Busy seems to be the new normal these days. We become so easily caught up with the hustle and bustle of home and family life, work demands, and social obligations, we sometimes forget how important it is to hit the pause (or even slo-mo) button. Finding time to pause in the middle of all the busyness can be a real challenge though, right? It often feels as if EVERYTHING has to be done right this minute. That's a lot of pressure! Soon enough, we find ourselves overwhelmed, exhausted, feeling defeated, lacking focus, and lacking motivation. On top of that, we go through this cycle everyday. How ..read more

The fall season is usually a very busy time of year. For one thing, it involves back to school, which means a change up of schedules and routines for many households. It's also the time of year when there is constant prepping for holidays such as Thanksgiving, Diwali, Rosh Hashana, Yom Kippur, Halloween, and Christmas (although Christmas is technically in winter, the prep starts right at the beginning of Mariah Carey's "All I Want for Christmas is You" chorus...apparently). So, with all of these demands it is no wonder that fall can also bring a considerable increase in stress for many. Stres ..read more

Whenever the word "accountability" comes up in a conversation, there are usually mixed reactions to it. It's a little like exercise: everyone agrees it's good; but few would agree it's easy. Accountability is the state of being obligated to report, explain or justify something. At the beginning of a new year, people often set goals regarding their health, career, finances, or relationships. That's usually the easy part. To maintain a commitment to our goals, we would need to check on our progress, and explain any gaps or delays in order to rectify any factors that might get in the way of achi ..read more

How exactly do we describe 2020 in a way that accurately captures it? Wildfires in Australia and California, a global pandemic that claimed hundreds of thousands of lives, locusts, murder hornets, the boiling point of racial injustice - and that's just the first half. We're getting closer to the end of the year. That feeling you have of surviving a beatdown isn't really off the mark. Our lives have been turned upside down and inside out, and yet we have been expected to function somehow. The things we took for granted - a simple morning routine, our daily commute, meeting up with a friend for ..read more

In my last blog post, "Could this be anxiety (that I'm feeling)? Part 1", I outlined how anxiety shows up in a variety of ways, including through body cues, restlessness, and sleeplessness. If you have no history of an anxiety disorder, or if you are generally skilled at regulating your emotions, it may be more difficult for you to detect anxiety. As a result, there is a risk of ignoring how it manifests itself in your day-to-day experiences, and this can result in long-term negative effects. As we continue our discussion of how anxiety is experienced, be reminded that this isn't an exhaustiv ..read more

As you settle into some sort of routine while adjusting to changes associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, you may notice a difference in your mood, your thoughts, and how you interact with others. At the time of writing this, Canada has 40,190 confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus. Worldwide, there are 2.7 million confirmed cases, and approximately 185,000 deaths. As a result of the nature of this pandemic, all of Canada's provinces have stay-at-home orders. This means that everyday life as we know it has been significantly changed. With the closure of non-essential businesses and safe phy ..read more

A lot has changed since the last blog post on Managing Your Anxiety During the Coronavirus Outbreak The global stats on #COVID19 have risen dramatically, with 196 countries reporting 416,686 cases. But it seems we're not only contending with a physical health crisis, but an anxiety epidemic as well. This is unsurprising. The changing circumstances surrounding the management of the spread of the virus create perpetual states of uncertainty and change, which we inevitably perceive as threatening or dangerous. We've been asked to shelter in place, work from home, and keep our distance. These req ..read more

The Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak across the globe has undoubtedly stoked fears and panic regarding our health and safety in the midst of a rapidly spreading virus. To date, the World Health Organization has reported approximately 114,000 confirmed cases globally, affecting 110 countries, areas or territories. Our reaction to daily updates regarding the #Coronavirus illustrates the nature of anxiety in general: - it is likely to increase when we perceive our fears are being realized, and - it is likely to increase in the midst of uncertainty. Scientists and medical practitioners are s ..read more

How exactly do we describe 2020 in a way that accurately captures it? Wildfires in Australia and California, a global pandemic that claimed hundreds of thousands of lives, locusts, murder hornets, the boiling point of racial injustice - and that's just the first half. We're getting closer to the end of the year. That feeling you have of surviving a beatdown isn't really off the mark. Our lives have been turned upside down and inside out, and yet we have been expected to function somehow. The things we took for granted - a simple morning routine, our daily commute, meeting up with a friend for ..read more

In my last blog post, "Could this be anxiety (that I'm feeling)? Part 1", I outlined how anxiety shows up in a variety of ways, including through body cues, restlessness, and sleeplessness. If you have no history of an anxiety disorder, or if you are generally skilled at regulating your emotions, it may be more difficult for you to detect anxiety. As a result, there is a risk of ignoring how it manifests itself in your day-to-day experiences, and this can result in long-term negative effects. As we continue our discussion of how anxiety is experienced, be reminded that this isn't an exhaustiv ..read more