Do you often worry about making mistakes or letting people down? Fear of failure is very common and can show up at any time in your life. If left unchecked, it can hurt your self-confidence, affect your relationships and even your career.
Resources for Living (RFL) has many suggestions on how to manage setbacks and a fear of failure. Check out their video on how failure can be a good tool for success and growth.
Do you ever feel down because you don’t succeed the first time you try something new?
The idea of easy and constant success is a myth. You may remember the story of King Midas. You know, that guy who walked around touching stuff and turning it into gold.
Well, when he tried to eat something, he realized what he thought was a blessing was really a curse.
If everything came easily to you, there wouldn’t be any new lessons for you to eat and digest and learn from. You wouldn’t have anything to aspire to; there would be no higher heights to climb.
Failure teaches you.
No one sets out to fail, yet failure is often a part of eventual success. Sometimes you can build on what’s working and make changes to what’s not in order to get to your goal. And other times, great things get discovered by surprise.
For instance, Thomas Edison was trying to record telegraph signals and recorded his own voice along the way. This led to the invention of the phonograph. Edison seems to have made friends with failure. He’s quoted as saying, “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.”
Here are some tips to help you see failure in a positive light:
Try, try, try again! Most things don’t happen overnight. They take practice and along the way you can learn new things and find ways to improve.
No one’s perfect. If you were perfect, you wouldn’t have anything in common with others. You’d be the only one who’s never failed at something.
Look for the silver lining. No matter how successful you are, no one becomes immune to failing. But you can change your attitude about failure. Don’t look at failures as failures. See them for what they can be: breadcrumbs on the path to success.
Help others. Once you’ve achieved a measure of success, you’re in a great place to help others who might be starting out along a similar path.Try, try, try again! Most things don’t happen overnight. They take practice and along the way you can learn new things and find ways to improve.
Edison also said, “Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.”
The next time something doesn’t go the way you hoped or planned, ask yourself what you can learn. You might surprise yourself!
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Go from worst critic to best advocate
Did you know that women are less likely to apply for leadership roles — even if they’re just as qualified?1 Putting yourself out there — whether you’re trying a new hobby, going on a date or applying for a job — can be scary. You may feel self-conscious or worry about what others are thinking. But in reality, most people are feeling the same way.
Take time to think about where you’d like to grow at Costco. There are countless opportunities within the company. Connect with your manager about your goals and create an action plan — whether it’s learning a new department or developing certain skills. Staying on the same page as your leadership is an important step to reach your goals!
When you fall down, you’re really failing up
Have you heard of “growth mindset?” It’s a way of thinking that looks at challenges and setbacks as an opportunity for self-improvement. Another term for this is “failing up.” For example, missing out on a promotion can be disappointing. But a growth mindset sees this as a chance to grow.
Things don’t always go as planned
No matter how well we plan, life is filled with twists and turns. Family and relationship problems, job disappointments, health issues, financial stressors — everyone faces these at some point in their life. The key to bouncing back is resilience. It’s an important life skill that helps you deal with whatever comes your way.
Have you ever worried about what would happen to your family if something unexpected happened to you? A peace-of-mind plan can help you feel secure knowing that your loved ones will be taken care of. It’s like leaving a map for your family to follow, so they know where to go.
Write down all your assets, including real estate, financial accounts, personal property, insurance policies and digital assets. You can also include any debts, such as a home or car loan, or credit cards. Here are some examples:
House
Bank or investment account
Retirement account
Car
Art, jewelry or collectibles
Life insurance policies
Social media accounts
Digital photos
You’ll collect all the details, such as account numbers and passwords, and list them in a separate document, such as a letter of instruction. This helps keep information private as wills can become public documents. It will also keep you from having to update your will if account numbers or passwords change.
Consider life and AD&D insurance
Life insurance pays a cash benefit to a beneficiary if the insured person dies. Accidental death and dismemberment insurance pays an additional amount for certain covered accidents.
Basic life and AD&D insurance is provided to all eligible employees and their enrolled family members at no cost.
Supplemental life and AD&D insurance is available for you to purchaseif you’d like more than the basic life insurance provided. Learn more about how much and when you can purchase this coverage at Costcobenefits.com > Financial Wellbeing > Life & Disability.
