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Tag Archive for: lifestyle

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40 Years 40 Gratitude’s

Julie Entwistle, MBA, BHSc (OT), BSc (Health / Gerontology)

Milestones are important.  They frame a lifetime.  Whether you are taking your first steps, graduating high school, getting married, or retiring, these life events symbolize where we are at on our journey.  Personally, I am at that mid-life crossroad we call 40.  For some just a number, for others a crisis, or a time to pause, reflect and make a new plan for the next four decades.  For me this is a bit of both.  If 40 is the new 30 I have nothing to complain about.  In fact I think I might be at the top of my game as I turn this corner.  But the transition comes with thoughts, feelings and emotions that have taken time to process.

I started planning 40 at 35.  I wrote a bucket list, developed a five year plan, and started looking forward to this event.  But as it approached my feelings varied between “so what” (who cares) and “so what” (what will I do to celebrate that is memorable and meaningful).  I wanted to celebrate then I didn’t.  I wanted to go away then I wanted to be alone.  At one point I just thought “I am going to own this mid-life crisis and stop perseverating on what it all means”.  Then I got clarity reading the wonderful book “Be Happy”.

One of the exercises in this exceptional book is called 100 Gratitude’s.  Simple but effective, you write down 100 things you are grateful for.  After all, being grateful is above all else on the list of ways to live a happy life.  So I made my list of the things I am thankful for and realized a theme:  it included people, experiences, and simple life pleasures.  Nothing material, vain or things I bought.  Just things I have lived, valued and appreciated in my 40 years.

This gave me an idea.  For my 40th I would write 40 letters of gratitude to those people in my life that I truly cherish.  These letters would be nothing but a positive reflection of how important that person is to me and what it is about them that I am grateful for.  It was important to me that these were “letters” – the old fashioned hand-written and mailed with pen and crafty lined paper.  I am not sure why, but there is something personal and ageless about our handwriting – sloppy or legible.

I did decide to vacation for my birthday.  I had a strong urge to have my feet in the sand and my eyes on the ocean while soaking in the sights, smells and sensations of being alive.  I will be disconnected from the hectic virtual world we all now occupy and will savour the mental clarity this will offer.  Maybe I will make a new bucket list, or a new 5 or 10 year plan, or maybe I won’t.  Perhaps I don’t always have to be so driven and this milestone is about slowing down. I will mail my letters before I leave so these become special surprises to those that know I have reached this milestone with their love surrounding me.

Whether you are over or under the magical number of 40, perhaps consider creative and impactful ways to make life events truly meaningful for both you and the people around you.  After all, the best way to feel grateful is to be grateful.  My exercise of 40 Years and 40 Gratitude’s will cost me some paper, ink, stamps and my time.  Priceless if you ask me.

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Trust Your Intuition

We all have that gut feeling from time to time—the one that tells us to be wary of certain situations or on the other hand to jump in with both feet!  Do you trust it?  New research tells us we should.  Check out the following article from Medial Daily discussing the science behind our gut feelings and why intuition should be an important part of your decision-making process.

Medical Daily:  Your Gut Feeling Is Way More Than Just A Feeling– The Science Of Intuition

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Setting Tech Boundaries: Saying i-Don’t

Julie Entwistle, MBA, BHSc (OT), BSc (Health / Gerontology)

I don’t think I am alone when I say that I am becoming completely overwhelmed by technology.  Not being a techy person, it took me a while to warm up to email, then to the internet, cell phone use, texting and lastly social media.  Now I have two email accounts, three phone numbers, three websites, a cell, blog, and business and personal Twitter, Linked In, Google+, and Facebook accounts.  I bank online, shop online, do most of my communication by email, manage my business with my phone and computer, and even use an app to meditate.  My life is organized into files and folders that are populated with faxed, emailed or scanned documents that are backed-up, saved to disc, or exported to secure places.  My car can answer my calls, direct me to new places and even tell me when my favorite songs are playing.  My cat has an automatic feeder and my phone is accessed with my fingerprint or voice.  Sometimes people send me an email then text me to tell me they emailed me.  Or, they leave a voicemail then repeat the contents in an email or fax.  Or call me at home, then work, then on my cell. Craziness!

So how many people are ready to tech-out?  I know some days I dream of a home in the wilderness with no Wi-Fi, TV, computer, or cell service.

