Friday Focus: Challenge Yourself

 

Have you ever felt like you were stuck in a rut? Or that your daily activities didn't seem as fulfilling as they once were? That's normal. People grow and change with time. Goals and interests may change along with them.

One way to check in with yourself when you feel stuck or like life has just become too routine is to challenge yourself. Try something new. Push yourself out of your comfort zone. Do something unexpected.💪

Some ways to change yourself include:

* Aim for an extra block when you walk around your neighborhood

* Push yourself to learn something new - a new word or task every day

* Read books you've always wanted to - even ones that are long and daunting

* Try a new hobby

Find what feels good for you. Try out a few different activities and discover what makes you feel the most grounded and connected. Remember, every person is different. What feeds someone else's soul might not feed yours. And that's okay. Focus on your needs and little by little you may start to feel your mind, body, and soul begin to grow.

Thursday Thoughts: Be a Guiding Light for Your Children

 

Childhood is often pictured as happy-go-lucky and carefree, but like adults, children can also feel sad. When children are feeling down, it's important to know how to help them deal with emotions they may not yet know how to navigate. Let them know they are not alone and that everyone feels sad sometimes. This helps validate their emotions and reassures them that sad times are part of life, just as much as happy times.🧒

A great way to encourage children to share what is bothering them can be during playtime with play dough, sand, or water play. They can also draw or paint a picture to describe how they are feeling. These are tactile activities they can do while working out their feelings.✎🖌 Acting out through pretend play is another good way for children to make sense of what is happening in their lives. Practicing calm breathing or taking a walk or run can also help release sadness and stress.😔

Take time to connect with your children. Be their guiding light🌟so your child knows from a young age that they can come to you about anything - without fear of judgment or punishment.

Tips for Starting Prevention Talk with Young Children

 

Parents are the biggest influences in their child's life and honest conversations are powerful ways to connect with your kids and help them develop into healthy adults. But parents may wonder how young is too young to begin the "drug talk"?

Age-appropriate teachable moments come up all the time and at any age to help your child understand risks related to substance use. Even preschoolers can benefit from these natural opportunities for discussion.

It's all about building the foundation for healthy habits. One example is talking about their daily vitamin. Parents can explain how vitamins help your body grow strong, but how it is important to only take what mom or dad give them and how too many vitamins can hurt or make them sick. Another example can be when your child has a cold or flu - this presents an opportunity to explain how medicine can help when you're sick, but only when your parent or doctor gives it to you.😷

All of these scenarios can lay the foundation for teachable prevention moments for preschoolers without overwhelming them with too much information. At this age, it is about learning opportunities - like how to take good care of their bodies by eating right and getting good exercise and sleep.🛌

There are also opportunities to teach them about dangerous cleaning products and chemicals found in homes and why it is important to use them properly but also keep them safely stowed away.🧽

Another great lesson can be learned when you work with your child to find possible solutions to problems because it helps them gain confidence in their own ability to problem-solve and make decisions. These are important building blocks that will help kids through all of their ages and stages of life.

Project Prom Featured on Fox 13 TV News “What’s Right with Tampa Bay”

 

Did you happen to catch Project Prom on Fox 13 TV News "What's Right With Tampa Bay" last week? If not, click on the link below to hear more about InnerAct Alliance and UthMpact's 13-year effort providing prom formal wear and accessories to Polk high school students free of charge in exchange for signing a pledge to celebrate alcohol- and drug-free during prom and graduation seasons this spring!

Lakeland organization giving free prom attire with promise of a drug-free night 13 years & counting

https://www.fox13news.com/news/lakeland-organization-giving-free-prom-attire-promise-drug-free-night-13-years-counting?

In addition to providing formal wear at no charge, our goal is more than fashion. It is our hope to educate teens and families about the dangers of underage substance use, foster sound decision-making, and help create healthy lifelong memories. 

If your teen is still looking for the perfect gown or suit for Prom, there are 3 more Student Shopping Dates on the schedule – Saturdays, March 8, March 29, and April 5, from 11am to 4pm, at the Project Prom Store at Lakeland Square Mall (entrance to the right of Dillards). Bring your Polk High School ID to show, sign the pledge, and take home your formal wear, shoes, and accessories for FREE!

Florida Republicans Sponsoring Marijuana Expansion Bills

 

This morning, ABC News aired a report sharing that some Republican lawmakers are looking to expand access to medicinal marijuana and even recreational marijuana. In the last election, nearly 56% of Floridians voted yes to an amendment to make recreational marijuana legal, but it failed to hit Florida's 60% threshold and wasn't enough to pass.

Groups behind the 2024 amendment are planning to try again in 2026 with a new version that addresses some complaints associated with the old one - smoking in public and packaging appealing to children are prohibited - but that is a year and a half away. However, two new proposals have been filed in both the State House and Senate for the 2025 legislative session, which begins on March 4, that would make big changes to the state's medicinal marijuana program, including expanding the eligible medical conditions and allowing patients to grow their own plants. The House bill goes even further - permitting recreational use. It would allow adults age 21 & up to purchase up to 2 ounces of flower or 5 grams of concentrate.

When it comes to the recreational market, the House bill would move away from the vertical integration model, or "seed to sale" model, currently in place for the medical marijuana industry. Companies wanting to get into the recreational market would be able to choose a cultivator, processor, distributer, or retailer's license and cultivators could not hold any additional licenses. 

Proponents argue that being able to cultivate marijuana at home or cultivate collaboratively or collectively would help control what goes into the plant and what comes out of the plant. They also say it would allow for more companies to enter the marketplace in specialized parts of the industry, claiming it would be good for innovation, good for entrepreneurialism, and ultimately good for the consumer in price and choices.

While Republicans are sponsoring the two measures, it is unclear how much support they have overall.

It is important to stay up to date on this issue so that you are well informed. The following article outlines further information about the new marijuana bills filed for Florida's 2025 legislative session:

https://www.tallahassee.com/story/news/politics/2025/02/18/florida-medical-marijuana-bills-legislature/78381851007/

Try Solo Self-Care This Weekend!

 

Following up on this week's post about self-kindness, our friends at @PositivelyPresent recently shared this colorful graphic depicting some simple self-care ideas that folks can enjoy solo as a special treat to ourselves! Of course, connecting with others is always a great element of self-care, but sometimes having alone time can be the way to go too.

One idea that speaks to me is making a playlist. Music can spark so many feel good emotions!🎵 Having music playing in your headset, earbuds, or throughout your home can even make doing everyday chores more enjoyable and productive. And since it's the weekend, why not tune into your favorite songs while you do the laundry or work in the garden?

It's necessary to integrate self-care practices that make us feel healthier and whole. When you make time to do something positive and uplifting for yourself, even if it's just for an hour or so, it can feed your mind and your soul. YOU are with it! 😊

Catch Project Prom on Tonight’s FOX 13 TV News

 

Project Prom will be highlighted on the news tonight! Tune in to Fox 13 News "What's Right With Tampa Bay" segment on Thursday, February 20 at 6:50 pm to see the segment filmed at the Project Prom Store Grand Opening earlier this month. 

Project Prom coordinator, Samantha Barwig, and members of the UthMpact Polk coalition who help operate the Project Prom Store in Lakeland Square Mall were interviewed about this special effort to provide prom formal wear to local high school students free of charge in exchange for signing a pledge to celebrate alcohol- and drug-free during prom and graduation seasons.

The next Student Shopping Day at the Project Prom Store is this Saturday, February 22, from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm, at the Lakeland Square Mall (use entrance to the right of Dillards).