HEALTH & WELLNESS
Happy holidays!
(An order, not a suggestion)
Maybe it’s just me getting old or hearing too
much sadness for too long, but this year it feels
like a stretch to get into the “holiday spirit.” While
the rest of the world seems to be focused on vaca-
tion time and holiday parties, my mind is on the
spike in suicides or increase in crime rates that
burden our New Jersey law enforcement. Loving
Christmas and the New Year since I was a little
CHERIE
CASTELLANO girl, I am determined to force the spirit.
I find the idea of giving is the best medicine for
Cop2Cop
the holiday blues. Being a “Secret Santa” to a fam-
ily in need, helping disabled kids or the elderly or simply for-
giving those I struggle with breeds the spirit of the holidays for
me and those around me. As a law enforcement family, cops,
spouses and kids will all hope for some peace this holiday sea-
son — both in the community and in our homes.
Another gift we can give ourselves is the gift of reflection, to
ensure that we are self-aware, a key to resilience according to
recent studies. The holidays are a time to decompress, reeval-
uate where you are in life, and cultivate your relationships, es-
pecially with family. Take the necessary steps to put your own
sanity and mental well-being first before taking care of others.
(PsychCentral2017)
Don’t compare yourself to others. Your life is unique, so
don’t measure your own worth by comparing yourself to those
around you. Even regarding yourself as better than your peers
is detrimental to your happiness, as you’re fostering judg-
mental feelings towards others and an unhealthy sense of su-
periority. Measure your own success based on your progress
alone, not that of others. Engaging in upward and downward
social comparison on either end of the spectrum is not an op-
tion to enhance your self-esteem, because it will backfire on
you.
Surround yourself with positive people. The saying “mis-
ery loves company” is entirely trite, but nonetheless true.
That’s why you need to choose friends who are optimistic and
happy themselves, as you will be surrounded with positive
energy. It is this type of energy that will bounce directly off
you. Toxic negative people will leave you feeling drained and
hollow, and physically/emotionally/mentally unable to move.
These people are called emotional vampires, so try to steer
clear of them. If that’s not a realistic option, at least limit your
interactions with them if you can.
Realize that you don’t need others’ approval. It’s important