World Kindness Day - November 13

World Kindness Day - November 13



"Wherever there is a human being, there is an opportunity for kindness." Seneca

Far too many of us are feeling isolated, overly-challenged and highly stressed. There is a lot on our plates, what with childcare, eldercare, pandemics, financial strains, job loss, and for those of us here in Canada, the looming winter season.

World Kindness Day gives us a chance to reach to others and show them that they are not alone and the world is not as gloomy as it is often made out to be.

Numerous scientific studies show that acts of kindness result in significant health benefits, both physical and mental. Here are some key points from the actsofkindness.org site:

■ Stress-related health problems improve after performing kind acts. Helping reverses feelings of depression, supplies social contact, and decreases feelings of hostility and isolation that can cause stress, overeating, ulcers, etc. A drop in stress may, for some people, decrease the constriction within the lungs that leads to asthma attacks.

■ Helping can enhance our feelings of joyfulness, emotional resilience, and vigor, and can reduce the unhealthy sense of isolation.

■ A decrease in both the intensity and the awareness of physical pain.

■ The health benefits and sense of well-being return for hours or even days whenever the helping act is remembered.

■ An increased sense of self-worth, greater happiness, and optimism, as well as a decrease in feelings of helplessness and depression, is achieved.

■ Adopting an altruistic lifestyle is a critical component of mental health.

Beverly's Hot Tips For Celebrating World Kindness Day:

• Think of those that are closest to you and take a moment to connect with them...phone your grandmother, mother, father, uncle...nothing is more personal than a visit or a phone call so that they can hear your voice. Let them know how much they mean to you.
  


• Make your son or daughter their favourite meal. Food is one of the main ways that we connect with others.
  


• Leave a love note for your spouse. Let them know that you still hold them in your heart.
  


• Make a donation to a charity on behalf of a love one. You are letting your love one know that you are thinking of them and you are helping out a worthy cause at the same time.
  


• Send an appreciation note to a colleague. Many of us receive little or no appreciation at work. Let's change this and help increase the engagement of each other.
  

Being kind to another doesn't have to cost us anything other than the energy to think of something, but the rewards can be impactful, both on our physical as well as our mental health. The rewards to the receiver can be immeasurable.

So my challenge to you is to do something to show someone you care!

If you would like to find more strategies to help you deal with health, wellness and stress - please visit the articles section at http://www.worksmartlivesmart.com/


If you have some strategies to share - comment on this posting!


To bring Beverly to present her stress and wellness strategies to your team or to find more wellness days, weeks and months - visit http://www.worksmartlivesmart.com/


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National Healthy Skin Month - November

National Healthy Skin Month - November

The weather is changing and for some of us, so does our skin. Our skin is often a reflection of our overall health. It can show signs of stress, lack of sleep and poor diet. How do we take the best care of our skin during this time?

Here are some skin care tips:

Cleansers and moisturizers are important in preventing dry skin. Dryness causes cracks and fine wrinkles in the skin, which decreases its effectiveness as a barrier, and can cause pain and itching. Soaps, detergents, bath or shower gels, and bubble baths remove dirt, body oils, and bacteria. They prevent odour and infection, but heavy use of these products can over-dry the skin, causing flaking, itching, and irritation. People who have dry skin should choose a mild cleanser, bathe or shower with cool water, minimize water contact, and apply a moisturizer immediately after bathing while the skin is slightly wet. Moisturizers prevent water loss by layering an oily substance over the skin to keep water in, or by attracting water to the outer skin layer from the inner skin layer.

Exfoliate at least once a week. Lucky men - they exfoliate whenever they shave and is often a reason why they look younger.

Use sunscreen at least 30 minutes before you go outdoors.

Drink plenty of water to keep yourself hydrated inside and out.

Consider taking Vitamin supplements such as E, A for elasticity and skin repair, C for skin repair and D for healing.

Get a good sleep - aiming for 7-9 hours of restful sleep.

Examine your skin for any changes.

Beauty is only skin deep, but our health goes much deeper and it is important that we take care of our skin.

Beverly's Hot Tips For Awareness During National Healthy Skin Month:

1. Examine your body front and back in the mirror, then look at the right and left sides with your arms raised.


2. Bend elbows and look carefully at forearms, upper underarms, and palms.


3. Look at the backs of your legs and feet, the spaces between your toes, and on the sole.


4. Examine the back of your neck and scalp with a hand mirror. Part hair for a closer look.


5. Finally, check your back and buttocks with a hand mirror.


6. If you find a spot look for things like:
   One half is unlike the other half.
   An irregular, scalloped, or poorly defined border.
   It varies from one area to another; has shades of tan, brown, or black; is sometimes white, red, or blue.
   Melanomas usually are greater than 6mm (the size of a pencil eraser) when diagnosed, but they can be smaller.
   A mole or skin lesion that looks different from the rest or is changing in size, shape, or color.
   
