Health is Wealth

 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...