but still navigate the waters of being a leader. As for a non-winner, I absolutely adore Cirie. Shes so genuine and loyal. Shes a great person to be around, and thats what I want to be. I want to avoid all the drama as much as possible and be a joy around camp. Cirie always had that warm radiant smile that made people feel good. I want to give that same sense to people.

When your tribe visits Tribal Council, would you rather vote for strength or loyalty?Strength, especially premerge. You want to avoid losing challenges as much as possible because thats why you go to Tribal. In my mind, I always want to keep the tribe strong. Im going to be pushing for the strong men and women to get to the merge, and then were all on our own.

Which is more important to your game: Strategy or social?At the end of the day, the social aspect is whats going to get you the vote to win. Its whether people like you. You do need to have a resume, obviously. Im not going to get through the game just with people liking me and not doing anything. Theres a balance. But Im more of a social person than I am strategic.

When youre at your lowest low, whats one memory youll pull from to boost your spirits?Probably how excited I was to have this opportunity. When I got the call saying I was on, it was a happiness I havent felt in a really long time, not since swimming. Im going to recall that happiness and say, Yes, its really hard out here right now. But having the attitude of gratitude is such an important thing. Your mind is going to start playing tricks on you. Youre paranoid, tired, and hungry. It strips you down to who you really are. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that people try to get on for years. And here I am, lucky to be here. Be grateful.

If you could bring one celebrity or fictional character out as your loved one, who would you pick?I love Jennifer Lawrence. I feel like I would be very cool with her. Shes unapologetically herself, and I love that about her. Shed be my top choice.

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Survivor Island of the Idols: Meet Elizabeth Beisel - Parade

The continuation of a yearlong series

When you come right down to it, this could have likely been the greatest sports accomplishment for any Gardner athlete.

The ultimate goal for an athlete is to reach the acme of competition and when that results in an Olympic gold medal, it doesnt get any bigger than that.

Former Greenwood Memorial swimmer and 1999 Gardner High School graduate Samantha Arsenault achieved that moment of glory back in 2000 when she competed in the Sydney Summer Olympics and came home with a gold medal.

Arsenault was a member of the gold medal-winning 4x200-meter freestyle relay team.

A competitive swimmer since she was a youngster, she once recalled looking into the evening sky when she was 8 years old and always making the same wish on the first star she would see each night.

I would always make the same wish, to one day win a gold medal, she said.

However, things were not always rosy for the young swimmer during her high school years.

She was 15 years old and found herself losing interest in the sport while participating for the town team in Peabody, and on the verge of quitting. Her mother, Jeanne, while at the boys high school state meet where Samanthas older brother, Chris, was competing, had a casual conversation with Gardner coach Don Lemieux.

He encouraged her to have Samantha give the Greenwood program a try to see if her attitude to swimming would change it all. As it turned out, it would become the turning point of her life.

It was a big sacrifice, she said, noting how she and her father, Ed, would rise each morning at 3:30 to make the 64-mile one-way trip to Gardner from Peabody.

After a 90-minute practice, she would eat a quick breakfast on the way to Gardner High where she took all honors and Advanced Placement classes.

Then after school it was back to the Greenwood Pool for afternoon practice sessions before the return trip to Peabody for supper, a few hours of studying, and off to bed to resume the same schedule the next day.

It would become her routine for the two years she attended Gardner High, where she graduated as the salutatorian of the Class of 1999 and also helped lead the team to another state championship.

I learned so many life skills swimming in that dungeon of a pool, she said of Greenwood. But swimming became fun for me again and I got the chance to fall in love with the sport all over again.

Her hard work paid off in success as she would eventually have the chance to compete with the same swimmers who were among her idols and whose pictures she had taped to her bedroom walls.

In time, Amanda Beard, Kristy Kowal and Jenny Thompson werent just the photos on her wall they became the swimmers in the next lanes she would be battling with for berths in the National and Olympic qualifying meets.

Eventually, they would become teammates as they represented the United States in the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

I got to compete with them and beat some of them, she said. Just knowing that I was on the same level with them, it just made me want to work even harder.

