Breaking Chains: Caring for Your Health in Every Season

In this episode of The Extension Connection Podcast, Jessica Jackson talks about the importance of health and wellness for youth and families. As spring brings a season of fresh beginnings, Jessica reflects on how life changes over time and how caring for our mental, emotional, and physical health remains important in every stage of life. She shares personal stories about managing stress, the routines that help keep her grounded as a parent, and simple ways anyone—whether a student or a busy parent—can make time for their well-being. The episode also explores how 4-H programs support youth mental health by building confidence, relationships, and life skills that help young people thrive in their clubs, communities, and beyond. 

Transcript

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Greetings everyone and welcome back to the Extension Connection Podcast. I'm your co-host, Jessica Jackson, and thank you so much for tuning in today. Well, friends, it is now March and can you believe we are already three months into 2026? Time sure does have a way of flying by here in the south. We're starting to see those little spurts of warm weather pop up, and you know what that means? Spring is right around the corner. I don't know about y'all. But my little family has been taken full advantage of that sunshine lately. We've been spending time at the park getting outside in the fresh air and starting to get our garden beds and flower beds ready so we can start planting in a couple weeks. There's just something about being outside that brings a sense of peace and joy. Watching the grass start turning green again, seeing flowers begin to bloom and feeling that fresh air, it just reminds you that a new season is beginning. Okay, and I'll tell you one of my favorite things about this time of year is getting to share those moments with my little one. She enjoys being outside just as much, if not more than I do, whether it's digging in the dirt, walking around the park, or just soaking up the sunshine. Those simple moments are truly special. Spring really is a season of new beginnings after being cooped up inside during the winter months. It feels good to get back outside, stretch your legs and start fresh again. Now, I'll be honest with y'all, unless it's snowing and I can go out and play in it, I'm not much a fan of cold weather, but when those warm days start sneaking back in, it just lifts my spirits. And that actually leads me into today's topic. Today we're gonna be talking about breaking change and my health for better living. For my club, my community, my country, and my world. Now, if you've ever been a part of four H, that phrase might sound familiar to you. It comes from the four H pledge, and the last line really speaks to something important, our health and wellness. But sometimes if we're on us, that's the part we overlook the most. Health isn't just about eating vegetables or going for a run. It's about taking care of yourself, our body, our mind, and even our relationship with others. And let's be real for a moment. Every single one of us experienced stress, anxiety, or nervous habits at some point in our lives. For me personally, growing up, it was test anxiety. Whenever a big test rolled around, I could feel those nerves start building up from elementary school all the way through college. I had to learn ways to manage that stress. Over time, I realized there were a few things that helped me do better and feel calmer. First, I learned that staying up all night, studying the night before a test was not the best plan. Getting good rest was actually more helpful. Second, I learned that eating breakfast mattered. Having that energy helped my brain stay focused, and sometimes the simplest things. Made the biggest difference, like listening to my favorite song on the way to class. Now, growing up I also played sports, and before every game I had a playlist that helped me get hyped up and ready to go. Eventually, I realized I could treat test days the same way. It was all about finding what helped me calm. Confident and focused, and honestly, even now as an adult, I still have routines that help keep things run smoothly. These days. My routines include my husband and my little girl, and sometimes it feels like I'm running through a checklist every morning, making sure lunches are packed, bags are ready, getting Bella Ray ready for the day, and making sure everyone walks out the door with what they need. And I know many of you listening can probably relate to that feeling of being a little rushed in the mornings. That's why sometimes the best thing we can do is pause for a moment, take a deep breath, gather our thoughts, and remind ourselves that everything is going to be okay. For me, that little moment of breathing and refocusing really helps, and that's really what wellness is all about. Finding healthy ways to take care of ourselves. Now when we think about young people today, they're facing many of the same challenges that generations before them. Experience. Things like academic pressure, social changes, and emotional ups and downs. Adolescents is a time of major growth and development. Young people are figuring out who they are, building friendships and learning responsibility, and developing the skills they'll carry into adulthood. You may have heard adults say something like, just wait until you get into the real world. But the truth is, young people are already living in their real world. They're making decisions, solving problems, and navigating challenges every single day. And today's youth are also growing up in the world filled with technology. Smart phones, social media and digital communication have completely changed how young people connect with each other. Now, technology certainly has many benefits. It has helped us learn, stay informed, and stay connected, but. Research also shows that too much screen time and social media can increase feelings of loneliness, anxiety, and depression, while reducing opportunities for face-to-face communication and relationship building. Because of these challenges, many educators, parents and youth organizers are looking for positive ways to support young people. And one powerful tool we often talk about is mindfulness. Mindfulness simply means being present in the moment. It's paying