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WHAT IS HAPPINESS?

The definition of happiness is the state of being happy.  It is one of our many emotions. As any emotion, we all have varying definitions to how we feel and what our emotions personally mean to us.  Society puts so much pressure on us to be “happy”, but since it is an emotion, one cannot simply flip a switch and be happy.  An emotion comes and goes, such as anger, sadness, joy, or frustration. We may not have the choice to disregard negative emotions, however we do have the choice to control how these emotions make us react or behave.

Everything has an opposite effect.  We can’t find happiness with out knowing sadness and vice versa.  Happiness isn’t a state of bliss, it’s simply an emotion.  We won’t feel it forever, nor will we feel sadness or anger forever; if we understand this, we won’t be so disappointed with the fading of a happy emotion.  Yes, it was wonderful in the moment, but it WILL return.

We all have our own idea of what happiness means to us.  We may think we are happy when we have a lot of people around us, we think money will make us happy, perhaps a certain person makes us happy, or happiness can be as simple as the sweet fragrance of a flower.  Happiness comes from within you and if you are searching for happiness externally, such as solely from another person or environment, then we will always be disappointed.  It’s not an external feeling, that’s why it’s called an emotion, because it comes from within YOU.

Perhaps you feel broken and feel as if you will never be happy again; this is where you need to believe in yourself and take life day by day… maybe that’s being too optimistic, for now let’s just take it moment by moment. There’s always hope for the future- you don’t know what it holds!

The Jewels’ Angels Foundation would like to wish everyone the happiest holiday season and a very peaceful New Years!

We would also like to thank all those who helped to make Santa’s Angels a success this year, bringing over $500 dollars worth of gifts to the Corona-Norco Rescue Mission.  Our goal was to bring joy into those lives needing a little help during this time of year and together we made it happen.

Peace and love throughout the year and always remember, you are not alone in this journey called life.

The Jewels’ Angels Foundation believes in giving back to our community.  This December we will be delivering, donated items, to the Norco-Corona Rescue Mission (Women’s / Children’s Shelter), in the hopes of making this holiday season a little bit more special for families in need.

We will be delivering items to the shelter on Friday December 21st – boy / girl, unwrapped gift for the ages between 1 – 14 years old.  Attached is a Wish List from the children; however, anything is greatly appreciated and as always, thank you:

Age 1:

Footed pajamas size 18 months

TJ Maxx Gift Card

Age 3:

Vans’ shoes size 8.5 -9

Gift Card

Stuffed animal that’s says “Prayers

Age 7:

Faith-based movies

Sweats & hoodie, size 8 girls

Age 10:

Nike shoes, size 7 girls

Soft pillow

Insect cage

Bike Helmet, boy

Age 11:

New shoes, size 6 girls

Watch

Scooter

Electric car

Age 12:

Black FitBit

Skateboard (big one)

Vans Backpack

Roller skates, size 9 women

Age 14:

Gift card or Starbucks’ Gift card

Shoes, size 9 boys

 

Please e-mail us or call for pick-up / drop off arrangement or drop off at the shelter:

(951) 393-0375

Jayne’s e-mail address

Paxton’s e-mail address

Mindfulness is the act of enjoying your present moment – really thinking about, remembering, and taking in your current surroundings; such as, feelings, smells, sounds, moments. A lot of the time our minds wander; we may think about what we have to get done during the week or upcoming plans in the next month. These thoughts are okay, but it takes away from our current moment. Mindfulness, really taking in what we are doing/what is going on in our present time, helps ground us and encourages us to be grateful for the little things.

I know- it’s easier said than done. But staying mindful, and keeping a positive mindset is an important key to leading a happy life. Mental illness IS real, and a struggle many people deal with daily in their lives. Keeping a positive mindset won’t cure your mental illness, but it is a good tip to remember to help brighten up a dark day or to bring some perspective into your life on what you are grateful for. Constantly thinking negatively does greatly affect ones mood- the mind is a powerful being! The more negative thoughts you think, the more you will start to believe them.

Positivity is a powerful, and easy tool you can use throughout your day. It doesn’t hurt to try!

 

We will be participating on Saturday November 10, 2018, in the Upland (Inland Empire) Out of the Darkness Community Walk.

Why do we walk?  After losing Jewels to suicide in 2016 we had to do something.  We started The Jewels’ Angels Foundation in memory to her and others struggling with teen depression and suicidal thoughts.

We also walk for those of us who have survived a loved one lost to suicide.  Jewels was only fourteen-years old, but yet she was the kindest and oldest soul we’ve ever known.  This is what SHE would have wanted us to do, so please donate or come out and support us as we walk in Upland, or you may even join our TEAM.

We’ve provide the website link below:

Team – The Jewels’ Angels Foundation Out of the Darkness Community Walk

And thank you and always remember…You are not alone and you matter!

Click on the link above to donate towards our goal of raising $1,000 for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention research for suicide prevention, join our team, or you may contact me us:   jwilkinson@jewelsangels.org

Social anxiety affects more people in the United States than most are aware. Being nervous around large crowds of people or speaking in front of others are concepts that can be thought of as pretty normal. However, there is a difference between social anxiety and specific social anxiety.

Specific social anxiety can be the fear of public speaking, or the fear of not being prepared for a specific task/activity. Social anxiety is different because it involves fears that are not common to most people; such as, the fear of being introduced to strangers or fearing any kinds of social gatherings.