She explained that in Australia, swimmers are put on a pedestal the way American sports fans put pro baseball and football players.

They are the people who are up on the billboards there, she said. The eight days I spent in Australia for the Olympics was the most fun of my life. It was just so exciting to have that swimming cap on with the U.S. flag, you just cant believe it.

She led off 4x200-meter relay with a 1:59 opening leg, and she recalled never being so ready for a race in her life.

I was very nervous, but at that point I had swam that race so many times in my life I just got into my zone, she said. It was so overwhelming.

After getting the U.S. team off to a great start, fellow relay swimmers Diana Munz, Lindsey Benko and Jenny Thompson brought it home for the gold medal.

I still havent been able to come up with the words to describe it, except that it was pure happiness, she said. I was in shock when the race was over.

She gave credit to her parents, Ed and Jeanne Arsenault, who were always so supportive of everything I did, she said. They had high expectations for me: to be loyal to my team, to attend each practice, to set high academic standards, and to always have my priorities straight.

In addition, she paid tribute to Lemieux, crediting him with helping her reconnect with the sport that she loved so well.

We all knew what he expected of us, and it made us know what to expect of each other, she said. The older kids at the pool always have to set the tone. The great swimmers before us did that, and we knew we had to carry on that tradition and we did it well.

She also admitted that winning the gold medal and the things that happened after that helped her find her eventual career path.

I had thought I would go into medicine, but after winning that gold medal I got a chance to come back to Gardner and speak to a lot of the kids in the schools, show them my gold medal, she recalled.

She noted that trips to Holy Rosary School, to Gardner Middle School and Gardner High School, sharing her experiences with young students really appealed to her.

After her Olympic experience, she attended college at the University of Georgia, where she helped lead the Bulldogs to the NCAA championship in 2005.

In all, it wasnt a bad career for the young swimmer who by the age of 24 had achieved the acme in every level she had competed a high school state championship, the NCAA title and an Olympic gold medal.

And I know none of this would have never happened to me had my mother not talked with Coach Lemieux that day and I decided to come to the Greenwood Pool, she said. I know that was probably the biggest decision to influence my life.

Today, she is Samantha (Arsenault) Livingstone and lives in the western Massachusetts town of Williamstown, where her husband, Rob, is the director of sports performance at Williams College and runs his business, Livingstone Speed Academy.

Samantha has transitioned into a full-time working mother and entrepreneur with four daughters who are all actively involved in various sports.

Kylie is 9 and plays soccer, ice hockey and baseball. Their 6 year old twins Jayden (soccer, ice hockey and baseball) and Mia (soccer, ice hockey, baseball, dance and gymnastics) keep them on the go. Mia underwent serious heart issues in her infancy but now is doing really well, according to her mom.

Their youngest, Reese, is 3 and also does gymnastics and swimming. In fact, all four girls love to swim.

In 2017, Samantha launched Livingstone High Performance and is a high-performance consultant, mental performance coach, speaker and educator. She works with clients all over the country, travels for speaking events, workshops and retreats, and also facilitates two multi-module online courses.

The mission of Livingstone High Performance is to build an empowered village so all athletes feel safe, supported and seen. She speaks and writes about mental health issues, especially depression, anxiety, eating disorders and suicidal ideation because those are part of my story, she explained.

Im forever grateful for the community that is Gardner, she said. When I transferred, I was navigating my way out of the darkness of what I now know was depression and suicidal ideation.

I was leaving a toxic and abusive culture, and even though that bathhouse was tiny, it felt like home, she continued.

And although she is a native of the North Shore community of Peabody, she has always considered Gardner a second home.

I have so many memories and am so grateful for the friendships forged and how much the town and community wrapped their arms around this girl from the North Shore, she said. That small-town love and, honestly, that small-town feeling is a huge reason why were here, raising our girls in this tiny town (of Williamstown) two hours west of the Chair City.

Samantha Arsenault proved to everyone that dreams indeed come true.

That is, if you dare to dream big enough.

Next week: Hurricane takes 180 lives in central Massachusetts (September 1938).

