Imagine that you are at work and your pay is cut by 50 percent, your workload doubles, your hours are extended, and you are on call throughout the night. What would the culture at your work be like? How would your most intimate relationships be affected? This is essentially what happens after birth. Household labour increases substantially, while personal resources … Read More
4 Life Lessons Learned While Struggling Uphill
Hey! Ho! Let’s Go! It’s 5:15 a.m. and we are up early in order to beat the +34°C heat of the afternoon. Howie and I (John) clip into our bikes and begin the brutal ascent up one of the many hills and mountains in Oregon. The initial incline felt like 40 kms of straight-up, vertical climbing hell. In reality, it … Read More
Having a Bad Day? Try Some Self-Compassion
Karen is having a bad day. She forgot her bus pass, spilled coffee on her white blouse, and her bank account is overdrawn again. Her inner critical voice is in high gear creating a list of all her faults: “You should be more organized,” “You’re so clumsy,” You’re such a loser.” And now Karen is feeling down and anxious; there’s … Read More
3 Comforting Ways to Grieve the Loss of Family & Friends
The deep sadness of grief can be one of the most gripping emotions we face as human beings. Losing a loved one, or friend, or pet, or a colleague, can leave us feeling devastated, heartbroken, confused and angry. Grief can also call forth the resilience and fortitude of the human spirit. Bereavement is the general stage of being that results … Read More
5 Ways to Cultivate Creativity in Life and Work
I believe that all human beings are creative, and that creative thinking is a central part of self-expression. Self-expression is a gift we give ourselves and the world. Creativity, therefore, is at the heart of being fully engaged in life and work. Creativity, like any other skill, can be fostered and developed. Under the right conditions, the muse (creative inspiration) … Read More
6 Keys to Get and Stay Organized
A friend recently had a house fire. She forgot a pot of soup broth on the stove. Her last memory was of the broth gently boiling. Hours later she returned to find her home filled with black smoke. The family has since moved into a hotel and the house is in the process of being steamed and scrubbed. Ever optimistic … Read More
Ideas for Inspiring Self-Care
Coping with the lightning-fast pace of modern society, the steady stream of bad news in the media, constant to-do lists that are never done, and the encroachment of technology which keeps us plugged-in every moment of every day inevitably comes up on a daily basis in my work. Recently, I shared a story with my colleagues about being so busy … Read More
Mindfulness at Work and Play
What are some ways people practice mindfulness? Thinking about this blog post, I began speaking to friends and family about mindfulness and asking how they bring a mindful practice into their day or life. This is something I try to work on daily. However, I quickly came to realize that people continue to have questions and misunderstandings about mindfulness. My … Read More
How to Attach With Your Adolescent
“Wow, he’s finally getting out of the house for the weekend,” my husband and I remarked to each other this morning, after our almost 15-year-old son left for his high school band camp. This isn’t a statement I expected to make when I had teenagers. Our society not only emphasizes the autonomous nature of adolescence, but goes as far as … Read More
3 Ways to Avoid Conflict and Improve Relationships
“I wonder what it’s like to be married to you…” I turned. The workshop participant was behind me, to the side, looking thoughtful, pensive, and curious. It wasn’t a pick-up, but a pondering. I have taught conflict resolution skills for 20 years and it’s a question I occasionally get asked. While all my training is workplace-related, the application in the … Read More
- Page 1 of 2
- 1
- 2