My love-hate relationship with technology has been an ongoing emotional versus productive battle inside my head for some time.  While I am trying to model appropriate technology behavior for my children, the pace at which the world seems to be operating, and the time sensitive nature of my clinical work, requires me to work-from-home some nights, visit the office on a weekend, and respond to texts afterhours.  I am not proud of this, and feel that I failed miserably in 2014 to keep an appropriate balance.  So, I have vowed that this year will be different.  While I cannot change the pace at which people try to reach me, I can change the pace of my response and can learn to reduce the guilt I often feel when my response is delayed, or when a nice evening at home took priority over my inbox.

Even society is starting to get fed up.  In France it is now illegal for employers to email their employees after hours.  I am not sure such behavior needs to be “illegal” beyond ensuring that the employee cannot be fired or demoted if they don’t respond after-hours, but this law shows the extent to which people feel pressured to communicate at all times – whether it is the right time or not.

I had a comical interaction with a friend one night that highlights this.  Working late, I had sent him an email asking a question about a service they provided.  He responded quickly with a “yes”, while failing to answer my other questions.  I humorously responded with a “thanks for your wordy response” to which he added “considering that I am out with my wife for our anniversary I think I said too much”.  Agreed.

So in an effort to not repeat my mistakes of 2014, I have set some firm tech boundaries for 2015.  Some of my strategies include:

1.  Work at Work.  I have an office at which I am extremely productive.  Lugging my computer back and forth from work to home is not good for it, my back, and tends to anchor my evenings to work when I have a list of other things I would like to be doing.   So, in 2015 I am leaving my computer at the office.  So far this means I am behind on my emails and have not tackled many things on my “to do list” but my family is enjoying my presence and my evenings are much less stressful.  And the real secret here is that I have noticed a definite DECLINE in the amount of emails I am getting since I started getting behind.  I guess people are finding other ways to solve their problems versus asking me.  Perfect.

2.  Phone Off.  In speaking with my techy husband, I asked about ways I could set some firm boundaries with my phone.  I wanted to limit texts from work contacts and stop my business email from surfacing on my phone after 5pm and on weekends.  Low and behold with an iPhone you can’t do that. Sure I can use airplane mode, or do not disturb, but this limits contacts from all people, and there are some people (my friends and family included) that I would like to be able to communicate with at any time.  So, I visited Roger’s and they too confirmed that I can’t be selective about who, how and when people can reach me.  My options then were just to behave differently (don’t check email or texts from work contacts), or to get an entirely different phone with a new number and “personal email only” set-up for after-hours.  While I still believe that one email or text can completely derail an evening or weekend, for now I have decided that when home my phone will be anchored to a spot in the kitchen on airplane mode.  When out, I will do my best to not read or respond to work messages until the following business day.

3.  Go Public.  To get the support of my team, I told them my plans for 2015.  This included my work hours and desire to set firm boundaries around my technology time.  We realigned our operations to divide roles and duties to reduce the triplication of emails to multiple people, and to ensure that people had clear lines of accountability – instead of their habit of going to the person they thought would respond first (typically me).  My team was very supportive and I have noticed a sharp decline in after-hours emails since I told them of my plans.  I also involved my family in my decision to leave my computer at the office and to limit after-hours phone time so that they too can encourage me along the way.

No, I am not perfect and will slide at times with the boundaries I am trying to set.  But even if I can accomplish half of my intention, I am 50% better than my experience of last year.  In the end, I guess I just want my enjoyable life to include a reasonable amount of technology, and not for technology to result in an unenjoyable life.

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Sensory Friendly Screenings

Going to the movies can be a great way to spend your day or evening, however, the dark and loud environment of a typical theatre may not be suitable for many.  Autism Speaks Canada has teamed up with Cineplex to bring sensory friendly entertainment to individuals on the autism spectrum or those who require this type of environment.

Check out the details of this partnership at Cineplex.com.

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Ask yourself: Does this achieve my goals?

Julie Entwistle, MBA, BHSc (OT), BSc (Health / Gerontology)

What if I told you that there was one easy way to achieve the goals you have set for yourself?  Could it be that simple?  People are complicated creatures, true.  But if you have taken the time to set goals, are you measuring these and achieving them?  Are you working on your goals every day?

Here is the secret sauce…with every fork in the road, and there are tons of them, ask yourself: which decision aligns with my goals?

