I’m struggling a bit right now with anxiety and depression. So I’m practicing what I preach. I’m being as kind to myself as I can and simplifying what I need to do. Instead of writing a full blog post and long newsletter, I’m sending out this mini-mental health memo to you. A cute animal video. For […]
Ok before anything. Let’s take a deep breath. I’m serious. Do this with me. Inhale 1 – 2 – 3. Pause. Exhale 1 – 2 – 3. A little better? Like many of you, if you subscribe to newsletters, many are focused on information about the unusual times we are in and what we can […]
I love this initiative. Rob Osman from Bristol in the UK, who has struggled with social anxiety and depression, created a dog walking group for guys to gab about their feelings and struggles (if they so choose). He did so after he found walking his dog, Mali, was such a huge help for his own […]
I’m writing a book. There, I said it. Not quite sure if it’s going to be a straight-up memoir. Perhaps titled, as someone joked, “Not Another Bipolar Memoir”. Or, the book might be a combination ‘memoir/personal-essay-with-action-tips” kinda book. Either way, as I write it, I’m going to, from time to time, share excerpts with you. […]
I’m excited to pass along this new workplace mental health resource I’ve discovered: the evidence-based Workplace Mental Health Playbook for Business Leaders. The economic burden of mental illness in Canada is a whopping $51 billion annually1. That’s billion with a ‘B’, every single year. Even more striking is that the cost of a disability claim […]
I’ve noticed perfectionism hits me hardest at work. Or maybe it’s just easier for me to recognize it in that area of my life. I procrastinate tasks because I’m scared I won’t do it ‘right’. I start getting sleepy, not because I’m tired, but because I’m avoiding a job responsibility I feel has to be […]
I took several mental health days off this past week and will take one today, too. I didn’t even lie to my boss and say something like, “I think I’m coming down with a cold”. My boss is pretty understanding. I work for myself. After a nudge from my lovely husband and gentle curiosity from […]
The holiday season is here, but the joy of it may not be, especially at work. Maintaining good mental health on the job can be a challenge at the best of times. Maintaining it during the holidays can seem impossible. The pressure of the holly jolly season along with regular workload can give rise to […]
Until recently, I never identified as someone who went through childhood trauma. Dysfunctional family dynamics – oh yeah. But trauma? No. Until I started learning about it and talking to my counsellor, Andi. She knows my psychiatric diagnoses but also all the juicy details of my childhood to adult history. “What you experienced is called […]
December is almost here and the pressure to have the perfect holiday experience can come along with it. Not only that, but we live in an aspirational, Instagram-curated world. Maybe we always have (minus the social media bit). The “great American dream”, “the pursuit of happiness”. Capitalist culture is based on the quest of bigger, […]