Comments and suggestions can be sent to Mike Richard at mikerichard0725@gmail.com or in writing to Mike Richard, 92 Boardley Road, Sandwich, MA 02563.

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Headlines of the Past - Sept. 20, 2000: Gardner High grad Samantha Arsenault wins Olympic gold - The Gardner News

Back when the Bears traded for Eddy Pineiro on May 6 following that nine-kicker rookie minicamp circus his old kicking coach offered some analysis that now looks particularly prescient.

He. Is. The. Man, kicking coach Brandon Kornblue texted NBC Sports Chicago. He has the mental edge. Not afraid of anything.

I think he is perfect for this situation.

Four months later, Pineiro drilled a game-winning 53-yard field goal against the Denver Broncos. He won the teams kicking competition, then won a game. This is the outcome the Bears hoped theyd realize though all the 43-yard tries and Augusta silences and dealers choices in the spring and summer.

But beyond just making the kick, what stood out is how badly Pineiro wanted the ball on his foot to end the game.

I was praying on the sidelines that I was able to get that moment, Pineiro said. I was like please, God, give me this opportunity, I want to get in this spotlight to make this happen for the team.

Mental edge. Not afraid of anything. Perfect for the situation.

The stakes of Pineiros kick were massive maybe not as dire as John Fox mightve thought given the discouraging track record of teams that begin a season 0-2. The moment was not too big for him, since it was the exact moment he wanted.

I knew I was ready for it, Pineiro said. From all the things that Ive been put through, the Augusta silence, the kickers getting cut left and right, I feel like I was ready for it.

Theres something to be said for a kicker wanting to be in that moment. Its easy to get the impression thats the case with Pineiro; it wouldve been a lot harder to come to that conclusion with Cody Parkey a year ago, even before the double-doink. Parkey missed a game-winning field goal in Week 6 against the Miami Dolphins, then hit the upright four times against the Detroit Lions, and even a week before the playoff game booted a PAT off an upright against the Minnesota Vikings.

The Bears now know they can trust Pineiro in those kind of moments. Because the next time they need a game-winning kick, theyll know their guy is not just confident he can do it. He wants the opportunity to have the ball on his foot with time expiring, and wants it badly.

He definitely craves the pressure, offensive lineman Kyle Long said. And that's something that coach Nagy has talked about for a long time, craving pressure and being in those pressure situations. Weve been there before, now how do we deliver?

Pineiro delivered. And the Bears can count on him to deliver again.

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Eddy Pineiro's mental edge is exactly what the Bears need - NBCSports.com

DHL Express has announced a partnership with Caroline Leon, a pioneering mountain climber who is the first woman to attempt to climb 15 of the highest peaks in the MENA region, totalling around 40,000M in height, in just 30 days.

DHL Express will provide logistics support to Caroline as she travels through the region as well as offer on-ground support in each country.

CEO of DHL Express in the Middle East and North Africa, Nour Suliman commented: We are delighted to support Caroline on this adventure she has incredible grit and passion, and is continuously looking to conquer new frontiers.

Her remarkable strength of character and can-do attitude resonates with our brand values and she is an inspiration to us all at DHL. We send her our best wishes, and we will be providing her all the support she needs.

Caroline Leon said trekking up every peak in the Middle East is a psychological, physical and mental feat she is excited to confront.

After almost a decade of working and living in the region, I have found it to be incredibly intriguing, and I would like to show people its real beauty, she said. I believe we are only bound by the limits we set on ourselves.

In 2015, Caroline survived a life threatening rock-climbing accident, after falling over seven meters from an outdoor climbing wall. It has taken two years of rehabilitation and training for her to be ready for this next challenge.

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DHL teams up with first woman to climb 15 of highest peaks in MENA region in 30 days - Logistics Middle East

Yet despite dismissing that romantic notion, the Iowa-born Californian does admit that being in Mexico for the last five weeks has been something he wont forget.

