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gratitude

Embracing The Present Moment

Jaclyn Baker
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Do you ever catch yourself thinking about something you wish you had done differently years ago?

Or what may or may not happen at work 3 weeks from now?

Reflecting on events that have happened in the past or that may happen in the future isn’t uncommon. 

Those types of thoughts can often pull us away from the present moment.

Embracing living in the moment can help us focus on what matters most and make the most out of every experience. 

Notice The World Around You

How often do you take in your surroundings and appreciate the little things?

Taking the opportunity to look at the world around us can show us the beauty of life. 

Who knows – you may end up seeing something beautiful you never noticed before in your own backyard.  

Do One Thing at a Time

When we have so much on our plate, it’s easy to want to knock everything off the list as fast as possible.

However, doing too many things at once can be very distracting and take us away from the enjoyment of each task.

Here’s an example. Have you ever attempted to study for a test or catch up with a friend on the phone while making dinner?

Doing two or more tasks at once that require a good amount of concentration is not easy.

Every activity or task we do matters and should be enjoyed.

Accept Things As They Are

Learning to let go of what has happened and accepting who we are today can get you one step closer to embracing the present moment. 

We may not be able to know where life will take us – but we can learn to accept things as they are today and enjoy life.

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Mastering The Art Of Conversation

Jaclyn Baker
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Do you ever feel intimidated in social situations?

Have you ever wanted to walk up to someone new but didn’t know what to say?

Do you ever have a tough time holding a conversation? 

Mastering the art of conversation is possible. 

The following steps can help you feel more confident and comfortable during your next social interaction.

Get Ready

Not all of us can jump right into a conversation, and that’s okay! 

Sometimes all we need is a little mental preparation.

Before diving in, you can practice deep breathing or repeat positive affirmations. 

Instead of worrying about what the other person may say, you can think about what you may learn or gain from the conversation. 

Keep It Light

When meeting someone new, keeping topics light can be a lot less intimidating. 

Starting simple is the way to go. 

You can ask the other person where they are from, compliment their outfit or ask how they know the event organizer. As time goes on, you can dive into deeper topics when/if you feel comfortable. 

Listen And Learn

We can get to know others through active listening and taking an interest in their opinions. 

We may not agree with everything other people say, but we can listen and learn from their perspectives.

Don’t be afraid to dive in and ask them how they feel about certain topics. Their answers may surprise you. 

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Understanding and Embracing The Highly Sensitive Person

Jaclyn Baker
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Have you heard of the term “Highly Sensitive Person” or HSP? 

Those who are HSPs are thought to have an increased central nervous system and have a sensitivity to physical, emotional, or social stimuli. These people are attuned to their inner state of mind and usually to the feeling or behaviors of those around them, 

HSPs can often feel overwhelmed by noises, colors, or temperatures. 

Here are some ways we can understand this term further and embrace ourselves or someone we may know who is an HSP.

The Thought Process

Have you ever felt rushed or that you had a short period of time?

Do you feel sensitive to bright lights?

Can you tell what someone is feeling from the tone of their voice?

These are just some scenarios that highlight what HSPs commonly experience. 

By acknowledging these traits and knowing what to look out for, we can get a sense of the thought process of an HSP and approach everyone with more empathy!

Acknowledging Strengths 

It’s important to also highlight the strengths of HSPs.

Highly sensitive people are able to be deeply moved by beauty and can feel strongly connected to themselves and others. 

Embracing these strengths, especially in our society, shows that there we can accept ourselves fully for who we are.

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Exuding Confidence 101

Jaclyn Baker
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Having confidence in ourselves comes from believing we are capable of doing anything! 

When we think positively about our skills, qualities, and personality, it motivates us to embrace new opportunities. 

Reminding ourselves of our strengths each day can positively impact us in so many ways. 

Talk The Talk

Exuding confidence is all about how we talk to ourselves. 

Practicing positive self-talk can change our outlook and overall self-esteem. 

Our thoughts have the power to become a reality – both positively and negatively. You have the power to achieve great things by thinking positively. 

For example, you can create go-to phrases for yourself, such as “I’m perfect just as I am.” Or “I can achieve anything that comes my way.” 

Those kinds of thoughts can be great mood-boosters and work as a starting point to building more confidence. 

Think About The Past

We can measure our progress by reflecting upon how much we have grown over the past week, month or year. 