   

If you would like to find more strategies to help you deal with health, wellness and stress - please visit the articles section at http://www.worksmartlivesmart.com/


If you have some strategies to share - comment on this posting!


To bring Beverly to present her stress and wellness strategies to your team or to find more wellness days, weeks and months - visit http://www.worksmartlivesmart.com/



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National Massage Therapy Awareness Week- October 25-31

National Massage Therapy Awareness Week- October 25-31


There is nothing more relaxing than having a skilled massage therapist work out the tension from overly taunt neck and shoulder muscles.

But how is massage an important component to mental health?

Stress causes the blood vessels to constrict and reduce circulation. Muscles become tense. This decreased circulation to our brain hinders our ability to focus, problem-solve and be productive. When our muscles are tense, our bodies become tight and sore.


Massage can increase circulation by manually applying pressure and movement. It stimulates nerve receptors causing the blood vessels to dilate, it increases oxygen capacity, loosens muscles, and increases body's secretions. All of this is great for promoting the body's relaxation response.


The other benefit is that it takes you out of the hectic pace and forces you to be still and to let your mind wander for a period of time. When our mind is allowed to relax it is better able to focus when we need it to after the massage.


Beverly's Hot Tip For Celebrating National Massage Therapy Awareness Week:

• Find a qualified massage therapist. Ask your friends who they would recommend. I like a therapist with very strong pressure. Other's may not appreciate this or find it relaxing. If your not sure what your preference is let your therapist know and they can test to see your tolerance level.


• Book the time. If you wait for the perfect time you will never find it (Guilty of this one!)


• Find out if your workplace health will cover massage therapy treatments. In some cases you need a doctor's note for the insurance to cover it.

Remember that your needs are important. You need to take care of yourself first and foremost. My favourite quote always reminds me of this..."How thin can I spread myself before I no longer exist?" Our mental health is important and massage can play an important role in helping us to relax and keep life in perspective. So lay back and enjoy!

If you would like to find more strategies to help you deal with balance, relaxation and stress - please visit the articles section at http://www.worksmartlivesmart.com/


If you have some strategies to share - comment on this posting!


To bring Beverly to present her stress and wellness strategies to your team or to find more wellness days, weeks and months - visit http://www.worksmartlivesmart.com/



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Healthy Workplace Month - October

Healthy Workplace Month - October

NQI reports that healthcare costs are increasing at twice the rate of inflation. In Canada, more than 50,000 strokes and 75,000 heart attacks occur every year. Eight percent of workers are taking medication to treat depression and other mental-health conditions and mental illness costs the Canadian economy over $50 billion each year. So what do we do?

Welcome to week three of Healthy Workplace Month. This is the ninth annual four-week long
celebration designed to introduce workplace health to organizations and support those
that are already promoting healthy workplaces.

Workplace health programs not only positively impact the employee, but they positively impact the company, the employee's family and our communities as a whole. These programs are not only the right thing to do for the individual, they are the right thing to do period.

Beverly's Hot Tip For Celebrating Healthy Workplace Week:

• Start a conversation. What are the sources of stress within your employees - personally and professionally? What impact is it having - what are the symptoms we see in our employees and in the company?


• Benchmark this information. How much is this costing in absenteeism, turnover, lowered productivity, healthcare costs...?


• Decide what programs would help reduce this impact on the individual and the company? (Not sure - sign up for Beverly's Path To Wellness Ezine which focuses on Workplace Wellness)


• Get support. Bring together management and employees to talk about strategies. Start small - go for the biggest bang for your buck.


• Don't reinvent the wheel. Use the resources that are available to you. Look for on-line resources (remember the ezine). Talk to others who have tried similar things before. Bring in someone (like Beverly) to help talk it through.


• Get involved in all of the programs that you company has to offer. You never know what you will learn or how it could positively impact your life or the life of those around you.

If you would like to find more strategies to help you deal with depression and stress - please visit the articles section at http://www.worksmartlivesmart.com/

If you have some strategies to share - comment on this posting!

