Finding time for yourself is something we all struggle with, but it’s essential for peace of mind and mental wellbeing. If you want to know how those zen-like friends of yours do it, all you have to do is take a look at how they spend those precious few hours of spare time they get each week. It can be tempting to just pull out Facebook and see what everyone’s up to, but all that does is set your mind...
Being a mom is never easy. Mom is also a nurse, a chef, and teacher. It brings immeasurable joy to the heart, but there’s no shame in admitting that sometimes things get really hard. When mom also has entrepreneurial ambitions, finding a work-life balance can be complicated because there’s her work on one side and her children on another. Add a significant other into the mix and things can get quite chaotic. Here are some tips on how to get...
It is estimated that one in five adults will experience a mental illness in any given year with anxiety disorders as the leading cause. Mental illness is recognized when an individual shows ongoing signs and symptoms of stress that affect their ability to function. Mental illness may impact a person’s mood, behavior, and capacity to think or concentrate. While those suffering from mental illness may feel alone, lost, or incapacitated, research has shown that along with diet and exercise, mindfulness practices such...
Being stress-free in the 21stcentury is not all that easy. The pressure from work, family, exercise, studying and leaving some time to hang out with friends can be quite overwhelming. Our mind is constantly working, it has no pause, and the worst thing is that it is always creating different scenarios, making us feel anxious and depressed. It all sounds so negative and scary but with some tips on mindfulness, you can be one step closer to living a better...
Keeping the spark alive in your relationship, especially when parenting and blended family struggles kick in, can become challenging. Therefore, being on the same page as your partner despite these stressors is essential to maintaining a healthy relationship. Bliss Counselling's very own sexologist, Kelly McDonnell-Arnold, and Stepmom coach, Jamie Scrimgeour, discuss tips and tricks on preventing these stressors from entering the bedroom! Check out the video below! ...
I first learnt about Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras while staying at an Ashram in Rishikesh, India. Patanjali discusses the eight limbs of yoga, the first of which is Yama. The five Yamas are a set of moral values. The first Yama in Sanskrit is called Ahimsa which means non-harming. It consists of being kind to yourself and all other living creatures. Are you mindful of your thoughts, words and actions? “Happiness is when what you think, what you say and what you do...
What do Taylor Swift, that guy whose best attempt at romance was to send you a picture of his junk, and bell hooks have in common? Well, if we managed to look past the catchy lyrics, the nauseating brocabulary, and the penetrating eloquence, we’d see that they all just want to be happy. But what is happiness, anyway? I know it seems like a question for philosophers, but as a therapist I’ve learned that how we define happiness actually has...
I am frequently – constantly – asked about tips and tricks for weight loss. I have heard every outrageous claim, from the ‘wrap yourself in plastic while you sleep’ trick to requests for high doses of cinnamon that a certain famous television doctor claimed will do the trick. In reality, this is about six degrees of separation from what cinnamon actually does: balance your blood sugar. Balancing your blood sugar throughout the day actually WILL help you to become happier...
Feel free to set a timer for 10 minutes. Sit in a comfortable position on a pillow on the floor or in a chair. Find a focus point to gaze at, or softly close your eyes. Be present in the moment. Don’t worry about what has happened earlier today or what needs to happen later on. Be here in the moment and focus on the breath. Let the space around you be free of judgement. Imagine sitting by the window and the...
Ask any busy person what they need and most will respond with “MORE TIME”. More time to work, more time at home, more time to relax. There simply aren’t enough hours in the day for all of the things we need or want to do. While committing more time to a job or a project might seem like the solution to your stress, it is important to remember that time is a finite resource. By spending more time on something...