Let’s take health as an example.  Your goal is to lose weight, be more active, or be less breathless at the top of the stairs.  So you get to work and the first decision is: should I take the elevator or the stairs?  Then it is lunch and you have the option to work at your desk, or go out for a short walk.  Or you don’t bring a lunch and need to decide if you should buy pop or water.  The salad or burger.  With each of these examples one decision aligns with your goals and one does not. Yet if you continuously choose the option that aligns with your goals, results will follow.  This is true even if you make a small decision in the right direction – like taking the stairs for one flight then catching the elevator for the rest of the ride.  Or instead of ordering the salad, you just choose to not order the fries.

Using my life as an example, I have five key goal areas:  health, family, career, finances and personal growth.  Every evening I have the option of bringing my computer home to continue working into the night.  To do so may align with a financial goal of earning a suitable income, and a career goal to run a successful business, but it negates two other important goals of health (working means I will not exercise), and family (working means I won’t be spending time with my children).  So, I have a conundrum.  But in these cases the reality is that my day at work has already been spent on my career and financial goals, while my other goals have taken a backburner to work time.  So, considering this, aligning my evening time with two different goals helps me to make the important decision to leave the computer at the office, minus the guilt that comes from leaving some work unfinished.

Yes, achieving goals takes discipline, but it is far easier to make small consistent choices, then to make a drastic change that might not be sustainable.  So, on the path to awesomeness that involves you setting goals and blowing these out of the water, just ask yourself daily, as you need to make decisions around your behavior and time, “which option here will help me to achieve my goal(s)?”  Then, as you align your decisions with your top priorities, results will follow.

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Tips for Stress-Less Family Travel

After returning from a vacation do you ever feel you need another vacation to recover?  Travelling with your family can be stressful, let’s face it, it IS stressful.  Whether travelling by car, airplane or boat there are always stressors from getting from point A to your vacation destination.  March break is just ahead and, if you’re one of the lucky ones heading away, we invite you to check out these helpful tips and strategies from Parents Magazine to help reduce your travel stress.  Bon voyage!

Parents:  Your Guide to Stress-Free Family Travel

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Toronto International: Accessible Travel Information

Are you heading away this March Break?  Leaving from Toronto Airport?  Do you have a disability or need special assistance?  Consider the following helpful tips and contact information to make sure your adventure goes smoothly:

Planning Ahead

Plan your trip in advance with these helpful travel links:

Travel countdown

Travel checklist

Parking

  • Terminal 1 is equipped with a total of 83 designated disabled parking spaces on all levels, except on level 8.
  • Terminal 3 is equipped with a total of 39 designated disabled parking spaces located near the elevator lobbies or hotel entrance on all levels.
  • Long-term parking reduced rate lot, which is located across from Terminal 3, on Airport Road, provides 39 designated disabled parking spaces near the exit booth and Automated People Mover (APM) tower/station.
  • Passengers departing or transferring between Terminal 1, 3 or Long Term parking lot will be required to take the APM to the appropriate terminal.  The APM is fully accessible and operates 24/7.

From the Car to the Plane

Airport Customer Assistance Program (ACAP) @ Toronto Pearson:

  • Provides point-to-point transportation and assistance for persons with disabilities as well as for others who require assistance.
  • Terminal 1 is equipped with information/courtesy phones, available 24 hours a day. These are Identified with the international accessibility pictogram and a white “I” on an orange background (used at Pearson to denote customer service points), which are clearly visible throughout the departures level inner curb, as well as with intercoms throughout the parking garage vestibules.

Services:

  • Terminal 3: services consist of wheelchair and attendant assistance throughout Terminal 3 from the garage or the curb to the seat of the aircraft.
  • Terminal 1: services are offered from the garage or curb to the airline counter or to the seat of the aircraft depending on the airline.
  • This service can be pre-arranged by calling (416) 776-ACAP (2227), by emailing acap@gtaa.com or completing the request for assistance form under the Special Assurance link.

Storage of Mobility Device While Boarding:

  • West Jet: 1-800-538-5696
  • Air Canada: 1-888-247-2262

Need More Information? 

Airport accessibility

Toronto Pearson Airport

Or call:

  • Terminal 1: Terminal Information Services at (416) 247-7678
  • Terminal 3: Terminal Information Services at (416) 776-5100

For more travel tips and information please refer to our Travelling with a Disability post for more on accessible travel.

Have a wonderful vacation!

 

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Hugs For Good Health

With Saturday being Valentine’s Day we thought it was a good time to share with you a helpful tip for your physical and mental health, and also a great way to warm up this winter—cuddling. Human touch and affection, including hugs and cuddles is known to boost your mood, but check out more of the health benefits of a cuddle in the following article from Health.com.

