Courage To Be Vulnerable
When my girls’ father and I were neck deep in the dissolution of our marriage, I remember telling him how weak I felt for having allowed him to take such advantage of my patience, trust and forgiveness over our many years together. I really was struggling with how I had managed to let myself get to a place of feeling so small and unseen. As an intelligent and confident woman, it seemed unbelievable to me that I could have been so blind to what was going on right in front of me, never mind allowing it. To me, it was a sign of weakness that I couldn’t seem to stand up for myself and have my...
Read MoreThe Power Of Words
My client had just finished describing a situation and I posed the question, ‘How did that strike you?’ That was 30 years ago and I’m grateful my clinical supervisor cautioned me that my choice of the words ‘How did that strike you?’ made it a leading question; ‘strike’ assumes a hit, an offense. It is not an open question. Words can have an aggressive quality and sometimes this is an important, almost desirable, trait. In his book, The Brain’s Way of Healing, Norman Doidges quotes prominent health professional Abraham Fuks on the use of language in medical practice:...
Read MoreOpportunity Knocks
I recently presented on my 7 Pillars of Happiness to a wonderful group of South Cowichan seniors. We all had a great time discussing happiness and why it’s important to think about and practice it (but NOT chase it!) at any age. And I made a new friend at this presentation too. Terry. Great fellow! From the moment I arrived and sat down (beside Terry), he seemed like such an easy person to talk to. It was as if I was supposed to sit next to Terry. We started to connect immediately. Terry shared a couple of stories about his career and how he was drawn to educating and helping others. We all...
Read MoreReflexology For Winter
Officially the days have become longer, but we are still in the winter months which means that certain parts of our bodies are taxed in different ways. Our habits change as we slow down in winter in order to build ourselves up with new resources for spring. In Chinese medicine, the winter season is ruled by water; this is considered the most Yin (feminine) season. The organs most affected during this time are the kidney and bladder. The Chinese believe that vital life energy – Ch’i – circulates in the body along meridians. In mapping out reflexes along meridian lines and through...
Read MoreCat Bathing as a Martial Art
Some people say cats never have to be bathed. They say cats lick themselves clean. But, sometimes kitty does smell or their owner gets an idea that they should be bathed. When that day arrives at your house, here is some advice you might consider as you place your feline friend under your arm and head for the bathtub. Know that although the cat has the advantage of quickness and lack of concern for human life, you have the advantage of strength. Capitalize on that advantage by selecting the battlefield. Don’t try to bathe him in an open area where he can force you to chase him. Pick a...
Read MoreSingles Buying On Gabriola
Should I? Should I? Why not? I did! And here are a few pointers about buying on Gabriola, single or not. I’ll admit I was green about the edges; completely taken with Gabriola; totally unaware of country-life in a rural community, much less an island. I won’t go into the cushioned, city-girl lifestyle, 24/7, but you get my drift. And yet, I knew this was for me, moving from the city to the country. Couldn’t be all that different, I mused to myself. Just a bit more ‘hands-on’. What does it mean to be a steward of your own land? It sounded more ethereal than down to earth or real....
Read MoreTime To Think Spring
The seed catalogues have been here for a month. You might be spending evenings in the rocker by the fire, but as you start dreaming and flipping pages, drawing up backyard maps, planning and deciding, checking those boxes of saved or leftover seeds, you may come to the realization that the months of dirty fingernails are not far away. And … “SEEDY SATURDAY” is just around the corner. This year’s “Seedy” in Qualicum Beach will bloom on Saturday, February 6, from 10:00 AM till 3:30 PM at the Qualicum Beach Civic Centre, filling all the halls and overflowing outdoors, as usual. Many...
Read MoreBullying And Harassment
Managing employee conduct issues is one of the most difficult tasks that managers face. When those issues fall under WorkSafeBC legislation about Bullying and Harassment, the responsibilities on supervisors, managers and business owners is great. Being educated on this relatively new legislation will not only reduce the likelihood you will have to deal with a Bullying and Harassment complaint; it will also enable you to respond to an allegation in the best way possible so that you can mitigate the damage. WorkSafeBC legislation regarding workplace bullying applies to all organizations in BC,...
