Simply Katy

It's not difficult to find out what the symptoms of depression are. In high schools, the counselors pass little yes or no surveys that help students identify whether they are depressed. Most kids don't take it seriously. Sadly, the same is true of adults too. So many people live with depression today and do nothing about it. Some people that don't seek help end up doing something very devastating - taking their life. Suicide rates continuously climb. But why do so many refuse to get help for this problem? For some people, the objection is that they don't have insurance or money to get therapy or medication. That's valid to an extent, because you can still try adjusting your budget or changing some things about your lifestyle to make your outlook more positive. But then there are people who actually do have insurance and money. Let's talk about two self-made obstacles. First, having an aversion to medication combined with the belief that that is the only option. Some commercials on television would have you think that 'take these pills' is all you will hear. But medication is not the only or even the best option for most people. However, there are cases where someone actually has a chemical imbalance that would best be addressed by medication. I do agree that medication shouldn't be the first answer but sometimes, if there is a basis for taking it, it can result in a significantly better life with your family and friends.

Another obstacle came up in a conversation a few weeks ago. Someone acknowledged that they had been living with depression and even mentioned that they had been given pills for it by their doctor but didn't want to take them. When asked why he didn't pursue an alternative like talk therapy, he responded that years ago he had talk to a therapist that was judgmental and that 'turned him off' to counseling. My personal opinion is that, if you know there is something you need for your personal well-being, you shouldn't let one or even many foolish people hold you back. Most areas have at least 20 different mental health care providers, usually more. Even if you have had a bad experience in the past, it would not be wise to generalize that to the whole field. Take some time to do phone interviews and find the counselor that is the right fit for you. You many need to pursue even couples or family counseling to really get to the root of the problem. A therapist has the skills and techniques to help you get out of the rut that has you down.

It is becoming more and more important to keep current vehicle in good condition rather than ignoring problems and maintenance only to end up paying the price later. Maintenance is crucial no matter how old or new your vehicle is. Even routine aspects like changing the oil and air filters cannot be disregarded. I know a few people who ended up stuck on the side of the road because they thought they couldn’t spare the few dollars to change their oil but, instead, had to pay even more to have their car repaired. So, what you need is a dependable auto mechanic.

A good mechanic should:

1. Stand behind his work

2. Be available when you’re stranded

3. Be established and experienced

4. Not be constantly up-selling you

In other words, you should be able the same thing this person said about their mechanic:

“I've used Wrights at least 7-8 times, and people I've sent to them several more. Everyone has been very pleased.

Honesty, integrity and fair prices. And unlike many dealers they don't "find" a lot of things needed to increase the sale.”

After investigating this mechanic’s website further I discovered they offer a 12,000 mile guarantee on parts and labor. Wright’s Car Care has been in business since 1953. In addition, they also provide 24 hour towing service. It’s obvious why that person felt that way. I wish you a similar positive experience.

When you go to someone’s house for the first time, what creates that first impression? How it looks from the outside. So, when someone comes to your house for the first time, what is their first impression of your home? Is it neat but bland? Neglected? Or is it colorful, well-planned, and inviting? Do you need some help transforming your garden from bland to beautiful? Just because we’ve reached fall, that doesn’t mean that lawn care and garden maintenance stop. Besides adding some pop with beautiful fall flowers like chrysanthemums, asters and sage, now is the time to fertilize your lawn and mulch plant beds to make sure that everything will be picture perfect in spring as well.

It’s actually starting to get chilly outside, even in the south. This would be a great time to add an outdoor fireplace to your backyard to enjoy with your friends and family. Just imagine relaxing with your family out in your vibrant garden, roasting marshmallows, listening to the soft gurgling of a fountain…ah, feel the stress melt away. For some more ideas on how you can use landscaping to extend the living space of your home, check out New Life Outdoors.

In this tough economy, we are seeing people who have businesses struggling to bring in traffic, people who are tired of searching for work freelancing or starting new businesses, and then there are the over 500,000 unemployed Americans searching for jobs. Would you believe that there is one tool that can help them all? A professional business card.

So how can these groups use a little 3.5” x 2” card to give them an edge?

1. Coupon/Discount – Struggling business owners can build up traffic by distributing not only their name and location but also an incentive to come visit during a certain time period. Plus, you get these benefits without paying for advertising space in a local paper or magazine and then having to compete against other local companies for a glance.

2. Cheap Advertising – New businesses need to get their name out in the community. One of the cheapest ways to not only get your business in people’s mouths but also to have them remember it is to use business cards.

3. Mini Resume – A job seeker who networks well won’t always have a resume in their back pocket when they hear that someone is hiring. And I’ve personally seen how little slips of paper with an obscure name and number end up in a junk pile. But a sleek professional business card that states who you are, how you can be contacted, plus a brief summary of your skills will not be so quickly disregarded.

So are you ready to get yours yet? Well, if you’re in the metro-Atlanta area, there is a company you need to take a look at – Gainesville Printing. They have a special through the end of September – 550 full color two-sided business cards with U.V. Coating for just $39 or 1000 for only $59. This is a great deal – about 20% less than office supply stores – and you will get high quality business cards! And, by the way, Gainesville Printing handles everything from business cards to printing invitations to graphic design services. Contact them today to get your cards started.

~Katy