My father taught us a lot about money. He was a saver and saw the value of living debt free. In fact, I have a very vivid memory of my parents ceremoniously burning their mortgage papers in the fireplace once they had successfully paid off their mortgage. For a good chunk of my childhood, our mom stayed home, making our dad the sole breadwinner and therefore the decision maker of money. It was only when I was older did I realize that much of my father's decisions surrounding

My very good friend and colleague published an article entitled "Relationship, Room and Rest for the Cooped-Up Adolescent. " Written by Darlene Denis-Friske and her son Jacksen Friske, and featured through the Neufeld Institute , it gives us a bird's eye view into what many teenagers are facing during this pandemic: "Adolescents are absorbing intense stress during an already heightened time of developmental turbulence. For many, being cut off from school, friendships, and r

When something appealing is presented to us, do we tend to jump right in with both feet, or do we weigh the options so as to determine best outcome? The Stanford Marshmallow experiment was a (late 1960's) study in which children were placed in a room with a marshmallow and told that if they could wait for a short while before eating it, they will get an extra snack as a reward. Watching this 4 minute YouTube video is a replication of the same experiment: https://www.youtube

"Stay home" is a repeated phrase that we are hearing over and over again; most people are doing their best to be cautious and to follow the rules. Yesterday, I listened to a podcast entitled "Getting Through Covid-19: Directives Supporting Connection & Emotional Health" featured on Light Up the Couch. Here are some things to ponder as we continue to face the effects of social isolation (paraphrased): Shared experiences are what we are currently missing the most as that is a

In a short clip entitled, “You are beautiful.” How this transgender woman found the courage to transition" featuring Maya Henry and found on CBC Docs, we meet Maya, a young woman who talks about what it felt like before and after her transition. Here are some key quotes: "I always knew I was different. I just didn't know how to describe it." "It felt like I could be who I wanted to be at home. With my sisters, I was one person, but then going to school, I had to be another

These days, technology has become an asset in being able to connect with our loved ones. We all know that social distancing and being cautious are important, and yet we are also aware of how it feels to miss the hugs from our extended family members, the missed conversations at dinner gatherings, the ability to invite a friend over for a chat and a coffee. I know that to make up for that, I have been checking my phone more often - with two family group chats in place and a f

In an article entitled "Science Confirms That the Vagus Nerve Is Key to Well-being" by Markham Heid and featured on elemental , we read about the vagus nerve and its importance to our overall emotional health. Paraphrased: " The vagus nerve is one of twelve cranial nerves, (picture it leaving the brain, like a set of roots, connecting to our heart, our guts, our immune system and many other organs) with it being the nerve that governs the parasympathetic nervous system, whic

When you sit, you use less energy than you do when you stand or move. Research has linked sitting for long periods of time with a number...

I have been hesitant to write too much about the pandemic as I feel that most people (including myself) are feeling that our circuits are overloaded at the moment. And so this post is going to step into what we are faced with right now, but it is applicable to any time that we, or our loved ones are relegated to home. It might be that someone is recuperating from surgery, has stress leave from work, is grieving the loss of a loved one. It can also include those newly retired,

We all know about the importance of sleep; approximately 70% of us will have what is called a normal sleep pattern based on our internal clock, known as our circadian rhythm. There are times however, when our circadian rhythm works at a different pace and we can either have a delayed sleep phase, in which we are falling asleep 3 or 4 hours delayed (night owl) or an advanced sleep phase, which is characteristic of waking up 3 or 4 hours earlier than the norm (morning lark.)

In our self-reflection series, we move to Question 12: "What are my small victories this week?" Based on our current climate of social distancing and staying at home, it is important to recognize our small victories. Mine include: not eating the rest of my birthday cake in one sitting. (This is actually a big victory as it was double chocolate.) having a positive attitude about postponing my birthday plans on Sunday. (We are all doing our part!) figuring out the technical sid

In an article entitled, "Just one supportive adult cuts the chance an LGBTQ youth will attempt suicide by 40%" written by Gwendolyn Smith and featured on LGBTQNATION , we learn that: "Suicide is the second leading cause of death amongst young people, and LGBTQ youth are four times more likely to consider, plan for, and attempt suicide than their non-LGBTQ peers." Four times more likely. That is a frightening reality for our LGBTQ youth and one that can be avoided. We know

In a recent Oprah Supersoul Conversations podcast entitled "The Oprah Winfrey Show: How to Make Love Last," she sits with Harville Hendrix. Hendrix, the best selling author of "Getting the Love You Want" theorizes that: "Whatever happens in childhood, whether its mild or intense, there is something that is going to replicate itself in adulthood in your intimate partnership. The early childhood experience, where there is a wound, has to be repaired - and it always has to be

I love this quote by Dr. Wendy Walsh: "When the world stops, we are being given the gift of time. Time to create. Time to love. Time to cook. Time to wait." - Dr. Wendy Walsh We have been given the gift of time. We can either view it as an ultimate annoyance and see it only for its disadvantages, or we can use it to our advantage. Go out for walks in nature, play in the yard, set up a puzzle that everyone can work on, play a board game. Bake cookies, watch old re-runs of you

My trusted colleague and friend, Darlene Denis-Friske, has a wonderful analogy for anxiety that she calls the 'dragon and the treasure'. Very often, when we are anxious about something, it has the capacity of keeping us from the goal we wish to achieve. The treasure is there, we are aware of its presence and the path to get it - but a dragon is guarding it. Afraid of the dragon, we hesitate; we lean into our fears, we convince ourselves we will never outwit the dragon, our f

When we look back at what has shaped us, we can ask ourselves this question: "Who has had the greatest impact on my life?" We all have pivotal people. We have people who have shaped us, influenced us, helped to move us in direction. There are times when the answer is easy and we are able to list those who have loved us unconditionally and who have supported us in our growth. But there are times when the person who has impacted us has done so in unhealthy ways; where the impa

My partner and I are in the process of moving. Isn't that listed as one of the 'biggest stressors of all time?' In the midst of deadlines for closing dates and trying to have an organized move, I had a pre-planned weekend trip to Philadelphia with my bestie, Kim. My week leading up to the weekend was squeezing in time to pack, cleaning at the new house, and getting things organized for my four day sojourn into sight-seeing and time away. It was only when I stepped onto the

In an article entitled "The Disease of Being Busy" by Omid Safi and featured on OnBeing , Safi ponders: "Whatever happened to a world in which kids get muddy, get dirty, get messy, and heavens, get bored? Do we have to love our children so much that we overschedule them, making them stressed and busy — just like us? What happened to a world in which we can sit with the people we love so much and have slow conversations about the state of our heart and soul, conversations tha

We hear health- or diet-related buzzwords every day. It’s sometimes challenging not to feel overwhelmed by all the health information...

We all know that words can be a powerful way to lift our spirits, to bring us hope, to reassure us we are on the right path. The wisdom of others can aid in our healing and allow us to feel connected to their similar stories. I was recently given a list of quotes by an avid reader of Anchor Your Day. Here are five inspiring quotes from that list: "Smile, breathe, and go slowly." - Thich Nhat Hahn "You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe; deserve your love a