rich777 While the broader markets are trading near all-time highs, several Canadian stocks have underperformed over the last 12 months due to sluggish consumer spending, elevated interest rates, geopolitical tensions, and more. Here are two such that have disappointed investors in 2024. The first TSX stock on my list is financial services giant ( ). Shares of TD Bank are down 30% from all-time highs due to a combination of weak results, regulatory issues, and suspension of growth targets. In the fiscal fourth quarter (Q4) of 2024 (ended in October), TD Bank reported earnings per share of $1.97, down 15% from the year-ago period. Its net income totalled $3.64 billion in Q4, lower than consensus estimates of $4 billion. Recently, TD Bank was slapped with a $3 billion fine as it violated anti-money laundering (AML) laws south of the border. Moreover, U.S. regulators imposed an asset cap on TD, forcing the bank to reduce its assets by 10% in the region. These unexpected growth restrictions are likely to impact future earnings significantly, which means that TD suspended its medium-term financial targets, where it previously projected earnings per share (EPS) growth to be between 7% and 10% and a return on equity of over 16%. Bay Street expects TD Bank to expand adjusted earnings from $7.81 per share in fiscal 2024 to $8.41 per share in 2026. So, priced at nine times forward earnings, TD Bank stock looks attractive, given it also pays shareholders a forward dividend yield of 5.4%. TD Bank is among the largest companies in Canada and is too big to fail, which means the pullback allows you the opportunity to buy a quality stock at a lower multiple. Analysts remain bullish and expect TD stock to gain over 10% over the next 12 months. If we adjust for dividend payouts, cumulative returns would be closer to 16%. Down 88% from all-time highs, ( ), formerly Telus International, provides customer experience and digital business services that include mobility solutions, cloud contact centres, big data, platform transformation, and more. Valued at a of $1.1 billion, Telus Digital reported revenue of $658 million, down 0.8% year over year. The company has now reported a revenue decline for three consecutive quarters, raising concerns about its growth trajectory. Earlier this year, Telus Digital attributed the slowdown in sales to reduced income from a leading social media company and reported an operating income of just $14 million in Q3, down from $59 million in the year-ago period. Additionally, its gross margins have narrowed from 17.7% to 14.4% over the last 12 months. Telus is wrestling with competition and pricing pressures within the digital services segment, impacting its revenue streams and profitability. Several analysts have reduced earnings estimates for the TSX stock in 2024, leading to a lower multiple. While the company has managed to offset a portion of this decline from growth in products powered by artificial intelligence capabilities, a competitive landscape has made it difficult for Telus Digital to sustain its top-line momentum. Analysts expect Telus Digital to end 2024 with earnings per share of $0.42, down from $0.91 last year. Given consensus estimates, its earnings might improve to $0.6 per share in 2026. Priced at 6.6 times , Telus stock seems undervalued, but it will have to showcase an ability to return to steady revenue growth by the end of 2025.49ers look to maintain 'urgency' against rival Rams

Indonesia had previously banned the Apple iPhone 16 series and it seems that the government is in no hurry to lift the ban on the Cupertino giant. According to the latest report it seems that the Apple’s addition promise to invest $100 million has not been accepted by the country. For those who are unknown, the total amount that apple has promised to invest in Indonesia is $110 million. As reported by Indonesian News Agency Antara, the Industry Ministry wants the investment to be larger. The increase in investment is expected to develop Indonesia’s domestic manufacturing sector and help the country to become a part of Apple’s global supply, mentioned ministry spokesperson Febri Hendri Antoni Arif. According to the Indonesian law, the foreign companies are expected to offer 40% local content in order to operate in the country. It is as a part of Domestic Component Level (TKDN) certification. The companies can comply with the above mentioned law by either manufacturing products locally, developing the software locally or by settings R&D centres. Apple has initially made an offer to invest more than IDR 1.71 trillion ($109 million) in local R&D facilities. However, it has only invested IDR 1.48 trillion ($95 million). It is reported that the Cupertino giant has made a decision to expand the manufacturing of accessories and components in Indonesia. This move will help the company in its business in the country. As of now, Apple is serving the ban on iPhone 16 as well as Apple Watch 10 series in Indonesia.Alice Walton, the daughter of Walmart founder Sam Walton, has risen to the title of the world's richest woman, overtaking Francoise Bettencourt Meyers, the L’Oréal heiress. This achievement is largely attributed to a sharp 44% rise in Walmart's stock value this year, which propelled