I hope this SPARK finds you well and enjoying the emerging spring! It has been a long and rough winter for me. My relationship with John ended. I moved into a place that did not work out for me; it was my worst experience as a tenant. I had a really bad cold that lasted over a month and weakened Read the Rest…

Patricia Katz has put together an incredible wealth of evidence that self-care and wellness practices enhance productivity. So often we still get trapped in the old, unfounded beliefs that keep us running in the hamster wheel of non-stop activity. Here is what Patricia found in a nutshell: Relaxation breaks reduce strain and increase stamina Naps enhance productivity Time away boosts Read the Rest…

Every now and again we all experience a really crappy day. One of those days where everything and everybody seem to have conspired against you and nothing goes right. Your car breaks down, your daughter has a temper tantrum, your spouse is upset, you forget your umbrella and get soaking wet in the rain and on and on it goes. Read the Rest…

With the holiday season fast approaching, I imagine you are thinking about, or soon will be, what to give to whom. In my recent blog article, I introduced another way of giving. I encourage you to give of this special gift generously. In the spirit of giving, I would like to give a special gift to YOU. For every 2 Read the Rest…

When we think of gifts, we usually associate them with tangible objects or a favour we do for someone else. There is another kind of gift; it is a precious gift indeed, the gift of self-care. Every time you take good care of yourself, you are giving a gift to the people you love. Why is that so? Because taking Read the Rest…

Years ago I heard about a school that was experiencing a lot of littering. The students didn’t care to throw their wraps in the garbage cans and penalties didn’t seem to solve the problem.  Then one teacher came up with the idea to put baskets, much like basketball baskets, above the garbage cans. The students soon discovered that throwing garbage Read the Rest…

With the Canadian Thanksgiving just behind us and the American Thanksgiving ahead, I am filled with gratitude for this wonderful, mysterious, surprising and at times challenging life. I feel so very blessed to do what I love and make my living doing just that. I am reminded once again of just how different life felt, when I found my labour Read the Rest…

Have you ever noticed how relaxed cats are?  Now you too can be purring like a cat in only minutes. In the midst of our hurried lives, it’s a good idea to slow down and imitate a cat for a while. Pushing your feet into the floor, like cats do, creates a grounded feeling and helps you let go of Read the Rest…

When I was in grade 8, I took part in a gardening school project and was very excited about my first little vegetable garden. Every day I went to check, water and weed my little patch. It was pure joy seeing the little plants grow. One day I arrived at my patch with my watering can to see that all Read the Rest…

Today is the fall equinox, the day of perfect balance of darkness and light. On this symbolically balanced day, I invite you to join me in taking any new step towards your healthy life balance. Think about one small step you could embrace today and then, most importantly take it. I have committed to an evening Mini-Retreat that I will Read the Rest…