AVENUES RECOVERY CENTER’s Post

As I spent this Christmas Eve in the ICU with my team, I’m again reminded of just how fragile and precious life is. The holiday season often brings joy and celebration, but here in the hospital, it’s a different kind of atmosphere—one filled with hope, resilience, and moments of deep humanity. While many are gathered with loved ones around twinkling lights and festive meals, others are fighting battles we can’t always see. Sitting beside patients and their families in these moments has a way of putting everything into perspective. This Christmas, at this very moment, I find myself reflecting not so much on the decorations or presents, but on the things that truly matter: 💙 The Reason—never forget why we celebrate Christmas - Jesus Christ. 💙 Health—something we often take for granted until it’s challenged. 💙 Connection—the power of being there for one another in times of need. 💙 Gratitude—for the chance to make a difference, no matter how small. Working in the ICU is a privilege that humbles me every day. It’s a reminder that the greatest gifts in life aren’t material—they’re the relationships we build, the compassion we share, and the love we give freely. To everyone spending this holiday season in a hospital, whether as a patient, caregiver, or healthcare worker: you are not alone. Your strength and courage are inspiring, and I hope you find moments of peace and warmth amidst the challenges. May we all carry this perspective into the new year and remember what’s truly meaningful. 💖 Wishing you all a holiday season filled with love, kindness, and hope. 🌟 #TheReasonForTheSeason #Christmas #HealthcareHeroes #Gratitude #WhatMattersMost

⁉️ What we're grateful for ⁉️ A great question to ask as we move towards the end of 2024 that has been so challenging for many, from being able to put food on the table to waking up each day to the horrors of war. Being the ripe age of 72 allows me better to reflect on what is happening 'out there' and give immense #gratitude for the opportunities given to me and, at this stage of my life, being able to afford food and shelter. Reading this article caused me to reflect on what I wrote in my book on gratitude in the context of #relationships: ⏸️ Gratitude can be a powerful mood manoeuvre that enhances our relationships. As a #mood, gratitude is a feeling embedded in us. We may express gratitude for being alive as we wake up each morning. Margi Brown Ash and I are regular gratitude-givers to each other and our #children. With all the challenges of living on acreage, we give gratitude for the environment in which we live, the hills, bush, and the sounds of the birds. Role modelling gratitude is a gift we can give our children. This starts with expressing gratitude to our parents and each other while at the same time being open about how we may differ from our parents and each other. ... In our personal and professional lives, we set up events of celebration and gratitude, such as weddings, office drinks, and holidays. We must take care not to let these substitute for what I call ‘conversational celebration’ and ‘conversational gratitude’. These are everyday conversations, often had through #rituals. Other than flowers, rituals Margi and I perform are: ·    offering champagne—or, more correctly, Australian sparkling wine—to each other, a signal for a conversation ·    family meals ·    dating, where Margi and I would go out for dinner or stay overnight at a nearby hotel ·    Margi and I taking time for evening conversations before dinner over wine or after dinner over tea ·    simple acknowledgements such as ‘Good morning’, ‘How are you?’, and ‘Thanks’ ·    a brief call or text during the day of ‘love’, in words or an emoji. ⏸️ How do you see #gratitude in your relationships? 

This Thanksgiving, let’s take a moment to reflect on the power of family and healing. 🧡✨ Family gatherings can bring joy, but they can also resurface old wounds or unspoken tensions. Remember, it’s okay to set boundaries, protect your peace, and focus on connection in ways that feel authentic to you. Thanksgiving isn’t about perfection—it’s about showing up with gratitude for where you are in your healing journey and creating space for love, growth, and understanding. 💬 What’s one thing you’re grateful for this holiday? Share below, and let’s celebrate the small steps toward healing together. Follow @LeidyTherapy for more on navigating family dynamics and finding peace in the journey.

With so much at our fingertips, it's easy to get spoiled and not be grateful. Here are 75 simple things to be grateful for in life. https://lnkd.in/e6xWD3AB

