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Giving Back to Our Communities

Darcy Knight

This month Vista staff worked on ways to give back to our communities during the holiday season.  Here are some of the ways we worked to share some joy

  • Portland staff organized a holiday card drive to benefit people staying at the shelters of Central City Concern
  • Eugene staff organized a food drive for Food for Lane County 
  • In conjunction with Ophelia’s Place, our Eugene staff organized a toy drive for kids living in a shelter this holiday season

If you would like to donate to any of these amazing organizations, click the links.  We wish you all peace and happiness in the new year!

How to Thrive in 2026

Jaclyn Baker

Thriving in 2026 won’t be about having all the answers or chasing every new trend, it will be about how you show up, day after day, in the middle of uncertainty.

These four practices aren’t shortcuts. They’re steady habits that build resilience, creativity, and meaning over time.

Build Your Courage Muscle

Courage isn’t something you either have or don’t have, it’s something you train.

In 2026, courage will matter less in dramatic, once-in-a-lifetime moments and more in small, repeated choices: speaking up when it feels uncomfortable, sharing work before it feels perfect, trying again after something doesn’t land. Each time you act despite uncertainty, you strengthen the muscle.

Waiting until you feel “ready” often means waiting forever. Courage comes after action, not before it. Start with manageable risks. Over time, what once felt intimidating becomes routine, and what once felt impossible becomes achievable.

Thriving means accepting that fear is part of growth, not a signal to stop.

Give Your Best Ideas Time to Simmer

In a culture that rewards speed, patience can feel counterintuitive. But your best ideas rarely arrive fully formed.

Creativity needs space. It needs pauses, half-finished thoughts, and moments where nothing seems to be happening. When you give ideas time to simmer, they deepen. Connections emerge. What starts as a rough instinct becomes something more thoughtful and original.

This doesn’t mean procrastination, it means respecting the process. Capture ideas early, revisit them often, and resist the urge to rush them out simply to keep up. In 2026, depth will stand out more than volume.

The ideas you protect and nurture are often the ones that matter most.

Reconnect with Why Your Work Matters

Burnout doesn’t usually come from working too hard, it comes from forgetting why the work matters in the first place.

When tasks pile up and pressure increases, it’s easy to focus only on deadlines, metrics, or external validation. But thriving requires returning to purpose. Ask yourself: Who does this help? What problem am I trying to solve? What value am I creating?

Purpose doesn’t have to be grand. It can be as simple as helping one person, improving one system, or contributing one thoughtful piece of work. Reconnecting with your “why” brings clarity, motivation, and a sense of direction, especially during challenging seasons.

Meaning is fuel. Without it, even success feels empty.

Choose Optimism as a Daily Practice

Optimism isn’t denial. It’s not pretending everything is fine. It’s the decision to believe that effort matters and that progress is possible.

In 2026, pessimism will always be available. The news cycle, social feeds, and constant comparisons make it easy to assume the worst. Optimism, on the other hand, is something you practice deliberately, through what you pay attention to, what you amplify, and how you talk to yourself.

This means celebrating small wins, learning from setbacks instead of internalizing them, and staying open to possibility even when outcomes are uncertain. Optimism doesn’t eliminate difficulty, but it changes how you move through it.

Thriving isn’t about certainty, it’s about hope paired with action.

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Holiday Humor

Jaclyn Baker

By Collin King

Is laughter the best medicine? Probably not. Medicine is often the best medicine. But laughter can help! 

So, if you need a laugh this winter season, try these out.*

*Warning: High risk of cringe. Proceed with caution.

Why don’t penguins like talking to strangers?

They don’t want to break the ice. 

What’s Santa’s favorite kind of music?

Wrap!

What do you call a snowman with a six-pack?

An abdominal snowman.

What do elves use for online shopping?

A wrap-top computer.

How did the holiday wreath get his new job?

He was a well-rounded applicant. 

