Trust Your Journey https://youtu.be/Tlejs0QvHDE FEAR MAKES BAD DECISIONS was the “hot topic” during coffee talk today. Hot enough to write today's blog post. Blog discussions are the next best thing to sharing a cup of coffee after all. I hope this message speaks directly to your heart. And reminds you that the still small voice within you... Continue Reading →
Look up ↑ Breathe ↑ Release One quick glance to inner peace. Related Post: Always Looking Up.
My job description as a psychology professor includes this quote: Because first you foster peace and positivity. Then you teach. 🍎 Related Post: Let peace begin with me
When problems feel big. Savour the small. The secret to having it all is knowing that you already do. Related Post: The Sweet Spot
https://youtu.be/BcKL7x18Fc4?si=DIMK9PLpsOuAAiHQ The Aftermath No matter how many times I deliver a speech or engage in media and events, I am frequently left with the same emotion for the next day or two. Sadness. A kind of longing. A sense of emptiness. A Change of Pace I spend weeks and months practicing, preparing, and editing my... Continue Reading →
My husband John and I had dinner at this little restaurant in Niagara-on-the-Lake when I was away speaking at a conference this week. This single pink rose on the table reminded me of the only thing that truly matters during the up and down cycles of life — HOPE I have hope. In you. In... Continue Reading →
Simple pleasures are my favourite. Hot coffee. Cozy blankets. Birds singing. The sun rising. Fast runs. Slow walks. Long days. Warm hugs. Peaceful silences. BLT sandwiches. Tomato soup. Matinee movies. Buttery popcorn. Ice cold pop. Walking on campus. Smiling in the hallways. Laughing with students. Learning from students. Driving home. Soulful conversations. Dreaming of the future. Reminiscing about... Continue Reading →
The next time you’re gearing up for another big fight with reality. Morning Traffic Office Politics Loud Neighbours Unpredictable Weather Try rolling with it. Giving up the fight. Waving the white flag. Surrendering to what is. And always has been. The upside. You conserve energy for the joyful in your life. The meaningful in your... Continue Reading →
Trust the process of your life. What looks like the end could be a whole new beginning. You just can’t see it yet.
I want to give the world the best of me. This is my hope every time we meet. And every time I teach. No matter how brief or long our interaction. I want to leave you feeling brighter, lighter, more confident. The bonus is — when your energy rises, so does mine. A boomerang effect of... Continue Reading →
"Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference." I value positivity and a sense of security in the classroom, above all else. For it is only when students feel safe, supported, and uplifted are they motivated to learn. Creating a harmonious classroom atmosphere happens long before the school bell rings. Which is why... Continue Reading →
When I'm struggling to get through a difficult day, I look to the trees for inspiration and refuge. All they do is give. And all we need to do is receive. Again and again. With every single breath. And every single step. Peace lives here.
Be who you were meant to be. Shine your light for the whole world to see. 🏹 Rise UP and Shine 🌞 Related Post - Trust the music.
Smile like you’re changing the world. Because you are! We often think of changing the world as some great big, grand gesture. Performed on stage with millions of people watching. When in fact it’s just you and me. And 8 billion human beings. Smiling, connecting, caring, and loving. Every moment. Every encounter. We are the... Continue Reading →
Activate your free will today. The results will take your breath away. Related Post: Lay down your burdens.
Listening heals more hearts than talking ever will. In my early thirties I was going through a particularly tough time in my life. A trifecta of life events where every pillar in my world came tumbling down. Out of all the sadness, the times that I remember the most were the small joys and simple pleasures... Continue Reading →
Every morning and every night I visit my favourite place on Earth. The great outdoors. 🌿 Where do you go to quiet your mind and free your soul? Related Post: Taming your monkey mind.
Wishing you a day filled with joy. Related Post: Ordinary Joys
Take a long deep breath with me. Inhale Calm Exhale Chaos Release Let Go You are more powerful than you know. https://youtu.be/zRSQw-LjU8k Breathing Video — Watch Here
I have the pleasure of starting each day with my husband John. Each morning begins at 6am with an hour of coffee talk weekends included. No alarm clock necessary. Having something as wonderful as hot coffee and good conversation to look forward to each day is its own wake up call. This morning I asked John... Continue Reading →
Psychology Class https://youtu.be/7KVHUEDYFk4?si=vXjjhNYVg2gCINkCThis post is a summary of a psychology lecture and Chapter 2 in my psychology textbook. Free Psychology Chapter If you want to learn more about this topic, you can download a free PDF of my neuroscience and behaviour chapter by clicking on this link. Understanding Individual Differences Have you ever wondered how your best friend... Continue Reading →
Stop what you're doing. Take a breath. Take a rest. Savour 60 seconds of stress relief. As often as you can.
