Knowing who you are and what your strengths are is so important to your personal growth and development. I have spent a lot of time this past year exploring my strengths, weaknesses, likes, dislikes, and values which has given me so much self awareness, clarity, and confidence. The VIA Character Test is a free scientific survey that determines what your greatest character strengths are and is a great starting point if you are trying to…
If you deal with anxiety then I’m sure that you have experienced a meltdown or two. Meltdowns look different for everyone but it usually involves a tidal wave of negative emotions, overwhelm, poor choices, and bad behaviour. Maybe you panic, yell at someone you love, cry, lash out, run away, or have a full on temper tantrum. Sometimes it lasts only a few moments and other times a whole day. About a month ago I…
One of my favourite episodes of ‘The Life Coach School’ podcast by Brooke Castillo is “14. How to Overcome Anxiety”. Brooke discusses the 4 ways people typically deal with anxiety and offers tools, strategies, and advice for overcoming it in a healthy way. Once we gain self-awareness of how we normally react to anxiety we can learn how to accept it and allow it to pass rather than trying to change, fix, or push it…
I have been anxious ever since I was a kid but it really started to become an uphill battle when I went to University in 2011. Since then it’s been a long road and I have had to do a lot of work and overcome some not so healthy coping mechanisms to get to the place I’m at now. Over the last two years I have been committed to figuring out how to embrace, manage,…
There is evidence that journaling, or expressive writing, can have long-term mental and physical health benefits. In terms of mental health, a consistent journaling practiced can: Alleviate stress Manage anxiety Cope with depression Reduce symptoms of PTSD Enhance overall sense of well-being Improve working memory Recently, research has even linked journaling to physical health benefits as well: A stronger immune system and faster recovery from certain diseases Reduced blood pressure, Better sleep In my personal…
HOW TO START There are many different kinds of journals and writing styles to choose from. I wrote a blog post about this here. For the most part, I focus on two kinds of writing: Journal prompts If you are not totally comfortable with journaling yet and find yourself staring at a blank page without any idea what to write then journal prompts are a great way to start. A journal prompt is essentially a…
I am obsessed with journaling. Getting my thoughts out of my head and onto paper helps me manage stress and anxiety, process my emotions, gain clarity around my goals, and allows me to self-reflect. Writing in my journals is part of my daily practice and has had a profound influence on my personal development. So much so that I dedicated a whole section of this blog to Journal Prompts for mindfulness, goal setting, and self-discovery…
The Abundance Hub The first time I listened to the Abundance Hub I instantly connected with Jess and her coaching style. Her honest, no bull shit approach will help you to stop making excuses for yourself and will give you the tools you need to get clarity around your values, vision, and purpose. I have learned a lot from this podcast and am grateful for the insights it has given me. There is no sugar…
This is a question I ask myself when I have a goal but can’t seem to follow through, or I keep procrastinating and getting off track. It’s a great way to be more aware of how I am using my time and gives me the opportunity to re-focus my energy. When I decided to start a blog, for example, I could never find the time to write. The apartment needed to be cleaned, laundry had…
I believe that having a solid self-care practice is essential to living a fulfilled and happy life. It allows you to better manage anxiety and stress, avoid burnout, helps you show up as the best version of yourself, gives you the energy to achieve your goals, and allows you to support others as well (i.e. you can’t give from an empty cup). Self-care is also the foundation for confidence and high levels of self-worth. When…
