SPRING FORWARD Mental Health: Written by: Caleb Thomas, M.A. LMHC Happy April to our Urban Experience Readers! Can you believe we have passed the first quarter of the year? I am so excited to be a part of this great team that helps provide such powerful and informative information to the community. I want to give a “Great Big Shout Out” to Dwana for receiving the prestigious award as Runner-up in this year’s 2024 FuseDSM award. It has been a blessing to write for this magazine and I want to thank all the contributors, we are a team which makes The Urban Experience magazine a success. Most importantly, there would not be a magazine if there were no readers, so I want to personally thank all of you who read the magazine. Please continue to like and share this magazine with your friends, family, employers, and co-workers. We can also take delight in daylight savings time, it’s nice to see sunlight past 5pm. I think we all can use a little more sunlight; it does wonders for our mental health. That little bit of extra sunlight gives us a boost. We look and feel better, we tend to look through lenses that help us take stock of what our true meaning and purpose in life is all about. In this magazine we cover important and relevant topics to help our readers become “the best you”, God has created you to be. The first key point I want to talk to you about is balance. As a Mental Health Counselor, I realize I must have a healthy balance. I’ll use myself as an example; balance for me is having God in my life which means spending time with Him by getting into His word and hearing His voice. This enables me to go out and do the work of the ministry He has called me to do, which includes witnessing and telling people that Jesus loves them and Jesus saves. For you it may be going out and volunteering in the community etc. I encourage individuals to do something they enjoy or always wanted to do but have no time to do it, living a very busy life. Making time for yourself is very important. Staying healthy is important this can include working out a couple of times a week, doing a few laps around the block, gardening is another good work out, plus you have the enjoyment of seeing your garden grow with vegetables or flowers. You can get involved in your neighborhood planning for summer events. Stay active, go swimming, go golfing or learn how to golf. Don’t neglect yourself as you may tend to take care of everyone else. As you spring ahead, it’s important to socialize, why because God didn’t make us an island to ourselves, He created us to live in a community with others. I encourage people to get involved with a church they feel comfortable with. The Bible tells us in Hebrews 10:25 Nor forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner
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