To bring Beverly to present her stress and wellness strategies to your team or to find more wellness days, weeks and months - visit http://www.worksmartlivesmart.com/

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National School Lunch Week - October 12-16

National School Lunch Week - October 12-16

I hate making lunches...I hate that I am not creative with them...It is the worst part of my morning routine. And I know that I am not alone in this misery, as I saw many of my facebook friends who were also complaining that the start of school meant the start of making lunches again. It is a dreaded task for many.

I know that they are important...I know that my children need them...

"Academic success requires hard work and concentration. Students distracted by hunger cannot match the focus of their peers. Poorly nourished students are also more likely to become ill, and miss class more frequently," reports one website on NSLW. I know...I know!

Beverly's Hot Tip For Celebrating National School Lunch Week:

• Get a plan. Pick a number of possibilities and lay it out over a one or two week schedule. Take the guess work out of the task and it makes it easier to handle.


• Get the kids to help out. I get totally grossed out by anything left in the lunch bag (did I mention I have a very sensitive gag reflex). Each night when they come home they clean out their lunch bags and air them out.


• Get it over quickly. As soon as I get up, I tackle their lunches. I usually have it done before they come to the kitchen for breakfast. Now I can focus on everything else that needs to be done before I send the boys on their way.


• Know that someday you will probably miss having the lunches to make (or so I am told from my empty-nester friends)
  

If you would like to find more strategies to help you deal with balance and stress - please visit the articles section at http://www.worksmartlivesmart.com/

If you have some strategies to share - comment on this posting!

To bring Beverly to present her stress and wellness strategies to your team or to find more wellness days, weeks and months - visit http://www.worksmartlivesmart.com/

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National Depression Screening Day

National Depression Screening Day - October 8

These tough times have made the need for emotional support vital for maintaining the health of our communities.

There are many who are suffering in silence and who are feeling that there is no where to turn. The guilt and the shame of not being able to effectively cope with day-to-day stressors leaves many feeling isolated, helpless and hopeless. We know that 2 out of every 3 people who are experiencing depression do no seek help. Shame and guilt being a part of the reason, but also not knowing how to navigate the mental system being another. Finally, there are some people that are not sure that what they are experiencing is an illness.

There is an anonymous on-line screening tool. If you think that you or a family member may be experiencing depression follow the link and answer the questions. If it turns out that you or they are experiencing depression, know that help is available and it may come in many forms. Counselling, psychotherapy, medication and stress management techniques have all been found to be effective in managing the symptoms of depression. Help is available.

Depression Screening On-Line - http://www.mentalhealthscreening.org/screening/Welcome.aspx

Beverly's Hot Tip For National Depression Screening Day:

• Don't let fear, shame or guilt prevent you from getting the help that you deserve.


• Talk to your doctor if you are concerned - use the on-line screening tool to help you explain how and what you are experiencing.


• Keep an open mind. Treatment for depression make take a long time and the best treatment option may take time to find and to have full impact. Just because the treatment doesn't work right away, doesn't mean that it won't work at all.


• Get educated. Know about the signs and symptoms. Let your workplace know that you are interested in learning more. Host a lunch 'n' learn. The more you know about the illness and supporting those who have depression, the less people we will have who feel isolated and helpless.
  
  

If you would like to find more strategies to help you deal with depression and stress - please visit the articles section at http://www.worksmartlivesmart.com/

If you have some strategies to share - comment on this posting!

To bring Beverly to present her stress and wellness strategies to your team or to find more wellness days, weeks and months - visit http://www.worksmartlivesmart.com/

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National Chimney Safety Week - September 27 - October 3, 2009

National Chimney Safety Week - September 27 - October 3



It was 64 degrees F last Monday in my house. Coming home from Costa Rica which was at a balmy 90 degrees plus to that kind of coolness led me to turn on my furnace for the first time since early last spring. I was going to be taking a phone meeting and I didn't want the people on the other end to hear my teeth chattering. So I welcomed the heat.



Thankfully, I haven't had to turn in on since, but it is getting close to that time of the year where it will we running fervently to keep me warm. Before this happens, I need to make time and appointments for the fall inspections of the furnace, fireplace and chimney as well as our smoke and CO2 detectors.



I know that this seems like one more job on the to-do list. But it is important. Annual chimney inspections allow the chimney sweep to note cracks, creosote buildup or other obstructions which may create an environment where chimney fires or carbon monoxide intrusion are likely. It is also a good time to check dryer vents and pipes to see that they are free of lint. And finally, while you are at it, check doors and windows to see if the seals are adequate to keep the cold winter breezes out.