How was the reindeer’s performance at the comedy show?

She sleigh-ed it. 

Why was everyone worried about the snowman?

Because he had a meltdown last year.

What do you get when you cross a snowman and an angry dog?

Frostbite!

Why did the pine tree get promoted at work?

She was very tree-liable. 

Ok. Phew. You made it through. Good work, and happy holidays from your friends at Vista 🙂



Managing Seasonal Depression

Jaclyn Baker


By Claire Butcher

This article discusses self-harm and suicide. Please see a list of hotlines and resources below if you need to speak to someone. 

With the colder weather and limited sunlight, it’s essential to discuss the effects of seasonal depression. Our environment – including the weather around us- has a significant impact on our thoughts and mood. How we cope in the fall and winter is vital to managing seasonal depression. This article will discuss the prevalence, causes, signs, and tips on how to best manage “SAD”. 

What is Seasonal Depression, or “SAD”?

Seasonal depression entails essentially the same symptoms as “Major Depression”, but more concentrated around fall and winter months. People can experience the following:

  • Feeling more depressed or sad
  • Low energy/fatigue
  • Loss of interest in activities 
  • Trouble concentrating
  • Sleep difficulty
  • Appetite changes
  • Feelings of worthlessness or hopelessness
  • Thoughts of wanting to hurt or kill yourself 

A U.S. survey conducted in the winter of 2024 shed light on the prevalence of seasonal depression. Around two in five Americans report their mood worsens in the winter, 29% describe their mental health as “falling back” due to the time change and lack of sunlight. More women than men experienced their mood declining in the winter (45% versus 37%). People living in more populated and urban areas are less likely to report a decline in mood than those who live more rurally. 

Causes

While we’re not sure of any one particular cause for SAD, theories suggest the following as being the main contributors to symptoms: 

  • Biological clock change – less sunlight shifts our mood, hormones, and circadian rhythm
  • Brain chemistry – sunlight helps us regulate our serotonin levels, a lack of sunlight can lead to these levels falling and us feeling more depressed
  • Vitamin D deficiency
  • Melatonin boost – levels can increase with lack of sunlight
  • Increased stress and anxiety

Navigating Symptoms

It can be daunting trying to navigate seasonal depression, in addition to holidays, travel, and family stress. Here are some tips to get through: 

  • Light therapy – special lamps can help mimic natural sunlight and ease symptoms
  • Stay connected with others – text, call, and meet with others regularly
  • Schedule things to look forward to, big or small
  • Therapy – professional mental health help can help us cope with depression, and recognize and change our patterns in thinking and behavior
  • Spend time outdoors
  • Move your body, even if just in small ways like walking or chair yoga
  • Vitamin D – consult with your doctor before beginning new supplements
  • Antidepressant medication 

How to Support Loved Ones with SAD

Similar to the common symptoms listed above, it’s important to watch out for the following in our loved ones: mood changes, lower energy, social withdrawal, changes in sleep and eating patterns, difficulty concentrating, lack of interest in activities, hopelessness. Our approach to supporting loved ones managing seasonal depression should be met with compassion, never judgement. Here are a few more tips:

  • Encourage open and honest communication on how they’re feeling and coping
  • Promote healthy habits, but avoid ‘quick fixes’ and pushing others to do things they may not be ready for
  • Check in frequently – understand that managing depression is not a ‘one and done’ situation
  • Encourage them to seek professional help such as talk therapy
  • Celebrate small wins – getting out of bed, taking a shower, or going for a walk are all achievements
  • Don’t push too hard, or take their depression symptoms personally

See this podcast episode with Dr. Kelly Rohan to learn more about SAD and ways to cope. If you or a loved one is experiencing suicidal thoughts, please see the resources below. 

