Team Strong supports our community

Team Strong supports our community

by | Dec 6, 2024 | Belinda's Thoughts, Challenge, Change, Community, Courage, Growth, Our Team, Recovery

Team Strong supports our community

Monday was a powerful day as volunteers from our Landing Strong community gathered at the Windsor Food Bank (Matthew 25) to help with Christmas hamper preparations.

In true veteran/first responder form, we worked like a smoothly oiled machine with maximum efficiency. 500 bags were packed in just under two hours! Ashley the director at the food bank, marveled at the speed and productivity of the group. We left with an incredible sense of satisfaction and pride in our ability to give back to the community.

Our local food bank is an incredibly valuable resource supporting up to 600 individuals in West Hants monthly. This number represents a 20% increase over last year. Led tirelessly by a passionate volunteer team with Ashley and Tina at the helm, the folks at the food bank are working long hours to ensure no one in our community goes without.

Our Landing Strong community expressed great satisfaction at being able to do this volunteer work. Many noted that they felt unable to go out into the community individually to volunteer, but with the safety and support of their peers Team Strong was created.

How might you help? Thereā€™s a variety of ways. Feel free to contact Ashley or Tina through their Facebook page, or call 798-4313. You can also email matthew25windsor@gmail.com.

Weā€™re going back as a group again soon. Please reach out to Jen if youā€™re interested in joining Team Strong. We welcome suggestions and ideas for other volunteer opportunities as a team, reach out anytime.

 

Warmly,

 

Belinda Seagram, Ph.D., R. Psych.
Executive Director, Landing Strong

Letting in the light

Letting in the light

by | Nov 22, 2024 | Balance, Belinda's Thoughts, Change, Creativity, Outdoor Adventures, Wellbeing

Letting in the light

Darkness arrives sooner these days, tricking us into thinking that the day is over when in fact, we still have a few good hours ahead. The animals take their cue from the environment, retreating to their burrows and nests with food stores collected in preparation for a long winter’s nap. This is a time when our natural inclination might also be to go into hibernation, packing it in early, grabbing snacks and settling in front of the TV long before we normally would.

The way I figure it, we can do one of two things:

1) Give in to the hibernation urge, only to emerge from our homes in the springtime as fluffed-out, chipmunk versions of ourselves.
2) Create an opportunity to invite new practices and routines into our lives.

Weā€™d like to offer a few ideas that we hope might inspire you:

  • Consider taking a night hike. Opening the door and tromping out into the darkness might at first feel daunting, but with the right mindset and equipment, it can be thoroughly enjoyable. Joe and I purchased neon-colored collars for our dogs and headlamps and flashlights for ourselves. The lazy feelings we might feel early in the evening quickly evaporate when replaced by the invigoration of crisp night air and star-studded skies.
  • Winter is the perfect time to start new art projects. Consider exploring and further expanding on some of the ideas weā€™ve gained from our time together at Makerā€™s. A recent Community Connections workshop with Jen has prompted me to pull out my watercolors with the hopes of making a slew of handmade Christmas cards.
  • Itā€™s a great time to try new recipes and pull out those crockpots to make hearty, bone-warming soups and stews. A fresh loaf of baked bread does wonders for the soul.
  • Cozying around the woodstove or fireplace with a good book, needlework or game of cards reminds us of the joys of yesteryear.
  • We can brighten up the darkness inside our homes through candles, fairy lights, or reflective sparkle lanterns.
  • Signing up for a local pickleball league or purchasing a gym membership keeps the juices flowing.
  • Most importantly, staying connected to your community and joining others for small social gatherings in the form of meals or shared cups of coffee gets us out of the house and helps to deepen friendships.

Weā€™d love to hear which strategies you use to ensure your life is full of the light and laughter it deserves.

 

Warmly,

 

Belinda Seagram, Ph.D., R. Psych.
Executive Director, Landing Strong

Keeping ourselves open

Keeping ourselves open

by | Oct 4, 2024 | Belinda's Thoughts, Challenge, Change, Friday Inspiration

Keeping ourselves open

I hesitate to share this with you because I like to keep our weekly chats upbeat. But as we always sayā€¦ show up as you are. In the spirit of authenticity, Iā€™m going to try to do just that.

We recently lost our beloved dog Zuri. Thirteen years of a full life should be a cause for celebration, but I just feel sad.

My instinct is to pull away from the pain, busying myself with the details of life, but a slow throb in my temples serves as a reminder of the deep sense of loss I feel.

