About The Canada Greener Homes Initiative
The Canada Greener Homes Initiative is an excellent program that aims to help Canadians reduce their household emissions through upgrades and retrofits. The program was launched in May 2021 and offers grants and a no interest loan to homeowners who complete energy-efficient upgrades to their homes.
Here are some examples of how this program can benefit Canadian homeowners:
1. Save money on energy bills
One of the major benefits of the Canada Greener Homes Initiative is that homeowners can save money on their energy bills. By upgrading their homes with energy-efficient features, such as insulation, draft-proofing, and high-efficiency heating and cooling systems, homeowners can reduce their monthly energy bills significantly.
2. Increase the value of their homes
Another benefit of the program is that it can help increase the value of Canadian homes. Energy-efficient upgrades help make homes more appealing to potential buyers, which can translate into higher resale values.
3. Reduce greenhouse gas emissions
The Canada Greener Homes Initiative helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions by incentivizing homeowners to upgrade their homes to be more energy-efficient. By reducing the amount of energy required to heat and cool their homes, homeowners can reduce their carbon footprint.
4. Improve comfort and health
Upgrading to energy-efficient features can also improve indoor air quality, reducing the risk of respiratory problems and allergies. Additionally, better insulation can make homes more comfortable by reducing drafts and temperature fluctuations.
5. Support a healthier environment
By participating in the Canada Greener Homes Initiative, Canadians help reduce greenhouse gas emissions, contribute to a more sustainable future, and support a healthier environment. Small changes at home can have a significant impact on the planet and contribute to creating a better world for future generations.
The Canada Greener Homes Initiative is an excellent program that offers many benefits to Canadian homeowners. By upgrading their homes to be more energy-efficient, homeowners can save money, increase the value of their homes, and contribute to a more sustainable future. If you're a homeowner, consider taking advantage of this excellent program to upgrade your home and reap the many benefits it offers.
Energy Saving Upgrades
Are you tired of high energy bills in your home? Are you looking for ways to reduce your carbon footprint and make your home more energy-efficient? Look no further than the Canada Greener Homes Grant.
The Canada Greener Homes Grant is a program designed to help Canadian homeowners make upgrades to their homes that will increase energy efficiency and reduce carbon emissions. With a grant of up to $5,000, homeowners can make eligible upgrades to their homes, including:
1. ENERGY STAR certified windows and doors: Upgrading your windows and doors to ENERGY STAR certified ones can help reduce drafts, increase energy efficiency, and lower your energy bills.
2. Insulation: Proper insulation can help keep heat inside your home during the winter months and keep it out during the summer months. Upgrading your insulation can lead to significant energy savings.
3. Air source heat pumps: Air source heat pumps use renewable energy from the outside air to heat and cool your home. This can lead to significant energy savings and lower your carbon footprint.
4. Solar panels: Solar panels capture energy from the sun and convert it into electricity. By installing solar panels, you can generate your own clean energy and potentially reduce or eliminate your reliance on the grid.
5. Smart thermostats: Smart thermostats allow you to control your home's temperature and energy usage remotely. By optimizing your home's temperature settings, you can reduce energy waste and lower your energy bills.
These eligible upgrades can help make your home more energy-efficient and reduce your carbon footprint. Not only will you be doing your part to help the environment, but you'll also be saving money on your energy bills in the long run.
To apply for the Canada Greener Homes Grant, homeowners can book an energy assessment from a licensed service organization who can recommend eligible upgrades and provide guidance throughout the process.
Don't miss out on the opportunity to make your home more energy-efficient and environmentally friendly. Apply for the Canada Greener Homes Grant today!
Canada Greener Homes Loan
As a homeowner in Canada, you may be interested in making your home more energy-efficient, but you may be unsure about how to pay for the upgrades. Fortunately, the Canada Greener Homes Loan program is here to help make that process easier.
The Canada Greener Homes Loan is a federal program that provides homeowners with up to $40,000 in interest-free loans to make their homes more energy-efficient. These loans can be used for a variety of home upgrades, such as insulation, windows, heating, and renewable energy systems, including solar panels.