Those these little tasks can add to the stress of our to-do list - not doing so can add major stress if problems go undetected.





Beverly's Hot Tip For Celebrating Chimney Safety Week:

• Stop procrastinating and make the calls today to your local furnace and chimney inspector


• Check the batteries in your smoke and CO2 detectors


• Clean out the lint from dryer vents


• Sit back and relax afterwards knowing that you are warm and safe
  

If you would like to find more strategies to help you deal with stress, create balance and make healthy choices - please visit the articles section at http://www.worksmartlivesmart.com/



If you have some strategies to share - comment on this posting!



To bring Beverly to present her stress and wellness strategies to your team or to find more wellness days, weeks and months - visit http://www.worksmartlivesmart.com/



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Pause The World Day - September 21

Pause The World Day - September 21, 2009


"Pura Vida"



The Costa Rican greeting means pure life. And Wikipedia goes on to say that contextually it means something approximate to "Full of Life", "Purified life", "This is living!", "Going great", or "Cool!" It can be used as a greeting, as a word of farewell, or to express satisfaction. Some foreigners view the phrase as an expression of a leisurely lifestyle, of disregard for time and wanton friendliness. However, Costa Ricans use the phrase to express something akin to a philosophy of strong community, perseverance, resilience in overcoming difficulties with good spirits, and enjoying life slowly and celebrating good fortune of magnitudes small and large alike.

I had the pleasure of spending an unbelievable week in Costa Rica visiting the city of San Jose out to the rain forest of Puntarenas, up to the dry forests of Guanacaste and then back to the cloud forests of the Central Valley. The people were kind and accommodating and the scenery and activities were spectacular. It was a week full of culinary pleasures and aromas.

Our hosts showed a true love of their country and what it had to offer to visitors from around the world. It was not boastful or over-the-top. Costa Rica has not fallen into the tourist trappings of many other countries. It is guided by environmental principles and social consciousness. The country and the people seem to be truly trying to embrace Pura Vida.

Monday I was back in my office with a pile of emails awaiting urgent responses and it would have been easy to fall back into the chaos of life. However, I decided to take a moment to organize my numerous trip pictures and listen to a CD that was given to me as a gift. The CD called Simbiosis by Manuel Obregon, is a beautiful concert in the middle of the rain forest complete with a piano and all the sounds of nature. The impact is astounding.

Pura Vida indeed.

Beverly's Hot Tip For Celebrating Pause The World Day:

• Don't pause just once a year, pause often and really see what the world has laid out in front of you

If you would like to find more strategies to help you deal with stress, create balance and make healthy choices - please visit the articles section at http://www.worksmartlivesmart.com/


If you have some strategies to share - comment on this posting!


To bring Beverly to present her stress and wellness strategies to your team or to find more wellness days, weeks and months - visit http://www.worksmartlivesmart.com/

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World Suicide Prevention Day - September 10

World Suicide Prevention Day - September 10, 2009

"A permanent solution to a temporary state."

We often don't hear about the suicide attempts or completions of those around us. They are masked because of guilt and shame or for fear of it being contagious. Because we don't talk about it, those around us can suffer in silence, unaware of the supports that may be available to them. There is little funding because there is no public outcry. We distance ourselves by thinking of these people as crazy or weak. But the issue of suicide touches us all - whether directly or indirectly.

World Suicide Prevention Day is held on September 10th each year as an initiative of the International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP), and is co-sponsored by the World Health Organization (WHO). Begun in 2003, the purpose of World Suicide Prevention Day is to improve education about suicide, disseminate information, decrease stigmatization and, most importantly, raise awareness that suicide is preventable.

This year they are starting a new activity in which anyone can show their support of suicide prevention and awareness, or for the survivors of suicide and/or for the memory of loved ones lost. It is called "Light a Candle on World Suicide Prevention Day at 8 PM."

Some quick facts about suicide:

• Suicide is a leading cause of death for people worldwide, and one of the three leading causes of death for young people under 25.
  
• Every year, approximately one million people die by suicide - one death every two minutes.
  
• The World Health Organization estimates that by the year 2020, this annual toll of suicide deaths will have risen to one and half million, and suicide will represent 2.4% of the global burden of disease.
  
• Suicide deaths account for more than half of all violent deaths in the world - more than all deaths from wars and homicides combined.
  
