The HopeNet Wellness Conference is just a few weeks away! It is day designed to encourage, train and inform. Speakers from all around Wichita will be presenting on a range of topics. I always learn so much from our speakers! Here are some of things I learned at 2017’s conference that I have been mulling on this past year.

  1. An unstated boundary is not a boundary
    • If I do not tell people what my boundaries, I can’t expect them to know what they are. They might seem obvious to me, but stating them allows the other person to know what they are.
  2. Anxiety WILL show up in your body
    • Anxiety can set off a fight or flight change of reaction in my body. If I don’t manage it, it can start to affect my physical well-being
  3. There is often a link between addiction and trauma
    • Trauma that is not dealt with can lead to addictive behaviors that try and manage the trauma
  4. You can’t always pray out mental illness. God gives us therapists, doctors, medicine and community
    • Humans are complex being, including our brains and our mental health
  5. Our souls can be neglected when we care for others
    • One way can prevent burn out is to take time to care for our souls
  6. When life gets of whack, it’s time to check your priorities and realign your schedule to match your priorities
    • What are my core 7 priorities? Does my time reflect these priorities?
  7. Technology is having a big affect on our ability to connect.
    • We need to make sure we are fostering real, face to face relationships with our families and friends. Our brains were made for that
  8. God gave us a voice, placed us in relationships and gave us power to influence people and events. Abuse takes those away from victims.
    • Helping the victims of abuse means helping them find their voice by believing them
  9.  Mental health issues can have their origin in biological factors, life experience and destructive family patterns.
    • Seeking mental health means addressing all three
  10. I’m so glad HopeNet does this every year!
    • This year’s conference is just a few weeks away! Check our our speakers and sessions here!