attention to what is happening right now, not worrying about yesterday, and not stressing about tomorrow. Mindfulness can be as simple as taking a few deep breaths, going for a walk outside, listen to the sounds around you, or focusing on the task one step at a time. Practicing mindfulness helps improve concentration, reduce stress, and creates a sense of calm. It also helps young people learn how to manage emotions, respond to challenges, and build stronger relationship with others. Now in four H and wellness programming, we focus on five important areas of wellbeing. The first is physical health. Which is taking care of your body through exercise, nutrition, healthy habits that keep you strong and energized. The second one is mental health, which is learning how to manage stress, build resilience, and seek help when we need support. The third is emotional health, understanding your feelings and expressing them in healthy ways. Fourth. Is social health. And this includes building strong relationship, practicing teamwork, and learning how to communicate with others with respect and kindness. And finally, we talk about spiritual health, which means exploring our values, finding purpose, and recognizing that we are part of something bigger than ourselves. When young people learn about these five areas of wellness, they gain skills that help them navigate. Life's challenges in positive ways. Another thing I want to mention is how four H can play a big role in supporting mental health for young people. One of the greatest things about four H is that it gives you a place where they feel like they belong. When young people join a club, attend a workshop, or participate in a project, they are surrounded by caring adult supportive volunteers and other youth who are learning and growing right alongside them. The sense of belonging can make a huge difference. Sometimes when young people are struggling with stress, anxiety, or even just feeling unsure about themselves, having a positive space where they're encouraged and supportive can help build confidence. N four H, we focus on something called positive use development, which means helping youth discover their strengths, build life skills, and realize that their voice matters. Through four H activities, youth get opportunities to try new things without fear of failure. Maybe it's given their first public presentation, raising an animal project, learning to sew, cooking their first recipe, or exploring science and technology projects. Those experiences help you develop confidence and resilience. Four H also teaches important life skills like communication, teamwork, problem solving, and leadership. These are skills that not only help young people succeed in school and careers, but they also support emotional and mental wellbeing. And sometimes the most important part is simply having fun and connecting with others, laughing with friends at a club meeting, working together on a service project or learning something new can bring joy and help relieve stress. At the end of the day, four age is more than just projects and activities. It's about helping young people grow into confident, capable, and caring individuals. When youth feel supported, value and connected to their community, it straightens their mental health and helps them thrive. And that brings us back to the idea of, breaking chains, sometimes the change we need to break our habits that hold us back. Things like negative thinking, unhealthy coping strategies are not believing in ourselves. Okay. But when we learn healthy habits, build supportive relationships, and take care of our minds and bodies, we build, we begin to break those chains. And when young people feel strong, supportive, confident, they are better, they are better able to make a positive end cap impact for their club, their community, their country, and their world. And before we wrap up today, I want to share one last thought. Earlier I mentioned how when I was younger I had a hype playlist. I listened before a big game or a big test. Music was a way, of getting focused and calming my nerves. Now, these days, my playlist looks a little bit different. Most of the time it's not my hype music playing in the car. It's children's songs are a kid's audio book playing in the background because my little one is usually riding along with me or running around the house while I'm getting things done. Life has a way of changing from season to season. The things that help us when we were younger may look different as we grow into new roles. Whether that's becoming a parent, starting a new job, or taking on new responsibilities. My days definitely look different now, but one thing that hasn't changed is how important it's to take care of your mental health.'cause the truth is, if I don't take care of myself, I can't show up and be the best parent for my little one. The best partner for my husband, or even the best version of myself for the work I do in my community as a four H agent. Some days taking care of my mental health may look like working in the barn. There's something about a little manual labor, feeding animals, cleaning stalls. Just being outside that helps me clear my mind and de-stress. Other days it might be listening to music or maybe trying a new recipe in the kitchen and enjoying the process of cooking something different. And sometimes it's simply taking a few quiet moments to slow down and breathe. I think it's important for all of us, whether you're a student, a parent, or somewhere in between, to make a goal to do something for yourself each month. It doesn't have to be anything. Begin fancy. Maybe it's reading a new book, writing your thoughts down in a journal, going for a walk, running a mile, planting something in the garden, or learning a new skill. Those small moments where we care for ourselves can make a big difference on how we show up for people around us. So as we head into this new season of spring, a season of growth and fresh beginnings, I want to encourage you to take care of your health, your mind, and your wellbeing. Because when we take care of ourselves, we are better able to care for our club, our community, our country, and our world. Thanks for joining me today on the Extension Connection Podcast. I'm Jessica Jackson, and until next time, take care of yourselves and enjoy these beautiful signs of spring.