Choose beneficiaries
A beneficiary is whoyou choose to get your money and things when you die. It can be a person (or multiple people), the trustee of a trust you’ve set up, a charity or nonprofit organization, a minor (under 18 years of age) or your estate (in the case of a life insurance policy).
Why it’s important
Clarity: When you name beneficiaries, it’s clear who gets what. This helps avoid arguments and hurt feelings among your family.
Speed: Naming beneficiaries ensures that claims for benefits such as life insurance get processed and paid timely. Without a beneficiary listed, there can be delays in determining who should receive the benefits.
Control: You decide who gets your money and things. If you don’t name a beneficiary, the state decides, and it might not be what you want.
How to choose
Think about the people who depend on you:
Who needs your financial help? Make sure they’re included.
If you have children under 18, who will manage their money? You can name a trustee to handle this.
Do you want to set conditions? For example, you might want your children to get money only after they graduate from college.
Please note, in order to name someone other than your spouse as your beneficiary on your retirement account, you’ll need to contact T. Rowe Price for assistance.
Make a will
A will makes sure your house, cars, money and assets go to the right people.
You may also want to consider a trust. Here are some of the benefits:
Set the rules —You decide how or when your beneficiaries receive their inheritance. This can be useful for kids or those who need help managing money.
Avoid probate — Your trust distributes your assets. That means no court supervision and a faster, more private process.
Estate planning — You can include real estate, bank accounts and investments to be managed the way you decide.
Other legal documents to think about:
Durable powers of attorney — Lets someone make financial, legal and benefit decisions for you if you can’t.
Health care directive — Lets someone make health care decisions for you if you can’t.
You can also learn more about a variety of legal topics in the Resource Library. Or take advantage of a free 30-minute consultation with a lawyer to answer any questions you may have about wills, trusts or other legal concerns. Call RFL at 833-721-2320 (TTY: 711) to request your free consultation.
Update your documents
Make sure your life insurance, retirement accounts and other documents have the right beneficiaries. You can update your beneficiaries at any time here:
How often have you heard “you are what you eat”? That’s because what you eat has such a big impact on your physical and mental health. Listen to these Costco employees as they share their experience with Cylinder*, the new free digestive health program.
Tony, and I’ve been a part of Cylinder for about 2 months.
I’m gluten free, so I gotta stay away from gluten or else I get arthritic pain in my hands and around my body.
Well, I met with my health coach. He’s fantastic.
And then the behavioral therapy. My son, he’s got a panic disorder. That can really, really help with him.
Okay. I feel better overall. The app is, and, and the health coach, has really helped with being mindful.
I have more energy. I think I’m happier.
And I’ve even gotten compliments from members at work.
This is amazing that they’re, they’re recognizing this as a way to get healthy.
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Darren and I think we’re going on 2 months.
I mean, I’ve always had a little bit of acne, you know. Especially as a 60 year old guy, I didn’t, you know, I didn’t think I should have acne anymore, but, so I thought, well, okay, maybe it is something to do with my eating. Then I got a little rosacea on my forehead about 6 months ago.
The actual western medicine doesn’t really have anything for it. And, you know, none of it seems to help. And everybody I know that’s had it, has it. You know, they can’t seem to get rid of it. So I thought, alright. I’m gonna try more of a holistic attempt. And I wanted to start eating better, and I thought Cylinder was kind of a nice way to do that.
The last couple of weeks, the redness has diminished. But the people from Cylinder, they’re amazing. My diet’s certainly better now than it was 2 months ago. There’s so many people at work that I know struggle with this. You know, if there was some way to reach some of these people, they would really benefit from it.
Cylinder is available now
Order your free gut microbiome health test with Cylinder, your free digestive health program. Learn about the good and bad bacteria in your gut, then connect with a registered dietitian and health coach to identify triggers that cause gut issues to help relieve your symptoms.
Your benefits include preventive screenings and blood tests for a healthy heart, chiropractic care and custom foot insoles for a healthy body, and counseling or coaching for a healthy mind. If you need prescriptions for your heart, body or mind, the CHS Cares Medication Adherence Program* is here to support you.
