Dog lovers know having a pet brings many upsides. Science tells us dogs keep us active, de-stressed and loved. But inevitably there is also sadness and loss
As a dog lover, there’s no doubt in my mind that having a dog brings many upsides. How can I not live happily waking up to a smiley face and wagging tail? Or come home from a long trip to the crying excitement of a pup that likely thought he might never see me again.…
We’re living in unprecedented times, and perhaps that's exactly what we needed to shift our priorities and our energies
I’ve spent more time on social media in the past 10 days than in the past 10 years. I confess it has done very little for my enthusiasm, motivation or equilibrium. I feel the same way about televised news. Sure, there are the odd amusing posts that keep me chuckling. I especially liked the memes…
Imagining that someone else has all the luck and opportunity slowly eats away at our mental strength and resourcefulness
My daughter has a Facebook friend whose life seems perfect. She lives in a gorgeous house, has a really rewarding career, and she and her family go on all kinds of exciting adventures. No matter where they are or what activity they’re involved in, the whole family appears carefree and joyful! This friend is constantly…
No more hiding out and playing it safe – we need to open hearts and minds, to stop arguing about who is right and who is wrong
We all have opinions about the validity of glass ceilings, racism, religion, victimization and such, but what makes an idea true for you? What moment(s) in time made you believe it? Your opinions have often been nurtured over years of paying attention to information that confirms firmly-held beliefs while ignoring information that challenges those beliefs.…
Remember, confidence is a process not a product. Allow the journey to begin
What can you control in your life? Your health? What others think of you? How happy your lover is? The weather? Your finances? Your future? Your appearance? Your mood? Other people's moods? Can you control these things completely, or just influence them to some extent? If you’re at all like me, the words, “You can…
None of us are at our best when our boundaries are being pushed
We've all heard the nursery rhyme “Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me.” But we know better. In fact, we know all too well that words can hurt and so does the interpretation of our nonverbal behaviours (like not paying attention, interrupting or day dreaming when someone is speaking).…
You have every right to choose a new path, but make sure you're not overreacting based on your own insecurity or a misinterpretation of the situation
There are infinite ways our feelings get hurt – and a few clear ways to deal with such circumstances. Perhaps someone expressed a thought unkindly. You found yourself reacting to a perceived slight. Maybe you spent a good deal of time working on a project only to have your name missed when the recognition was…
Clearly signs don’t work; video surveillance isn't effective; handing the culprit a bag only works if you witness the event; and enforcement is hit or miss
When my husband and I set out to find a new home in a new community, we were delighted to buy a wonderful acreage that backed onto a municipal trail head. It seemed perfect. Since I work from home, I’d be able to get a daily walk in without ever having to jump into the…
It's time to stop nurturing helplessness in our society and start encouraging respect, collaboration and personal accountability
You can hardly watch the news without seeing some report of radical, violent behaviour. Protests and uprisings are surging, fuelled by anger, ignorance, resentment and clashes of emotional need. How did we get here? Researchers say we are wired to thrive in small villages of about 150 people. The Hutterites know this and still practise…
Congruence, a deep honesty about who you are, is immensely attractive, draws people to you and reinforces your goals and ideals
Being successful has a great deal to do with having your ducks in a row – or being congruent. At a meeting recently, one of the organizers explained how networking helped him go from redundancy to a lucrative business that he loved in less than two years. I could see why: there was something about him that…
A plane is no easy place to calm a crying child. Have compassion. Yelling won’t improve things. But there are ways to change the environment
My husband spotted the situation first. Right next to him on the plane was the most adorable infant, possibly seven months old. “Oh no,” he mumbled. I smiled. He has headphones and we have grandchildren. Perhaps she would sleep the whole way. Not this time. She started fussing even before the wheels left the ground.…
All lasting change has to happen in the subconscious mind if you're going to get meaningful results
Choosing new paths in life, and finding the confidence to stay on those paths, is all a matter of programming. We all promise ourselves we'll take action in areas of life, yet fail to find the inner resolve to follow through. The inner conflict can carry on for years, undermining our resourcefulness and confidence in getting new behaviours…
Snow throws a lot at us. Our response to it can be seen in how we navigate the challenges of building a business, writing a book or tackling a project
The sun is shining, even if the air is still frigid, so I’ll take it. After several days of digging out my huge driveway – 100 metres, to be exact – and coping with drifting snow, even my most optimistic “Shovelling is a great full-body workout strategy” is feeling less than enthusiastic. I love the…
Tolerance is about how you treat people who disagree with you, even when you may not respect their point of view
“Tolerance isn't about not having beliefs. It's about how your beliefs lead you to treat people who disagree with you.” – Pastor and theologian Timothy Keller There is much focus on teaching tolerance and respect these days, but what's this doing to society? Perhaps it’s best to start with what we mean by the terms…
The recent federal election offered us a lesson on how the manipulation of a narrative can have dramatic impact on how we think and behave
Like many Canadians, I was amused and entertained (and appalled) by the recent Canadian election. But beyond the entertainment factor, there was a lesson here about human behaviour which we need to take to heart. The spate of scandals (#MeToo, political interference in the legal system, racism, lapses in ethical behaviour, the Norman Affair) surrounding…