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Most of us understand opportunity cost when it comes to money. If we spend our paycheck on one thing, we cannot spend it on something else. If we choose one path, we may have to give up another. Life works that way, too. Every "Yes" comes with a "No" attached to it. Every hour spent serving someone else is an hour that cannot be spent somewhere else. Every responsibility we accept requires time, energy, attention, and often a little piece of ourselves. Many people, especially women, become experts at filling every role in the room. We are mothers, daughters, wives, sisters, friends, employees, volunteers, caregivers, organizers, cooks, chauffeurs, listeners, planners, and problem-solvers. We remember birthdays, appointments, school functions, family gatherings, doctor’s appointments, groceries, bills, and all the little details that keep life moving forward. Someone needs help, and we help. Someone needs a ride, and we rearrange our day. Someone needs encouragement, and we pick up the phone. Someone needs a meal, a favor, a place to stay, or simply someone to listen, and we find a way. There is nothing wrong with being dependable. There is something admirable about people who care deeply for others. Communities, families, churches, schools, and workplaces are stronger because of people who are willing to show up. The problem comes when we become so busy being everything to everyone else that we stop being anything for ourselves. That is where opportunity cost enters the picture. The opportunity cost of constantly putting yourself last may be your health. It may be the walk you did not take, the doctor appointment you postponed, the sleep you sacrificed, or the meals you skipped or grabbed in a hurry because everyone else’s needs came first. It may be your peace. When every moment belongs to someone else, there is little room left to think, rest, pray, read, sit quietly, or simply be still. A person can be surrounded by people and still feel completely alone when there is never a moment to ask, “How am I doing? It may be your joy. Many of us have hobbies, interests, and dreams that slowly get pushed to the side. Perhaps you once loved to garden, paint, write, travel, bake, sing, decorate, exercise, or sit on the porch with a good book. Maybe you enjoyed meeting friends for lunch without checking the clock every five minutes. Those things may seem small compared with the demands of family and life. Still, they are not small. They are part of what makes us feel like ourselves. When we give up every part of ourselves for everyone else, resentment often begins to grow. It does not always show up loudly. Sometimes it looks like irritability. Sometimes it looks like exhaustion. Sometimes it looks like avoiding phone calls, dreading another request, or feeling guilty for wanting one uninterrupted hour alone. We may tell ourselves that self-care is selfish. We may believe that a good mother, wife, daughter, friend, or employee should always be available. We may think that saying no means we do not care. That is simply not true. Caring for yourself is not a rejection of the people you love. It is a way to make sure you have something left to give them. No one can pour from an empty cup forever. Eventually, the cup runs dry. When that happens, even the things we once did gladly can begin to feel like burdens. Self-care does not have to mean expensive trips, fancy spas, or dramatic changes. It may mean taking a walk after dinner instead of doing one more load of laundry. It may mean saying no to a committee that does not need you nearly as much as you think it does. It may mean asking someone else to bring the dessert, make the phone call, pick up the prescription, or handle the details for once. It may mean protecting one hour on a Saturday morning for coffee, quiet, and no agenda. The people who love us may need to adjust when we begin setting boundaries. They may be used to us always saying yes. They may not understand at first. Still, healthy relationships can survive a reasonable no. In fact, they are often stronger because of it. We teach our children and grandchildren important lessons by showing them that rest matters. We teach them that women do not have to disappear into serving others to be loving. We teach them that responsibility and self-respect can exist together. We also teach them that a full life is not measured only by how much we do for others. It is measured by whether we have lived with purpose, gratitude, health, and enough joy to recognize the blessings around us. There will always be another task, another request, another person who needs something. The laundry will return. The calendar will fill back up. The phone will ding. The question is whether we will continue to give every available piece of ourselves away before saving any of it for the person in the mirror. The opportunity cost of doing too much for everyone else is often losing touch with yourself. You are allowed to rest. You are allowed to have interests outside the roles you fill. You are allowed to say no without explaining every detail. You are allowed to make room for your own health, peace, and happiness. That is not selfishness. That is how we make sure the life we are giving so much to is still a life we are truly living. Read the full article

Charleston, W.Va. – The West Virginia Chamber Foundation proudly announces finalists for the 2027 West Virginia School Counselor of the Year (COY). Chosen from county school counselor of the year winners across grade levels statewide, these finalists are committed to ensuring student success by providing services that support academic achievement, career development and social/emotional growth. Working in partnership with the West Virginia Department of Education (WVDE), the Chamber Foundation will reveal state winners during the 2026-27 Champions of Learning Gala on Sept. 8, 2026, in Charleston.   