A New Year means a fresh set of New Year’s goals, as well as a round of resolutions you may have made for what you wish to accomplish in 2024. Not to mention, the start of the year is a fantastic time a declutter and get organized. That’s why it’s no coincidence that January is Get Organized Month, also known as GO Month.

With health at the forefront of everyone’s mind, it is appropriate to understand the health benefits of getting organized. This month, why not rethink your own home organization, keeping these benefits in mind?

Here’s how getting organized can improve your health:

1. Relieve Stress: Endless clutter can often be a source of stress in your life. With so many external stressors in the world right now, negative feelings can pile up and create emotional turmoil. Getting organized could help lift a weight off your shoulders. By letting go of what you no longer use, you can gain a clear — less stressful — outlook on your home and your life.
2. Increase Productivity: Disorganization can often make you feel unmotivated and unproductive. Clutter can stunt productivity at home and at work. Clearing out what you no longer need can give you the energy to focus on what’s important. If one of your resolutions involves getting back on track, then decluttering and organizing can be a great place to start.
3. Stay Present: Even if you don’t realize it, clutter in your life can cause distractions. As you move through the new year, take a look each day at the things around your home that you really use. When you allow yourself some time for reflection on what you need — or don’t need — you’ll see what you can remove. Letting go of past clutter can help you stay present and set clear intentions for the future.

Once you’re organized, you’ll be in a perfect position to donate what you no longer need to Goodwill. Those items will then be sold to help fund job training and career services for those who are also looking to improve their lives. Not only will your efforts help you be better organized, less stressed and more productive, but they’ll also help someone else in your community do the same.

A little effort can go a long way. Spending just a few minutes each day to get organized will help make your life healthier and happier! January is the perfect month to make it happen. Wishing you a positive, productive and healthy 2024 from all of us at Goodwill.

Human trafficking involves the use of force, fraud, or coercion to obtain some type of labor or commercial sex act. Every year, millions of men, women, and children are trafficked worldwide – including right here in the United States. It can happen in any community and victims can be any age, race, gender, or nationality. Traffickers might use the following methods to lure victims into trafficking situations:

• Violence
• Manipulation
• False promises of well-paying jobs
• Romantic relationships

Language barriers, fear of their traffickers, and/or fear of law enforcement frequently keep victims from seeking help, making human trafficking a hidden crime.

Traffickers look for people who are easy targets for a variety of reasons, including:

• Psychological or emotional vulnerability
• Economic hardship
• Lack of a social safety net
• Natural disasters
• Political instability

The trauma caused by the traffickers can be so great that many may not identify themselves as victims or ask for help, even in highly public settings.

Many myths and misconceptions exist. Recognizing key indicators of human trafficking is the first step in identifying victims and can help save a life. Not all indicators listed are present in every human trafficking situation, and the presence or absence of any of the indicators is not necessarily proof of human trafficking.

The safety of the public as well as the victim is important. Do not attempt to confront a suspected trafficker directly or alert a victim to any suspicions. It is up to law enforcement to investigate suspected cases of human trafficking.

Month

• National Poverty in America Awareness Month
• Get Organized Month
• National Mentoring Month
• National Human Trafficking Month
• National Thank You Month
• Get a Balanced Life Month
• Teen Driving Awareness Month

Week

• 21-27 - National Drugs and Alcohol Month
• 22-26- Data Privacy Week

Day

• 1st- Global Family Day
• 11th- National Human Trafficking Awareness Day
• 15th- Martin Luther King Jr. Day
• 21st- World Religion Day

IMAGINE A WORLD WHERE YOU CAN SUCCEED BY BEING NICE. WHERE WE ALL PAY IT FORWARD. WHERE PEOPLE LOOK OUT FOR EACH OTHER. IT ALL STARTS WITH AN ACT.

My mission is to provide and assist families in finding mental health and community resources in our area. I work closely with our guidance counselors and administrators to raise mental health awareness within our schools, provide mental health support to the entire Makos family, and work to remove the stigma that surrounds mental health within our schools. I am excited to share information and resources to ensure our students have the support necessary to be successful.

OBMHS

23908 Canal Rd. Orange Beach, AL 36561

lrogula@orangebeachboe.org

251-201-9975

Mental Health Services - Orange Beach City Schools