Through this program, eligible homeowners will receive an EnerGuide home evaluation to identify potential energy-efficiency upgrades for their homes. Then, they can access a variety of approved third-party contractors who can complete the upgrades. Once the upgrades are complete, homeowners will receive a follow-up EnerGuide evaluation to measure the improvements made to their homes.
Homeowners are required to repay the loan over a 10-year term, and they can choose to pay back the loan earlier if they wish. Unlike traditional loans, the Canada Greener Homes Loan is interest-free, meaning that homeowners will only need to repay the amount they borrowed, without any additional interest.
In addition to reducing energy bills, making energy-efficient upgrades to your home can also increase its resale value, making it a worthwhile investment for both your wallet and the environment. By participating in the Canada Greener Homes Loan program, you’ll be investing in a more sustainable future for yourself, your family, and the planet.
The Canada Greener Homes Loan program is an excellent opportunity for homeowners in Canada to make their homes more energy-efficient and save money on their energy bills. It’s also a valuable step towards a more sustainable future for our country.
Oil to Heat Pump Affordability Program
Are you looking for an affordable and eco-friendly way to heat your home? Look no further than the Canada Greener Homes Oil to Heat Pump Affordability Program!
This program, offered by the Canadian government, provides homeowners with a grant of up to $5,000 towards the installation of an air-source heat pump to replace their oil heating system. Heat pumps are incredibly energy-efficient and can save homeowners on their heating bills.
Not only will the installation of a heat pump save you money on your heating bills, but it is also better for the environment. Heat pumps use electricity to move heat from the air outside your home to the inside, rather than burning fossil fuels like oil. This results in fewer greenhouse gas emissions and a smaller carbon footprint for your home.
By taking advantage of the Canada Greener Homes Oil to Heat Pump Affordability Program, you can not only save money on your heating bills but also do your part to reduce your impact on the environment. Contact a registered energy advisor today to get started!
What is burnout?
According to the Canadian Mental Health Association:
“Burnout is a state of emotional, physical and mental exhaustion caused by excessive and prolonged stress. Burnout in the course of employment can make one feel emotionally drained and unable to function in the context of work and other aspects of life. Burnout can reduce productivity and can lower your motivation and cause you to feel helpless, hopeless and resentful.”
Basically, burnout is the result of high stress or a heavy workload which takes a toll on the mind, body and spirit.
For me I know I'm burned out or approaching burnout when I’m unable to sleep, feeling overwhelmed, my anxiety is high and I have no energy. It’s definitely a thing. And it could very easily trickle over into other areas of my life if I'm not careful.
Burnout can happen at any point in your career and several times throughout. It could be a result of a job or career that's not in alignment with your value system or spirit or it could be a situational thing. Let's hope its the latter. You may need to do some work on this and figure out the root cause. And I encourage you to take the steps necessary to get in alignment.
But in the meantime here's how I get back on track if burnout is showing up in my life.
I reclaim my power and stop leaking energy. I stop being reactive and operate from a place within my control. I stop wishing things will change. I remind myself I am only one person and that I can say ‘no’ (Tip! “No” is a complete sentence). Here are the top power drainers: perfectionism, procrastination, prioritization, people pleasing and pouting (also known as complaining, wishing, hoping and waiting...).
I check in with my belief & value system. This one is hard for me and sometimes I have to do some reflection. Here are a few things I ask myself to make sure I have this in check and to know I’m not fighting against fear (fear of pissing people off, fear of messing up, fear of changing anything). Is this situation touching on any limiting beliefs I have? Does this align with overall personal objectives and career objectives? Do I need to do work in this area to become unstuck? What do I need to do to remove the beliefs that no longer serve me?
I get curious. Meaning I take on new tasks with a spirit of interest and engagement. This leaves the fear and frustration in the rear view mirror.
I embrace strategic laziness. ;) No really. This is less about time and more about energy. I need rest, my body and brain need rest. Rest and laziness allows me to shift from being busy to being productive. I am a better person and a more creative person when I rest.
I get expert help. You all know I do this in my personal life, but I do this in my professional life too. The skills I learn actually transfer to all areas of life really. Remember your brain hates change. Life is short and my ability to provide an income for my family shouldn’t cause stress in other areas of my life. Afterall, the goal is not to prepare to live, but to live.
