Possibility of Wonderful.

Possibility of Wonderful.

by | Oct 27, 2023 | Belinda's Thoughts, Friday's Inspiration, From Belinda, Gratitude, joy, Love

Possibility of Wonderful

Have you met my husband Joe? AKA: ā€˜The Frenchyā€™s Kingā€™. His superpower is to hit any Guyā€™s Frenchys in Nova Scotia and within minutes, have his arms loaded with designer athletic gear that looks great!


Me? Iā€™m not so lucky. On the few occasions I actually buy something for myself, I take it home only to realize the outfit does not at all match my imagination of what it would look like on. Think of me in a large paper bag. Thatā€™s the look.

Howeverā€¦ Iā€™m going to let you in on a secret that I havenā€™t admitted to many peopleā€¦ I go to Frenchyā€™s frequently to buy ridiculous amounts of gorgeous baby clothes. Itā€™s become a thing.
I have an entire cupboard dedicated to tiny outfits, adorable sleepers, and little onesies. It is over-stuffed with a wide assortment of beautiful baby items, many of them new with tags still attached. I canā€™t make much sense of this, except to confess that Iā€™m preparing for ā€˜the possibly of wonderfulā€™.


I know its just around the corner! Whether itā€™s for a friend, neighbor, or a member of the family, Iā€™m going to one of the first to show up for the celebration!

Not only that, but Iā€™ve also developed my own style of packaging. Carefully creating wonderful baskets- assembling them like rainbows in a manner that brings me joy!

What ideas or themes do you play in your mind in the preparation of wonderful? Are you actively practicing it? Or silently rehearsing it? Our thoughts do create our realitiesā€¦

Warm thoughts,

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

What’s your Thanksgiving Back-up plan?

What’s your Thanksgiving Back-up plan?

by | Oct 12, 2023 | Belinda's Thoughts, Friday's Inspiration, Gratitude, Wellbeing

What’s your Thanksgiving Backup Plan?

It must be Friday, because once again thereā€™s a potential storm forecast this Thanksgiving weekend.

I donā€™t know about you, but Iā€™m taking special joy in finding hacks to dodge the weather. Turkey remains on the menu, but we donā€™t necessarily need electricity to make this meal a success. Slow-roasted turkey over a charcoal BBQ provides a heavenly smoky flavor that has spoiled me for life.

What work arounds do you have to ensure the potentially wet weather doesnā€™t dampen your spirits?

Although we all have our special ways of preparing this time honored meal, ultimately, we know that Thanksgiving is about so much more.

This weekend offers an opportunity to practice gratitude, for the richness of our lives, the people in it and the beautiful province and country that we live in.

Regardless of the weather I feel grateful!

Happy Thanksgiving to all!

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

Mindfulness moments on Nova Scotiaā€™s craggy shores

Mindfulness moments on Nova Scotiaā€™s craggy shores

by | Aug 4, 2023 | Balance, Creativity, Friday's Inspiration, Gratitude, Mindfulness

Mindfulness moments on Nova Scotiaā€™s craggy shores

We recently learned that many of our Landing Strong community members are rock hounds. I thought it was just me, wandering the beaches of Nova Scotia gleefully gathering prized specimens. It turns out, itā€™s a shared passion. We are united in the joy we glean from finding beauty in our craggy shores.

Is there something simple and beautiful that helps you keep your thoughts in the moment?

– Appreciating the afterglow of a sunset as the pink hue reflects on water.
– Enjoying a cool iced tea on a hot day.
– Hearing the sound of waves crashing on a long expanse of sandy beach.

Itā€™s often the simple things that ground us. Rather than actively working to problem solve the future, or process the past, these activities hold our attention, actively engaging us in the present. There is something calming about going out in the world with the sole intention of nothing bigger than finding the next great rock.

Warm thoughts,

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

Thankful for partners who pick us up

Thankful for partners who pick us up

by | Jul 21, 2023 | Belinda's Thoughts, Friday's Inspiration, Gratitude, joy, Love

Thankful for partners who pick us up

Tomorrow is a big day for me. Friends and family are flying in from across Canada to witness the marriage of my son Kyle to his beautiful bride Kaitlin. What a pleasure it will be to celebrate the joy of two happy young people who form such a strong partnership. This is the beginning of the next stage of their journey together.

I canā€™t help but reflect on the role of partners, spouses and friends in being witness to our lives, celebrating the good moments as well as offering support and lifting our spirits when it may be needed.

In group, we perform a similar function for one another, celebrating the wins, commiserating with challenges, and ensuring no one is walking alone.

I wanted the opportunity to share my joy with you, just as you so often share your lifeā€™s important moments with us.

Warm thoughts,

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

Conversations that matter

Conversations that matter

by | Jun 16, 2023 | Courage, Friday's Inspiration, Gratitude, Support

Conversations that matter

We recently had a visit from Invictus Games athleteĀ Darrell Ling. Darrell brought a yellow bench that he built out of completely recycled wood, which we are proud to have sitting by our front door. The Invictus Games introduced ā€œThe Yellow Benchā€ as a way of creating shared spaces for people ā€“ even strangers ā€“ to have conversations that matter.Ā 

Athletes were invited to bring the concept of The Yellow Bench back home to their respective countries and communities.

In the Invictus Games, each athlete competes in 2 individual sports and a team sport. Darrell brought his competitive spirit to Archery, Sit-down Rowing, and Wheelchair Basketball where he successfully scored a basket in the final minutes of the game.Ā 

Darrell shared that one of the most meaningful aspects of the Invictus Games was the opportunity to meet other athletes who understood his experiences, without needing an explanation. He described the implicit understanding amongst the Athletes of what it took to get there; something that doesnā€™t always exist in the civilian world. Darrell also noted with pride that the person in last place got the loudest cheers, something that warmed his heart. Ā Competing and finishing an event requires a tremendous amount of preparation, training, determination and courage. Not all accomplishments are marked with a medal, but this certainly doesnā€™t detract from the success.Ā 

He was also thrilled to meet Prince Harry in person.Ā 

We invite you to take seat and connect the next time you visit us.Ā 

Warm thoughts,

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

Shouldering things together

Shouldering things together

by | Jun 9, 2023 | Courage, Friday's Inspiration, Gratitude, Support

Shouldering things together

Just because a problem has been around for a long time doesnā€™t mean itā€™s there to stay.There is something intimidating about an issue that weā€™ve been carrying for a long time. It can almost take on its own life. In my experience, the longevity of a problem does not indicate the difficulty it will take to sort it out.It is often a matter of looking more deeply, or through a different lens. This emphasizes the importance of not carrying things alone. By talking things out loud, and being open to new perspectives, it opens the door for change to occur. Positive shifts happen.If you have been carrying around a weight for a long time and arenā€™t sure how to get rid of it or lighten your load, we hope youā€™ll consider giving us a call.

Warm thoughts,

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