Beating Depression By Action

Depression can happen to anyone at any time of the year. Sometimes, holidays are the worst times for those that feel this down-in-the-dumps fear and worry and things just seem to happen to make us feel gloomy and sad. Note that this feeling happens to all of us at one time or another. How to recognize the feeling and know what to do about it is the purpose of this article. 

 

 

No one can or should ignore this feeling. It is universal and the blues are very much ingrained in our world. Music and movies are legendary in handling this subject. If the feeling is too overwhelming, then sometimes professional help is the desired action. We will just talk here about the funk of depression, the knotted thinking that nothing is right and it will only get worse. The following things are suggested to help:

1. Laughing is the best medicine is an old adage, but so true. It is amazing how when you are depressed, just laughing about something and releasing the stress, can make you feel better. If you are having trouble finding something to laugh about, maybe you can find some people to keep close that cheer you up, that you can call when you feel bad, those who you know will let you apply the "strength in numbers" theory. Invite a few good friends over just to talk and have an appetizer and you will see how much better you feel afterwards.

2. Listening to music is another key to overcoming depression. If you can just relax and let the type of music you love drift over you and enter your senses, you will find that you calm down and feel better. Even as babies in the womb, we respond to music. Maybe you will find you want to get up and dance and there is nothing wrong with that - even without a partner! Just move to the beat and let all your stress flow out of your fingertips and toes.

3. Do some work and you will find you feel less depressed. There is something about a clean bathroom, living room, or kitchen that gives most women a sense of pride and order and joy. Men sometimes enjoy doing some of the same work and experiencing the same attitudes. The point is you just need to get out and do something that moves your body. Maybe you can shoot hoops in the driveway, ride a bicycle through the neighborhood and say "HI" to a few of your neighbors. There is something to be said for just watching a sunset and realizing how mighty the world is and how we are just one part of it. That sometimes seems to put our troubles more in perspective.

4. While we are on that thought, why not try prayer when you feel depressed? Try helping out someone less fortunate. Think of hospital patients and know that they most likely have things worse than you. Yet, you see happier children and adults in some of the worst settings in the hospital. Count your blessings. Hug someone or maybe go through some old pictures of happy times with your family.

Doing productive activities will always perk you up. Think positively about your life and the things you have been given and do not dwell on the problems. Take your dog for a walk and relish in the animal's unending enjoyment at seeing you and being with you. Sometimes simple undemanding love is all we need to overcome the blue feeling.

The last suggestion may sound unusual, but here it is. EAT ICE CREAM! Yes, just swirling that cold stuff around on your tongue and all the different flavors can make you feel good! The idea is to eat something that you totally enjoy and see how hard it is to be depressed when you have your favorite food and are enjoying it. The world just seems a little better!

Of course, all the suggestions given above may not apply to everyone. But give them a try and who knows...maybe they can help just a little. Keep this list handy and the next time you are feeling a little down, find something that triggers the best response to get you to feel happy again. Be aware that when depression creeps in, you need to take action and beat the depression back to the corner where it belongs.

We all have more important things to do in life than feel blue and depressed. Keep this thought in-mind and may your life be filled with joy.

Mastercard Leads the Payments Industry Forward to a More Sustainable Future

 

• Directory of Sustainable Card Materials and Vendors Now Available
• 60+ Financial Institutions have Issued Cards Made from Recyclable, Bio-Sourced, Chlorine-Free, Degradable and Ocean Plastics

 

More than three quarters of people say they are “very concerned”  about the environment and feel companies should be doing more to address their impact on the planet . As consumers look for ways to help tackle climate change through their own positive actions, many are limiting their use of single-use plastics. To address this growing concern, Mastercard has worked with global industry players to develop a sustainable card program for all card issuers globally.  A new directory of sustainable materials and vendors for card products aims to make sustainable choice the preferred option for all financial institutions worldwide and drive enhanced innovation.

Today, Mastercard’s sustainable card offerings are available to consumers in over a dozen countries globally and more than 60 financial institutions have issued cards with approved materials made from recyclable, bio-sourced, chlorine-free, degradable and ocean plastics. These institutions include DBS Bank (Taiwan) and Crédit Agricole, as well as Santander, which will issue cards shortly. With this resource, banks can learn more about these alternatives, connect to card manufacturers and ultimately augment their own sustainability initiatives with a systemic change to their supply chain.

 

This initiative is a new milestone in a multi-year effort that will lead to the launch of Mastercard’s global certification scheme for approved sustainable cards.  It builds on the Greener Payments Partnership (GPP) formed by Mastercard and card manufacturers Gemalto, Giesecke+Devrient and IDEMIA in 2018 to establish environmental best practices and reduce first-use PVC plastic in card manufacturing.  Six billion payments cards are produced each year, typically from PVC.  These cards are replaced on average every three to four years, with discarded cards going to landfills across the world.

 

“Our goal is simple: we want to help banks offer more eco-friendly cards to consumers, and we are taking concrete steps to bring about that change.  This way, everyone benefits – it’s better for the environment, it’s better for business and it meets evolving consumer needs,” says Ajay Bhalla, president of Cyber & Intelligence, Mastercard. “We’re excited to see our efforts gaining traction in so many parts of the world and hope more organizations will join us, as we collectively use our power for good to address these urgent environmental challenges.”