I think to myself, maybe I canā€™t have another dog, this is too hard.

But then Iā€™m reminded of all of the people we work with who are injured. Our consistent message to them is donā€™t avoid your emotions. In order to experience positive emotions, we have to open ourselves to the hard ones. Closing ourselves off eliminates the possibility of love. By keeping our hearts open despite fears associated with potential loss we allow our world to expand, and we are not left home alone in our pain.

Whether weā€™ve experienced the loss of an animal, a loved one, or a dream of something that that played out differently than we had hoped, together we will remember the importance of opening ourselves to hope and possibilities of new growth.

 

Warm thoughts,

Belinda Seagram, Ph.D., R. Psych.
Executive Director, Landing Strong

Should she stay or should she go?

Should she stay or should she go?

by | Jun 28, 2024 | Belinda's Thoughts, Change, Courage, Growth, Recovery

Should she stay or should she go?Ā 

She looks so innocent sitting in the corner of my office. My little porcelain sparrow. Many a day Iā€™ve glanced idly at her while deep in thought. A simple dĆ©cor item that brings me joy. In the past week, three people have told me I must get rid of her. How has she offended them I wonder? Sheā€™s just been sitting there so quietly, minding her own business. Iā€™m informed that in a Netflix series entitled ā€˜Dead to Meā€™, my little feathered friend served as a murder weapon. Even looking at her triggers some of my clients.

A couple of questions come to mind: do I remove her, and therefore eliminate the offending associations? Or do I keep her, allowing my clients to realize that her presence is benign and that not all sparrows are created equal?

These questions form the basis of PTSD. It is an injury of isolation and avoidance. We often believe that by eliminating or reducing exposure to triggering stimuli, we can keep ourselves safe. In truth, this just keeps us injured. Only by allowing ourselves to experience triggers without the associated negative consequences can we recover.

So the bottom line isā€¦sheā€™s staying!

Warm thoughts,

Belinda Seagram, Ph.D., R. Psych.
Executive Director, Landing Strong

Communities Of Kindness

Communities Of Kindness

by | Jun 14, 2024 | Belinda's Thoughts, Change, Community, Friday Inspiration

Communities of kindness

Itā€™s easy to believe the world is going to hell in a handbasket. Iā€™d like to provide evidence to the contrary.

I went to a rugby tournament with Kingā€™s-Edgehill School recently and was speaking to Robert, our bus driver. A former 911 Dispatch Operator, Robert is now joyfully transporting kids on a 60-passenger school bus.

ā€œI LOVE my job!ā€ Robert exclaimed excitedly.
ā€œWhy is that?ā€ I asked.
ā€œThe kids are amazing, thoughtful, well-behaved, and appreciative. Every day, when they get off the bus, every student, without exception, thanks me.ā€

I hear similar feedback from teachers:
ā€œEvery day after class, the kids say thank you as they are leaving the room.ā€ a Junior school teacher shares.

Even coaches have good things to say about their playersā€™ behavior: ā€œAfter each game, the players come up and shake my hand and thank me,ā€ a rugby coach exclaimed. ā€œThey even helped me to pick up garbage that some of the fans had left behind.ā€

These students are the leaders of tomorrow; kind, thoughtful, and appreciative.

This fills me with promise and hope…something pretty wonderful to ponder.

 

Warm thoughts,

Belinda Seagram, Ph.D., R. Psych.
Executive Director, Landing Strong

I feel the need to grow (things)

I feel the need to grow (things)

by | May 17, 2024 | Belinda's Thoughts, Change, Growth, Wisdom

I feel the need to grow (things)Ā 

We are well into spring, and with it, a chance to plant seeds, prompting the earth to give birth to a wonderous assortment of flowers and vegetables. I feel a deep sense of satisfaction digging my hands into the rich soil, enjoying the warmth of the long-awaited sun on my back. I know that my intentions are taking root.

Things take time to grow. We canā€™t eat the fruit that we planted today. In some cases, it may take years. It starts with an intention, followed by a period of nurturing, and care. This is not unlike any desired change in our lives. With patience, commitment, and gentle care, growth is inevitable.

Itā€™s easy to get frustrated if things donā€™t feel quite right at a given moment. I hope that we allow ourselves the same grace as we might to the seeds that we plant, being patient as we allow ourselves to grow.

Warm thoughts,

Belinda Seagram, Ph.D., R. Psych.
Executive Director, Landing Strong