Do you take work home with you? I don’t mean physically, even though that can be concerning too, I mean emotionally. Do you take your work home with you? Does your work trickle into other areas of your life?
How often are you stressed out at home because of your job? How often are you awake at night because of something that happened at work? How often are you moody at home for no reason? How often are you just unhappy?
It’s ok. I’ve been there.
I remember not being able to sleep. Being stressed out over conversations and plans that would never lead to any action. Being micromanaged into utter confusion. Questioning my ability and worth. Feeling undervalued and inadequate… Gaslighting… So many things that spilled over into my personal life. I knew I needed to shift.
You deserve great things in all areas of your life. Including your work life. And I definitely encourage you to find a job where you are valued and respected and are able to contribute. But if you can’t right now know this: you are more than your job.
You are more than your job.
You may be a mother. A wife. A daughter. A sister. An aunt. An active member of the community. A volunteer. There are so many other roles you have. There are so many things that you are. You are so much more than your job.
If you are feeling stressed out at work and find yourself taking work home with you try this simple affirmation when the anxiety hits after hours.
I am more than my job. I am capable and I am valued right now, right here. I am present and experiencing love and joy in this moment. I bring light with me wherever I go.
If you’re into journaling you may want to journal about all the other positive areas of your life and the amazing things you accomplish on a daily basis. This will help you gain perspective.
Work can be stressful. Know that it’s ok. Take one task at a time. That’s all you can do. If you need help ask. You likely have a boss and they have a role to play helping you be successful to meet the company objectives. It’s ok and perfectly professional to ask for help if and when you need it.
How to know if you’re bringing work home - blog post coming soon.
How to find a job and employer that aligns with you - blog post coming soon.
Think about all the factors that can interfere with a good night's sleep — from work, stress, and family responsibilities to unexpected challenges, such as illnesses. It's no wonder that quality sleep is hard to come by. And I don't know about you, but when I don't have a great night of sleep, EVERYTHING is harder. People, tasks, people.... ;)
While you might not be able to control the factors that interfere with your sleep, you can adopt habits that encourage better sleep. Here are six simple tips that are super helpful!
Set aside no more than eight hours for sleep. The recommended amount of sleep for a healthy adult is at least seven hours. Most people don't need more than eight hours in bed to achieve this goal.
Go to bed and get up at the same time every day. Try to limit the difference in your sleep schedule on weeknights and weekends to no more than one hour. Being consistent reinforces your body's sleep-wake cycle.
If you don't fall asleep within about 20 minutes, leave your bedroom and do something relaxing. Read or listen to soothing music. Go back to bed when you're tired. Repeat as needed.
Don't go to bed hungry or stuffed. In particular, avoid heavy or large meals within a couple of hours of bedtime. Your discomfort might keep you up.
Nicotine, caffeine, and alcohol deserve caution, too. The stimulating effects of nicotine and caffeine take hours to wear off and can wreak havoc on quality sleep. And even though alcohol might make you feel sleepy, it can disrupt sleep later in the night.
Create a room that's ideal for sleeping. Often, this means cool, dark and quiet. Exposure to light might make it more challenging to fall asleep. Avoid prolonged use of light-emitting screens just before bedtime. Consider using room-darkening shades, earplugs, a fan or other devices to create an environment that suits your needs.
Doing calming activities before bedtime, such as taking a bath or using relaxation techniques, might promote better sleep.
Aromatherapy... Check out this post on our family faves for sleep.
I mean chasing kids around and keeping them alive doesn't usually lend much time for naps, but in case you have the opportunity... long daytime naps can interfere with nighttime sleep. If you choose to nap, limit yourself to up to 30 minutes and avoid doing so late in the day.
If you work nights, however, you might need to nap late in the day before work to help make up your sleep debt.
Regular physical activity can promote better sleep. Avoid being active too close to bedtime, however.
Spending time outside every day might be helpful, too.
Try to resolve your worries or concerns before bedtime. Jot down what's on your mind and then set it aside for tomorrow. I know this is easier said than done but is what you aren't doing working now?