 

“We’re pleased to partner with Mastercard on this important environmental initiative with the new DBS Eco Card, the first credit card in Asia made from polylactic acid — a renewable and biodegradable polymer material that emits no toxic gases during incineration,” said LIM Him Chuan, General Manager of DBS Bank (Taiwan). “With DBS and Mastercard focused on sustainability, this card underscores our commitment to protecting the environment as the way forward for everyone.”

Mastercard continues to invest in new technology and resources to bring new learnings and insight to the global market in support of sustainable choice across all payment rails. Mastercard’s Global DigiSec Lab in the UK, which works to maximize product innovation and security investments, has invested in technology that analyses the material makeup of a card to assess environmental claims on behalf of the industry, so that customers can be confident that any Mastercard they are issuing from a sustainable material has been evaluated and independently verified.  In addition, the Lab is investing in leading academic research related to environmentally friendly ways to recycle existing plastic cards.

 

“We know our customers are looking for more sustainable products and looking for ways to effect positive change in the world. This approach has enabled us to not only deliver on a consumer need but also offer a product that’s in line with our corporate sustainability values,” says Marco Briata, Head of Digital & Payments – Crédit Agricole Italia.

 

“MCB is fully committed towards protecting the environment and our local heritage. We are converting our cards portfolio to Polylactic Acid (PLA), which reduces traditional PVC use by more than 80%.  In addition, every time that a customer uses our Mastercard debit card, we make a contribution to the Mauritian Wildlife Foundation to save threatened Mauritian species through the restoration of entire ecosystems,” says Stephanie Ng Tseung, Head of Cards at MCB.

 

Inspiring Environmentally Conscious Choices

Mastercard makes Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) central to its business model; applying the full scale and scope of technology, partnerships and people to pioneer inclusive and sustainable growth for all.  The company has an extensive track record in creating products, services, partnerships and experiences that enable consumers to make sustainable consumption choices that are better for the planet – easily, intuitively, to their benefit.

 

The Priceless Planet Coalition (PPC) is a platform to unite corporate sustainability efforts and make meaningful investments to preserve the environment. Together with partners who share a commitment to doing well by doing good, PPC is pledging to plant 100 million trees over five years, inspiring positive consumer action.  Additionally, a partnership with the Swedish fintech startup Doconomy enables consumers to track, understand and take accountability of their environmental footprint through digital tools that set a new standard for purpose-driven payment solutions.  The company has also recently joined RE100, furthering its commitment to renewable energy, and set a new ambitious Greenhouse Gas Emissions target to meet a 1.5°C, approved by The Science Based Target Initiative (SBTi).  To learn more about Mastercard’s commitment to environmental sustainability, please visit https://www.mastercard.us/en-us/vision/corp-responsibility/sustainability.html.

 

Mastercard is committed to building a more inclusive digital economy that works for everyone.  That includes connecting 1 billion people and 50 million SMEs to the digital economy by 2025 and supporting 25 million women entrepreneurs grow their businesses.

WILKINS: N CHOOSING PURIFIED WATER, ARE YOU SURE IT’S ‘UNTOUCHED BY HUMAN HANDS’?

Sanitation concerns in the ongoing pandemic calls for ‘contactless’ procedures—that is, human touch at barest minimum during transactions whenever possible. This prevents the potential spread of the virus through human hands.

It makes sense that this same norm should also be applied in the production of packaged goods we buy, especially in something as essential as bottled water.  When you wonder about your cleanest, safest choice for your everyday drinking water, it’s worth asking: which among the countless water brands available are bottled with the least hand contact?  Is zero human intervention even possible in the bottling process?

 

It’s reassuring to know that Coca-Cola Philippines has Wilkins Pure which is guaranteed to be ‘untouched by human hands.’ A state-of-the-art and fully-automated production line helps ensure that every bottle is safe and free from harmful contaminants unseen to the naked eye, and is at peak quality for your daily hydration needs.

 

It doesn’t stop there.  Every bottle of Wilkins Pure undergoes all of the 7 stages of purification — micro-filtration, multi-media filtration, carbon filtration, polishing filtration, reverse osmosis, UV treatment and ozonization. Such a thorough process ensures high quality water that is pure to the last drop.

 

This certainty of purity is authoritatively vouched for by international global safety standards. Wilkins Pure has qualified for: Food Safety System Certification version 5 as recognized by the Global Safety Initiative; NSF Certification; Certification of Good Manufacturing Practices, Certification for Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) Codex Alimentarius and ABWA Certification under the International Bottled Water Association; among other certifications for Occupational Health and Safety Management and Environmental Management.  That’s all on top of the exacting the exacting global audit standards of the Coca Cola Company, acknowledged for its longstanding quality reputation worldwide.

 

“We know how important water is for our daily health and hydration. But in these times of uncertainty, we also know that the last thing consumers need to worry about is what bottled water to buy,” says Teejae Sonza, Marketing Director of Coca-Cola Philippines. “With Wilkins Pure, they can be assured that what they’re buying is internationally certified safe and free from unseen contaminants, giving them peace of mind knowing what they are drinking is indeed pure and good for every day consumption.”

 

At a time where each day is faced with the threat of unseen enemies, don’t leave one’s health and safety to chance. Go with guaranteed safe drinking water, and ‘para sure’ choose Wilkins Pure. Order Wilkins Pure via cokebeverages.ph or call the hotline at (02) 8813-2653 for deliveries within Metro Manila and 1800-1-888-2653 for orders outside Metro Manila.