Healthy heart
Preventive care services that keep your heart healthy may include:
Your annual physical
Blood pressure screening
Cholesterol screening
Blood sugar (glucose) testing
Height and weight measurements
Your primary care provider can tell you which services are right for you and how often to have them, based on your age, gender and medical history. Your PCP can also help you “know your numbers” (your test and screening results) and what they mean for your health.
Support for high blood pressure and diabetes
If you are diagnosed with or are at risk for diabetes or high blood pressure, your doctor may recommend medication or changes to your diet or exercise. It can be hard to know where to start.
Omada can help you manage your care between visits to your doctor. This app-based program provides you with:
A personalized program to guide you
Tools, such as a smart scale, glucose meter and/or blood pressure monitor (yours to keep)
Keeping your body healthy is easier when you’re not in pain. Use these benefits to help reduce aches and pains.
Chiropractic care
If you or a family member is experiencing back pain, neck pain, headaches or arthritis, working with a chiropractor might offer relief.
Changes to your Aetna** chiropractic care benefits in 2025 include:
The Aetna medical plan covers up to 30 chiropractic visits per year.
You no longer need to meet your plan’s deductible and coinsurance.
Your plan’s PCP copay applies.
Custom foot insoles
If you are suffering from foot, knee or back pain, custom foot insoles may help. FitMyFoot offers custom foot insoles to all Costco employees and family members at a cost of $75 per pair. No prescription is needed.
Your custom insoles will be shipped to your home address.
Get up to 3 pairs of custom insoles per year covered by your Aetna medical plan. Deductible and coinsurance apply.
Full-time employees who have already met their deductible will pay a 10% coinsurance, or $7.50 per pair.
Part-time employees who have already met their deductible will pay a 20% coinsurance, or $15.00 per pair.
Virtual physical therapy
Omada for Joint & Muscle Healthoffers virtual one-on-one physical therapy with a licensed physical therapist at no cost to help you bounce back from an injury, build strength and flexibility, prepare for a new exercise program or stay pain-free during everyday activities. Visit msk.omadahealth.com/Costco or call 888-409-8687 to get started.
Note: Omada for Joint & Muscle Health is not available to residents of Illinois. For assistance finding physical therapy, contact your Aetna Health Concierge at 800-814-3543 (TTY: 711).
Healthy mind
An important part of your annual physical is a depression screening. Your doctor may give you a questionnaire to fill out or talk with you about:
How often you feel depressed or hopeless
Whether you’ve lost pleasure in things you used to enjoy
Trouble falling or staying asleep
How often you feel tired or have little energy
Eating too much or too little
Identifying and treating depression or other mental health concerns can improve your life. Feeling better is possible, and help is available, 24/7.
Support for mental health
Resources for Living (RFL), your Employee Assistance Program (EAP), is a valuable resource for mental health care or simply to help with everyday life. Services are available to all Costco employees and their household members. Dependent children living away from home can use RFL up to age 26.
Find support for:
Anxiety, depression, stress and grief
Family, parenting or relationship challenges
Substance use concerns
And much more
Services include:
In-the-moment mental health or crisis support, 24/7
6 free counseling sessions per person, per issue, per year, with in-person, virtual and chat options
Well-being coaching to help you meet almost any personal goal
3 ways to find a therapist with RFL
Alma*: Access the Alma mental health counseling platform at RFL.com/Costco to help you find the therapist that’s right for you. Search by specialty, gender, language and more. Schedule unlimited free 15-minute consultations until you find the right fit. Then get automatic authorization to start your 6 free sessions.
RFL Care Partner: Connect with a Care Partner by live chat on the website or by phone at 833-721-2320 (TTY: 711). They can help you find a therapist and even schedule your appointments.
Talkspace: On-demand text or video chat therapy with a licensed therapist is available for teens age 13+ and adults. Get your first 6 sessions free, then copays apply. Visit RFL.com/Costco to get started.
Staying healthy with medications
Your doctor may prescribe medication for you heart, body or mind to help you reach or maintain your best health. Taking your medications as directed by your doctor — known as “medication adherence” — may seem like an easy thing to do. But research shows that nearly 50% of people don’t take their medications as prescribed.1 When this happens, a condition may worsen, which can lead to increased ER visits and hospital stays.