It’s important to remind ourselves of past successes to know that we can create similar opportunities in the future. 

You deserve to be proud of all your accomplishments. Even ones that have happened years ago. 

Taking trips down memory lane can help remind you just how talented and successful you are. 

“When you have confidence, you can do anything.” – Sloane Stevens

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Boosting Your Mental Health This Spring

Jaclyn Baker
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Spring signifies a time for change and renewal. 

As the season changes and plants begin to bloom, we can follow their lead and give ourselves a fresh start.

There is no better time than the present to motivate ourselves to tackle new goals. 

We can spring forward with these three steps.

Change Up Your Space

Even the smallest changes can make the biggest difference.

Changes such as rearranging some furniture or buying a piece of clothing you wouldn’t normally gravitate towards can give us a newfound burst of energy.

Give it a go and see what happens!

Reconnect With Others

Branching out can help us form new connections or reconnect with old ones. 

The people we spend time with can impact us in so many ways and allow us to experience new things. 

Making the effort to reach out to new people can potentially bring on lots of new positive experiences. 

Prioritize Your Sleep

Now that the sun is setting later and rising earlier, our sleep habits can change.

Getting appropoate sleep is crucial 365 days a year, and poor sleep can catch up on us.

If you’re starting to catch poor sleeping habits arise, now is the time to do something about it.

You may have to re-evaluate your current bedtime routine and make some changes depending on your needs.

Putting your phone away a couple of hours before bed, taking a hot bath or practicing light stretching are just a few healthy habits to consider. 

However, you may have to implement an experiment or two to find the best habits for your own needs.

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When Things Don’t Go According To Plan

Jaclyn Baker
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Life is full of ups and downs, and things don’t always go our way.

Even the most thought-out plans can go sideways. That doesn’t mean you give up.

It just means you may have to re-route and change your path.

Channel Your Energy in a New Way 

Channelling your energy into a new engaging activity can help get your mind focused on something new and positive. 

Habits are great – however when we constantly do the same thing day in, and day out, we can find ourselves stuck in a rut.

Incorporating activities (big and small) into our day to day can help us look at things in a new way and re-set our motivation. 

Be Kind to Yourself and Others 

“Be careful how you are talking to yourself because you are listening.” – Lisa M. Hayes

The words we say to ourselves are so powerful. Even though it may not always feel like it, you have complete control over the stories you tell yourself.

A negative thought can quickly be transformed into a positive one if you allow it.

Being kind to yourself is just as important as being kind to others.

You have the courage within you to be kind! 

Be Honest With Yourself

Not all feelings are easy to pinpoint.

When there is so much going on, acknowledging how we feel isn’t always easy. 

Feelings such as disappointment, anger or sadness don’t always fade away on their own. 

Often they need to be noticed and reflected upon before they leave. 

The thing is, we can’t manage a feeling we don’t even know we have.

Setting aside 5 – 10 minutes a day to check in on ourselves and be completely honest about how we feel can help us become more in tune with our emotions.

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The Pursuit Of Happiness

Jaclyn Baker
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Instead of looking elsewhere, we can find happiness within ourselves. 

Accept The Imperfections

What makes life unique is that it’s imperfect – and that’s okay!

Having such high expectations for ourselves can be stressful. 

It’s so easy to constantly want “more” or to be “better.”

Accepting the imperfections of life starts with embracing being comfortable with the uncomfortable.

Express Gratitude

Expressing gratitude for what you already have can change how you look at things. 

Simply writing down five things you are grateful for every morning can help you start each day on a positive note.  

That small exercise can help you reevaluate your values and challenge yourself to dig deeper. 

Gratitude is a powerful force!

Leave Judgement Behind

Investing time and energy in positive thoughts can be very inspiring.  

Now’s the time to be your biggest cheerleader by creating a judgement-free zone in your mind. 

Our days won’t always turn out as planned, and that’s okay. You deserve to cut yourself some slack. 

“You have everything you need for complete peace and total happiness right now.” – Wayne Dyer.

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Mastering The Art of Motivation

Jaclyn Baker
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Have you ever started a certain project excited and ready to take it on…

But as time went on, you started noticing your motivation dip? 

It happens more often than you may think – especially with larger tasks.

Breaking tasks up into three sections: the begging, middle, and end can help make the overall process much easier.