To fight in Mexico is an honor, it's a new journey, a new experience, and I wanted to fight here, he said. It took Yair a week and a half to sign the contract and I wanted to fight here. I wanted a new challenge, I wanted the new journey, so I embraced it. It's a different journey and I took myself out of my comfort zone and got really uncomfortable and that's where the biggest learning is. It's been amazing out here, I'm surrounded by great people, I'm at high altitude and I'm just embracing it. I'm not comfortable; this isn't my country, this isn't my home, this isn't my regular place to train. There's a lot of differences, a lot of struggles, a lot of different things that I've had to overcome and that's good for the mental game because when I come to the fight, I'm gonna be well prepared.

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Mexico's Unfamiliarity Helps Prepare Stephens - UFC

The NHS Isle of Wight Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), working with the Isle of Wight NHS Trust, have commissioned Isorropia Foundation to provide the new Community Mental Health Wellbeing Service (CMHWS).

Dealing with mental health challenges can be a very personal thing to tackle however it always helps to have support from those who have lived through a similar experience.

Isorropia Foundation, the Islands new mental health service provider, is able to offer a team of staff and volunteers who not only have professional training to support people but crucially also have real experience of what its like to tackle this and navigate through the health and care system.

At the moment the team is working with people who are accessing the Trusts Community Mental Health Service, supporting them to move on in their recovery from mental illness in a community setting with support to live well and independently.

So far the service has seen around 375 people, with more referrals coming in.

Jaime Williams, who has moved over from the Trusts service to Isorropia, explains the life-changing benefits he has gained. He said:

The encouragement and support provided has really helped me move forwards with my life and start making the changes I need to live the life I want.

I feel like I have a place to look forward to going to during the week and I am learning so much about some of my issues and the ways to tackle them.

The professional yet personally relatable staff members are a huge asset. Their attitude, demeanour and professionalism go a long way in providing a safe environment that allows members to tackle their issues and make improvements in their lives.

I always feel supported and safe, even during the challenging moments that come with making progress towards a better life and better wellbeing.

The CMHWS offers wellbeing workshops, which are a range of psycho-education sessions that empower people to take positive steps with their mental health recovery. There are a wide range of sessions covering topics like anxiety management, understanding depression, regulating your mood and food and nutrition.

The service also offers wellbeing recovery planning sessions that help people to identify those areas in their life they need support with and taking small steps to reach their goals.

Ami Cripps, wellbeing centre manager, said:

My experience of going through the mental health system is paramount to the way I am able to support our members. My lived experience has given me insight that is impossible to understand unless you have been there yourself.

Sometimes when people access our service they can be extremely anxious and it can often be helpful to know you are talking to someone who can really empathise and understand you.

A key quality of the team is we are able to inspire new hope and possibilities to our members.

Growth and change is possible and life doesnt have to be defined by your mental health people are so much more than an illness.

After attending the more intensive workshops and wellbeing classes, we are still here to support our members as they transition into the community umbrella of Isorropia.

This service is located at 7 High Street, Newport, along with the Isle of Wight Safe Haven, and bringing them both into the same location is all part of the first steps to transform mental health services on the island.

Alison Smith, managing director of the CCG, said:

We spoke to a lot of people last year, who gave invaluable insight into mental health services, and we know there needs to be major changes in how the services are being provided and delivered.

Good mental health and wellbeing is central to living a healthy, productive and enjoyable life, and this is what we want for the islands population.

The Mental Health Blueprint includes ambitious plans to make these changes happen but it wont all happen overnight.

There is a lot to do and this is an important first step to start us on our transformation journey to provide the best service and support for island residents.

Lesley Stevens, director of mental health and learning disabilities for the Trust, said:

We want to support people with mental health problems to take control of their own lives, and to build meaning and hope.

Organisations across the island are working together to deliver this vision, with a focus on strengthening our community-based mental health services that can help people who need different levels of support this could be activities, education, therapies and advice and support.

This means that those people who do need a higher intensity ofmental health support are able to be seen more quickly and effectively. This is an exciting step into a wider programme of improvement.

The long term vision is that the CMHWS will become a self-referral service.

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NEW COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH TEAM GET TO WORK ON THE ISLE OF WIGHT - Island Echo