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.
Weād 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 weāve gained from our time together at Makerās. 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.
Itās 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.
Weād 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
You have to love gardening. A lot of waiting and tender loving care, without the certainty that the results will be worth all the effort.
Will it be worth it? You might ask, putting yourself through the work necessary without any guarantee of reward? Initially, when we first plant our seeds, we just have to hope it will. After time goes by, suddenly out of nowhere, our tomato plants are laden with fruit.
Windsor is home to some of the worldās largest pumpkins. Magical things happen here.
In our monthly Maintaining Health series, we are witness to similar growth and change. No matter what stage of recovery people may be in, sometimes seeing what is possible provides us with the fuel and confidence we need to continue.
Fall is a great time to start sewing your seeds of change. A number of programs are about to start. Call us now to see what works best for you.
Warm thoughts,
Belinda Seagram, Ph.D., R. Psych. Executive Director, Landing Strong
Well, winter is finally upon us. Iāll admit it, Iāve been a bit smug up till now, enjoying balmy off-season Nova Scotia temperatures.
Well, those days are gone!
As we find ourselves plummeting into the low twenties, Iām still smiling, in fact, even hoping it stays cold. Why you ask? Well, Iāve found the glimmerā¦the silver lining to this cold front.
True fact: Several consecutive days of sub -12 temperatures can harm tick populations. Intense temperature fluctuations during winter such as we’re having now do the most damage. The tick population has been exploding in recent years, primarily because of our warm winters. When it stays warm, they populate. This bout of extreme weather will give them a run for their money.
Please join me in the cold celebration dance, even as the cold blasts of air freeze smiles across our faces.
Where we focus our attention, and how we think about things, truly does impact the manner in which we experience the world. By making equal air time for the good news, we naturally nudge out the bad.
Warm thoughts,
Belinda Seagram, Ph.D., R. Psych. Executive Director, Landing Strong
Glancing through Facebook, itās easy to believe that for most people, life is a series of joyful moments. Even knowing that social media is a highlight reel of peopleās lives, itās easy to start believing that others are always happy.
In reality, I think of life as more of a climb. Some days a struggle, but most often a climb.
Iāve had the opportunity to climb Mount Kilimanjaro twice. The night before the summit push is long, cold, dark, and tortuous. There are many times I asked myself why I was doing it. Reaching Uhuru peak at the break of dawn, it all made sense. When weāre in the struggle, itās often hard to see the point. Glancing back in the darkness, the distant glow of headlamps of the other groups weaving their way up the mountain reminded me of how far weād come, even though we werenāt yet at the top.
We judged our movement by the needs of the group, taking breaks if people were struggling, telling stories, and singing songs when spirits needed to be lifted. We knew we were going to do this as a team, and that we would leave no one behind.
By husband Joe has led over 7 school groups up Kilimanjaro. Of the people who attempt to summit Kilimanjaro, about 50% are successful. With these school groups, after months of training, group work, and team building, the success rate is almost 100%. What I have learned from this, is that we work best in teams. The second time I summitted felt harder than the first. Although the photos look the same, they represent two completely different experiences. Both of which were preceded by many months of training.
Perhaps life is like this, a climb, punctuated by triumphs and joyful moments. If Iām not having fun today, thatās okay, as long as Iām content with the longer term journey. Wherever you are on your journey, we invite you to reach out and join us as we move forward, together.
Warm wishes,
Belinda Seagram, Ph.D., R. Psych. Executive Director, Landing Strong
As is the case with any vacation, my goal is to relax and recharge, allowing me to give my full attention and energy to the things I care about once I return home.
How do I do this?
For the next seven days, Iāll be back-country canoe tripping through Killarney Provincial Park, one of Ontarioās most pristine and spectacular wilderness preserves. Itās inevitable that at times Iāll be uncomfortable: fending off bugs, carrying heavy backpacks over long portages, or sleeping on bumpy ground. Joe, Kyle and Mackenzie are psyched about eating porridge every morningā¦me not so much so.
I know from past experience though, that itāll be well worth it. I can relax by doing less, or challenge myself by doing more. Generally speaking, the most important aspects of self-care that I practice involve expending energy. It may involve camping, doing art, reading, writing or walking in nature. Some part of me is generally in motion. Sometimes I do it well, sometimes not.
We often think of relaxation as being a passive activity: slowing down, watching Netflix, and giving ourselves permission to do less. Sometimes this is true, but if it becomes a pattern, itās no longer relaxation. It becomes a pattern of existing.
So this week Iāll expend some energy to get out of my head, and into nature and connection with people I love.
I know some of you are off doing the same ā playing music, camping, fishing and surfing.
If your old interests arenāt serving as a source of inspiration anymore, it might be time to try something new. As we change, so do our needs. Thatās why weāre introducing āCommunity Connectionā days into our programming at Landing Strong. Open to anyone who is on the path of recovery and has participated in one of our workshops, these days will offer a chance to get together in a fun and restorative way. Weāll start advertising them in the next few weeks.
If you havenāt participated in any of our programs yet, consider signing up for one this fall. We are always welcoming new community members.
Warmly,
Belinda Seagram, Ph.D., R. Psych. Founder, Landing Strong
Just before Christmas, I had the chance to accompany a competitive girls basketball team to a tournament in Arizona. In addition to watching some great basketball, my husband Joe and I had the opportunity for a hike up Camelback Ridge, a famous trail in Echo Canyon Park. As we passed the trailhead at 4pm, a park ranger warned us to be back down by 5:25pm. Confident and energetic, we forged ahead, making the steep climb to the peak by 5pm. At the summit, we stood proudly among a gathering of happy people enjoying the spectacular view. A friendly and hard-core looking hiker warned us that the 5:25pm deadline was real, and the park gave out tickets to anyone who is late getting off the mountain. We laughed and took a series of great photos to the warm glow of the setting sun.
Making our way down, we continued to take great photos. We started to be passed by a series of ultra-marathon looking types jogging quickly by. Enough runners passed that I started to think that maybe they knew something we didnāt: either, they were being chased by wild game; or the 5:25pm penalty was real. With a surge of energy, we started to sprint down. My husband laughed at me, as heās never seen me scamper down a mountain slope with such glee. It had become a game – Belinda versus park ranger. With sixty seconds to spare, we made it across the finish line. I looked around to give the ticketing officer a high-five, but none was to be found. Enquiries with other hikers revealed that ticketing is a practice, but seldom enforced. However, the large number of foolish hikers stranding themselves up on the mountain after dusk with only their cell phones to guide them was real. The emergency response team is frequently called to help pull people out after they injure themselves after dark.
All in all, what could have been a stressful situation ended up being the highlight of my trip. Sometimes when weāre stressed situation, itās hard to see the silver lining. Only afterwards are we able to reflect on the strength, courage or skill it took to get ourselves out of it.
Although I know the journey that each of you is on might be difficult, we hope that you are able to take time to catch the sunset or beauty that exists within it.
Warm regards from the entire Landing Strong Team,
Belinda Seagram, Ph.D., R. Psych. Founder, Landing Strong