I look up every chance I get. First thing in the morning. On my run. On my way to work. In between classes. Out for a bike ride. From the skylight in my office. On the front porch before I go to sleep. https://youtube.com/shorts/0gMq9BNKvOA?si=4t_RZAoPOFph44ME Connected to Something Bigger The sky connects us to something much... Continue Reading →
https://youtube.com/shorts/Bvo0FXfS7t4?si=VS8zekxAt08kVAE4 Are you tired of doing the same old, same old? Are you ready to end the repetitive cycles in your life? Is it time for a change? But ..... you..... don't..... have... time... Surrender your fears, your resistance, your excuses. Change need not be overwhelming. Start small. End Big. Little changes make a big difference. They... Continue Reading →
5 Simple Stress Relief Techniques 1. Gratitude https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=gXDMoiEkyuQ 2. Breathwork https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=zRSQw-LjU8k 3. Movement https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=d4SyONPkus0 4. sur·ren·der https://youtu.be/I7YD4A900-4 5. This moment https://youtu.be/moc-AtmSSGU Repeat Daily 💕
Bring yourself back to the present moment. One long deep breath at a time. Herein lies the peace you've been searching for. All day long. Related Post: Just Breathe.
Stop expecting others to validate what you hear (see and feel). The music is not "out there". The music is in you. A beautiful melody that only you can hear. Listen. Be still. Take a long deep breath. Fear not who you are. Fear not what you hear. You are the symphony. Trust the music that... Continue Reading →
Smile like you're changing the world. Because you are! We often think of changing the world as some great big, grand gesture. Performed on stage with millions of people watching. When in fact it's just you and me. And 8 billion human beings. Smiling, connecting, caring, and loving. Every moment. Every encounter. We are the... Continue Reading →
So much happens in the course of a day that is beyond our control. 100 ways to respond. Only 1 way that feels right. Overslept. Choose peace. Ran out of coffee. Choose peace. Stuck in traffic. Choose peace. Missed a deadline. Choose peace. Technology overload. Choose peace. Nonstop meetings. Choose peace. Bossy coworker. Choose peace. Burnt dinner. Choose peace.... Continue Reading →
Today vow to allow life to happen on its own terms, not your own. Sometimes your greatest power is in letting things go.
POWER OF LIGHT Even though we often have little control over the “outside forces” in our lives, we can always make a positive difference - from the inside out. Start here. Right here. Right now. Be still. Breathe in gratitude. Be thankful for this very moment. Start small. Notice your passing thoughts. Let go. Awareness empowers.... Continue Reading →
When you notice the blessings in your life (big or small), happiness happens. One conscious thought. One mindful emotion. One insightful gesture. One moment of wonder.. at a time.☀️ Inspiration: 21 positive thoughts for your morning.
FEAR ->Forget Everything And Run. Each time we feel threatened (threat is the fundamental definition of stress) our first instinct is to "fight or flight". PUFF UP or Shrink. This perpetual "fight or flight" response loop eventually creates a host of secondary problems, above and beyond, the original stressor (or oppressor). It does not matter how we... Continue Reading →
This photo was taken on one of my daily hikes up Blue Heron Hill. One of my favourite places to go at the end of a long wintery day. Each breath. Each step. Shifts me higher. To a place of perfect peace. At one with the great big beautiful sky. A divine connection. No words necessary.... Continue Reading →
https://youtube.com/shorts/zRSQw-LjU8k?feature=share A glimpse of my psychology classroom. Today’s Reminder to Breathe.🌿 Related Post: The Sweet Spot
What images give you a sense of safety and protection in the midst of fearful thoughts? I imagine angels in the sky and lions at my feet. You: What images shift you from fear to safety? Related Research ⇒ The Effects of Guided Imagery on Anxiety
In one word describe how you feel when you write. Writing makes me feel ALIVE! For me, writing is all encompassing. The words are the beat of my heart. The words are the oxygen I breathe. The words are all that I touch, feel, and see. For me, writing is all encompassing. I am the... Continue Reading →
Recently, a fellow blogger asked an excellent question regarding tipping points and stress response. They were curious to know if each of us has a tipping point when it comes to stress management. And if so, how does it differ from person to person. I love questions like this because they encourage me to dig deep, reflect,... Continue Reading →
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_2Sy1x3nliU&feature=emb_title How do you talk to yourself? Have you ever noticed that the more challenging life gets the more critical you are of yourself. And the more critical you are of yourself the more challenging life becomes. It's a fearful, exhausting, repetitive loop that feeds on itself. When you're under extreme pressure, the last thing... Continue Reading →
Trust that you are exactly where you need to be. Good or bad. High or low. East or west. Be still. Have faith. Hold on. Stay strong. What you seek is seeking you. https://youtube.com/shorts/6mDigR8RVXU?si=NSu3TDp6aspumwv5
Treat yourself to kindness.All day long.💛💫
99% of blaming, worry, and rumination is a figment of our imagination (aka our ego). Remove the barriers to your joy. Trust this moment. Release judgment. Be still. Let go.. Happiness is patiently waiting for you.
This rollercoaster life. Life is full of highs and lows. Wins and losses. Joys and sorrows. Celebrations and defeats. Too much and too little. Make the shift. Nothing shifts us from scarcity to abundance more quickly than a sudden moment of appreciation and gratitude. Multiply your treasures. Take a moment (this moment) to look up and breathe in all that... Continue Reading →
Nowhere else to be That moment in the day when you realize you have arrived. And the most interesting part is that you haven't gone anywhere. Instead, you finally come home to the present moment. The here and now. The sweet spot. The only place there is.
May your day be filled with love ❤️
Wishing you a day be filled with peace & joy.🌷
Thriving Under Pressure 