New years are  LIFE . They’re full of possibility, which is exciting and hopeful… and, if I’m honest, sometimes a fast track to burnout. The moment the calendar flips, social media fills up with advice about what we should plan for, let go of, fix, or completely reinvent by 2026. Before I realize it, I’ve piled way too much pressure on myself, trying to wring every ounce of potential out of the year—only to feel exhausted before we’re even through the first quarter.   So this

If the last few years have taught us anything, it’s that there are things that can happen in our lives over which we have no control. We can begin our New Year with goals in sight and yet feel derailed in December when those outside forces impacted our ability to achieve those goals.  I know I definitely felt that as I said goodbye to 2025. So as I sit and think about 2026, I’m turning my attention to  how  I’ll be doing this work and less about goals for the work itself.  Th

As you may have seen recently, we suspended our donor campaign. Some folks have questioned that decision – who works at a non-profit and doesn’t ask for funding on Giving Tuesday?? I know, I know. But hear me out. I’m asking for “Friends Giving Tuesday” instead! As a person who chose non-profit leadership as a career path many years ago, I’ve learned a thing or two along the way. One of the things I’ve learned is that most of the funding you get, most of the contracts you get

As this year comes to a close, like many others, I’ve been reflecting on my own “valleys and mountains.” You know, those moments when you feel like you can't get back up, and those times you wish would never end. Instead of harshly judging myself for what I could have done differently or how I might have changed things, I’ve been taking the time to observe how I treated myself during those moments. When I found myself in a valley, did I show myself compassion and try to see b

Of the definitions of the word "give," "to provide love and / or other emotional support” resonates the deepest, especially in light of our current times – but in truth, to give in this way or in other ways that satisfies and sustains others is never out of season. I believe there is truth to the idea that serving others, giving of self to others, serves self. I give to me by giving to others, especially when my giving is directly linked to a specific need – and we all have s

Like many non-profits right now, we are having to get creative about bringing in funds. Some contracts haven’t renewed or have been put on pause, and our team has been focused on how to sustain our work. One of our strategies was to launch our first-ever donation campaign – which we did about 2 weeks ago when we released our Cypress 2025 Annual Report . But it just feels wrong. Since we launched our campaign, the Federal government has decided not to fund SNAP benefits for ou

I’m sure you’ve heard the phrase, “you can’t pour from an empty cup.” That’s true, but in my opinion its missing a piece: Because you...

Did you know Cypress has a mascot—and it’s not a Cypress tree? It’s actually a Money Tree ( Pachira Aquatica ) that once lived in the...

"Our heads are round so our thoughts can change direction." - Francis Picabia This year marked Mama’s passing, unexpected health problems...

If you’ve been reading our newsletter these past couple of months, you know we have been highlighting our QPR (Question, Persuade, Refer)...

Content indicator: This Self-Care Corner post contains content about thoughts of suicide. For much of my life, I have experienced...

“The Universe only gives you as much as you can handle.” “I honestly don’t even know how you do it.” “There’s always someone else who has...

We all have “spidey senses” – it’s our intuition or gut instinct that’s alerted when we have a bad feeling about something or sense...

As Olivia writes in her blog, asking “the question” can be difficult. This is especially true if the person we are asking is someone we...

Something we say often here at Cypress is “Everybody is Somebody’s Somebody”, to remind ourselves to treat others, and ourselves, with...

In January of 2022, my marriage ended. I was completely devastated. I felt like the life I had dreamed for my family had crumbled into a...

I’ve been thinking a lot about the ways I push through things alone—and how often I’ve mistaken that for strength. I grew up believing...

I have a dog named Rosie. She’s going to be seven years old and she loves her morning walks in the woods. She loves toys – well, more...

My college cross-country coach, the late, great, Raven Chiong, would often remind our team to “eat before hunger and drink before...

Once upon a time, I worked in an entry-level HR position for a big retail store. My job duties included reviewing applications, ensuring...