Costco Health Solutions (CHS)* can help. The free CHS Cares Medication Adherence Program* connects you to an expert pharmacist who can help you:
Work through barriers that are getting in your way, such as side effects or forgetfulness
Simplify medication routines
Learn simple and effective ways to improve adherence
Click here or call 800-890-5548 to schedule an appointment with a CHS pharmacist.
Do you imagine a life where you feel more energized, more confident and more connected? Experiencing wonder — for example, watching a beautiful sunset — can help jumpstart an improvement in your emotional well-being so you can move toward these or other personal goals.
Finding wonder in your everyday life is a skill you can develop. The first step is to be mindful and present to the world around you. Need help learning how? Turn to Resources for Living (RFL). You can access free mindfulness digital tools or take advantage of a new benefit, free and confidential well-being coaching.
Research finds that experiencing wonder, or awe, a few times a week can calm down the nervous system and decrease negative thinking. It can also trigger the release of oxytocin, the “love hormone” that promotes trust and bonding.1 People who experience awe reported feeling greater life satisfaction and improved well-being.2
Four ways to tap into wonder
Try these activities to bring the positive effects of wonder into your life.
Take an “awe walk.”
Pick someplace you’ve never been or imagine you’re walking in a familiar place for the first time. Turn off your phone, take a few deep breaths and tune into your senses. You may find what you notice — the perfect snowflake, a bird’s melodic chirping — gives you a sense of peace and connection.
Look for moments of kindness.
Pay attention to the people around you. Catch them doing good, such as giving up their seat on a bus. Reading or watching videos about inspiring people can also trigger awe.
Listen to music that moves you.
You know the songs — the ones that send shivers down your spine or give you goosebumps. This music can take you out of yourself and lessen stress and negative emotions.
Be open to what’s possible.
Get out of your comfort zone. Seek opportunities for growth and change. Then be awed by what you can accomplish.
A great way to make this happen is to work with an RFL well-being coach. You can have as many free and confidential sessions as you’d like to help you meet whatever goal you want to achieve.
Use your sessions to:
Take on a new challenge, such as running your first 10K or half-marathon
Develop empowering habits, such as effective time management
Build relationships skills, such as improving communication and social skills
Get started by visiting RFL.com/Costco or calling 833-721-2320 (TTY: 711).
Take time to smell the roses and reach for the stars. And remember, your Costco benefits are there to back you up.
Once again, it’s you — our employees — that have fueled Costco’s success this year. We’re grateful for the hard work, creativity and dedication each one of you brings to your work on a daily basis.
And you’ve been working on yourselves, too. Over 92,000 of you have taken this year’s We’re in This Together pledge to learn more about the benefit resources available to you and your family. Your spouses or domestic partners have increased their participation in the pledge, as well. Over 10,000 of you enrolled in our new digestive health program, Cylinder*, in its first month. And Supportiv, our peer-to-peer chat support resource, earned a user score of 4.7 stars (out of 5).
Every year brings different challenges — and often new or enhanced benefits programs to meet them. So even if you pledged in the past, pledge again starting January 1, 2025, along with your spouse or domestic partner. Look for more information coming soon in the mail and on this website.
It’s a wonder-filled life
Research shows that experiencing wonder is good for you in many ways. It can lower stress, decrease inflammation and promote trust and bonding. So we’ve chosen “wonder” as our We’re in This Together theme for 2025. Take advantage of your Costco benefits, and you might just be in awe of what you can achieve.
Your stories are the best stories
This year, four Costco employees shared how they used their benefits to help themselves and their families get the care they needed right when they needed it. If you haven’t heard their inspiring stories, you can listen here. It’s a great way to see your benefits in action.
At Costco, it’s our responsibility and ongoing promise to provide our employees with exceptional health benefits that are reflective of how much we value their service to Costco. And it’s just as important for our employees to understand the great benefits they have available so they can use them wisely.
The best way to stay informed about the many benefit programs available to you and your family is by taking the annual We’re in This Together (WITT) pledge. By taking the pledge, you will have access to beneficial content that will result in you getting the most out of your benefits that Costco is proud to offer to you.
Thank you for your continued hard work and for your many contributions toward Costco’s great success. My best wishes to you and your family for a healthy 2025!
The average person spends 2 hours and 23 minutes per day on social media.1 What could you do if you got that time back?