New in 2026, the Champions of Learning recognition program was established to shine a light on the work of professional staff within county school systems who are essential to supporting the whole child. The 2027 COY finalists are as follows: Jennifer Pickett Jennifer Pickett has served as a school counselor in Marshall County since 2005. She began her journey after earning a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Wheeling University. She also earned a Master of Arts in Community Counseling from West Virginia University. During her counseling internship at the Belmont County (Ohio) alternative program, Pickett served as the senior high therapist for the alternative high school classroom. Throughout her career, she has impacted countless students across the county, serving at several schools before establishing long-term roots at McNinch Primary School. Pickett finds it especially fulfilling to work with students in their early, formative years. She focuses heavily on safety, emotion regulation and character education, while also highlighting the importance of academic growth. Hilary Gibson Hilary Gibson is a school counselor at Huntington High School (HHS) in Cabell County known for her commitment to student-centered, creative and dedicated student support. She brings more than a decade of experience working with students across multiple grade levels. Her work focuses on creating meaningful, positive relationships within her school community and ensuring all students feel seen, known and heard. Gibson earned both a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and a Master of Arts in Counseling from Marshall University. Throughout her seven years at HHS, Gibson has strengthened schoolwide systems by collaborating to implement a consistent Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports framework utilizing Multi-Tiered Systems of Support. This work ensures students have access to structured supports that prepare them for their next steps beyond high school graduation. Miriam Mason Miriam Mason is a school counselor at Mylan Park Elementary School in Monongalia County. She serves students in a Title I setting and leads wellness initiatives as the school's wellness coordinator. Mason earned her Master of Arts in Counseling, holds credentials as a Licensed Professional Counselor and National Certified Counselor, is a Certified Mental Health and Nutrition Clinical Specialist and is also an active member of both the West Virginia School Counselor Association and the American School Counselor Association. She uses data-informed strategies to support student outcomes in attendance, behavior and academic achievement while advocating for equitable access to mental health services. Mason implements the school’s comprehensive counseling programming through the American School Counselor Association framework and The Regulated Classroom: Bottom-Up, Trauma-Informed Teaching Practices. In addition to her work in the school setting, Mason provides counseling services in private practice, where she supports clients across all ages and integrates a holistic, wellness-based approach to care. She also supervises graduate counseling interns from West Virginia University and mentors fellow counselors within her county. She has presented at professional conferences and collaborates with community partners to expand access to resources for students and families. Angguna Rowe Angguna Rowe serves as the school counselor at Huff Consolidated Elementary and Middle School in Wyoming County. Rowe is a licensed professional counselor, an approved licensed professional supervisor and a nationally certified counselor with specialized training in clinical trauma. She is passionate about supporting students’ academic, social/emotional and career development through relationship-centered, evidence-based practices. Rowe’s work focuses on removing barriers to learning, strengthening attendance and engagement, supporting mental wellness and helping students build resilience and confidence. In addition to school counseling, she is the founder of HomeTown Professional Counseling and serves as a clinical counselor at West Virginia University (WVU) Medicine Behavioral Health Pavilion of the Virginias. Rowe earned a Master of Education in School Counseling with a clinical counseling endorsement from Liberty University and a Regents Bachelor of Arts degree with a minor in Child Development and Human Services from WVU. Additionally, she completed the Apprenticeship for Child Development Specialist sponsored by the West Virginia Department of Labor and previously studied education at Bluefield State College. Rowe has presented on youth mental health and student wellness at the West Virginia School Counseling Conference and the National Council for Community and Education Partnerships GEAR UP annual conference. She believes every child deserves to feel seen, supported and empowered to reach their fullest potential. Dabney Sheetz Dabney Sheetz is a 21-year veteran school counselor currently serving at Frankfort Elementary School in Mineral County. Throughout her career, she has served elementary, middle and high school populations, including alternative settings. Presently, Sheetz serves third- and fourth-grade students in the classroom and in small groups. She earned both a Bachelor of Arts in History and Political Science and a Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction with a specialization in secondary social studies from Virginia Tech. She also holds a Master of Education in School Counseling from Virginia Commonwealth University. Sheetz worked for five years as a secondary social studies teacher before attending Virginia Commonwealth University to pursue a career in school counseling. “School counselors work alongside educators, families and community partners to ensure that students are prepared to become productive, well-adjusted members of society. By supporting the whole child, their work is instrumental in establishing a welcoming environment conducive to every student’s success. The selflessness of these finalists is inspiring, and I look forward to celebrating them in September.”— Michele L. Blatt, State Superintendent of Schools Read the full article

Marshall County, WV – A portion of County Route 48/1 (Lone Oak Road), in Cameron, from milepost 6.33 to milepost 9.47, will be closed, from 6:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., beginning on Monday, July 6, 2026, through mid-August, for paving. Emergency vehicles will be accommodated and should expect delays. Motorists are advised to use an alternate route. Alternate Routes: Use County Route 48 (Dry Ridge Road), County Route 26 (Number Two Ridge), County Route 7 (Viola Road), or County Route 15/1 (Cold Springs Road). Inclement weather or unforeseen circumstances could change the project schedule. Read the full article