Stress management might help. Start with the basics, such as getting organized, setting priorities, and delegating tasks. Meditation also can ease anxiety.
Nearly everyone has an occasional sleepless night — but if you often have trouble sleeping, identifying and treating any underlying causes can help you get the better sleep you deserve.
We sleep a lot! I think the stat is we sleep for 1/4 to 1/3 of our life. Amazing, right? Sometimes our relationship with sleep is not great. Here is our short list of our family faves.
Amyris
Lavender, oh hey calming plant power.
Cedarwood supports the body in naturally producing melatonin.
Frankincense, ummmm the science behind this one will blow your mind. Can you say sesquiterpene? Specifically alpha pinene? What does all that even mean?? WELL.. it can do something very special, that not many molecules can do.. cross the blood-brain barrier! That means it can enter brain cells and help promote the healing and health of neurons. Causing relaxation of the nervous system, focus, concentration, and brain health. Isn't that cool?!
Clary Sage
Lemon Myrtle
Mandarin
Orange
Marjoram
Spruce
How to use:
Add a few drops to a diffuser while you sleep
Apply topically to your temples
Make a pillow spray or bedtime lotion
Check back regularly for updates to this page.
What is Aromatherapy?
As the name indicates, aromatherapy is a therapy that uses aromas. Aromatherapy is a branch of botanical medicine that uses volatile and aromatic plant compounds. Because of the unique direct relationship between emotions and olfaction within the brain, aromatherapy can help “unlock” stored memories and emotions. An aversion to a particular smell may indicate something more than just personal preference. It could actually be stirring an unpleasant emotional reaction. Conversely, smells that bring about positive emotions are likely favored.
What is an emotion?
There are so many definitions for that single word. This is possibly because there is no scientific consensus on a single definition. Emotion represents a mental state associated with thoughts and feelings. It is a conscious experience with intense mental activity and a high degree of pleasure or displeasure. Emotion is often intertwined with mood, temperament, past experiences, personality, disposition, and motivation.
The Limbic System: Emotional Center of the Brain
The limbic system, often referred to as the “emotional brain”, resides within the cerebrum. This portion of the brain handles emotional response, hormone function, behavior, motivation, long term memory, and sense of smell. Several other specialized areas reside within the limbic system, including:
Hippocampus – responsible for forming short- and long-term memories
Amygdala – perceives emotions such as anger, fear, and sadness; plays a role in controlling aggression; helps store memories of events and emotions; also plays a role in sexual activity and libido
Hypothalamus – controls reproduction, sleep patterns, and body homeostasis
Thalamus – relays sensory information to the cerebral cortex
In addition to being closely tied to the sense of smell, you can see why our emotions can affect so many other things in our lives. The portion of your brain that governs emotions also plays a part in memory, sexual desire, reproduction, sleep, and overall homeostasis.
Using Essential Oils to Impact Emotion
The exact details of how smells impact emotions are difficult to define. But let’s consider what happens when we inhale an aroma. When an odorant molecule floats through the air into your nose, it lands on tiny hairs inside your nose called cilia. The cilia then start to vibrate, generating an electrical signal. The signal travels up to a receptor cell, which starts to bundle packets of smell information, and sends projections into the olfactory bulb. The smell information is even further bundled into packets that travel to the limbic system via pyramidal cells. Here in the limbic system, an emotional shift occurs in response to the smell. For example, we all know the experience of smelling something that triggers a memory, or knowing that you do not want to date a certain person because you can’t stand the way he or she smells. Although it is not exactly clear how the emotional response forms, it is very clear that it does. Furthermore, studies show that olfactory-evoked memories often create a higher emotional arousal than simply recalling a memory with no associated olfactory stimuli.
Intentional imprinting is a POWERFUL way to take control of your emotions by using essential oils, well, intentionally!
Below are the steps:
1. Choose four different essential oils and/or essential oil blends to correspond with one of the following emotions:
Anger / Frustration
Sadness
Overwhelm / Stress
Anxiety / Fear
2. Now, keep these oils on you or in places where you experience the opposite of the emotions above. You will inhale your selected oil to start imprinting your limbic system to elicit the particular emotional response you want to occur when you want the emotion experienced.