Hotlines and Resources

References: 

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Yalda Night: An Ancient Celebration of Light, Connection, and Hope

Jaclyn Baker

By Nooshi Ghasedi

When we think of the holiday season in December, many of us naturally think of Christmas and Hanukkah. These celebrations are meaningful and deeply rooted for so many families. At the same time, this season is rich with other cultural traditions that may be less familiar but carry powerful messages of connection, hope, and resilience.

One of these traditions is Yalda Night, an ancient secular celebration that has been observed for thousands of years and continues to be honored by people of Persian heritage around the world today.

What Is Yalda?

Yalda, also known as Shab-e Yalda, is celebrated on the winter solstice, the longest night of the year. It marks a turning point, when nights begin to shorten and days slowly grow longer again.

Yalda originated in ancient Persia and is considered one of the oldest continuously celebrated holidays in the world. Today, it is observed by Iranians and others of Persian cultural heritage.

At its heart, Yalda is about endurance and hope, connection and community, resilience and the triumph of light over darkness. 

The longest night of the year has long symbolized uncertainty and hardship. Yalda honors the belief that even in the darkest moments, light is on its way. The return of longer days represents renewal and the quiet assurance that difficult periods do not last forever. This symbolism resonates deeply for many people, especially during the winter months, when emotional heaviness, isolation, or grief can feel more present.

How Yalda Is Traditionally Celebrated

Yalda is typically celebrated by gathering with family and loved ones and staying awake together through the night. The focus is not on gifts or formal rituals, but on togetherness. By staying awake together, families symbolically “outlast” the darkness and welcome the return of light.

Common traditions include:

Sharing foods like pomegranates and watermelon, whose vibrant red color symbolizes life, vitality, and health.

Reading poetry, especially works by the beloved Persian poet Hafez, often used for reflection, meaning-making, and light-hearted seeking of guidance or insight

storytelling, dancing, and sharing traditions across generations.

Why Learning About Other Cultural Holidays Matters

While winter holidays differ across cultures and religions, many share common themes. Yalda, Christmas, Hanukkah, and other seasonal celebrations emphasize human connection, reflection, resilience, and hope. These shared values remind us that across cultures, people have long sought meaning and comfort during the darkest times of the year.

Learning about holidays like Yalda helps create a more inclusive and compassionate community. For some, it offers the comfort of being seen and recognized. For others, it opens the door to curiosity, understanding, and appreciation for traditions beyond their own. In mental health spaces, especially, acknowledging diverse cultural experiences supports belonging, respect, and emotional safety.

The winter season encompasses many meaningful traditions, each offering its own unique perspective on darkness, hope, and connection. By expanding our view of what this season encompasses, we create space for more stories, more voices, and a deeper shared humanity. This time of year invites reflection, warmth, and connection; and in its own quiet way, Yalda reminds us that even the darkest of times eventually give way to light.



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Closing the Year Gently

Jaclyn Baker
,

By Nooshi Ghasedi

As the year comes to an end, many of us feel an unspoken invitation to look back — to take stock, make sense of what’s passed, or decide how we should be different moving forward. But not every year offers clarity. 

Some years ask more of us than we have to give.

If this year felt heavy, scattered, or defined more by endurance than progress, you are not alone.

Reflection does not have to be an evaluation. It doesn’t need to involve judgment or self-correction. A gentler reflection simply asks us to notice the conditions we were living under — the stressors, losses, transitions, and uncertainties that shaped how we showed up.

When we look back with compassion, many of our choices begin to make sense.

Some seasons are not about growth or achievement. They are about surviving, getting through the day, or adapting in quiet, imperfect ways. Fatigue, unfinished goals, and emotional ups and downs are not failures; they are often signs of a system doing its best to cope.

As the year closes, it’s common to hold mixed emotions. Relief and grief, hope and weariness, gratitude and sadness. None of these cancel the others out – instead, we can learn to hold all these truths at the same time. 

You don’t need to resolve them or turn them into something positive. Letting them coexist is enough. If gratitude appears, it may be subtle: a moment of steadiness, a person who stayed, a boundary you held, or a part of yourself that didn’t give up. And if gratitude doesn’t feel accessible, that’s okay. Compassion does not require optimism.

