I have a confession to make. I love Christmas, itâs the simple things that make it special reallyâŠlike the smell of my motherâs traditional shortbread recipe filling the house as we play good tunes and decorate cookies together. Although my mother is gone, the smell reminds me of her love. Or watching cheesy Christmas movies together and participating in family fitness bootcamps. Itâs a time when we all take time away from our busy lives to connect. My kids will come home, weâll cook some good food together, and maybe have a kitchen dance party or two. In this busy life, and despite the many events of the season, for me, itâs a time of reflection and appreciation.
Have you noticed how easy it is to fall into routines in our daily lives that place the needs of others ahead of our own? We form patterns that might not be sustainable, often leaving us discouraged and exhausted. Iâm reminded of the importance of taking time to ârefill the wellâ before the supply runs dry. Itâs an aspect of our wellbeing thatâs often neglected.
If we donât make a conscious effort to destress at the end of each day, the cumulative effect of what we carry in our lives can become increasingly difficult to hold. Thatâs why doing something we enjoy each day is so important. We are offering two programs in January, both designed to build resilience and help us stay strong.
For First Responders and Veterans living with PTSD, anxiety or depression, we have the âNew Year, New Youâ workshop on January 11th.
For Caregivers, friends and family of these First Responders and Veterans, we are offering Part 1 of our âCare for the Caregiverâ series on January 7th for those who werenât able to attend the first series.
We hope that you will join us.
Wishing you and your loved ones a wonderful holiday season.
Warm regards from the entire Landing Strong Team, Belinda
On Saturday night, my husband Joe and I had the pleasure of attending the Festival of Trees in Halifax. This black-tie event is a gala fundraiser for the Mental Health Foundation of Nova Scotia. Each year, a forest of stunning trees is admired and auctioned off.
Joe and I have a tradition of bidding on the tree that is beautiful but isnât being noticed. It often sits there quietly, waiting to be claimed, but for some reason is overlooked. Over the years, we have amassed quite a forest. With the opening of Landing Strong, I thought it would be nice to take one of our trees to the new centre. When I brought this up to Joe, I could see evidence of the love in his heart for all of our trees. Parting with any one of them would not be possible. The only option was to find another evergreen in need of a home.
We were successful. When I saw the tree, I immediately knew it belonged in our office and would find a home with us.
Along with the tree, we hope that many people might take root in our community. Like the enchanted forest, we will create something magical.
In the spirit of new growth, we would like to tell you about whatâs in store for you over the next few months:
Today marks the launch of our program, âCare for the Caregiverâ. This is the first in a series of day-long workshops. Donât worry if you missed the first one, each is offered as a stand-alone.
In the month of December, keep an eye on your inbox for useful tips around managing the holidays in a healthy and low-stress manner.
Early in the new year we will be unrolling a menu of programs designed to support you on your journey of health and recovery.Connect with us onsocial media for news on these exciting initiatives.
Ps. Special thanks to Compass Group Canada for including us in this special evening.
When stepping onto an airplane, you can expect to hear a short safety presentation from the crew. Passengers are usually instructed that in the case of an emergency, they should put on their own oxygen masks before assisting someone else. If we donât take care of ourselves, we cannot be there for others. Sometimes, this means prioritizing ourselves even when someone we care about needs us.
This month, our focus has been on caring for those who support others. In many ways, we are all caregivers. Weather itâs in a first responder role or caring for loved ones, we can only continue in these roles to the extent that we take the time to properly nourish ourselves.
On November 30th, we are offering a 1-day program on self-care:
Learn how to improve your health, relationship, and ability to handle future challenges.
Gain clarity on your roles & needs
Master tools for success in all aspects of your life
Identify your strengths and make them work for you
Let us help you get to where you want to be.
We hope youâll join us. Â Contact us at (902) 472-3272 or info@landingstrong.com to reserve your seat.
âGet comfortable being uncomfortableâ was the suggestion that my friend and business coach, Eleanor Beaton, gave me this week. She was speaking to me about the importance of pushing ourselves toward new things, even when they are challenging or intimidating.
I discussed this topic in a previous blog, when describing my experience in yoga class. It was reassuring to be reminded that itâs normal to feel uncomfortable. Looking forward, I think Iâm in for a long period of it. Instead of embracing the growing pains, I feel like a character in an Alfred Hitchcock film who is trying to get comfortable while lying on a bed of nails. Itâll take time and practice; some things just canât be rushed.
There are many new and exciting changes going on, each one introducing new fears or worries. Will we receive funding to start the 3 month program soon? Will the next PTSD Hero Comic be well received? Are the messages we are sending out on social media having a positive impact? Will we get the next grant application in on time?
To get through this time, I tell myself this is not a permanent state. I remind myself of the importance of self-care, making a point of taking a step back when I am feeling overwhelmed. Most importantly, I rely on good friends and a hot tea to remind me Iâm not doing it alone.
Weâre taking a huge leap of faith, and creating something innovative and exciting. We feel honoured that you are with us, by being part of our virtual community. With each new addition to our email list, our community has grown by one. Every time you share posts, you help us to spread the word and expand our community. For as you know, it isnât just a community for those who are injured. It is also for those who are supporting them, or cheering from the sidelines. We are in a marathon of recovery, and even the person who hands out water, or shares the word is part of a wave of social change. There is strength in numbers
Keep telling us what you think. If you have ideas or issues you would like addressed, feel free to send them to us directly at info@landingstrong.com. We love to hear from you!
