Dr. Andrea Dinardo, Ph.D. Psychology
Fight or Flight Threat Response Every time we feel threatened (threat is the fundamental definition of stress) our first instinct is to “fight or flight“. This perpetual “fight or flight” response loop eventually creates a host of secondary problems, above and beyond, the original stressor. Powerpoint Slide from Broaden and Build Leadership Event, January 2022... Continue Reading →
I am a strong believer in keeping things simple. The less complicated things are, the more likely we are to repeat the behaviour. Especially when it comes to health and happiness habits. https://youtu.be/0i0tuqAmdaw Twelve Days Day 1: Mindful Mornings Add five to ten minutes of relaxation to each of your morning routines. Time expands when... Continue Reading →
Take a moment and anchor yourself with something that lights you up. That reminds you that you are not alone in this storm. You have been here before. It may have been a personal pandemic, not a global one. But somehow, deep inside, you made it through. And you will again. You have the courage,... Continue Reading →
The Psychology of Change During this week’s health psychology lecture, we talked about the psychology of change, including the parts of our lives that remain ‘unchanged’ during rapid and unexpected change. What Remains During Change? The Sun Still Rises Coffee Tastes Delicious Trees Greet You on Your Walk Favourite Movie Still Delights Bed is Comfie... Continue Reading →
1. Be Here Now https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=EiuTpeu5xQc&feature=emb_title Stop Take a breath Observe Proceed 2. Create Space https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=fXNo7GUDizM “Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our freedom.” Viktor Frankl 3. Find Your Flow https://youtu.be/mZ_bI_t_L_E In psychology, flow, also known as being in the... Continue Reading →
Mindfulness Tip: Look Up The sky connects us to something bigger than ourselves. Challenges appear small in comparison to the vastness of the sky. Solutions seem plausible. Answers come more easily. In the presence of stars, we embrace the profound and surrender it all. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0gMq9BNKvOA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ygkRUiRacSE You are enough, just as you are.💕 Mirror Exercise: Waking Up with Love
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fd9TrYI75o0 Never let the things you want make you forget the things you already have. Nothing Lasts Forever. Good or Bad. Enjoy Every Moment. Embrace it. Be it. See it. Everything you appreciate is you reflecting back. Homework for Today Look Around You. Notice Things Like You Are Seeing Them for the Very First Time.... Continue Reading →
Embrace Uncertainty One of my favourite ways to energize before teaching psychology classes at St. Clair College is to summarize a theory in practical and concrete ways in the parking lot. Literally! 🚘 I filmed this video 5 minutes before I was about to teach a lecture on personality and positive psychology in my liberal arts... Continue Reading →
We’re on a trip to California for our December birthdays and wedding anniversary and I couldn’t imagine a more mindful place to be. Nature everywhere we look. Luminous moonlight. Dancing campfire. Fresh ocean air. Water as far as the eye can see. Sunshine in every nook. 100 year old fig trees. Just outside our hotel... Continue Reading →
You have the ability to make positive changes in your life. Right here. Right now. Don’t wait for “the perfect time” to transform your life. NOW IS YOUR POWER.
Nature is a beautiful way to stop the monkey mind in its’ tracks. What is the monkey mind? “Buddha described the human mind as being filled with drunken monkeys, jumping around, screeching, chattering, carrying on endlessly. Fear is an especially loud monkey - screaming out all the things that could go wrong.” Source: HuffPost When we’re caught... Continue Reading →
“The art of being happy lies in the power of extracting happiness from common things.” Our left brain lives in the past and the future. Our right brain lives in the here and now. One scrambles for solutions to problem after problem. The other sinks into the present moment, trusting all is well. Which side... Continue Reading →
The next time you are under any kind of pressure. Stuck in traffic. Rushing from class to class. Dealing with a difficult customer at work. Desperately trying to recall answers on a final exam. Wake up to the formidable power that exists within you. Right here. Right now. Right under your nose. Breathe https://youtu.be/zRSQw-LjU8k The deeper the breath, the deeper... Continue Reading →
Happy Monday Everyone! I am excited to share my interview with The Drive Magazine on positive psychology and stress resilience. Inspired by my TEDx Talk: Thriving Under Pressure. The 3 C's of Positive Psycholog My favourite part of this photo is the story behind it.When the magazine was arranging the photo shoot, they asked where... Continue Reading →
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 →
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.
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.
So many choices when it comes to stress relief. Which one will you choose today? Thriving Test — Click Here
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 →
Thriving Under Pressure 