Walton’s net worth to over $95 billion. Her wealth grew by an astounding $25 billion in just one year, placing her on the verge of joining the exclusive group of centi-billionaires—those with fortunes exceeding $100 billion—including names like Elon Musk, Bill Gates, and Warren Buffett. Meanwhile, Bettencourt Meyers experienced a decline in her fortune, dropping by $10 billion due to a 13% dip in L’Oréal's stock, leaving her with $90 billion. Currently, Walton ranks 18th on the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, one spot ahead of Bettencourt Meyers at 19th. Walton’s brothers, Jim and Rob, also feature prominently, holding the 16th and 17th spots with net worths of $98 billion and $96 billion, respectively. Together, the Walton siblings control over 11% of Walmart's shares, inherited from their father, and have reaped over $15 billion in dividends and stock sales over the years. Francoise Bettencourt Meyers, who owns 35% of L’Oréal, inherited her stake from her mother, Liliane Bettencourt, continuing a legacy spanning generations. Her company oversees globally renowned brands such as Garnier and Maybelline, solidifying its position as the leading cosmetics giant. Born on October 7, 1949, in Newport, Arkansas, Alice Walton graduated with a degree in Economics from Trinity University, Texas. She began her career as an equity analyst and financial expert before founding Llama Company in 1988, where she served as president and CEO. Although she inherited a substantial fortune after her father’s passing in 1992, Walton gradually stepped away from the retail world. Instead, she channeled her energy into the arts, establishing the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville, Arkansas, in 2011. This museum reflects her lifelong passion for curating and preserving American art, making her a prominent figure in both wealth and culture.Scott Turner, President-elect Donald Trump choice to lead the Department of Housing and Urban Development, is a former NFL player who ran the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council during Trump’s first term. Turner, 52, is the first Black person selected to be a member of the Republican’s Cabinet. Here are some things to know about Turner: From professional football to politics Turner grew up in a Dallas suburb, Richardson, and graduated from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. He was a defensive back and spent nine seasons in the NFL beginning in 1995, playing for the Washington Redskins, San Diego Chargers and Denver Broncos. During offseasons, he worked as an intern then-Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Calif. After Turner retired in 2004, he worked full time for the congressman. In 2006, Turner ran unsuccessfully as a Republican in California’s 50th Congressional District. Turner joined the Texas House in 2013 as part of a large crop of tea party-supported lawmakers. He tried unsuccessfully to become speaker before he finished his second term in 2016. He did not seek a third term. Motivational speaker and pastor Turner also worked for a software company in a position called “chief inspiration officer” and said he acted as a professional mentor, pastor, and councilor for the employees and executive team. He has also been a motivational speaker. He and his wife, Robin Turner, founded a nonprofit promoting initiatives to improve childhood literacy. His church, Prestonwood Baptist Church, lists him as an associate pastor. He is also chair of the center for education opportunity at America First Policy Institute, a think tank set up by former Trump administration staffers to lay the groundwork if he won a second term. Headed council in Trump’s first term Trump introduced Turner in April 2019 as the head of the new White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council. Trump credited Turner with “helping to lead an Unprecedented Effort that Transformed our Country’s most distressed communities.” The mission of the council was to coordinate with various federal agencies to attract investment to so-called “Opportunity Zones,” which were economically depressed areas eligible to be used for the federal tax incentives. The role of HUD HUD is responsible for addressing the nation’s housing needs. It also is charged with fair housing laws and oversees housing for the poorest Americans, sheltering more than 4.3 million low-income families through public housing, rental subsidy and voucher programs. The agency, with a budget of tens of billions of dollars, runs a multitude of programs that do everything from reducing homelessness to promoting homeownership. It also funds the construction of affordable housing and provides vouchers that allow low income families pay for housing in the private market. During the campaign, Trump focused mostly on the prices of housing, not public housing. He railed against the high cost of housing and said he could make it more affordable by cracking down on illegal immigration and reducing inflation. He also said he would work to reduce regulations on home construction and make some federal land available for residential construction. ———

Downing throws for 2 TDs, runs for another, Elon tops North Carolina A&T 31-21