• Every year many millions more people make serious suicide attempts which while, they do not result in death, require medical treatment and mental health care, and reflect severe personal unhappiness or illness. Millions more people - the family members and close friends of those who die by suicide – are bereaved and affected by suicide each year, with the impact of this loss often lasting for a lifetime.
  
• Suicide exacts huge psychological and social costs, and the economic costs of suicide to society (lost productivity, health and social care costs) are estimated at many billions of dollars each year.
  
• Because almost a quarter of suicides are teenagers and young adults aged less than 25 (250 000 suicides each year), suicide is a leading cause of premature death, accounting for more than 20 million years of healthy life lost

Beverly's Hot Tips For World Suicide Prevention Day:

• Read and learn as much as you can about suicide - it's prevalence, the signs and symptoms, personal stories from survivors. Understand that this is not an issue that affects only a few in our society. Understand the pain that those who even consider suicide as an option must be in.

• Be open and be not afraid. Listen to what your friends and family may be telling you about how they are feeling and coping. Are there any warning signs - if so, don't be afraid to ask directly about the issue of suicide. Show them that you care enough to ask and that you aren't going to run away or judge them if they admit to these dark thoughts.

• Know the resources that are available to help. Who in the community can you connect with if you suspect that someone is vulnerable.

• Light a candle if you can and let other's know that you care enough to light the candle. Post it on your Facebook page, your webpage or create a poster and post it at your workplace, your community center or place of worship.
  

Suicide is a difficult issue to discuss, but it is even a more difficult issue to experience. Let's help support those who are in pain so that they can find a better solution to living a peaceful and purposeful life.



If you would like to find more strategies to help you deal with the issue of suicide or depression or to deal with general stress and make healthy choices - please visit the articles section at http://www.worksmartlivesmart.com/


If you have some strategies to share - comment on this posting!


To bring Beverly to present her stress and wellness strategies to your team or to find more wellness days, weeks and months - visit http://www.worksmartlivesmart.com/



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International Enthusiasm Week - September 1-7

International Enthusiasm Week - September 1-7, 2009

"Enthusiasm makes ordinary people extraordinary." - source unknown

Enthusiasm originally meant possession or inspiration by a 'god', but today we usually refer to it as an intense enjoyment or interest in something - anything - from a sporting event to a business goal.

An Enthusiast as a personality type may refer to the Peter Pan Complex - a person who is adventurous and constantly busy with many activities. They live in the moment and look for the joys that the world has to offer. These people may also jump too quickly from activity to activity looking for the next best thing, afraid that they may miss something or that they may be disappointed by the experience.

So how can you be enthusiastic about your life, while not getting so caught up in all of the potential for life, that you miss what is currently around you?

Be present. Be involved. Make active choices about your life including what priorities you will focus on and what activities can wait. That is how ordinary people achieve extraordinary lives. They enthusiastically go after what is important to them regardless of whether it is a business idea or cheering for their child's sports team.

Beverly's Hot Tips For International Enthusiasm Week:

• Examine your priorities. Are you clear about what areas of YOUR life are YOUR priority? Are you clear about what activities meet which priorities? Don't let other's determine your priorities and be clear about what activities support these priorities.
  



• Be present. Once you know what priorities you are focusing on, be okay with that choice. Don't let guilt take away the enjoyment or the focus on that activity in that moment. If you are choosing to be at a family function, don't let the piles of work on your desk distract you. If you are busy growing your business, don't let the 'mommy or daddy guilt' creep in.
  



• You can have more than one priority - but you can only be present at one priority at a time. Choice has sacrifice attached to it. If you choose one priority for this moment, you can switch to another priority in the next moment - But it is a choice.
  



• Watch out for the Peter Pan Syndrome of jumping from one 'flavour-of-the-day' to the next. Working on our priorities isn't always fun and it can be frustrating and hard work. Being enthusiastic is pushing forward in spite of the tough times.

If you would like to find more strategies to help you deal with stress and healthy choices - please visit the articles section at http://www.worksmartlivesmart.com/

If you have some strategies to share - comment on this posting!

To bring Beverly to present her stress and wellness strategies to your team or to find more wellness days, weeks and months - visit http://www.worksmartlivesmart.com/

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Less Salt Day - August 29, 2009

Less Salt Day - August 29, 2009

Living on a a farm and being the girl of the family meant that I made dinner. Dinner was always a big meal and usually was meat and potatoes based. Salt on the meat. Salt in the water to boil the potatoes. I can remember getting into a load of trouble for not remembering to salt the water. There was even salt added to radishes before you ate them. All of this was before we really knew how bad too much salt was for our health.

