Happy New Year! Each New Year brings a sense of hope, expectation, dread, fear, and even anxiety. In our efforts to cope with these various emotions, we may create resolutions and intentions as an insurance policy for the upcoming year. We may construct grand intentions often neglecting and negating the small beginnings to obtain our goals. We may adopt the mentality that big is always better and small is insignificant. However, small beginnings can be just as important, valuable, and meaningful. www.talkingwithdrtoy.com

"The personal is political." Where you live and how you live is informed by politics. We live in this world and have a responsibility to friends, families, neighbors, and our ancestors. We are not above politics because we're steeped in it. If you've tuned out, please tune back in and do your due diligence to learn about the issues and the candidates. Then take action to ensure that your vote becomes your voice. Then go one step further to ensure someone else takes that same action. www.talkingwithdrtoy.com

Many may be feeling intense emotions regarding the 2024 election cycle and as a result, anxiety and worry maybe all too consuming. This presents an opportune time to re-emphasize my mini mental health check-in. The mini mental health check-in consists of four simple questions: How am I really doing, What am I experiencing, How am I experiencing it, and What do I need? These simple questions may provide beneficial insight into what's happening in your system and what is needed to assist in optimal functioning during this season. www.talkingwithdrtoy.com