Read MoreAn Invitation To Being
Ahhh … it’s the new year. Are you like many people who set resolutions? May I ask if that actually works and why you only commit to self-empowerment once a year? Don’t you think you are worth 365 days each year? I had a light bulb moment when I realized I had been living in finite constructs instead of as the infinite being that I am. I started allowing myself to experience every emotion, every memory, every thought that came into my mind, and I became comfortable with the discomfort. After all, we are so used to living with the soundtracks of others in our heads that we have forgotten...
Read MoreA Brush Full Of Colour
Two remarkably talented women and reputable West coast authors have in common a connection with a very special artist among Canada’s rich culture and history. Both held a unique relationship with an iconic Canadian painter and shared their experience to create a beautiful piece of literature that has recently earned them The Children’s Literature Roundtables of Canada 2015 Information Book Award. Combining their passion for story-telling with their own personal account of the painter, it’s not surprising the result is nothing short of award-winning. The children’s novel is titled ‘A...
Read MoreHappy Hormone Health
Nutrition and hormone balance is one of my favorite subjects because not many people realize that we can use our own mouth to send a message … not that kind of message. The food you eat sends messages to your hormones. Hormones are the messengers for all functions of the body, from heartbeat to libido. I’d like to think the Cabernet I so enjoy is speaking to me in sultry passionate whispers … A diet that is high in refined carbohydrates (white bread and rice, alcohol, sugars of all kinds, or straight up candy – to name a few) sends some messages to our hormones that are not very nice....
Read MoreNew Today
As a new year comes to pass, I am filled with great vision and inspiration. Our world is becoming new before our eyes and we have the chance to co-create in this amazing time of shifting. It may feel turbulent and uncomfortable, but I hope that you will find empowerment in knowing that as you change, you change our world. What if your new year’s focus was to love yourself? Can you step toward better self-compassion and self-nurture? We are taught about taking care of others – service, good will and charity – but very little is mentioned about how to care deeply for ourselves....
Read MoreNew Sense Of Hope
As we approach this Christmas, I am increasingly aware that there is a new sense of hope, not just on the Island but across Canada. For years, we have been led to believe that we were under the constant threat of potential violence by terrorist. It became omnipresent. Fear feeds on itself. That feeling changed in an instant as the results of the federal election were announced. Fear was immediately replaced by an overwhelming message of renewal. Smiles and hugs replaced scowls, threats and isolation. Human warmth and compassion returned to our national leadership. Hope and the feeling that we...
Read MoreHome For The Holidays
The Christmas season is not my favourite time of the year – all the frantic hustle and bustle. And yet, underneath all the parties, shopping, baking and decorating, there is relief for many that ‘I am not alone’. Christmas is a lonely time for many people because there is such an emphasis on family, and the busyness is a great cover for that loneliness. Those who are not with family often feel left out and depressed. But for those who do have family, it can sometimes be even worse. When I was a kid, I remember the excitement of ‘the big day’ and the anticipation of the turkey...
Read More12 Fun Furniture Finds
Living on Vancouver Island, all of us are very aware of nature and most of us are animal lovers, so how much fun would it be to fill your home with furniture inspired by animals? Recently, I wrote an article on 20 fun-shaped designs that range from this pretty awesome cow cupboard (by Marcantonio Raimondi Malerba) to an owl partition screen. The 20 designs include birds, animals, and even a whale design, all incorporated into animal-shaped or painted furniture – you should see the goth-looking hand painted pink flamingo chairs. There are so many designs that I even managed to do a separate...
Read MoreWhy Teens Use Drugs
Understanding why teens use drugs is key to preventing addiction. Despite the best efforts of parents, educators and awareness groups, drug abuse remains a core problem for young people. While most who try drugs once or twice don’t go on to develop substance addictions, those who do may suffer from life-long problems. These problems have never seemed more pressing, amid fears that heroin addiction is on the rise in Vancouver, particularly among the city’s young people. In particular, this stems from a recent rise in the number of teens abusing prescription opiates, and the fear...
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