Today, we salt very little of our food. I have even given it up on my most favourite of foods - corn-on-the-cob. However, there is salt in all most all of the foods that we buy and in most cases way too much. It saddens me that cereal is overloaded, that veggie juices that are to be good for us are salted up and that even soup can be a culprit.

We take in way more salt than we should and it is causing health problems. Some still believe that we need salt and that was true in the olden days as our diets were short in iodine and table salt had iodine added to it to prevent goiter and mental retardation. But today we take in way more than our 3 grams per day (on average about 3-5 times this amount) and processed foods are the largest culprits. According to the American Heart Association website 90% of our grocery bill is spent on processed foods.

Too much salt in our diet increases our blood pressure and water retention and can put us at risk for osteoporosis, kidney disease and stomach cancer. According to a computer simulation from the American Heart Association, if Americans used just one gram of salt less each day, they could see one-fourth million fewer cases of heart disease and a Bibbins-Domingo study found that if Americans reduced their salt intake by three grams each day (three times the above mentioned rate), then such a reduction would result in 6% fewer cases of heart disease and 3% fewer deaths in the United States.

Beverly's Hot Tips For Celebrating Less Salt Day:

• Read the labels and get an idea of how much salt is in the foods that you buy
  


• Compare different brands of your favourite foods to see who has the lowest sodium
  


• We know that fresh is best - buy more fruits and vegetables and leave the salt off the radishes
  


• Try more herbs - experiment and see what flavours you can add to your meats and soups
  


• Lobby your local grocery store and favourite brands to lower the salt in-take and offer low-salt alternatives. Companies add it because they think that you want it, but if you are willing to buy it because it has lower salt than the competitor they may start to listen
  


• Be aware of labels that say that they are heart healthy especially in restaurants - salt content may not be one of the measures that they are looking at when they label it this way.
  


• Get educated on your choices - Quick Quiz from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute: If you're trying to watch your sodium intake, eating a can of soup at lunch is a good alternative to a hamburger and fries.
  
  It may be, but one cup of soup can have up to 1300 milligrams of sodium. Look for low-, reduced-sodium, or "no-salt added" versions of foods.
  

Awareness is the first key to health and wellness. The second is making good choices. Start small by reading and comparing and then choosing the less salt option. Now...I am off to buy some corn-on-the-cob from our local farmer for dinner (sans salt).

If you would like to find more strategies to help you deal with stress and healthy choices - please visit the articles section at http://www.worksmartlivesmart.com/

If you have some strategies to share - comment on this posting!

To bring Beverly to present her stress and wellness strategies to your team or to find more wellness days, weeks and months - visit http://www.worksmartlivesmart.com/

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Stay At Home With Your Kids Day - August 17

Stay At Home With Your Kids Day - August 17, 2009

The Online Magazine for Work At Home Moms (WAHM.com), is the original sponsor of "Stay Home With Your Kids Day" back in 1996. The purpose of the day was to encourage and support those parents who have chosen to be home with their children.

However, for many who have not decided to be a stay-at-home parent, the day is the perfect opportunity to take a vacation day and spend it with your children.

Now, at this point in the summer vacation cycle some of you are very tired of being home or entertaining or dropping off your children and you can hardly wait until the school bell rings. This doesn't make you a bad parent.

Being home with your children whether for a day or as a career choice can take a lot of energy and creativity and it is important for parents to take care of themselves and to support each other regardless of the decision. Both of these decisions take a certain sacrifice and toll.

Beverly's Hot Tips For Celebrating Stay At Home With Your Kids Day:

1. Examine your priorities. Leaving your job may not be an easy decision, but if your heart aches every time you drive away from the daycare center in the morning, it might be time to look at other options. Financially, there are many more options today than there were back in 1996 when the choice was full-time or part-time. Some parents have chosen flex hours, telework, job sharing, starting their own company, virtual companies etc.
   
2. Once you have made the choice make the best of it. Don't let guilt rule and take the enjoyment out of life. When you are home, be at home. When you are at work, be at work. Be present and engaged.
   
3. If you are a stay at home parent it doesn't mean that you literally need to stay at home. Get out and find other parents who have made the same choice as you. Share the struggles and find solutions together. Socialize and build up the supports that you have in your community. Look for on-line communities as well for ideas, tips and strategies.
   
4. If you are a working outside of the home parent, schedule some time with your children that is free of the daily chores that need to be done. Don't forget that they need to see you in a fun light, not just the taxi driver, the task master and the disciplinarian. Makes sense, but when we are juggling so many things it is easy to forget the fun side of life.
   
