Spreading a little holiday resilience

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Ariel D. Partlow
  • 47th Flying Training Wing Public Affairs

As we speed through and get closer to the holidays, it’s a good time to start thinking about the techniques for combating the stressors that come along with the holiday season.

Between travel plans, holiday shopping, paying bills and maintaining a life can become overwhelming.

Luckily, Laughlin offers multiple resources to help.

Whether it is job-, financial-, family-related stress or the “holiday blues,” there is always a support agency standing by.

A few examples are the Airman and Family Readiness Center, mental health clinic, the Military Crisis Hotline, the chaplain and the Military Family Life Consultants.

And it doesn’t end there.

Another good resource available is the Wingman Toolkit, an easily accessible source of information used to help Airmen and their families.

According to the Toolkit, it “is a primary outreach and communication tool to [ensure] the total force always has quick and easy access to the latest Air Force Comprehensive Airman Fitness programs and resources. The Toolkit is a total force initiative designed to empower Airmen and their families to live healthier lifestyles both on and off duty.”

The toolkit provides ways to practice resiliency, and it also is available via a mobile application.

While people tend to get caught in the web of stress, it is important for XLers to remember to keep up healthy habits, and most importantly, remember that they are not alone.

“The holiday season can be incredibly joyful, but also incredibly stressful—demands of family, finances, and work all tend to converge at this time of year,” said Capt. (Dr.) Laura Johnson, 47th Medical Operations Squadrons clinical phycologist. “In the military community, we have many resources, both formal and informal, to draw from for support and to build resilience. We encourage all of our personnel to take advantage of these resources.”