Health:  The Scientific Reason You Should Spend More Time Cuddling 

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New Year… New You! 10 Tips for Weight Loss Success in 2015

Julie Entwistle, MBA, BHSc (OT), BSc (Health / Gerontology)

If weight loss is your New Year’s Resolution, we have the tips to help you achieve success!

Weight loss as a goal makes sense – excessive weight is unhealthy and can make even regular tasks like walking, using stairs, and completing home tasks challenging.  I remember when I was pregnant with my twins.  I gained 50 pounds – all out front much like older men that seem to carry their excessive weight in their bellies.  Towards the end of my pregnancy I remember feeling the extra weight when I tried to hike, carry my kids, or just get out of a chair or car.  After I had my twins and essentially lost 40 pounds of baby and “stuff” in 8 minutes, I got up from the delivery table and said to my husband “I feel so svelte!  Look, I can bend, twist, turn, I can breathe!” He laughed because I am sure my flabby baby belly still made me look like I was carrying something.  Anyway, the point was – over 9 months of accumulating weight my body had adapted and I had forgotten what it was like to be thin again, including how much harder things are when you are carrying weight in places where weight does not belong.

Fortunately for me, I have always been athletic and have good genes (my goal is to always weigh less than my dad – I gave up on weighing less than my mom in Grade 7).  But I also have a strong work ethic and even stronger willpower.  Many years ago I committed to karate with the goal of getting my black belt by 35.  Then, I picked up an Oxygen Magazine and committed to getting my body fat percentage to a level of elite athleticism.  This required me to start “eating clean” and as such I no longer consume (99% of the time) refined sugar, white grains or carbs, or red meat.  I only drink tea and water.  Boring, I know.  But the point is, I took 8 years to get to the point I am at and the small adjustments I made along the way have resulted in my success.  Weight loss, or any resolution, is not going to happen overnight.  Here are 10 tips to remember:

1.    First, keep track of what you are eating and how you spend your time.  Do this for a week. Then, analyze.  Where are the problems?  You know what they are, you just need them on paper to really impact you into “seeing” them.

2.    Pick ONE thing (the easiest one) to change.  And don’t get rid of it, just focus on reducing it.  Maybe try to stop eating sooner before bed, or change from heavy carbs at night to some fruit, from regular pop to diet, white to whole wheat, 2% to skim, from Wendy’s to Subway.  The goal is not abstinence, but improvement.

3.    Once you have reduced that ONE thing, pick another and proceed that way until you have addressed many of your identified problem areas.  If you can tackle ONE thing per month, by the end of the year you will have made 12 healthy improvements – excellent!

4.    Remember that less is still good, even if less does not mean NONE.  You can get to NONE, but cold turkey is not usually successful (but in the place of ham – much better J).

5.    Don’t think that the problem is lack of exercise.  That is part of it, but weight management is 70% diet.  If you commit to a new fitness program, without adjusting your poor diet habits, your success will be limited.

6.    If exercise is not your thing, fake it until you make it.  Try those activities that are exercise hidden as fun.  Go for walk with a friend, grab a Wii Fit, try Zumba, join a dance class.  Make small goals such as “I want to walk around the block without stopping” then when you can do that, make it two blocks.  I did this in University as a project for my Behavior Modification class.  I started walking my dog for 20 minutes a day, and gradually, over four months, was up to 2 hours.  This became my new “normal” and I did this with my dogs until they became too old to manage that amount of exercise.

7.    Remember it takes 3 weeks to 4 months to create a new habit.  Give yourself a month to “try it” and if at the end of the month you are still struggling, pivot your change to something less difficult.  Throw a calendar on the fridge, X out the days, circle your target (21 days, 30 days etc).

8.    Tell people your plans.  Facebook, Twitter, your journal, your best friend.  Write it down.

9.    Don’t get caught up in gimmicks.  They are just that.  If there was a fast and easy way to lose weight we would all be thin.  There isn’t – it requires dedication and persistence.

10.  Just Do It!  Nike is right – nothing beats just gettin’ er done!  Your mind will play tricks on you the entire time.  I laugh at my mind now.  When it is a Cross Fit day for me, my mind will invariably tell me I should do something else instead.  I smile, say “haha mind, good try” and get on my fitness clothes.  The real trick to going from “I want to” to “I am” is attaching a physical component.  You have FIVE seconds to turn a thought into action.  Think it, move towards it, and DO IT!

Check out more from our New Year… New You! series and this 2015 may all your resolutions, goals, wishes (or whatever you call them) become your reality.