Looking ahead, you are not required to reinvent yourself. You don’t need big goals or resolutions to honor the turning of the year. Sometimes the most meaningful intention is simply to move forward with a little more patience, honesty, and care.

You are allowed to close this year without fully understanding it. You are allowed to carry tenderness into what comes next. Change happens gradually, often before we realize it has begun.

Gentle Journaling Prompts

If you feel called, choose one and write briefly or reflect quietly:

  • What did it take for me to get through this year, and how did my responses make sense given what I was carrying?
  • What helped me steady myself — even in small, imperfect ways?
  • As I move into the next year, what do I want more of emotionally, and what can I offer myself to support that?

How to Listen To Your Worries

Jaclyn Baker

What if your worries weren’t working against you – but for you? So often, we see worry as something to fight, silence, or rise above. But in truth, worry can be one of the most honest parts of us. It points to what we value most deeply, what we want to protect, and where we crave clarity or change.

Instead of seeing worry as a sign of weakness, we can learn to listen to it with compassion. Even anxious thoughts can carry seeds of insight, such as an unmet need or a boundary being tested.

By pausing to listen, we open the door for more self-understanding and begin to transform unease into awareness. 

Recognize Worry as a Messenger

Often, our first instinct is to suppress a worry. But in doing that, we miss what it’s trying to communicate entirely. Worries can stem from our desires, whether that be safety, control, or clarity. Rather than taking the emotion from the thought, we can instead get curious. Asking, “What is this worry really addressing?” can help you stay calm and listen without resistance. 

Keep the Mind Grounded

Once we’ve identified what’s worrying us, the next step is to stay grounded. Writing down our worries can help us see them clearly for what they are; Journaling, recording voice notes, or even making quick lists can be proactive. It helps us process these thoughts more effectively and shift our minds from spiralling. It may also reveal aspects of our lives we want to strengthen or dive deeper into. 

Build Trust With Self-Compassion

Worry can thrive when trust in ourselves is missing. So, when we meet our worries with judgment and say things like, “I shouldn’t feel this way,” it only reinforces fear and shame. But when we meet these worries with kindness, we create safety within ourselves. Learning to breathe through the uncertainty and take things one mindful step at a time can make a difference. Compassion can build resilience.

Final Thoughts

Worry is not something we have to battle all the time, but something we can try to understand better. Taking the time to really listen to what our thoughts are pointing toward and responding with intention can turn our worries into tools for growth. The key is to meet them with patience, curiosity, and quiet confidence. The more we listen, the more we learn to move through life with awareness and grace.

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Choosing Unconditional Gratitude in Every Season

Jaclyn Baker

Gratitude usually comes easily when life feels good – when things are calm, exciting, or going the way we hoped. But the most powerful kind of gratitude isn’t based on perfect moments. 

Unconditional gratitude means finding appreciation even when life feels messy, overwhelming, or uncertain. It’s a gentle practice that helps you stay grounded, connected, and present through all seasons of life.

Here are a few simple ways to bring more unconditional gratitude into your daily routine.

Allow Yourself to Feel Everything

Unconditional gratitude doesn’t mean ignoring tough emotions. It simply means making space for gratitude to exist alongside them. Sometimes gratitude shows up as a small reminder that you’re growing. Other times, it comes from noticing a moment of calm in the middle of a busy day. The more you welcome every emotion without judgment, the easier it becomes to spot gratitude in unexpected places.

Notice the Little Things That Support You

Don’t wait for big moments to feel grateful; some of the most meaningful gratitude comes from everyday details. Whether it’s a kind message from a friend or a quiet break in the middle of the day to breathe. You can treat these moments as something worth noticing to make the days feel fuller and more connected. Try picking one small thing each day to appreciate—it can be simple, ordinary, or easily overlooked. Those tiny moments add up.

