Health is Wealth

We have talked a lot about how to break habits that have been annoying or bothering us in our daily lives. Now, let's say that you have done an outstanding job of breaking a habit. You are exhausted and anxious, but you did it! Then....life happens. What does that mean? You get stressed. You hear bad news. You are simply having a tough day and the last thing you want to do is continue fighting your battles. The 'easy' option is to fall back into the habit that was routine, that brought you comfort. This could be anything from using substances, to eating too much/too little, to neglecting to do your work, to isolating yourself, to not taking care of yourself or others, etc. But then deep inside, you KNOW that this is not what you want. You don't want to go 'back' into using the habit that - although was momentarily helpful - brought you long-term pain, distress, and consequences. But right now, you are tired and every inch of you can't fight. You simpl...

My faith plays a major role in my life. God's love for us is truly never-ending. The Bible is a wonderful place to turn to when you feel down or need encouragement. Even if you are not Christian, I can assure you that these verses will make you feel at peace and comforted. The Bible is FULL of amazing things....but I can only type so many here. For now, let's start's with some of my favourites. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding” (Proverbs 3:5) -how beautiful is this? When you are feeling like you don't know what's going on in your life...TRUST. Let go and realize that God - who knows all and sees all - has your back. He will never leave you. Don't hurt your head or heart wondering...just leave it to Him. “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, shall guide your hea...

I used to laugh when I heard people saying that self care is important. I mean, sure, taking care of ourselves sounded important. But society makes it sound like self-care requires you to get a manicure, plan a vacation, buy expensive products, eat meals out, etc. And to be honest, this sounded EXHAUSTING. Think about it: you get home from work after a long day. Do you have the energy to go to the gym? Maybe not. Do you have the money at this moment to purchase a spa package every weekend? Maybe not. Those were my thoughts exactly. So, was I a failure at self-care? Was there something wrong with me? After speaking with a few role models, mentors, and close loved ones, I began to learn something critical: self-care doesn't have to be expensive or time-consuming. Self-care can mean simply taking the time to close your eyes and be thankful for the day passing in peace. Self-care can mean soaking your feet in water after a long day at work. Self-care can mean turning your phone o...

Welcome to part eight of our series on breaking habits. If you've missed the previous parts of this series, or need a refresher, it'll be a good idea to review what we've talked about in terms of how to get started in making changes in your life, how to persevere through challenging moments, and tolerating distress associated with these situations. The first post can be found here , and you can continue to read the following posts. Today, we are going to discuss the concept of 'radical acceptance'. What does acceptance mean? To accept something means to 'take it as it is', and to realize that you might not be able to change things. For example, when we accept our loved ones as they are, we recognize that although we might not like everything about them, although there are things we wish we could change about them, we love them regardless. What role does acceptance play in our lives when trying to break habits, or make changes in our ways of acting and t...