While quitting social media for good may not be an option, taking a break can make a difference in your health and happiness. This is especially true for teens and tweens, whose social media habit can lead to things like sleep deprivation and a negative self-image.
Research suggests that although social media can be useful, it can also increase stress, anxiety, depression and even make you feel lonelier.2 By taking time off, you can gain:
More opportunities to connect with friends and family
Better mood
Higher self-esteem
A deeper sense of gratitude
More relaxation and contentment
Try grabbing a coffee with a friend, digging into a good book or taking a walk in nature. Then notice the difference it makes.
How to get started
There are no set rules on taking a social media break. You may simply limit your time to 15 minutes a day. Or opt to tune out completely for two weeks or more. Once you’ve figured out what you’re going to do, you may want to announce your plan online if you think people might worry about your absence or just to make it feel more real.
Here are a few quotes people have used with their social media break announcements that might inspire you.
If you find taking a break more difficult than you originally thought, reach out to Resources for Living for counseling and digital resources to help you manage your social media time. Be patient with yourself and allow some backsliding now and then. Your efforts will pay off in the long run.
1Soax. What is the average time spent on social media each day? 2Harvard Summer School. Need a break from social media? Here’s why you should — and how to do it.
Sources: The Tiny Life. How to take a 14-day social media break — A practical guide to reclaiming your time with social media detoxing. Cleveland Clinic. When (and how) to take a social media break
Gratitude may be the best-kept secret to reduce stress and help you feel better. Its benefits include improved physical health, higher self-esteem, better sleep and stronger social connections. And it doesn’t take a lot of work. Here are a few ways you can get started on a gratitude practice today.
Write down one thing you’re thankful for each day
Say thank you or write a thank you note
Visualize people, pets and things you’re grateful for
Take a “gratitude walk” and appreciate the space around you
Check out this 2-minute video to learn more about the science behind gratitude and how you can get more into your life. You can also check out the digital resources available from Resources for Living and AbleTo* to improve your emotional health.
♪ ♪ Research shows that adopting an attitude of gratitude — simply expressing appreciation and being more thankful — can measurably improve your overall well-being.
For example, studies prove that gratitude can increase happiness, reduce depression and strengthen resiliency.
Grateful people often experience reduced blood pressure, less chronic pain, increase energy, even longer lives.
People who purposefully express more gratitude report higher self-esteem than those who don’t and they’re more likely to help others — a pro-social behavior also linked to greater happiness.
People who capture grateful thoughts before bed sleep better than those who don’t. Why so many positive changes?
Because gratitude actually rewires our brains; kickstarting the production of dopamine and serotonin.
Like antidepressants, these feel-good neurotransmitters activate the bliss center of the brain, creating feelings of happiness and contentment. This appears to be self-perpetuating.
Research suggests that with regular practice you’ll train your prefrontal cortex to better appreciate and retain positive experiences and thoughts and to deflect the negative ones.
Here are a few simple ways to deliberately cultivate that attitude of gratitude.
Celebrate minor accomplishments.
Think about what you have rather than dwelling on what you don’t.
Tell the people in your life something you appreciate about them. Tell yourself too.
Volunteer.
Hold a door for a stranger or simply smile more and you’ll probably feel better as kindness and giving are connected to gratitude.
Similar positive brain changes can occur from regular meditation and mindfulness.
Keep a daily gratitude journal using an old-fashioned notebook or a high-tech app.
The science is clear.
Give gratitude a go, you’ll be thankful you did! ♪ ♪
Current events can be a source of stress and anxiety for many people. These feelings can impact both your emotional and physical health. One example? Grinding your teeth. This common symptom of stress can cause tension headaches and damage your teeth and jaw.
Finding healthy ways to cope during these times is extremely important. These ideas from RethinkCare might inspire you. Keep them in mind when interacting with the news or with people you disagree with to help you manage your emotions and support your well-being.
Think about how a person’s culture and experience shape their views. What can you learn from them even if you disagree? Relationships can be built on more than just political views. By being curious and open, you can understand other people’s perspectives and build stronger connections despite differences.
Cultivate empathy
Build empathy by remembering times when you changed your own beliefs. Acknowledge that your views are a part of you but don’t define you. When you learn to both understand different perspectives and maintain your own, you can respect the diversity of thought and experience in others.