For example, the opposite emotion of anger/frustration is calm. I choose to use lavender essential oil in times of calm or when I experience a sense of calm in my life. Examples of calm moments in my life might be in the evenings after my little one has gone to bed or when I am in the shower taking a few moments to myself for self-care and relaxation. I will inhale lavender at these moments of calm as consistently as I can. Now, when I am feeling angry or frustrated, I need to take my bottle of lavender and inhale deeply. If I have been consistent for about 30 days, then my limbic system should be triggered by the lavender aroma to bring about a feeling of calm.
3. Be consistent. Try to inhale your chosen oil when you are feeling calm, happy, peaceful, or courageous every time you feel that emotion. It will take about 30 days to imprint your limbic system. Be patient with yourself if it takes longer. You need to remember to be intentional and conscious of your use of oils with your emotions.
Below are listed the emotions and the opposite emotions that we want to elicit. There are also suggested essential oils and blends for your consideration. Honestly, there is no right or wrong oil to pair with an emotion. I suggest trying to pick oils that you are drawn to.
Anger/Frustration - Calm
- lavender, bergamot, cedarwood, cypress, rose, melissa, orange, frankincense, geranium, helichrysum, lemon, mandarin, sandalwood
Sadness – Joy, happy, blissful
- orange, geranium, helichrysum, lime, lemon, bergamot
Overwhelm/Stress - Peace, tranquil, relaxing
- vetiver, cedarwood, lavender, tangerine
Anxiety/Fear – Courage, valor, bravery
- sandalwood, bergamot, clary sage, geranium, juniper, marjoram, orange, Roman chamomile, myrrh, rose, ylang ylang.
In his book, Change Your Brain Change Your Life Dr. Daniel G Amen identifies 9 types of negative thoughts which infiltrate our minds if we allow them to. They are labeled as ANTs which stands for Automatic Negative Thoughts.
“Negative thoughts invade your mind like ants at a picnic." The nine different ways your thoughts lie to you and make situations seem worse than they are listed below. Think of these nine ways as nine different species of ANTs. When you can, identify the type of ANT and you can take away the power they have over you.
1. All or Nothing – These are the ANTs that infest your brain when you think everything is good or all bad. It is the same as black or white thinking. For example, let’s say you want to stay consistent and work out a day for 30 days, if you do that, you think you are the most disciplined person on the planet. If you miss a day, you think you have no discipline and give up and go back to not working out at all. A better approach is to acknowledge that you didn’t do your daily workout and then get back on track the following day. One slip up doesn’t mean you should give up entirely.
2. Always / Never Thinking – This is when you think in words that overgeneralize, such as always, never, every time, or everyone. Consider some of the thoughts such as “I will never lose weight,” “I have always had a sweet tooth – I will never be able to stop eating chocolate,” This kind of thinking makes you feel like you are doomed to fail at eating right and staying healthy. It is as if you have no control over your actions or behaviors.
3. Focusing on the Negative – This ANT makes you see only the negative aspects of situations even when there are plenty of positives. “I know I lost 10 pounds, but I wanted to lose 15, so I’m a failure” is an example of this type of thinking. Focusing on the negative makes you more inclined to give up on your efforts. Putting a positive spin on this same thought – “wow!” I lost 10 pounds. I’m on my way to my goal of 15 pounds” – encourages you to keep up the good work and makes you feel pretty good about yourself.
4. Thinking with your Feelings – “I feel like I’ll never make it to the job promotion.” Thoughts like this occur when you have a feeling about something and you assume it is correct, so you never question it. Feelings can lie too. Look for evidence. In this example, schedule a chat with a mentor to talk about simple action steps to make it happen.
5. Guilt Beating – Thinking in words like “should”, “must”, “ought to”, and “have to” are typical with this type of ANT, which involves using excessive guilt to control behavior. When we feel pushed to do things, our natural tendency is to push back. That doesn’t mean that guilt is all bad. There are certain things in life that we should and shouldn’t do if we want to have the best body possible: “I want to eat the chips and guacamole at the party, but I should have the raw carrots instead” or “I feel like staying in bed, but I should do my workout.” Don’t mistake these for guilt beating ANTs.
