Letter from the President Hello Sisters,
home due to not being emotionally avalible. I am happy I have made the first step-—recognizing the problem. Now, I have made it a goal of mine to truly turn off at the end of the day and focus on my relationships with family and friends. Again, it’s easier said than done, but I know making small adjustments will vastly improve a few aspects of my life, including my mental health. My hope is that sharing this story with you will help you make small improvements in your life to support your mental health.
Welcome back! I hope you and your families are staying safe and well. Being “back” is certainly not normal by any means, but I do hope you are uncovering the positives as you work through these unprecedented times. I know that this is easier said than done. The coronavirus has impacted almost every aspect of our lives—work, home, and Kappa. It’s tough to feel that human connection when we aren’t physically together. This can certainly impact everyone in some shape or form. Knowing this, we all need to remember to exercise kindness—kindness to not only one another and your community, but also to yourself. Empathy is defined as the ability to understand and share feelings of another. Sometimes, being empathetic can be seen as a weakness. However, I see it as a sign of strength. Emotional intelligence is needed in today’s world to be successful. Putting yourself in people’s shoes allows you to put things in perspective and make better decisions. As leaders in your communities and in Kappa, I challenge you to exercise empathy in the day-to-day. Stand up for what you believe in. Work with the organizations that align to your passions and positively impact your community. Support one another. If you see someone falling to the wayside or just not being themselves, reach out and check in. By doing something so simple, you can positively affect someone’s day, or even their life. We can spread more kindness when we are aware of other’s feelings, emotions, and actions. Self-care and supporting your mental health has become increasingly important in today’s age. I want to remind you that it’s okay to take a step back and to focus on yourself. The pandemic has affected everyone’s mental health in some shape or form. For me, my ‘new normal’ means that my work for HP Inc. and Kappa are all done at my home office. Because these worlds are now blended, it's challenging for me to remove myself from work after hours. I feel like I’m always “on” and there’s no disconnect. I’ve only realized recently that this has affected my life at
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I have also noticed that there tends to be a negative stigma when it comes to mental health such as stress, anxiety and other mental health conditions. Many people are afraid to tell people that they are struggling and need help. It’s okay to not be okay. There have been so many changes in our lives, and we all are finding our own ways to cope and move forward. I hope that you find comfort and support within your Kappa family and are looking forward to the National Board providing more avenues of support for your mental health as we progress into the new year. We have all joined Kappa to perpetuate a common goal. We are all in this together. We can be resilient by staying positive, collaborating as a team to create better outcomes, adapting when things aren’t working, and supporting one another when times get tough. Remember, there’s a vast network that you can leverage; the National Board, the National Alumnae Association, the alumnae groups/community, the fraternity and your fellow chapters. I’m proud to see the creative approaches our chapters have made to recruit more passionate members and foster the bonds of sisterhood. Let’s continue to learn from one another and support one another. Let’s continue to be kind. I am very excited to evolve as an organization and to see what our chapters can accomplish next! In Kappa,
Amanda Cronin National President