5. Finally, on this day, reward yourself and your children. Being a parent is hard - there is no manual and a million right and wrong ways to do just about everything. Give yourself a pat on the back. Look back at what you have accomplished as a parent and take some satisfaction in that. It is not about perfection. It is about raising happy, healthy, well-adjusted children in the very best way that we can.

If you would like to find more strategies to help you deal with stress - please visit the articles section at http://www.worksmartlivesmart.com/

If you have some strategies to share - comment on this posting!

To bring Beverly to present her stress and wellness strategies to your team or to find more wellness days, weeks and months - visit http://www.worksmartlivesmart.com/

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National Joke Day - August 16

National Joke Day - August 16

Humour can help you thrive in change, remain creative under pressure, work more effectively, play more enthusiastically, and stay healthier in the process.’ C.W. Metcalfe, Author, Lighten Up

For some of us humour is a lost art, but it can be one of our most powerful ’coping’ tools. It has been proven that laughter reduces physical and emotional tension. Laughter produces endorphins, which are pain relievers and a good belly laugh can also stimulate your internal organs, circulation, and immune system. It is potent but not toxic, low-calorie, organic and absolutely free.

So Why don’t we use our humour more?
· Fear of embarrassment
· Fear of failure

Our fears result in a life of terminal seriousness.

Beverly's Hot Tips For Increasing Your Sense Of Humour On National Joke Day:

1. The obvious - share a good joke with your family, friends and peers

2. Seek out funny friends and co-workers
3. Develop a Humour First-Aid Kit and fill it with your favourite jokes, clippings, and stories

4. Read the comics - Post cartoon of the week
5. Post a ‘insightful saying or blurt of the month’
6. Post a ‘Murphy’s Law of Our Workplace’
7. Buy fun desk toys

8. Watch or listen to funny programs and movies - liven up your commute
9. Initiate a ‘Happy Hour’ break at work (fun without the alcohol)
10. Use funny Post-It Notes

Smile More, Laugh Large - Fight ‘Terminal Seriousness’

Aha Jokes.com - Joke of the Day

A man walks into a bar one day and asks, "Does anyone here own that Rottweiler outside?"

"Yeah, I do!" a biker says, standing up. "What about it?"

"Well, I think my Chihuahua just killed him..."

"What are you talkin' about?!" the biker says, disbelievingly. "How could your little runt kill my Rottweiler?"

"Well, it seems he got stuck in your dog's throat!"

And one more for fun...

Mrs. Peterson phoned the repairman because her dishwasher quit working. He couldn't accommodate her with an "after-hours" appointment and since she had to go to work, she told him, "I'll leave the key under the mat. Fix the dish washer, leave the bill on the counter, and I'll mail you a check. By the way, I have a large Rottweiler inside named Killer; he won't bother you. I also have a parrot, and whatever you do, do not talk to the bird!"

Well, sure enough the dog, Killer, totally ignored the repairman, but the whole time he was there, the parrot cursed, yelled, screamed, and about drove him nuts.As he was ready to leave, he couldn't resist saying, "You stupid bird, why don't you shut up!"

To which the bird replied, "Killer, get him!!!"

If you would like to find more strategies to help you deal with stress - please visit the articles section at http://www.worksmartlivesmart.com/

If you have some strategies to share - comment on this posting!

To bring Beverly to present her stress and wellness strategies to your team or to find more wellness days, weeks and months - visit http://www.worksmartlivesmart.com/

.

Professional Speaker's Day - August 7

Professional Speaker's Day - August 7 - Being Passionate

I have the best career ever - or at least I feel that I have the absolute right career for me at this time of my life. I get to share my ability to clarify and simplify with my passion for making life more meaningful and successful through speaking with audiences around the country.

I love being on stage - not necessarily being the centre of attention - but sharing what I have learned and what I have studied with those in the audience. Helping them to see things in different ways - pushing them to think differently about their life situations. Watching for understanding and seeing the 'light bulb' moments.

I am a professional speaker. I share my stress and wellness expertise mainly through speaking and being on the platform in front of an audience. I am privileged to enjoy what I do to make a living. I am privileged that my message has helped many navigate through life's difficulties.

August 7th is Professional Speaker's Day and here in Canada there are about 500 professional speakers who are members of the Canadian Association Of Professional Speakers. We are experts who speak. We cover topics from motivation, to sales, from humour to leadership (and sometimes even at the same time).