Manage difficult conversations
Difficult conversations are to be expected during election season. To have more productive and respectful discussions, work to develop a deeper understanding of yourself. That way, you can communicate with more ease, trust and confidence.
Step back if you feel overwhelmed
Non-stop news and social media can be taxing. If you’re feeling fatigued, take a day or a few days to disconnect. Try setting specific times to engage in news and dedicate the rest to self-care. You can also practice mindfulness or meditation to clear away mental clutter and help you focus on what truly matters.
You can get through election season and beyond. The resources below can help.
Sometimes, it’s hard to smile, especially if you’re feeling sick, tired or blue. But research shows that the physical act of smiling — and the release of feel-good chemicals it generates — can do your body good. It can lift your mood, lower stress, strengthen your immune system and possibly help you live longer.
In honor of World Mental Health Day on October 10, we invite you to put a smile on your face (even if it’s hard) and take charge of your emotional fitness. For starters, try a technique to help you let go of anxious thoughts, described in the short video below from AbleTo*.
We have lots of thoughts all day long. We think about a text we wish we hadn’t sent. We think about what we need at the grocery. We imagine what the world would be like if dogs could talk. These are all thoughts. Some unpleasant, some neutral, and some pleasant.
For the most part, our thoughts come and go and we hardly notice. Some thoughts bring action like, “I think I want some chips”, or “I should call that person”. Some thoughts bring feelings of joy, like thinking about a vacation you have coming up or watching videos of kittens. But other thoughts, the ones we probably want to let go of the most can bring on feelings of stress, fear, remorse, grief and more.
It’s important to be with our feelings, but sometimes the thoughts that trigger those feelings are inaccurate. And even though feelings are accurate, sometimes we may want to respond to them a little differently than we feel.
So how do you let go of a thought before it becomes a distraction? Here are some real-life examples so you can practice the “See, Be, Free” technique out in the world.
Have you ever been in traffic and had someone cut in front of you? Or had someone bump into you and then carry on without apologizing? You probably thought, “What a jerk”. That “What a jerk” then evolves into “Everyone is so rude today”. And before you know it, that thought is now tightness in your chest, tension in your muscles, and anger in your body.
Now you’re stuck feeling bad.
Sometimes, when we get stuck thinking about unpleasant things, we make them last longer and even let them lead us into saying or doing things we wish we hadn’t. In this scenario, the anger just makes our day worse.
So when your mind goes, “What a jerk”, and you feel the outrage, see the thought and then be with it. Don’t judge it or react to it, and then free the thought. Is it true? Does the thought help you? Maybe that person didn’t see you or maybe they were embarrassed. Even if that person was a jerk, it’s usually not worth ruminating on that thought and staying in that bad feeling.
Anxious thoughts can sometimes be hard to pinpoint, but you’re probably familiar with how anxious thoughts make you feel. If you notice that signature rush of anxiety, the sweaty palms, the shallow breaths, the tightness in your chest, that feeling of dread, notice what triggered that feeling and work from there. Did you read a text or an email you weren’t sure how to respond to? Maybe you heard some news that made you feel scared or maybe you felt fear about something upcoming, like a flight or a speech you’re meant to give.
Once you figure out the trigger, take a look at the thought. They’ll come in all shapes and sizes from, “I’m not good enough”, or “I always fail, everyone hates me and I should give up”. Those are just thoughts. Notice that they’re a thought. Say it out loud. That’s a thought. “I have thousands of thoughts and that’s just one of them, and I can let it go”. Then free the thought. Is it a repetitive thought that gives you anxiety, but usually turns out okay? Is it a fear of something that’s almost certainly not going to happen?
When we use the See, Be, Free technique, we can always come back to the skills we learned in meditation. Once you do your best letting go of the thought, bring your awareness just like you learned to your breath, to the soles of your feet, to whatever anchors you, and keep bringing your attention there until the thought becomes just another raindrop. No more interesting than any other. Just something to notice knowing it will pass and you don’t have to chase the storm.
Check out the resource below to build up your emotional well-being and feel more happiness, peace and empowerment.
*Not available in Puerto Rico.
Sources: NBCnews.com.Smiling can trick your brain into happiness — and boost your health. AbleTo. Shape up your self-care routine.
