Encouraging, Supporting, and Connecting with Our Community
When I think of community, awareness is one of the first things that comes to mind. We can’t support one another without being aware of what the needs of the community and its members are! This “Awareness” hub is our way to help give direction and support to connecting with people who may need help, uplifting, or even a little extra love today. These causes inspire us and help us take action to do what we can to connect with those around us.
Courtney Clark, HeyNN Manager
Creating Awareness
Creating Awareness
Stress Awareness Month
What is your stress trying to tell you?
This April, Hey Neighbor Neighbor invites you to pause and ask yourself a simple but uncomfortable question: “Why am I doing the things that stress me out?”
Day after day, our routines can start to feel repetitive and redundant–school, work, commitments, and expectations from others. What once felt like a productive achievement slowly becomes overwhelming, yet we keep going.
In American culture, being busy is often seen as a sign of success. Having a full calendar can make us feel important, accomplished, and even validated. Have you ever been invited to a gathering and said, “Oh, sorry, I can't make it, I'm booked then”.
Does that often feel good or bad?
Where is this stress-filled life actually leading us?
Is it where we want to go, or are we just trying to reach the next big achievement?
Stress isn't really a bad thing, if it's handled at face value—it’s something our bodies were designed to feel. At its core, stress is a biological response keeping us alert, focused, and safe from danger. When your brain senses pressure or challenge, it activates systems that help you react, adapt, and survive. Simply put: Stress isn't the enemy; it's information.
Not all stress is the same, sometimes it is a sign that you care;
Feeling anxious before a presentation?
→ You want to do well.Stressing about friendships?
→ You value connection and belonging.Worried about your future?
→ You’re thinking ahead and want stability.
Stresses like these can serve as guiding stress, showing what matters most to you. Instead of pushing the feeling away, take a moment and ask yourself, “What is this stress trying to show me?”
Though not all stress is helpful, it can be completely overwhelming and feel like it's consuming your mind. Take a breath, focus on the moment you are in, step outside, and find something interesting to remind you of it, only for a little. Small grounding techniques can really help.
The 5-4-3-2-1 grounding technique is a sensory-based mindfulness tool used to manage anxiety and intense stress by anchoring you in the present moment.
What are 5 things you see
What are 4 you can touch
What are 3 things you hear
What are 2 you smell
and 1 thing you taste
This technique can help you shift your focus from overwhelming thoughts to your physical environment.
This month, we challenge you to look at stress a little differently. Instead of immediately pushing it away, ignoring it, or distracting yourself from it, take a moment to pause and breathe. Give yourself space to slow down and ask what is truly causing that feeling.
Once you know where the stress is coming from, try turning it into something more manageable. Break one large worry into smaller steps. Focus on the next right thing you can do today, rather than everything that needs to happen tomorrow.
Stress often feels consuming when it stays trapped in our minds. When we slow down, make a plan, and take one step at a time, we give ourselves the chance to move through it with confidence.
Be patient with yourself this month. Growth takes time, and progress does not need to be perfect. You’ve handled difficult moments before, and you can handle this one too. You got this.
National Domestic Violence Hotlineopens in new window
(800) 799-7233
Veterans Crisis Lineopens in new window
988, then press 1
Text 838255