Health is Wealth

CHRISTMAS! It is truly of my most favourite times of the year! I know that last Christmas, 2020, we were in the height on the pandemic. And while this year is better than the last, it may not be the 'same' as what we were used to Christmas looking like. Nonetheless, we have made it. The past two years have certainly taught me a lot about what is important to me. It has forced me - like others - to re-evaluate my priorities and pay attention to the blessings I have...which we so often take for granted or brush over. This Holiday Season, I urge you to take time to reflect on the past year - and think of your blessings. I recently started a new routine: each morning I wake up and reflect on 10 things I am grateful for. The catch, though, is that is has to be specific. For example, I might be thankful for having an especially nice sleep, or being in my warm bed on a cold night. I might be thankful that even though I have a long day, I am very thankful for having a career I enjoy. I...

Do you need some confidence? Are you feeling lost, hopeless, and weak? Here's a thought: maybe it's because you are depending on too much on yourself. Maybe it's because you are focussing on how little you can control. Be bold! You don't have to go this alone. Be bold in Christ. Let's look at Ephesians 3: 12....  [12] in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him. [16] that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, [17] that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, [18] may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height- [19] to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. [20] Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us God’s pre...

I'll admit - as the days get shorter and it gets darker earlier, my mood starts to take a little dip. No, I don't have Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD - read more about it here ), but the shorter days makes me feel tired faster. It makes me feel that there is less time to do what I want to in the day. Not to mention that the arrival of falls means colder temperatures..BRRRR! It is normal to feel that our moods change along with seasonal changes. Darker days and shorter hours of light is hard for many of us. But, there are a lot of pleasures of autumn. Like the beautiful scenes of Mother Nature as the leaves fall down. Or the lovely views of the orange sunset painting the sky. And while I don't enjoy pumpkin-flavoured foods and drinks, there is something comforting about seeing the advertisements for all these items!  A new season means change. It means that a time in our lives has passed, and a new one awaits. It means grieving over what we have lost, and looking forwa...

  When you need some encouragement... When we look at around us, we feel overwhelmed by the sadness, distress, strife, and struggles in the world (and in our lives). When we look at to God, we are filled with His presence and His peace We should not depend on ourselves, but rather, on God’s strength. If we focus too much on ourselves, we become aware of how weak and powerless we are. But when we shift the focus to God, we are reminded that we are not alone. We are reminded that we cannot do anything without Him - and this drives us to pray to God and keep Him at the centre of our lives ‘To seek God’s face’ reminds me of the feeling of the longing and excitement when we see someone we love but have not seen for a while. When we see them again, we feel thrilled, happy, and cannot help but smile. For that moment, we are at peace and content. This is what happens when we seek - and find - God, too! If we look for God, we will find Him. This is a promise. He is never silent, absent, or ...

 It’s a question we all have right now: when will the pandemic end? Will COVID-19 ever finally leave us? And if it DOES end, will - and when?! - will life ever return ‘back to normal’? I don’t have the answers to these questions, and to be honest, no amount of scientific or mathematical predictions can ever get the answers 100% correct. This pandemic has changed so much about what we know about medicine, about life, about one another, etc. The pandemic has changed much of our routines , ranging from how and where we work, with whom and how we socialize, how we spend our money, our hobbies and habits, etc. For some, this has meant a shift in work location, a change in income, new decisions around career choices, variations in how we spend our free time, and more. For others, the pandemic has meant dealing with feelings of uncertainty, fatigue, stress, loneliness, and loss. Actually, many of us can resonate with at least one of those emotions in that sentence. The pandemic has certa...

Some thoughts for today.... God is telling us (actually, He is COMMANDING us!) not to worry or be afraid. He says that we should be strong and courageous. Why? How? Because He is with us, wherever we go!  God also tells us not to be discouraged. We face so many challenges and battles daily. It is quite easy to become full of despair, and to feel weak and alone. But here, God says that He is with us. God, the Creator of the world, is with us at all times! It’s like a child who isn’t scared because they know their parent is with them. They don’t fear the danger because they have full confidence that their parent will protect them and keep them safe  God says these words to us (‘don’t be afraid or discouraged’) very often in the Bible. I believe this is for a reason - He knows that we will, so many times, feel scared and worried. We will feel hopeless and weak. So, He sends us these reminders: we don’t need to fear! We aren’t alone! He COMMANDS us to be strong and courageous - an...