6. Labeling – When you call yourself or someone else names or use negative terms to describe them, you have a labeling ANT in your brain. A lot of us do this on a regular basis. You may have said one of the following at some point in your life; “I’m a failure”; or “I’m lazy.” The problem with calling yourself names is that it takes away your actions and behaviors. If you are a failure, or lazy, then why bother trying to change your behavior? It is as if you have given up before you have even tried. This negative attitude can be terrible for your mind and body.
These last three ANTs are the worst of the bunch. I call them the red ANTs because they can really sting.
7. Fortune-Telling – Predicting the worst even though you don’t know what will happen is the hallmark of the fortune-telling ANT. Examples include: “I just know that nobody is going to invest in XYZ." "I know that my friends and family will judge me for jumping into XYZ.” Nobody is safe from fortune-telling ANTs.
8. Mind Reading – When you think that you know what somebody else is thinking even though they have not told you, and you have not asked them, it is called mind-reading. Listen carefully to the other person before trying to predict what they have to say.
9. Blame – Of all the ANTs, this one is the worst. Blaming others for your problems and taking no responsibility for your own successes and failures is toxic thinking. For example: “It is your fault I’m out of shape because you will not go with me to exercise.” Whenever you begin a sentence with “it is your fault…” it ruins your life. These ANTs make you a victim. When you are a victim, you are powerless to change your behavior. Quit blaming others and take responsibility for your actions.
Strategies to Overcoming ANTs
1. Eliminate as they attack; write it down and say is this really true?
2. Stop the thought!
3. Start every morning by saying “today is going to be a great day!”
4. End each and every evening by figuring out what went well today.
5. Create optimism with a dose of reality. What am I looking for and what am I going to do about it.
I truly believe if we all pay attention to what our thoughts are, identify them, and stop them, we are on our way to life changing things! ;)
“Your brain is seeking evidence all day for what you are telling yourselves.”
This year I’m stepping into 2023 gently. I didn't set a goal. I didn’t map my year. I don’t have a to-do list. 2022 was exhausting for me and I’ll be honest, it was too overwhelming to add anything else. Even goal planning, setting intentions or anything else. That being said, the personal trainer in me knows that this time of the year is for setting wellness goals and if that’s what you’re into, here are a few pieces of advice to help you step gently into that.
I have worked on goal setting before and a bunch of other things. I have found that in order for anything to stick, you have to do the behind the scenes work, the boring, sometimes hard work. In my experience when I set the groundwork and intention the rest will flow. Care about (blank) and the rest will flow. In this case, care about me and the rest will come together.
Here are a few key things that really make things come together for me.
Evaluate your ‘familiar’ and get real with who you are
The main thing to remember is that change is hard. Naturally we want to stick to what’s familiar - people, places, routine, behaviour, patterns, etc. Making several changes all at once can be overwhelming and may add pressure to your cooker. When you’re feeling overwhelmed you tend to move toward comfort or the people, places, routines, behaviours, patterns, etc., that are familiar to you. Not all of these things are healthy or good for us. One hard but freeing thing you can do is evaluate your environment, your ‘familiar’. Seriously evaluate. What serves you? And what should you limit or eliminate? If you’re one that gets overwhelmed easily (and let’s be honest, we all do at times) knowing your healthy vs unhealthy familiar will help you predict what you will do when things get hard or you get tired. You can even take it a step further and make a plan for yourself.
Here’s a little exercise you can try:
When I get tired and things seem hard I tend to seek —— (unhelpful/unhealthy people, places, routine, behaviour, patterns, etc).
I will recognize this because —— (feeling, intuition, and behaviour you notice within yourself).
My plan to regroup and stick with —— consists of ——.
This is really hard to do sometimes. Hard is quite frankly an understatement. You have to do some serious soul searching. All of these things need to align with your values and principles and you’ll likely need to set boundaries with yourself and others. As much as change is hard for us it’s even harder for the people around us. And I know it sounds boring. But it’s honestly the first step in setting up any goals. Get this sorted and you’re on your way to setting yourself up for success and staying focused long term.