Practice Gratitude Without Looking for a Result

It’s easy to treat gratitude like a tool to “fix” your mood, but unconditional gratitude isn’t about forcing positivity. It’s about appreciating what’s real, without expecting anything in return. Take a moment each day to name one thing you’re grateful for (big or small) without judging whether it makes you feel better. Over time, this no-pressure approach helps gratitude feel natural rather than forced.

Final Thoughts

Unconditional gratitude is a slow, steady practice that grows with you. It doesn’t require perfect days or big breakthroughs – just a willingness to look for what’s meaningful in the moment you’re in. 

The more you practice noticing these small sparks of appreciation, the more grounded, peaceful, and connected you begin to feel.

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Giving Back

Darcy Knight

 

This month, our donations are dedicated to enhancing food security within our community. The current environment—marked by delays in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) distributions, persistent inflationary pressures on food prices, and the resultant, unprecedented strain on food banks—has made meeting basic needs increasingly challenging for many. We recognize that food banks are designed to serve as a secondary resource, not the primary safety net. To address this critical challenge, we are making targeted donations to local food banks in our area. We encourage those interested in contributing to this vital cause to follow the links provided below.  Additionally, our Portland team volunteered at the Oregon Food Bank, helping to pack over 12,000 pounds of food.
Oregon Food Bank (Portland)
Food For Lane County (Eugene)
The Giving Plate (Bend)

How to Keep Your Resolutions Rolling All Year

Jaclyn Baker

There’s something magical about January 1st. A clean slate. A fresh chapter. A moment where the entire world seems to pause and say, “Try again. You’ve got this.”

But as inspiring as the New Year feels, the challenge comes later — in the quiet, ordinary months where temptation, routine, and life pull us back into old patterns.

So how do you turn a once-a-year promise into a year-long practice? Surprisingly, it’s less about motivation and more about strategy, self-honesty, and the willingness to adapt.

Let’s break it down into simple, doable steps! 

Start With Realistic Confidence 

Belief in yourself matters. But the idea that sheer willpower will carry you through an entire year? That’s where many resolutions collapse.

Confidence helps you get started, but too much confidence can make you underestimate the challenges ahead. 

Instead of assuming you’ll “just do it,” set yourself up with structure, reminders, and support. Keeping your confidence realistic ensures you stay motivated without feeling defeated when things get tough.

Expect Slip-Ups and Prepare a Reset Plan

Imperfection is part of the process.
One of the biggest reasons resolutions fade is because people treat any slip as a failure. But expecting yourself to never miss a workout or never indulge is unrealistic. 

Build a “bounce-back strategy” before the year begins. Decide what you’ll do the first time you slip — maybe restart within 24 hours, take one small corrective action, or lean on an accountability partner. A lapse doesn’t derail your progress unless you let it.

Reduce Temptations Before They Overwhelm You

Temptations seem quiet now, but once you’re trying to make a change, they get loud. That couch will feel cozier, that dessert more irresistible, that old habit more familiar. 

Instead of fighting constant temptation, outsmart it. Pack lunches to avoid unhealthy food options, keep gym clothes in the car, remove triggers from your home, or change your routine to avoid old habits. Making your environment support your goals makes change easier.

Focus on Recovery, Not Perfection

Success comes from how quickly you get back on track.
Even the most disciplined people slip — what sets them apart is how fast they recover. If you binge one night, smoke one cigarette, or skip a week of workouts, don’t spiral. 

Reset early. Shortening the gap between the slip and the restart is what builds lifelong habits.

Final Thoughts 

Resolutions aren’t about proving perfection — they’re about showing up for yourself again and again, even when it’s inconvenient, unglamorous, or messy. 

This year, give yourself permission to be human, flexible, and resilient.
And remember, your resolutions don’t need perfection – they need commitment, compassion, and a willingness to try again.

And that’s something you can carry far beyond the new year.



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