When I get fluttered feelings of anxiety, I like to remind myself that "No matter what, I will be okay." It is also important to focus in on the simple things in life as that is where we will gather the most contented feelings. I rather appreciate reading Brooke Hampton quotes for this reason as she reminds us about what in life, really matters: "Fancy things never appealed to me. I like the sweet, simple things. I like to watch the sunrise on my old front porch with a warm c

I saw this passage on Instagram at myspiritualpath and thought it was a lovely reminder that being true to ourselves is the highest form of self-love: I will start filling my own cup. Being my own muse. Knowing my own worth. Loving my own skin. Praising my own existence. Validating my own journey. Speaking my own truth. Admiring my own reflection. Experiencing my own love. Enjoying my own company. Extending my own energy. Creating my own paradise. Photo by Tron Le on Un

Ever have the experience of accidentally hitting the ditch? Maybe the weather was bad, or you were driving a bit too fast (or both). Maybe someone veered into your lane and you had no choice; before you know it, the car is taking its own path and you have lost control. Very often, it is the same in life. Travelling along, sometimes we 'hit the ditch' because of our own choices, other times, it is the challenges that get in our way. For the time that it takes to get lodged, t

Our last blog post featured what emotional entrapment can look like in a relationship. Today's post is written as a reminder of what a healthy relationship consists of. It is important to note that sometimes we need some individual healing before a relationship can truly hold safety for us. We tend to re-enact our wounds and patterns from childhood in our intimate relationship; being aware of this and healing those wounds first will set the stage nicely for a healthy relatio

Dear readers, I am going on holidays for two weeks and wish to unplug and give myself a break - talk about good self-care :) I will be taking a break from this blog and you will see another post on July 29th. Take care, Kristine

"I can’t endure you, I can’t change you, and I can’t leave you." This is the first sentence of the article written by Randi Gunther entitled "Emotionally Trapped." Featured in Psychology Today, Gunther writes about the emotional entrapment that can often occur in relationships, describing it as such: "The partners who feels controlled within them often describe their partners as seemingly two different people, one whose qualities they still are attracted to and one who hu

I saw this story and it resonated with me as to the importance of simplicity: The rich industrialist was horrified to find the fisherman lying beside his boat, smoking a pipe. "Why aren't you out fishing?" asked the industrialist. "Because I have caught enough fish for the day." "Why don't you catch some more?" "What would I do with them?" "You could earn more money. Then you could have a motor fitted to your boat to go into deeper waters and catch more fish. Then you would

When we aren't feeling well, we make an appointment with our doctor. Nine times out of ten we will walk out with a prescription, and the symptoms tend to alleviate as the illness or symptoms clear. When we aren't feeling well emotionally, we may make an appointment with a therapist with the intention of alleviating the psychological burden we are facing. In either case, it requires some self-investment on our part. Unfortunately, there is an undercurrent of belief in our so

I came across this lovely passage by Emily McDowell: "Finding yourself" is not really how it works. You aren't a ten-dollar bill in last winter's coat pocket. You are also not lost. Your true self is right there, buried under cultural conditioning, other people's opinions, and inaccurate conclusions you drew as a kid that became your beliefs about who you are. "Finding yourself" is actually returning to yourself. An unlearning, an excavation, a remembering who you were before

In our quest to build healthy relationships, we require commitment - from both parties. Regardless of the relationship we are committing to -partner, friend, loved ones - the essentials are the same: Our thoughts about commitment align. Gary Zukav says that when we commit to a relationship, we put ourselves in another person's keeping. We have trusted them to have our best interests at heart, and promise, in return, to do the same. Our actions follow our words. Commitment

We often speak about the need for creating and setting boundaries as not only a means of self-care, but also as a way to allow ourselves to feel some peace in our relationships that prove to be challenging. Boundary setting however, can prove to be emotionally difficult. We can often struggle with the inner dissonance that they create (changing the way we do things often does) as well as the reaction that others may have to our decisions (we usually get tested before the ne

There are always going to be times when we feel compelled to chime in on an issue. Whether it be at work or in our relationships, sometimes we feel it necessary to state our concern, opinion or idea. What does it mean to take a passive position? This is not about being passive, but rather taking a position that is more passive in nature. Pros: We have slowed down our immediate response button. When we take a position that is passive initially, we allow ourselves time to g

I came across this quote by Anne Lamott: “It's funny: I always imagined when I was a kid that adults had some kind of inner toolbox full of shiny tools: the saw of discernment, the hammer of wisdom, the sandpaper of patience. But then when I grew up I found that life handed you these rusty bent old tools - friendships, prayer, conscience, honesty - and said 'do the best you can with these, they will have to do'. And mostly, against all odds, they do.” ― Anne Lamott, Traveling

We all need the wise words of Disney characters once in awhile. Here are some favourites: "Never let your wings be stolen from you." - Maleficent "The cover is not the book, so open it up and take a look." - Mary Poppins "Oh yes, the past can hurt. But the way I see it, you can either run from it or learn from it." - Rafiki "You're braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think." - Winnie the Pooh "Happiness is the richest thing we will ever o

We all know both the physical and emotional toll that stress can take on us. Here are four practical tips in reducing every day, life-catches-up-to-us, stress: Prepare for the next day. An evening routine that allows us to plan for the next day helps us to feel that we are one step ahead of the stress. This can include making tomorrow's lunch(es), setting out the outfit you intend to wear, checking your calendar and writing out a to-do list. Sometimes neatening the house can

Acceptance is what I consider to be one of the most powerful factors in feeling safe and secure. When we feel accepted by the people who love us, it gives us the freedom to seek a content and satisfying life. But what about self-acceptance? How important is that element in feeling secure? The unconditional connections we build with others helps to sustain us; we are always better served when we have a strong, supportive circle. But self-acceptance is also key in creating a p

We are often told to not sweat the small stuff, that it is the simple things that matter. I came across this poem that captured that sentiment well: Dance beneath the moonlit sky, With stars as your guide, Let laughter be your compass, Your heart forever wide, For when the chapters close, And memories softly rise, You'll find the little things, Were treasures in disguise. - Adriana Poloz Photo by malith d karunarathne on Unsplash

I love this passage by Kahlil Gibran: "He said, "And what is it to work with love? It is to weave the cloth with threads drawn from your heart, even as if your beloved were to wear that cloth. It is to build a house with affection, even as if your beloved were to dwell in that house. It is to sow seeds with tenderness and reap the harvest with joy, even as if your beloved were to eat the fruit. It is to charge all things you fashion with a breath of your own spirit. Work is l

Today we look at our spiritual self. We often can disregard this part if we view spirituality as solely religious in nature. For some people, their spiritual self does include religion, and for others it doesn't. The soul work that we explore here involves achieving a greater sense of the sacred, the divine force within ourselves. Some of the ways that we can create optimal growth in our spiritual self includes: Nature . One of the easiest ways to connect to the sacred is to

In our series on re-connecting with our different selves, today we focus on our intellectual self and the health of our brain: Be creative . Part of what keeps our brain working well and our ability to be open minded is creativity. It might be to try something new, consider a new hobby or interest, decide to learn a new skill. Consciously choose what we pay attention to . What do our social media newsfeeds look like? Are we mindlessly watching TV? What about our podcasts? Wha