The white-bearded Christian saint whose acts of generosity inspired America’s secular Santa Claus figure is known worldwide — but Saint Nicholas’ origin story is not. The legends surrounding jolly old St. Nicholas — celebrated annually on Dec. 6 — go way beyond delivering candy and toys to children. St. Nicholas was a fourth century Christian bishop from the Mediterranean port city of Myra (in modern-day Turkey). “Much of the rest is legend. There’s not really a lot of hard historical evidence about St. Nicholas,” said the Rev. Nicholas Ayo, author of “Saint Nicholas in America: Christmas Holy Day and Holiday.” But whether the stories are true is not so much the point, said Ayo, an 89-year-old retired Notre Dame University professor named after St. Nicholas. “There’s no Santa Claus that lands on the roof, but there’s a desire in people’s heart for an unconditional love that doesn’t depend on your behavior, but the fact that you’re somebody’s child.” Devotion to St. Nicholas — also referred to as St. Nick — spread during the Middle Ages across Europe and he became a favorite subject for medieval artists and liturgical plays, according to the Encyclopedia Britannica. He is the patron saint of Greece and Russia, Moscow and New York, as well as charities, children and pawnbrokers. He also is the patron saint of sailors. In 1807, Italian sailors took the remains of St. Nicholas from Myra to the seaport of Bari, on the southeast coast of the boot of Italy. They built a church in his honor; relics believed to be his are kept in Bari’s 11th century basilica of San Nicola. St. Nicholas Day is celebrated every year on Dec. 6, typically by filling the stockings and shoes children leave out overnight with sweets and toys. It also is a fitting date for the patron saint of sailors. “The December feast day of Saint Nicholas coincides with the beginning of the winter storm season on the Mediterranean,” Ayo wrote. Legends surrounding St. Nicholas’ generosity appear in texts ranging from medieval manuscripts to modern-day poems, including how he interceded on behalf of wrongly condemned prisoners and miraculously saved sailors from storms. One of the most famous legends, Ayo said, features the aging father of three young women who didn’t have means to pay for their dowry. St. Nicholas is said to have thrown gold pieces into the man’s window. “It is the quintessential Nicholas,” Ayo wrote. “It requires no miracle, no credulity from the hearer, and no superstition at any level. What is needed is only a generous heart ready to give of his wealth in a self-effacing way that others may come to know a deep love in their life.” k inspired Santa Devotion to St. Nicholas seems to have faded after the 16th century Protestant Reformation, except in the Netherlands where his legend remained as Sinterklaas. In the 17th century, Dutch Protestants who settled in New York brought the Sinterklaas tradition with them. “The Dutch had St. Nicholas on the bow of the first ship that went into New York harbor,” Ayo said. Eventually, St. Nicholas morphed into the secular Santa Claus. Artist Thomas Nast, an engraver in Morristown, New Jersey, who illustrated the front cover of Harper’s magazine for many years, played a key role in the transformation, Ayo said. “He followed the description of Santa Claus or Saint Nicholas — and Clement Clarke Moore’s ‘Twas the Night before Christmas’ poem,” Ayo said. “So, that’s how that got changed. But in Europe, the bishop shows up in bishop’s clothing at the door sometimes.” Get local news delivered to your inbox!Former US President Jimmy Carter, after whom an Indian village was named, passes away at 100

Japan will hold a memorial ceremony on Sunday near the Sado Island Gold Mines, which were listed this summer as a UNESCO World Heritage site after the country moved past years of historical disputes with South Korea and reluctantly acknowledged the mines' dark history. At these mines, hundreds of Koreans were forced to labor under abusive and brutal conditions during World War II, historians say. The Japanese government said Sunday’s ceremony will pay tribute to “all workers” who died at the mines, but without spelling out who they are — part of what critics call a persistent policy of whitewashing Japan's history of sexual and labor exploitation before and during the war. The ceremony, which was supposed to further mend their wounds, renewed tensions between the two sides. On Saturday, South Korea's government said it will boycott the memorial service due to unspecified disagreements with Tokyo over the event. There was no immediate response from Japanese officials. Ahead of the ceremony on Sunday, The Associated Press explains the Sado mines, their history and the controversy. What are the Sado gold mines? The 16th century mines on the island of Sado, about the size of the Pacific island of Guam, off the western coast of Niigata prefecture, operated for nearly 400 years beginning in 1601 and were once the world’s largest gold producer. They closed in 1989. During the Edo period, from 1600 to 1868, the mines supplied gold currency to the ruling Tokugawa Shogunate. Today, the site has been developed as a tourist facility and hiking site where visitors can learn about the changes in mining technology and production