It is hard to believe that there are some people out there who hate speaking in front of an audience. Some look at professional speakers and think that we are born with the 'gift'. Some are - but all of us have to work at it. We practise - we fine tune - we continue to find ways to entertain while we educate.

Growing up, I hated giving presentations. My voice would quiver. I would speak a mile a minute. My nervousness was obvious. That all changed when I found my passion - my topic - my expertise. I still get a bit nervous, but I enjoy the experience and I am able to share that enthusiasm and passion with my audience in spite of my nervousness.

Passion for me is through speaking - my tips for this week are around finding your own passion.

Beverly's Hot Tips For Finding Your Passion:

• Don't let your fears take you away from sharing your passion - use your fears to help you grow and learn so that you can be true to who you were meant to be.
  


• Don't choose the easy or safe way just because the alternative seems overwhelming.



• Take the time to examine who you are and who you want to be - are they congruent? Sometimes finding out who we are or who we want to be comes to us in the quiet reflective moments - sometimes in the heat of chaos.
  


• Believe that you can be more than our little voice of doubt or voices from our past say that we can be.
  


• Your passion doesn't have to be your life's occupation - but how are you making a living - is it drudgery and despised? If yes, that is a terrible way to spend your days and it will probably infect the other areas of your life and will kill the light of passion.
  

Living your passion doesn't have to be a public display such as professional speaking - it can be in the kindness that we show to other's, by sharing our talents and gifts or by being true to ourselves - ways that are rarely publicly recognized. But taking the time to examine where our passions lie and finding ways to express that passion can lead us to a more fulfilled, calm and centred life.

A note to my fellow professional speakers - continue to share your passion and gifts with your audiences as I know that you help those around you to find their way through to their own passions.

If you would like to find more strategies to help you deal with stress and public speaking - please visit the articles section at http://www.worksmartlivesmart.com/

If you have some strategies to share - comment on this posting!

To bring Beverly to present her stress and wellness strategies to your team or to find more wellness days, weeks and months - visit http://www.worksmartlivesmart.com/

.

Girlfriend's Day - August 1

Girlfriend's Day - August 1

Our closest friends support us. They cheer for us. They cry with us. They laugh with us (and at us). They are there for us.

A true friend reaches for your hand and touches your heart. ~Author Unknown

I have a couple of 'bestest' friends. I don't see them very often as we have moved far apart. But I know that I can count on them. I know that I can call them and resume right where we had left off. They have been down the road with me and will always be in my heart. They are as beautiful and as precious as a flower in bloom.

Though my husband is my 'very bestest bestest friend', my true girlfriends meet my needs for connection in a different way and are truly a gift.

Research shows that our social connection to our friends gives us a sense of belonging, a feeling of security and increase our sense of self-worth. They help us to deal better with the stressors in life and live happier more successful lives.

Girlfriend's Day is an opportunity to remember that we are not trekking through life alone and to value the special friends that we have made along the way.

Cultivating True Friendships:

• Listen to your intuition - true friends give off a positive energy that make us feel good as opposed to drain us - Evaluate your friendships.
  Does the conversation flow easily, or is it forced?
  Do you feel they truly understand, accept and support you?
  Do you feel you truly understand, accept and support them?
  Do you feel better or worse about yourself when you’re with them?
  


• Listen with your heart - When dealing with friends, it’s important to give as well as to receive. Listen to the emotion in what is being said.
  


• Make the time - though life can get away from us we should never let our friendships get away from us - friendships take energy and time to nuture and to keep fresh.
  


• Learn to let go - our friends are no more perfect than we are. We need to ignore those imperfections and learn to celebrate their positive traits that brought us together as friends

Beverly's Hot Tips For Celebrating Girlfriend's Day:

• Call or drop-in just because - let them know that they matter to you and that you value them


• Plan a time to get together - have a girlfriend's night out


• Send them a picture of the two of you together with your favourite friendship quote


• Share a special memory of them that you hold in your heart

Our bestest friends are special. Be proactive and let them know that they matter and that you appreciate them.

Happy Girlfriend's Day to my bestest girlfriends...Janet, Lauri, Mag, and Kim



If you would like to find more strategies to help you deal with stress and relationships - please visit the articles section at http://www.worksmartlivesmart.com/


If you have some strategies to share - comment on this posting!


To bring Beverly to present her stress and wellness strategies to your team or to find more wellness days, weeks and months - visit http://www.worksmartlivesmart.com/

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