RISING STRONG™

If you are feeling weary of trying so hard to manage your health and manage your life, you may be interested in the next offering of the Rising Strong™ curriculum on October 14 and 15, 2017. What: A small-group experience co-presented by Karen Gilbert, OT, CDWF.  This experiential group is based on the Rising Strong™ book and curriculum of Brene Brown and will focus on supporting you in creating your own story throughout the challenges of a health condition. When: Saturday and Sunday, 9:00am – 2:30pm, October 14-15, 2017 Where: Oak and…

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Who Are You?

We all wear many different hats in the various parts of our lives.  The person you are at work is slightly different than the one you are with your children and they are both different than who you are when you are at the doctor's office.  This is normal and adaptive.  Life's many contexts require us to share aspects of our personality with discretion. From time to time, though, you may start to ask the question "who am I really?".  This might occur after a particularly…

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Repeated Learning

Have you ever felt embarrassed that you needed to be learn the same lesson more than once?  In today's video, I explore this common human experience.  I also provide tips on how to deal with the frustration of finding yourself learning a lesson you thought you had already learned. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HBxffwRHWhI

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Self-Care

Both here on the blog and in my client sessions, I talk a lot about self care.  Sometimes I feel the words start to get a little tired and worn from over-use.  Yet I continue to stress self care because I truly believe it is vital to living and thriving.  We very simply NEED to engage in practices that care for ourselves. An article recently touched on the subtleties of self care.  The article beautifully distinguishes acts of daily human maintenance from more intentional acts of self-care. Please read…

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Sketches in Stillness

When I need some calm perspective, one of my favourite web destinations is Sketches in Stillness.  The site's creator, Francois Lange, has created a haven of light through his pairing of delightful sketches and meditative wisdom.  I can easily (and happily) lose hours reading and resonating with his messages.  Those messages embody the notions of mindfulness, acceptance and compassion.

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“My Anxious Heart” by Katie Joy Crawford

Katie Joy Crawford has created a series of photos depicting her life with anxiety and depression.  Please visit her site for a gorgeous and intimate portrayal of one women's experiences of life with mental health challenges.  My main mode of expression is through writing and so I am moved by the raw honesty she shares through her images.

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Do It Anyway (Sometimes. Sometimes Don’t.)

I was reminded last night the importance of choosing to push myself at times. (The "at times" disclaimer is important because resting and restoring is equally as important at times). Most people can identify with feeling that peculiar combination joy and exhaustion that comes at the end of a long week.  I was feeling proud of making it through and also ready to devote my evening to some serious navel-gazing. That's when I remembered the concert tickets. Inside my head, for over 30 minutes, a battle raged over the…

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Rising Strong for Health

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The endlessness of dealing with health issues has the potential to leave us feeling depleted and at the mercy of others.  I know that, at times, I have felt that I was merely a passenger on the bus that is my diabetes; I felt carried along by other forces but unable to direct the route or even speak to the driver.  There were many stories I could hear on that bus that related to me, but none of them felt like they were mine. I am excited to once again…

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Preparing for a New Year

I came across this simple and powerful activity that was posted last year by Smile FM and I was struck by the positive spirit it conveys.  While our struggles and pains are real and valid, I believe we can all find one thing each week to be grateful for.   This can be as small as feeling the warmth of the sun on your face or as large as winning the jackpot in the lottery. I love this idea and I encourage all of us to put…

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Christmas in the Air

We can so easily get caught up in the emotional frenzy during the holidays - sometimes as we swirl along in it and sometimes as we look from afar and wish we were able to participate. At times like these, I find it helpful to focus on small things that I know to be true and this quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson captures what the holiday season (and all of life) is really about for me.

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