 I think that sometimes we get so caught up in the ‘positivity’ movement that we become cold and insensitive to the true meaning and power of gratitude. Gratitude is not the same thing as optimism. Let’s take an example: you’ve had a long day at work, and your body is aching. Your work is overdue, your family is angry at you for various reasons, and you feel lonely. Optimism might have you saying: ‘hey! Look on the bright side: at least you have a job . Unlike your neighbour, at least you have a family and aren’t completely isolated. How cam you complain about being tired when you have a fully-functioning body? At least you don’t have cancer like other people!’.  This, my friends, is toxic positivity. Why ‘toxic’? In that moment, you don’t need a ‘cheerleader’. You don’t need to negate your emotions of distress, frustration, and sadness. You don’t need to focus on everything good in your life in order to ignore the difficult parts. Enter gratitude. In this situation, gratitude...

 We all need some uplifting right now. I have found that reflecting on some Bible verses has been truly motivating and calming these days. It is one thing to read the Bible, and quite another to 'take in' what is being said. If you are Christian - many of these verses might be familiar to you. If so, I welcome you to read my reflections, and now how your reflections might be the same or different than mine. If you are not Christian, I invite you to read these words and see how you can apply them into your life, take away some wisdom or peace, learn something new, etc. The first comes from Job 42:2 . If you are not familiar with the story of Job - this is for you! Job had it all: he was rich, he had many kids, a great wife, land and food, etc. He also loved God. The devil wanted to test Job - he thought that if he took away all Job had, Job would abandon God. And, so, God permitted the devil to take any all Job had: his land, his kids, his possessions, etc. Job had many moment...

One year ago, on March 27, 2020, I smashed my scale. Actually, I smashed my TWO scales. You see, I had a spare scale I hid in my closet, "just in case" my primary scale broke. This year, on March 27, 2021, I celebrated being one-year scale free. Yes - my attachment with the scale was that strong. Deep in the eating disorder, the scale became my thermometer . I checked daily, even twice or three times a day. In the morning, I checked before breakfast. If it was higher than yesterday, my brain ran through the previous day. What had I eaten wrong? Did I not exercise enough? How would I compensate for this today? Which meal could I skip today? If it was lower than the previous day, there was a brief moment where I could breathe. But only until the instantaneous thoughts began: "great job!". But this was not enough. I had to be 'extra good' today to ensure that TOMORROW'S WEIGHT was the same as today, or even better...lower. This cycle brought me to a poin...

I’ll admit it: I’m a worrier. No, not someone who worries too much over everything. But I am someone who, when faced with many tasks or situations, begins to worry.  The typical scenario is that I have a lot of things I’m ‘waiting on’ to get done. I might be waiting to hear back about an interview, a mark from a test, or a health result. I might be hoping that my family is still safe. I might be thinking about my future, my health, friendships, etc. That’s all on top of my daily tasks to do, such as cleaning, cooking, and more.     Some days it’s tolerable. I feel like I have a lot to do, but it’s ‘not that bad’. I’m busy but I feel that things are manageable. But some days, I feel like my brain is going to crack. My head is jumping from task to task.   -What do I have to do next?  -How will I finish this all?  -What will happen?  -Will it work out?  -Will I be okay? Will my family be okay?  And the list goes on and on. I h...

I have no words to make this difficult and challenging time pass. Nor do I know how long it will last. It's been a long time since we've lived 'the way it used to be'  At times, it feels like it has been eternity. You may be tired, bored, and sick of home,     You might be irritated of feeling alone. But know this - you are not the only one, Because after the storm, there is always sun. I know it feels like there is no end, And sometimes, you become your own worst friend. Please be mindful of what you tell yourself, And mind your health - this is your wealth. The storms will pass, trust me when I say, You will survive another day. Though this time feels like a crashing ride, You have all you need, right inside. Take heart, even though you do not feel strong, It is okay to feel - you are not wrong. You are not weak for feeling the pain, Though you are learning to dance in the rain. Take a breath, maybe even two And know that there is always hope for you. This season will...

 I wanted to continue our series of why we should strive for excellence, and not perfection. But while working on part two, I realized that now is a stressful time for all of us. The changes and challenges that the pandemic has brought upon are innumerable. Whether it is losing a job, adjusting to working from home, taking care of loved ones, online-schooling, not seeing friends or families, struggling with mental health or fatigue...the list goes on. So, I think now is the perfect time to remind each and every one of you - and to say this to ourselves: -These are TRULY valid experiences and emotions we are all facing. -This is a time of uncertainty, change, and unpredictability.  -There is so much going on in the world today. -Too much news and information, including bad news/stories, is overwhelming. -It is okay if we are 'slower' than usual. This is an unusual time to be living in. -It is okay if work doesn't get all done today. Tomorrow awaits. -A difficult experience o...