I love to golf. I enjoy being outside in warm weather and spending 3-4 hours with my son or friends. I also think there are few things as fulfilling as hitting a solid shot. Last month, I had the good fortune and pleasure of playing two major championship golf courses with long-time friends. In anticipation of this once-in-a-lifetime experience, I set out to get my golf game in top shape. This included spending time at indoor golf simulators in the late winter and early spring.

Today is Bell Let’s Talk Day. Wondering how you can support this cause? 5 cents will be donated to mental health initiatives for: every text message and call made through Bell Canada, every tweet using #BellLetsTalk, and every view on Bell Let’s Talk video on both Facebook and Instagram. One in five Canadians will experience a mental illness in their lifetime. Unfortunately, the stigma of mental illness is a leading reason why two-thirds of those living with a mental illness do not seek help. Bell Let’s

We are in the thick of winter.  The holidays seem long ago, and spring feels out of reach. The winter blues are not uncommon. In more severe cases, winter blues are a form of depression. Along with typical depressive symptoms (such as worthlessness and loss of interest in most activities), seasonal depression is often characterized by overeating, tiredness, and weight gain. Consider making one of these small lifestyle changes to improve your spirits: Help someone (big or small) Seek out a fun winter activity Go

At an auction this week, a handwritten note by Albert Einstein on happiness sold for $1.5 million. It was said that, 95 years ago, Einstein gave the happiness note to a bellboy or messenger instead of offering a tip. Einstein’s message: “A calm and modest life brings more happiness than the pursuit of success combined with constant restlessness.” Einstein’s genius had no limits.

Yesterday, I had the pleasure of speaking at the University of Guelph as part of a symposium organized by Exercise is Medicine Canada at Guelph.  The other guest speakers (Dr. Geoffrey Power and Dr. Dan Vitale) were informative and engaging. The audience was attentive and seemed ready to learn and be inspired. Recent clinical research supports what many of us already know… exercise is good for your mental health.  Studies show that exercise helps with mood and improves quality of life.  Exercise (even low level

Think back to your teens. You likely have many fond memories – times with friends, first job, learning to drive, or graduating.   You also likely have memories of more difficult times – break ups, failed tests, or times of self-doubt. Our teenage years are a time of change, challenge, and opportunity. Sometimes the changes, challenges, and opportunities are well-handled and our confidence is strengthened. Other times, the weight of adolescence feels like too much and we start to feel anxious. Anxiety comes in many

With summer just around the corner, many of us will have a long awaited break from work and school. However, having too much unscheduled time leads some of us to feel anxious. To help reduce this anxiety, maintain some school-like structure to your life during the summer. For younger children, set regular play dates or sign up for day camp programs. For teens, find a part-time job or volunteer. For adults, catch up on self-care by scheduling days off work to catch a baseball game

Have you noticed your breathing today? Your breathing can tell you a lot about your state of mind. Are you calm? Nervous? Stressed? Checking into your breathing helps bring you back to the present and makes you more aware of what is currently going on in your life.  Proper breathing has even been linked to better mental and physical health (e.g., reduced anxiety and lower blood pressure). Here are some quick exercises you can use to get in touch with your breathing: 1)      Place your

Everyone experiences being anxious at some point in their life time, whether it is about the first day on the job or speaking in public. Feeling temporary anxiety before a stressful event is normal. In fact, this anxiety can play a positive role (e.g., motivating us to study for a big test). Not all anxiety is temporary or motivating. Some people (at certain times in their lives) experience intense and constant worry about everyday life events. This worry is difficult to control and interferes with

With Remembrance Day approaching, we want express our gratitude to Canadian soldiers. We also want to share a few lessons learned from a recent workshop on the culture of the Canadian military. Being a Canadian soldier is more than a job. It’s a life…with very different rules (mission before self), relationships (brotherhood), and activities (basic training) than civilian life. Most Canadian men and women enlist in the military with the expectation of retiring as soldiers. To fall short of this goal, for whatever reason, can