What a lovely reminder by Christy Ann Martine that we can take the time to reset our systems through the ever graceful calm of nature: When your world moves too fast and you lose yourself to the chaos, introduce yourself to each color of the sunset. Reacquaint yourself with the earth beneath your feet. Thank the air that surrounds you with every breath you take. Find yourself in the appreciation of life. - Christy Ann Martine Photo by Dawid Zawiła on Unsplash

I love the thought behind this quote: " What if your fairy godmother is the wisest, smartest version of your self - whispering from the future? -Blissimo" One thing that I know for sure is that I am certainly a wiser version of myself at 54. The knowledge and experiences that we gather along the way help to inform our decisions, allow us to be more aware of our surroundings and can definitely help us to not feel quite so defenseless when faced with adversity. Perhaps what a

I came across this lovely prose by Lang Leav is entitled "New Beginnings." New Beginnings If I have learned anything this year, it is that I won't ever be ready for what life throws at me. I won't have the right words when it counts; I won't know what to choose when fate itself is staring me down. But now I know I don't always need to have the right answer. I've learned I can go on waiting for something, sustained by hope and nothing more - or I can put it aside and shrug my

Three components of resliliecny include growth, strength and courage. Let's celebrate each one of these with a quote: “And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.” - Anais Nin "You have power over your mind – not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength." - Marcus Aurelius "You cannot swim for new horizons until you have courage to lose sight of the shore." - William Faulkner When we build resilien

I can remember the adventures of my childhood; exploring the back fields and woods with my sister, building forts among the thorn bushes, playing by the 'big pond' - racing over to the tracks to watch a train barreling by. Each adventure had a story. When I came across this poem, it was a lovely reminder of the joy that comes when we seek adventure: Little one remind me how to run again barefoot through the pathless woods. Show me where the fairies hide messages in curled

A lovely quote from Morgan Harper Nichols: “I hope you are able to remember what was Light-woven and beautiful. I hope you are able to see to remember what was, and carry the goodness that you will never forget in the direction of what is to come.” ― Morgan Harper Nichols We have the ability to let others see our light; to brighten a dark path so as to experience the future of where we are going. Sometimes, we may surrender our faith when the weight of the world gets heavy.

I came across this poem by Walk the Earth: Choose When you fill your mind with thoughts of kindness, love, faith, hope, & joy, your reality will become all of these things. You will start to see kindness in the world. You will start to feel love as you go about your day. You will notice more of the little joys of life. You've tried listening to your fears and doubts and they've never brought you happiness. It's time to start choosing love. It's time you start choosing faith.

Dorothy Law Nolte wrote this poem in 1954. An American writer and family counsellor, she was a mother of 3 and believed in positive parenting. The classic poem is a good reminder that by our own choices we have an impact on our children: Children Learn What They Live - Dorothy Law Nolte If children live with criticism, they learn to condemn. If children live with hostility, they learn to fight. If children live with ridicule, they learn to be shy. If children live with shame,

One of my girls' favourite childhood books was "The Giving Tree" by Shel Silverstein. I came across this poem by him that, although most likely written for children, is also a good reminder to everyone as to how to be good citizens: Ations If we meet and I say, 'Hi,' That's a salutation. If you ask me how I feel, That's consideration. If we stop and talk a while, That's a conversation. If we understand each other, That's communication. If we argue, scream and fight, That's an

I came across this lovely poem by Ilan Shamir that reminds us about the healing experience of nature: Advice From a Tree Dear Friend Stand Tall and Proud Sink your roots deeply into the Earth Reflect the light of your true nature Think long term. Go out on a limb Remember your place among all living beings Embrace with joy the changing seasons For each yields its own abundance The energy and birth of spring The growth and contentment of summer The wisdom to let go, like leave

Following our post from yesterday, here are some quotes about curiosity: "The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing." - Albert Einstein "Curiosity will conquer fear even more than bravery will." - James Stephens "Curiosity is the engine of achievement." - Ken Robinson "I think, at a child’s birth, if a mother could ask a fairy godmother to endow it with the most useful gift, that gift would be curiosity." - Eleanor Roosevelt "On

I love this little poem by Hafiz: The Sun Never Says Even after all this time the sun never says to the earth, "You owe me." Look what happens with a love like that, It lights the whole sky. - Hafiz We all have a light that is within us; a spiritual, soulful place that feels whole, grounded, welcoming. When we fully and genuinely smile, we can feel the light bubbling up and out. When we are playful, our light heartedness infects others. When we do something purely out of love

There is a trick to standing still. To waiting. There are times when we keep ourselves stuck, other times when life's circumstances have grounded us. We usually know the difference. :) I came across this whimsical poem that reminds us that when we look for it, we can see that even when standing still, there is movement: It was the longest night in winter, When I sent a question into space, Asking how I'd ever change, When I'm trapped in the same place. And I heard the full mo

What a lovely poem I came across about the importance of gratitude: Gratitude Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. It turns problems into gifts, failures into successes, the unexpected into perfect timing and mistakes into important events. It can turn an existence into a real life

Rumi was a 13th Century poet and Sufi mystic from Persia. It always amazes me how universal his words are and how they have transcended time. Here are a few of my favourites: "Do a good deed and throw it in the river, one day it will come back to you in the desert." - Rumi “Yesterday I was clever, so I wanted to change the world. Today I am wise, so I am changing myself.” - Rumi “When you do things from your soul, you feel a river moving in you, a joy.” - Rumi "Let yourself b

The words "I am" have the power to bring that energy into your life. I came across this lovely affirmation by Carly Marie: I AM GROUNDED My spirit is grounded deep in the earth. I am calm, strong, centered and peaceful. I am able to let go of fear and trust that I am eternally safe. I am worthy of all things BEAUTIFUL. - Carly Marie When we can shift our focus into an energy that we want to increase in our lives, it has the potential to create that which you seek. Photo b

I was given this poem by a client and I was struck by how much I resonated with its enlightening words: Grief I had my own notion of grief. I thought it was a sad time That followed the death of someone you love. And you had to push through it To get to the other side. But I'm learning there is no other side. There is no pushing through. But rather, There is absorption. Adjustment. Acceptance. And grief is not something that you complete. But rather you endure. Grief is not a

I love this passage by Yung Pueblo: the biggest shift in your life happens when you go inward. you step in and observe all that you find with acceptance; the love you bring lights up your self-awareness; you start seeing how the past is packed into your mind and heart - patience, honesty, and observation start the healing process. with time, intention, and good healing practices, the past loses its power over your life. you continue the process - stepping in, feeling, under

The following passage was found on a post from Youth Mental Health Canada: "Hello, my name is Jack Linklater Jr. I live in Attawapiskat, Ontario. I am Cree and proud to be. I live along the James Bay shorelines, the lowlands of the Mushkegowuk territory. My message to you if you're having a hard time: Look to the tree, as it shows you to stand tall and proud. Look to the rock, as it shows you the strength you need. Look to the river as it shows you to keep moving forward in l

When I first read this quote by Eckhart Tolle, I paused. And then I said "Yes." "What a liberation to realize that the 'voice in my head' is not who I am. Who am I then? The one who sees that." - Eckhart Tolle We can be so bound by our thoughts. Because they can also be very automatic and instant, we believe them. When exploring automatic thoughts in therapy, it is important to go back - most of the time, our thoughts are linked to core beliefs formed in childhood. Because we