methods while looking at the remains of mine shafts and ore dressing facilities. Critics say the Japanese government only highlights the glory of the mines and covers up its use of Korean victims of forced labor and their ordeals. The mines were registered as a cultural heritage site in July after Japan agreed to include an exhibit on the conditions of Korean forced laborers and to hold a memorial service after repeated protests from the South Korean government. What's the controversy? At the July meeting of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, the Japanese delegate said Tokyo had installed new exhibition material to explain the “severe conditions of (the Korean laborers’) work and to remember their hardship.” Japan also acknowledged that Koreans were made to do more dangerous tasks in the mine shaft, which caused some to die. Those who survived also developed lung diseases and other health problems. Many of them were given meager food rations and nearly no days off and were caught by police if they escaped, historians say. But the Japanese government has refused to admit they were “forced labor.” South Korea had earlier opposed the listing of the site for UNESCO World Heritage on the grounds that the Korean forced laborers used at the mines were missing from the exhibition. South Korea eventually supported the listing after consultations with Japan and Tokyo’s pledge to improve the historical background in the exhibit and to hold a memorial that also includes Koreans. Historians say Japan used hundreds of thousands of Korean laborers, including those forcibly brought from the Korean Peninsula, at Japanese mines and factories to make up for labor shortages because most working-age Japanese men had been sent to battlefronts across Asia and the Pacific. About 1,500 Koreans were forced to work at the Sado mines, according to Yasuto Takeuchi, an expert on Japan’s wartime history, citing wartime Japanese documents. The South Korean government has said it expects Japan to keep its pledge to be truthful to history and to show both sides of the Sado mines “The controversy surrounding the Sado mines exhibit underscores a deeper problem” of Japan’s failure to face up to its wartime responsibility and its growing “denialism” of its wartime atrocities, Takeuchi said. Who does the ceremony commemorate? All workers who died at the Sado mines will be honored. That includes hundreds of Korean laborers who worked there during Japan’s 1910-1945 colonization of the Korean Peninsula. Officials say the ceremony is organized by a group of local Japanese politicians, business owners and other volunteers who campaigned for the Sado mines to win the UNESCO status, but preparations were handled by local government officials, who did not disclose details, including guests and programs, until the last minute. Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya announced the ceremony on Friday, but he declined to comment on “diplomatic exchanges.” Officials at Sado city and the Foreign Ministry said about 100 people, including officials from Japan’s local and central government, as well as South Korean Foreign Ministry officials and the relatives of Korean wartime laborers, have been invited. Attendants are expected to observe a moment of silence for the victims who died at the mines due to accidents and other causes. The ceremony dredged up long-standing frustrations in South Korea, where the Foreign Ministry said in a statement it was impossible to settle the disagreements between both governments before the planned event on Sunday, without specifying what those disagreements were. Mannequins enacting a mining scene are seen inside remains of the Sado gold mine on Sado Island, northern Japan, on July 4, 2024. (Atsushi Watanabe/Kyodo News via AP) The cancelation came a day after Japan said it will send a parliamentary vice minister, Akiko Ikuina, who in 2022 visited Tokyo's controversial Yasukuni Shrine, which honors Japan's 2.5 million war dead including convicted war criminals and is seen by Japan's neighbors as a symbol of its wartime militarism. Some South Koreans had criticized the Seoul government throwing its support behind an event without securing a clear Japanese commitment to highlight the plight of Korean laborers. There were also complaints over South Korea agreeing to pay for the travel expenses of Korean victims’ family members who were invited to attend the ceremony. How has Japan faced up to its wartime atrocities? Critics say Japan’s government has long been reluctant to discuss wartime atrocities. That includes what historians describe as the sexual abuse and enslavement of women across Asia, many of them Koreans who were deceived into providing sex to Japanese soldiers at frontline brothels and euphemistically called “comfort women,” and the Koreans who were mobilized and forced to work in Japan, especially in the final years of World War II. Korean compensation demands for Japanese atrocities during its brutal colonial rule have strained relations between the two Asian neighbors, most recently after a 2018 South Korean Supreme Court ruling ordered Japanese companies to pay damages over their wartime forced labor. Japan’s government has maintained that all wartime compensation