The Beginning

Motivation comes from within, and it is often easier to get motivated while doing tasks we love. 

Having to do something and wanting to do something are very different things. 

Going into a project with a positive mindset from the very beginning can’t necessarily guarantee a smooth journey. But it will make it much more likely.

Starting a project with a positive attitude and a clear end in mind can help give you the drive to keep going even when it’s hard. 

The Middle

Having a clear goal is the first step. 

The second step is putting it into action. 

Remember, you don’t have to finish everything on your list in one sitting. 

In fact, it’s often ideal not to.

Our brain can only go for so long without a break. 

Progress takes time. If you catch yourself starting to lose motivation at the halfway mark – take a break.

You may need an hour, or you may need a day. Listen to what your body is trying to tell you and respect its limits and the process. 

The End

Not all of us get stuck in the middle of a task.

Some of us thrive during the start and middle but slowly start crashing towards the end.

Even though you’re so close to being done, all you want to do is walk away. 

Staying motivated to finish a project is much easier said than done. 

It isn’t all about willpower.

It’s about understanding your patterns and what makes you tick.

If you are the kind of person who needs regular breaks, take them!

If you are the kind of person who thrives working with music in the background, listen to music.

There isn’t a set-in-stone rule book for staying motivated. If there was, we’d all be following it. 

When in doubt, follow your instincts and trust the process.

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New Year’s Resolutions – Stages of Change

Jaclyn Baker
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By: Tanya Kramer, LPC

Everyone’s New Year’s resolution journey is unique, and what works for someone else may not work for you.

With that being said, here are a handful of best practices that may be able to help you set resolutions this year.

Image Source

Consider what “Stage of Change” you are at right now. 

Please see the Stages of Change graphic above. 

Once you’ve acknowledged where you are at now, see if you can move a step closer to taking action. 

Then you can decide if you are ready to take action by January 1st. If you are not, that is completely fine – don’t rush it. 

Make a plan before taking action and then decide when you would like to start taking action. 

On the designated date, take action on your resolution. This date doesn’t have to be January 1st if you need more time.

If you slip, hold yourself with grace. What did you learn? Are there additional steps you may need to add to your plan? Take action again.

How Do I Make a Plan Before Taking “Action”?

While creating your plan, you’ll want to think about the current patterns and behaviours you would like to change.

You will also want to see if anything needs to be addressed before getting started. 

If you are a visual learner, it can be helpful to draw yourself a map.

Brainstorm any barriers that might impact your success and then come up with possible solutions. 

Example – Quitting Smoking

 

In the example above – the individual realized that they tend to smoke while studying, in the morning, when they are bored, and during social events. 

Quitting smoking or any habit for that matter can’t be achieved overnight, and there may be some setbacks along the way.

Now, setbacks are all part of the process. Even if your journey doesn’t turn out as planned or takes a bit longer than anticipated, don’t give up!

You can achieve anything you set your mind to!

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Dry January

Jaclyn Baker
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After the rush of the holidays, some want a change from the sweet drinks and the bubbly. You do not need to have a problem with alcohol to be able to gain benefits from taking a break from it.

This is where Dry January comes in. It’s a time where many people choose to avoid alcohol for the entirety of the month. 

For some, they believe it is a chance for them to start the year off fresh. Others might like to try something different.  And it is a chance for anyone to make a positive impact on their health. 

Here are some ways drinking less alcohol can be beneficial for our overall well being:

  • When we drink alcohol it can decrease our restorative REM sleep. Giving it up for a month may improve our sleep and give us more energy. 
  • We can boost our moods with less alcohol as excessive alcohol consumption has been shown to impact the chemistry of the brain by decreasing the brain chemicals that are linked to energy levels and good mood. 
  • It can also affect our long-term health. Cutting out alcohol can lower our blood sugar, reduce cholesterol, and decrease headaches or heartburn. 
  • Cutting back can also improve the skin’s appearance as alcohol causes dehydration of your skin as well as puffiness and acne.
  • Decreasing alcohol use can help us maintain a healthy weight. Alcohol is empty calories on top of gaining VIP status in your body’s processing of calories for energy.  So it jumps the line ahead of other food items that may offer more nutritional benefits.

Cutting back can also help us save more money. We may not even be aware of how much it costs to purchase drinks but it can add up. With Dry January, we can give our wallets and our bodies a healthy break.

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