Simply Clean It Up
As in make small changes over time. Clean it up. Diet a mess? Clean it up. Desk a mess? Clean it up. Relationship a mess? Clean it up.
Here are the areas to focus on:
Your whole self. As in what happens to you - your mind, body and spirit. Do you have negative thoughts? Do you eat unhealthy food? Are you taking time for physical fitness? Do you take time to realign your energy? All of these areas surrounding your whole self, whatever they are pick one (ie. lack of movement) and start to turn it around (start moving).
Your home. Is there a space (or spaces) in your home that contribute to your stress? Is your home a positive space? Are you able to relax in your home?
Your environment. Things that are external to you and your home but still have an influence in your life and home. Are there toxins around you? Are there relationships that are causing you stress? Is your career moving the way you want it to? Are you involved within the community?
Another way to look at this and other areas to consider are your physical health, personal growth, free time, finances, relationships, career, and community. Some of these will crossover with the examples above but just another way to give you insight and perspective.
Out of all of these, pick just one or two that resonate with you and start cleaning it up. Make one or two small changes and stick with it. When you feel you’ve got a good handle on one, start working on something else.
Take consistent action
The hardest part of any task is not only starting it but continuing to be consistent with it. I’ve been most successful when I break it down into smaller steps. Do something - anything - positive that will impact your outcome. Take a small action, even if it seems insignificant, that will move you forward. Don’t want to workout today? Go sit on your yoga mat and stretch. Better yet, just go sit on your yoga mat. Keep it easy. Keep it simple. Once you take that first step no matter how hard it is or may seem at the time, you will get a win. And a win will get you to the next step. It may be right away or it may be the next day. The timeline doesn’t matter at this point but a step forward is a step forward. And honestly let your timeline go too. Don’t worry at this moment about having an end date in mind; we will get to that later. Some things are harder than others. Some days are harder than others. If there’s anything I’ve learned this last year (3 years?) is that there are many internal and external stresses and transitions coming at us at any given moment and it's truly hard to navigate. Be sure to give yourself grace.
Break your task into smaller pieces and steps. The point is to make the hard easy. You put a puzzle together one piece at a time and if you keep putting the pieces together you will see the bigger picture come together.
Rest, Reflect and Reset
I know. I just told you to take action. But resting - taking a break - will give you perspective and allow you time to reflect and allow you to practise gratitude. As you are taking steps forward it’s important to continue to reevaluate your path’. Is your path still serving you? Does your path need to change a little to serve you better?
I’ll be honest this is still a work in progress for me. Being a mom and wife I definitely neglect this, always moving from task to task. But it's the one I need most as it helps me get back to me. It's the best form of self care in my opinion. I think we all need time to rest and reflect.
Sometimes rest is reading a book, sometimes it’s going for a walk. Sometimes it's literally taking a nap in your bed in your favourite pyjamas. The important thing is to rest the way you want to rest. You know you best. Do what you need to do.
You can do hard things.
Goodbye 2022
So done with you.
We knew it would be a rough year. Transitions are hard. We knew we were in for something but no idea how 2022 would unfold for our family. Don’t get me wrong there was a TON of positive growth for our family this year. And we are so grateful for the perspective and lived experience. But man. I’m not sad to see the backside of 2022.
When I look back on the past year one word comes to mind - exhausted.
I started out 2022 with not one, but three jobs. Yea. Three jobs. WTF?! Not sure what I was thinking there. There was no let up as I made the move from three jobs to one. The position I accepted required a lot of ground work from me. From February to May I was creating and implementing systems for our office. In June I had to travel. July and August were dedicated to reports and procurement. September brought another unexpected longer trip across the province. October to December was dedicated to catch up with every intention of a clean slate for 2023. But alas here I am accepting that I am only one person as I move reluctantly into the upcoming year, exhausted. (Let’s normalize disappointing others shall we.)