issues between the two countries were resolved under the 1965 normalization treaty. Ties between Tokyo and Seoul have improved recently after Washington said their disputes over the historical issues were hampering crucial security cooperation as China’s threat grows in the region. Japan's whitewashing of wartime atrocities has risen since the 2010s, particularly under the past government of revisionist leader Shinzo Abe. For instance, Japan says the terms “sex slavery” and “forced labor” are inaccurate and insists on the use of highly euphemistic terms such as “comfort women” and “civilian workers” instead. South Korea’s conservative President Yoon Suk Yeol announced in March 2023 that his country would use a local corporate fund to compensate forced labor victims without demanding Japanese contributions. Japan’s then-Prime Minister Fumio Kishida later expressed sympathy for their suffering during a Seoul visit. Security, business and other ties between the sides have since rapidly resumed. Takeuchi said listing Japan’s modern industrial historical sites as a UNESCO World Heritage is a government push to increase tourism. The government, he said, wants “to commercialize sites like the Sado mines by beautifying and justifying their history for Japan’s convenience.” AP writer Kim Tong-hyung in Seoul, South Korea contributed.South Korean authorities seek warrant to detain impeached President Yoon in martial law probe

Prologis Declares Quarterly DividendCLEVLEAND — Shane Bieber's comeback with Cleveland has double meaning. The former Cy Young winner re-signed with the Guardians on Wednesday, a reunion that seemed unlikely when he became a free agent. However, the 29-year-old Bieber decided to stay with the AL Central champions after making just two starts in 2024 before undergoing Tommy John surgery. Bieber agreed last week to a one-year, $14 million contract. The deal includes a $16 million player option for 2026. It seemed like a long shot that Bieber, who is 62-32 with a 3.22 ERA in 132 starts, would return to Cleveland. He had turned down long-term offers in the past from the club, and it was expected he would sign with another contender, likely one on the West Coast. But the California native has a special connection with the Guardians, who selected him in the fourth round of the 2016 draft. Bieber, who won the AL Cy Young in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, threw only 12 innings last season before lingering issues with his elbow forced him to have surgery. He is expected to join Cleveland's rotation at some point in 2025. A two-time All-Star, Bieber was named MVP of the midsummer event in 2019 when it was held in Cleveland. He has the highest strikeout ratio per nine innings (10.2) and third-highest winning percentage (.660) in the franchise's 124-year history. Bieber is one of just three Cleveland pitchers to start five season openers, joining Stan Coveleski (1917-21) and Corey Kluber (2015-19). While Bieber had some elbow issues in the past, he didn't show any issues before being shut down. He struck out 11 in six scoreless innings against Oakland on March 28, and followed that up with six more shutout innings at Seattle on April 2. DALLAS — Pitchers again dominated the big league phase of the Rule 5 draft at the winter meetings, comprising 11 of the 15 unprotected players who were picked Wednesday. The 121-loss Chicago White Sox had the first pick and selected 24-year-old right-hander Shane Smith from the Milwaukee Brewers organization. Smith was an undrafted free agent out of Wake Forest when he was signed by Milwaukee in July 2021. The 6-foot-4, 235-pounder has gone 13-7 with a 2.69 ERA and 203 strikeouts over 157 innings in 19 starts and 54 relief appearances over three minor league seasons. There were 14 teams who made picks in the major league portion of the Rule 5 draft of players left off 40-man rosters after several minor league seasons. Only Atlanta made two selections, after making none since 2017. Atlanta chose right-hander Anderson Pilar from the Miami Marlins with the 11th pick, and then took infielder Christian Cairo from the Cleveland Guardians with the 15th and final pick in the MLB portion. The 26-year-old Pilar was original signed by Colorado as a minor league free agent in 2015 and has pitched in 213 minor league games that included 17 starts. He is 28-20 with a 2.86 ERA. Teams pay $100,000 to take a player in the major league portion. The players must stay on the big league roster all of next season or clear waivers and be offered back to their original organization for $50,000. Six of the 10 players selected during the Rule 5 draft last December — five of them right-handed pitchers — remained last season with organization that selected them. Two of the four position players taken Wednesday by other teams came from the Detroit Tigers organization: catcher Liam Hicks and third baseman Gage Workman. Miami drafted second after Colorado passed making a selection, and took Hicks. Workman was taken by the Chicago Cubs with the 10th pick. Baltimore lost two right-handed pitchers on back-to-back picks, Juan Nunez to San Diego with the 12th pick before Connor Thomas went to Milwaukee. DALLAS — Tom Hamilton, who has called Cleveland games on the