Having to perform these tasks with social anxiety can be stressful, and can lead to feelings of inadequacy, inferiority, and even depression. Often times these people are forced to do these tasks that causes them social anxiety because they are a part of everyday life. These fears may seem irrational, and the people with this disorder usually know this. However, knowing something and feeling something are two completely different concepts. While these people know these fears are irrational, they still experience the physical reactions from these fears such as sweating or a shaky voice.

Luckily, there is a way for one’s social anxiety to be distinguished. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) works to “rewire” the brain passage ways and allow people to form new ways of thinking about their social anxieties. With lots of time, therapy (CBT), and consistency, most social anxieties may be cured.

Another important aspect for treatment is the setting of the therapy. It needs to be a welcoming and non-judgmental place in order for someone to be able to share their fears and their negative thoughts to their therapist without feeling like they are being judged for being irrational. Especially since people with social anxiety are sensitive to what others think about them, this is a very important aspect in treatment to consider.

If you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 and remember you are not alone!

I want to thank everyone who donated and participated in volunteering for the Arcata Walk out of the Darkness, for the American Foundation of Suicide Prevention.

We WILL stop the stigma about suicide and mental illness, by spreading awareness and educating about prevention for teens and all those effected by suicide.

September is National Suicide Prevention Month.  To honor this life-changing cause, The Jewels’ Angels Foundation will be attending the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP), Out Of The Darkness Community Walk.

Event Details

Walk Date: 09/09/2018
Walk Location: Arcata Plaza – Arcata, CA
Check-in/Registration Time: 09/09/2018 at 9:00 am
Walk Begins: 10:00 am
Walk Ends: 12:30 pm

You only have one week left to sponsor our team, The Jewels’ Angels Foundation.  Anyone who knows us has been effected by suicide, so please donate today to help us achieve our goal to raise $1,000 for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, educating and funding research projects for suicide awareness and prevention.

The donation link has been provided and thank you; we couldn’t do this without YOU:

DONATION

A lot of effort and time goes into preventative practices relating to physical diseases and ailments. What if we could give the same amount of resources to studying and preventing mental illness? In one study, researchers found that people with substance-abuse disorders had a delayed response time to a certain stimulus. As seen in the image of the brain, this shows up as less activity in the cortical regions than someone without a substance-abuse disorder would have (Kellogg, 21). This powerful study shows us that the brain make-up may give us some insight on the differences in people who have a substance abuse disorder vs. those who do not.
In a way, knowing this information can be used as a preventative tool against substance-abuse disorders. If every person at a certain age was given the option for a brain scan (MRI or EEG) to determine this brain difference, they could be given vital information about themselves. Their doctor could inform them that they do or do not have a predisposition to be more sensitive to substance-abuse disorders.
This is an important topic related to mental illness, because a substance-abuse disorder is considered a mental illness. Also, people with substance-abuse disorders are likely to have a comorbid disorder, such as anxiety, depression, or bipolar just to name a few. So, if we are able to pre-detect substance-abuse disorder possibilities, we may potentially be able to detect other mental illnesses through research studies and brain scans.
Having a substance-abuse disorder may coincide with feelings of worthlessness, low self-esteem, and isolation. Knowing that you were predisposed by your brain chemistry to have a substance-abuse disorder may provide tactical insight as to why you have a substance-abuse disorder. For some, hopefully, these negative feelings can be accounted for in the sense that there is more to the reason they became addicted to drugs than to some negative self-concepts or behaviors.

SOCIAL MEDIA

We, The Jewels’ Angels Foundation, have spoken on the topic of social media before, but this article is from a different perspective.

We have become a society obsessed with our smartphones.  Our phones are either in our hands or nearby for an immediate response to a text message, e-mail, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or Snapchat.  I am sure there are others, but as a mother without teens in the home, it is hard to keep up.  It has become our sense of security. I’ll admit, I am just as guilty as the next person, but it makes me wonder what the effects will be or have become to us.

In today’s times, we hear a lot more talk about mental health, such as, depression, anxiety, and bi-polar.  Are mental health disorders more prominent in our culture now or is it just more spoken about amongst us?  I believe the later.

We have come a long way with our understanding about mental illness and mental health, but we still have a very long way to go.  My question is, if the numbers on the cases of mental illness has not increased, but has always been relevant, then why are we seeing more suicidal deaths, especially in our teens?

Our space has become so compacted that our children and teens do not have places to run, free of harm, and explore the world through their young, innocent minds.  Now their minds are filled with technology  and a new way of expression, some of it is harmful; however,  some of it is not.  It’s a new exploration, filled with new experiences and learning new ways to cope and communicate.  It’s a growing curve, one where we as parents may feel isolated, but need to get connected at the same time, so we can better understand this new form of communication with and through our youth.  And at the same time, we must provide positive resources for them to overcome the technological changes, by providing them with parks, swings, jungle gyms, exercise yards, teen mentor programs, pets that they can learn to take care of and love, and human connections.

It makes me sad, as a mother and as a member of our community, but as parents, we have the power to monitor their time spent on their smartphones and time spent in their rooms.  We need to be providing healthy outdoor activities and family time on a regular basis.  Another issue is our schools.  Don’t take away their recess time and physical education classes.  Make this time spent in a positive and fun way so it doesn’t feel like a punishment, but a time to have fun and be free and silly and just to be a kid, while they still are kids.  They have plenty enough time to be little adults, preparing for their futures, but for now…