Ever notice how you start collecting things at the end of the year? New wishes Old unfinished goals Tasks that are buried Projects needing attention Too many gatherings on your calendar Resolutions you didn't keep Reflections you should have spent time on Dusty affirmations you could have used Gifts to give or get Weight from all the holiday treats The list goes on. Despite our incessant need to collect stuff or try to turn the old unfinished stuff into shiny gold for the new year... I find that what matters most is how you spend your time in the last few weeks of the year. Even when you didn't get it all right, Reflect on what went well, and what could've been better. Be grateful for what you have, and sometimes what you don't. Try using a different lens, to gain a new perspective. Do things intentionally. Take time to understand who you are, and where you are headed. Appreciate your friends, love and cherish your family. Life is short and time goes fast. If it doesn't serve you anymore, Get rid of it. Spend your energy carefully these next few weeks, Make every moment count. Running a rat race will only win you cheese. What do you want for Christmas? 💠Hi, I'm Angie, your no-frills holistic coach💠 Like creative solutions to common pain points? Ask me what's half off til 12/30

With the Christmas holidays only five weeks away, here is a checklist for Thanksgiving week and the next four weeks to ensure timely completion. Following this checklist allows you to pace yourself and not be so stressed. #checklistfortheholidays

The holidays are about more than fancy gifts—they’re about the love and thought behind them. 💝 Remember: A small, heartfelt gift goes a long way. It’s okay not to feel joyful all the time. Set boundaries to protect your peace. This year is different, and that’s okay. You’re not alone, and brighter days are ahead. Let's move into the new year with hope and compassion, for ourselves and others. What helps you stay grounded during the holidays? #HolidayReminders #SelfCareHolidays #CompassionFirst #BoundariesMatter #YouAreNotAlone #alignedsynergy

I just want you to know that you have permission to feel sad this holiday season. Maybe it’s because everywhere you turn there are proclamations of “the most wonderful time of the year” or “everything is merry and bright,” that leads itself to feeling like an affront when life looks like such a polar opposite. Here’s the truth—hard stuff doesn’t take a break for the holidays. Sickness, strained relationships, stresses and disappointments don’t simply stop because it’s the Christmas season. But thankfully neither does our God. He’s here in our hurts and heartaches. He’s present in our pain and disappointments. He’s close in the circumstances we would have never chosen or even imagined would be ours. And really, isn’t THIS what Christmas is all about? Not tinsel or twinkling lights or even trying to get in all the memories with our family, but simply this—God with us. If you’re going through some hard stuff this holiday season, remember this friend—God is here with you. He isn’t absent in your pain or your problems. He knows and understands everything you’re going through. And that’s exactly why He came—so He could go through it with you. Yes, maybe it won’t feel merry or wonderful, but this is the real hope of Christmas. Have a blessed Christmas week. #mostwonderfultimeoftheyear #christmas #hope #christmasisnear #godishere #godiswithus #christmasweekend

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐮𝐳𝐳 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐭 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤𝐬𝐠𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐃𝐚𝐲 𝐠𝐨𝐭 𝐦𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐟𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐥𝐲. Have you ever wondered why America or Canada has a designated day for Thanksgiving? Curiosity led me to dig a little into its history. Thanksgiving in America dates back to the early 17th century when the Pilgrims held harvest feasts to celebrate their first successful crop. It was a moment to express gratitude for blessings like health, relationships, and personal achievements. I believe this is deserving of a day actually. This reflection made me pause and ask myself: '𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐚𝐦 𝐈 𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐟𝐨𝐫?" 💜 I am grateful for good health, family, and relationships. 💜 I am grateful for my not-so-small wins, moments of strength, guidance, answered prayers, and victories. 💜I am grateful for my LinkedIn community and so much more that I’ve lost count. Now, I’d love to hear from you, forget those goals you have not achieved and answer this question in the comments "What are you grateful for?" 𝐇𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐲 𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐡, 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐞! 💜 Shall we gear up for a 𝐝𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐲 𝐃𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫? 😂😉 ****************************************** 𝐈 𝐚𝐦 Oladayo, 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐂𝐲𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝐋𝐚𝐰𝐲𝐞𝐫. 𝐈 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐢𝐩𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐨𝐫𝐠𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐳𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐂𝐲𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞, 𝐟𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐚 𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐤 𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬. #happynewmonth #December

🌟 Life is so short 🌟 "We spend so much time sweating the small stuff; worrying, complaining, gossiping, comparing, wishing, wanting and waiting for something bigger and better instead of focusing on all the simple blessings that surround us everyday. Life is so fragile and all it takes is a single moment to change everything you take for granted. Focus on what's important and be grateful! You are blessed! Believe it! Live your life and leave no regrets." - Melanie Koulouris This quote by Melanie Koulouris really speaks to me. We often get caught up in small worries and forget to appreciate the good things around us. As a health coach, I remind my clients to enjoy the present moment and be thankful for the simple things. Take a moment today to think about what you’re grateful for. Gratitude can change your outlook and help you live without regrets. What are you grateful for today? Share in the comments!