Travelling for work is hard. Thankfully, I was able to take my family with me. That was a treat although in hindsight a working vacation is not really great. For anyone. ANYONE. As exhausting as it was I had time with my son and husband and we were able to experience bits of this province we wouldn’t have otherwise. My initial thought was to vlog the trip but the lineup was quite full… Driving, pulling over to find things or clean things (toddlers), pumping (yup still breastfeeding), getting lost, dropping fam to the AirB&B, getting food, cooking, reorganizing the car 587 times, still trying to keep up with admin things and run a functioning business from the road, being a wife, being a mom, doing bedtime….. so many exhausting things.
By the time August rolled around I was run down. Exhausted, behind (again), busy as all hell and sick. I flew to Halifax for work and remember being so tried and sick on the plane. I arrived at the hotel 3 pm and slept till 6 am the next day. That was the best and most comfortable rest I've had since becoming a mom. I digress.
In September, Harrison was able to transition into full time daycare. He had been in daycare 2 days per week up until that point. That was a new positive transition but one that came with a lot of germs. Just as I was getting over my July - August cold I was entering cold + virus hell. If you have kids in daycare or school you know what I'm talking about. Harrison caught everything. EVERYTHING. And brought it home to me. Lucky us. Chad only picked up every third cold. But they were man colds. We either had a dozen small colds/viruses ; 1 long nasty cold/virus; a few medium sized colds/viruses; or a combo of all of the above. Who knows what. Welcome to post (?) covid-19. Exhausting.
In November, my focus was to just make it to December. Just get to December and then we can rest. No work. No school. Just pyjamas, movies and snacks on the couch. No visitors (because visitors bring germs), no drama, no germs, no sickness, no unsolicited advice, no thinking, no doing. Just rest, recovery and healing.
But then. My house. My house is a mess. Like huge mess. There are things everywhere. So many things. Where did all these things come from? Get to December and rest in your messy, cluttered house. Rest with my thoughts and clutter. Clutter and thoughts… ((I’m realizing that we need to change all of this)) All this crap has to go. Start cleaning. Start decluttering. All of this ‘stuff’ is exhausting. But. Wait for it. Let’s throw in more stuff on Christmas Day. Ugh. Exhausting.
And now my rest break has become my cleaning + decluttering break. Bleep. Bleep. BLEEP. Lol. Bleeping exhausting. No it’s all good. Transition. Right?! (Right?)
#overit.
These last 2+ years have been exhausting. We have all been playing some strange game of catch up while trying to function through the unknown. Trying to make up for who knows what. I feel it. I really do. People want better, are seeking better and so they should. I see you. I am you. But this entire transition - whatever ‘this’ is - has been fucking exhausting. Its been one giant step forward and backwards all at the same time - a retrograde of sorts. And we are colliding with other journeys of exhausted transition. What a mess?! No wonder we are all sick?!
If you have been feeling this know that you are not alone. I see you. I do. Take a moment to breathe and remind yourself what you have endured over these last 3 years. Remind yourself and celebrate what you have overcome. And we are still going. Take extra time and extra care these next few days. Don’t feel the need to finish 2022 strong or start 2023 strong. Step slowly and gently into this next season. Don’t worry about goals or resolutions or mapping your year. It’s ok to step into 2023 with out a to do list. Be gentle and kind with yourself. Take time with each task. Learn to say no to what doesn’t serve you. Do what feels right to you and let go of everything else.
Goodbye 2022.
Here’s to rest, continued growth, intentional living, cleaning house ;) , and letting go.
I knew this new journey was going to be hard. There were times when I wanted to give up because I questioned my ability. Times when I felt it would be easier to stop and go back. But also times when I knew in my soul this was and is the right path for me.
What I know for sure is if you ask and trust in the universe it will provide and give back to you in ways you can’t even imagine for yourself. Being open and accepting means being open and accepting to everything - the amazing, the beautiful, the ugly, the unanticipated, the unusual and the struggle. Because on the other side of all of that is the lesson and the growth. And sometimes the healing.
In the midst of struggle there are messy bits. Very messy. Hard messy. But the systems are developing. The routines are coming along. And the path is unfolding and I can see and feel the clarity we have been manifesting.
Have faith. Trust the struggle because growth is happening. The universe is unfolding for you.
-Natalie xo
My vision for this space is evolving. I have a lot of wonderful things planned. I hope you stick with me as I regroup.
