Through an article entitled "Procrastination" featured on GoodTherapy, we are able to begin to see the difference between the natural tendency to put things off and chronic procrastination: "One common misconception about procrastinators is that they have poor time management skills. While this may sometimes be the case, there are often deeper issues at play. Some research indicates that those who are prone to chronic procrastination may find help with emotional regulatio

I came across this autumn poem by George Cooper that celebrates the lovely colours of our fall season: October's Party October gave a party, The leaves by hundreds came — The Chestnuts, Oaks and Maples, And leaves of every name. The sunshine spread a carpet, And everything was grand, Miss Weather led the dancing, Professor Wind the band. The Chestnuts came in yellow, The Oaks in crimson dressed; The lovely Misses Maple In scarlet looked their best; All balanced to their par

Yesterday's post featured 5 quotes to celebrate Fall. While looking up quotes, I came upon one from Yoko Ono that I thought appreciated each season's unique qualities: "Spring passes and one remembers one's innocence, Summer passes and one remembers one's exuberance. Autumn passes and one remembers one's reverence. Winter passes and one remembers one's perseverance." ― Yoko Ono As summer changes into fall, there is a feeling of reverence in the air - a time to honour the magn

September days always remind me to be grateful for the fall season. End of summer bonfires, the crisp, sunny days, the magnificent colours of trees, pumpkins on porches, geese flying by. Here are 5 fall quotes to help us celebrate: "If a year was tucked inside of a clock, then autumn would be the magic hour" – Victoria Erickson "Every leaf speaks to me / fluttering from the autumn tree." - Emily Bronte “Autumn...the year's last, loveliest smile." - John Howard Bryant “Autumn

In an Oprah SuperSoul Conversation podcast episode entitled, "Oprah and Dr. Dean Ornish: Your Life in Focus," they start out by discussing that "it is our nature to be peaceful and healthy." Through research, Dr. Ornish has been able to prove that four simple techniques will help to prevent and even reverse chronic disease: Eat well. Move more. Stress less. Love more. (By this he refers to the importance of connection.) In all of these techniques, the focus is on simplicity

I came across this quote by Victoria Erickson that best describes to me the month of August: "August is the slow, gentle month that stretches out the longest across the span of a year. It yawns and lingers on with the light in its palms." Photo credit: https://unsplash.com/@debrupas

June is Indigenous History Month in Canada. It is a time to recognize the cultures and diversity of First Nations, Inuit and Metis Peoples. It is also a time to recognize the contributions and resiliency of Indigenous people. Part of our acknowledgement process comes from educating ourselves to the culture and history of Indigenous people. One way to do this is to register for a free online course being offered through the University of Alberta: https://www.coursera.org/lear

June is celebrated as Pride month; it began to commemorate the 1969 Stonewall riots and represesents the ongoing pursuit of equal justice for the LGBTQ+ community. Here are five quotes to honour Pride month: "Hope will never be silent." - Harvey Milk "It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are." - E.E. Cummings "And if someone is brave enough to tell you who they are , be brave enough to support them, even if you don't understand." - Ellen DeGeneres "It is not

Sometimes the road seems long. Uncertainty almost always undermines our confidence. This quote by Morgan Harper Nichols can help us to realize that grace is always at work (even when we don't feel it): "Remember the mountains and valleys that got you here. Remember the things you never thought you would accomplish but did. You may have a long way to go but never discredit how far you have come. May you always remember endless, boundless grace that finds you over and over agai

When we have a good cry, we generally feel better. In an article entitled "8 Benefits of Crying: Why it's good to shed a few tears" by Lana Burgess and featured on MedicalNewsToday , we get a backing up with science as to why crying is good for us. A few points that resonated: It creates a soothing effect . "Crying activates the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) which helps people relax." Hello comfort system :) Crying is primarily an attachment behaviour. When we cry, w

As the mandates for masks have been lifted and we begin to make plans to be in the world again, we can reflect upon the last two years as being those that will forever be in our own history. Reading this poem by J.R.R. Tolkien helped to acknowledge the strength and resolve it has taken to stay the course: “I sit beside the fire and think Of all that I have seen Of meadow flowers and butterflies In summers that have been Of yellow leaves and gossamer In autumns that there we

Every day I try and get out for my walk; grateful that my time outside includes the forest and the river. There is something about being in nature that calms the spirit. Here are some lessons I have learned from nature: There is beauty in simplicity. Nothing is more calming than still waters, the sun coming over the horizon, the opening of a spring bud. There are some things that are out of our control. The spring sun may look warm, but the wind forces me to wear my hat and

Sometimes we struggle with the drama that other people bring into our lives. In an article entitled "7 Better Ways to Deal with Toxic People" by Amy Morin and featured on Psychology Today, we read about specific ways we can create and stick to boundaries that help us in managing that negativity. Morin begins the article by writing: "While one toxic person may use manipulation and lies, another may resort to intimidation and incivility. And if you're not careful, people lik

In recent years, many people have jumped on the “Gluten-free bandwagon”; whether they need to or not…but is following a gluten-free diet...

A quote from “Today’s Dietitian”: “Nutrition science is gradually shifting from focusing on isolated nutrients to considering how all the...

Have you heard of Gut Health and our “Microbiome” or the “Microbiota”? Microbiota are tiny micro-organisms that live in or on the human...

I always talk about the importance of connection; that we are a relationship species and tend to feel more secure when we have meaningful relationships in our lives. This includes our intimate relationship as well; we tend to battle the blues less when we have someone with whom we are sharing life. And yet we also know that autonomy within relationships is important; that if we don't have a secure sense of self, we can look to the other in order to feel whole. It is importan

In an article entitled "Five Ways to Cope With Your Parent's Death" by Elizabeth Kiefer and featured on Vice, Kiefer writes about how the death of a parent can be complicated and deeply felt. She remarks: "Factors such as how close you are with your parent, what stage you are at in your own life, and how you connected you felt every day will shape the way you feel in the aftermath of that death." In addition to giving yourself time to process ( the year of firsts is very i

We are still in the midst of a Canadian winter. The weather fluctuates from frigid days where the forest trail is hard and packed under my feet, to days where I sink an inch with every step. There are lovely days where the snow falls gently, or the sun is shining in the morning sky or the day is gray and drizzily. Sometimes it feels as though winter will never end. And yet, nature, in it's infinite wisdom is shifting ever so slightly. The mornings are a bit brighter earlier,

I often sit with young people in my office who are quick to point out the positive effects of smoking pot. Pretty mired in their opinion, my caution to them always comes with amount of use . Smoking pot socially looks a whole lot different than smoking it in a chronic way; any time that we are relying on an outside substance to manage our emotional health, we move to dysfunction and not to growth. In an article entitled "Halifax researcher studies how cannabis affects brain