On Saturday, about 50 local residents gathered in the Casey Community Center to hear nationally recognized motivational speaker Brenda Clark Hamilton. Hamilton’s address titled, “I Know I’m Supposed to be Wonder Woman, but I don’t Have Any Bullet Blocking Bracelets!” focused on dealing with stress, depression, and life’s everyday challenges. While the program is designed for women, men and women of all ages were in attendance.

Hamilton delivered a powerful message on how participants can be the best versions of themselves. She touched on how making comparisons with others can lead to a “losing game,” ways individuals can block negative thoughts, and the difference between having “mojo” and “nojo,” or negative energy.

Hamilton believes looking for the positive, and being surrounded by community, are healthy ways to bounce back from traumatic events. “One of the things I always try to do is say ‘How can I use this pain, this sadness, this frustration, this despair and turn it into something good?’ The other thing I would say is to seek help if you need it. There’s no shame, if you’re struggling a lot, to get some help in dealing with it. Don’t lose connection with people. Keep engaged with people.”

She also recommends writing down, or notating mentally, three specific things to be thankful for sometime during each day. In response to the recent Florida school shooting, Hamilton encouraged those affected to focus not on the pain and despair brought about by the event, but the helpers, heroes, and those who made a difference for the better.