radio for 35 seasons, won the Hall of Fame’s Ford C. Frick Award for excellence in broadcasting on Wednesday. Hamilton, 70, joined the team's broadcast in 1990, when he was with Herb Score in the booth and part of the coverage of their World Series appearances in 1995 and 1997. Hamilton became the voice of the franchise when Score retired after that second World Series. Hamilton will be honored during the Hall of Fame’s induction weekend from July 25-28 in Cooperstown, New York. He was selected the hall's Frick Award 16-member committee as the 49th winner. There were 10 finalists on this year's ballot, whose main contributions came as local and national voices and whose careers began after, or extended into, the Wild Card era. The other nine were Skip Caray, Rene Cardenas, Gary Cohen, Jacques Doucet, Ernie Johnson Sr., Mike Krukow, Duane Kuiper, Dave Sims and John Sterling. DALLAS — The Texas Rangers acquired slugging corner infielder Jake Burger from the Miami Marlins on Wednesday in a trade for three minor league players. Burger hit .250 with 29 home runs and 76 RBIs in 137 games for the Marlins last season, with 150 strikeouts in 535 at-bats with 31 walks. He started 59 games at third base and made 50 starts at first. Five days of service time short of being eligible for salary arbitration this offseason, he will be eligible next winter and can become a free agent after the 2028 World Series. Miami got infielders Max Acosta and Echedry Vargas and left-handed pitcher Brayan Mendoza. The acquisition of Burger comes about a month after the Rangers hired former Marlins manager Skip Schumaker as a senior adviser for baseball operations. Luis Urueta, Miami's bench coach the past two seasons, also was added recently to manager Bruce Bochy's on-field coaching staff for 2025. BRIEFLY WHITE SOX: Mike Tauchman is switching sides in Chicago. The White Sox announced a $1.95 million, one-year contract for the outfielder. Tauchman, 34, grew up in Palatine, Illinois, about 35 miles northwest of Chicago, and played college ball for Bradley in Peoria, Illinois. He spent the previous two seasons with the Cubs. TRADE: All-Star left-hander Garrett Crochet was acquired by the Boston Red Sox from the Chicago White Sox for four prospects. Catcher Kyle Teel, infielder Chase Meidroth, right-hander Wikelman Gonzalez and outfielder Braden Montgomery are headed to Chicago.

The holiday season is often filled with joy, connection, and celebration, but it can also be a time when tensions rise and conflicts emerge, especially during conversations with loved ones. Whether it's differing opinions, long-standing disagreements, or stress from holiday preparations, the atmosphere can sometimes shift from festive to tense. However, with a little mindfulness and preparation, it's possible to navigate these conversations with care, ensuring that the time spent together remains warm and meaningful. Here's how to avoid conflict and foster positive communication during the holidays. Expectations tend to be higher during the holidays than other times of the year. People often have more to check off of their to-do list when they may already feel stretched thin to begin with. It is also a time where larger groups of people come together who aren’t always on the same page about things whether it’s food preferences, alcohol consumption, parenting, politics, or religion. With the potential for this whirlwind of conflicting principles in one room, there is a higher potential to feel some tension. “Taking time to identify your own boundaries, meaning what you are and aren’t willing to discuss, can help to set the foundation for how you engage during holiday engagements,” says Lisa Eggebeen, Vice President of Specialty Clinics at Centerstone. This doesn’t mean that other people in the room won’t bring up potentially controversial topics, but leaning away from rather than into those conversations can save you a great deal emotional energy. Setting boundaries for yourself and the things you can control through the holiday season is important as we can only control so much. “Identifying our own positive coping skills prior to any stressful situation is key to mental wellness all the time, but especially during the holidays,” adds Eggebeen. Whether you need to take a breather and walk around the block or find your favorite person in the room to talk privately, do whatever you need to bring your stress level down. Non-verbal ques and how you are communicating can be incredibly helpful in leading the conversation in a more positive way. Things like keeping your voice in your regular tone, maintaining eye contact, and refraining from showing big emotions is a good place to start. You can often tell when a conversation is no longer productive when people are only listening to respond, are unwilling to hear the other person out, or are just talking in circles. In these cases, it may be best to agree to disagree and move on. Let it be known that all parties are entitled to their beliefs and feelings, even if they differ. The holidays can be a joyful yet stressful time. If you find yourself feeling overwhelmed and in need of additional support for your mental well-being consider contacting Centerstone at 877-HOPE123 (1-877-467-3123) to learn more.