Blogs

In the last Wellness Wednesday, we learned about key motivators for putting mindfulness into practice . This month, we take mindfulness to work, thanks to this submission from  Katherine E. Soule, Ph.D ., Director of University of California Cooperative Extension and Youth, Families, & Communities Advisor in San Luis Obispo & Santa Barbara Counties. With a nearly constant influx of emails, phone calls, text messages, not to mention frequent meetings, many of us feel overwhelmed and that we don’t have enough time to be productive. Incorporating everyday mindfulness strategies into your work routine can increase your concentration, reduce stress, ...

If you’ve attended AAFCS Annual Conferences before, you may be wondering why certain changes were made to the 2019 conference , including using a universal versus a focused theme! In 2017 , AAFCS staff researched trends in the conference industry and examin ed the needs reported by conference attendees and partners . Some of the conference changes will roll out in 2020, but the first and most visible change was the move from a separate theme each year to our signature brand, the AAFCS Annual Conference & Expo!  Reasons for this change include: AAFCS member feedback has indicated that often, FCS professionals are not able to ...

Thanks to  Dr. Kelly Schoonaert , Associate Professor of Health Promotion and Human Development at the University of Wisconsin Stevens Point for this submission.  “Mindfulness” is a buzz word invoked to deal with today’s multi-faceted, fast-paced life that generates seemingly never-ending responsibilities .  But how do you “do” mindfulness so that it is helpful in reducing stress, not just adding one more thing to manage and be aware of?  One way that can help make mindfulness a useful and important practice is to become cognizant of our motivations or reasons for doing something and the choices we make when we decide to take one action instead of another.  ...

Back in elementary school you may have passed a note or just point blank asked someone face to face to be your friend.  Sometimes those friendships provided lifelong companionship while others offered a relationship for maybe only a few days, weeks, or months.  Over the course of one’s life, you probably have learned the value of those childhood friendships. You have learned that friendship provides company, fun adventures, connection, support and some great memories. Today’s U.S. culture makes it hard to develop and maintain friendships due to family and work demands, mobility, technology, and cultural values.  Results from a study conducted and ...

FCS fit Wellness Wednesday: Creative Resolutions for 2019 Whether you're easing quietly into 2019, or tackling it with renewed vigor, the topic of "resolutions" has likely surfaced at your work or among family and friends.  For a creative twist on the topic, this edition pairs AAFCS' core values  with some interesting ideas culled from the web.   AAFCS Core Values affirm our members: #1:  Believe in the family as a fundamental unit of society.   Paired Resolution/Intention: Use rituals to get closer to ones you care about.  (web article) #2: Embrace diversity and value all people. Paired Resolution/Intention: Talk to a stranger ...

Look no further! Take a break from screen time and converse with friends and family with this winning recipe for a device-free dinner

FCS fit Wellness Wednesday: For the Caregivers  Relationships - if we're fortunate - may span many decades of our lives. What this can mean, of course, is that you find yourself in a relationship where you've shifted roles, and you're now one of the millions of Americans who care for a family member, neighbor, or friend. If so, then November is for you -- it's been officially designated National Family Caregivers Month. USDA, National Institute of Food and Agriculture, Family and Consumer Sciences, an Alliance for FCS partner, has curated some helpful resources for those in this role in their October newsletter .  One featured organization ...

We're excited to announce the FCS fit Project Grant application period is open!  Two grants of $500 each are available to AAFCS members (or member-led teams) whose project clearly demonstrates the potential to improve lives in one or more of these FCS fit areas : Physical Well-being  Financial & Resource Well-being  Emotional Health & Relationship Well-being More details: The FCS fit  Project Grant may be awarded to individuals or groups, though the  project leader must be a current AAFCS member (of ANY membership level). Priority will be given to projects that are creative , innovative , collaborative , and replicable ...

NAFCS President, Camelle Kinney, and Marcia Fouraker attended the 109 th Annual Conference & Expo in Atlanta, Georgia, June 24-27, 2018.  The theme was “Cultivating Social and Emotional Competence for Healthy Relationships”. There were multiple opportunities to learn about research, best practices, and resources that support FCS professionals in their careers and personal lives.  There were also lots of networking opportunities to connect or re-connect with people from around the country. Camelle was selected this spring as one of two AAFCS 2018 National Teacher of the Year Merit Finalists.  She was invited to present during the curriculum showcase in ...

Wellness Wednesday:  Conversations Made Easy (or Easier) Fall is officially here, bringing change in the air and quite possibly new people into our lives -- roommates, colleagues, teachers, etc -- and new opportunities to connect on a real level. With the average 18-24 year-old sending and receiving more than 100 texts per day, some experts fear that talking to one another is becoming a relic of the past. Yet, most of us would agree that effective communication is the cornerstone to building healthy relationships. This week as part of our FCS fit Year Three theme, we're sharing 10 basics of good conversation in this TedxTalk from Celeste Headlee ...