Read about and Listen to Our Episodes
E111 Nicole Sung Uni Student Exploring Wellness
1. We share thoughts about a quote: “The world is changed by examples, not by opinions.” – Paulo Coelho. It’s a life lesson that’s become important to John. 2. We interview Nicole Sung, a uni student exploring wellness and sharing experiences. She became interested in wellness because of a painful experience. Her mom influenced her to think more on the positive side, to be okay saying things out loud even if it’s scary, and to vocalize your needs so that other people can help you. She remembers and reminds that we’re all human beings – a work in progress. Through her Instagram wellness page, @wellnesswithnics, she hopes to share the same passion with others – to view and live life moment by moment. She highlights highs and lows in life, avoiding the trend to highlight only positives. Strengthening and conditioning positive thoughts and optimism leads to positive outcomes. 3. Starving Artist – Cameron’s band experiences glitches and challenges before a show. They sorted them out. Someone who jumped in to help had a pre-show shoutout he hadn’t heard before – “all right boys, I want heads up hockey tonight!” 4. Move That Body- There are lots of winter activities that can get us movin’ that body. 5. Running Popup – Quietening the mind and body helps. It takes things to another level by creating with quality for its own sake, not for money or praise or anything else. 6. Flipside – It was hard to predict what would happen on the tv show White Lotus. It threw us for a loop. Why oh why didn’t some of the couples communicate better?
E110 John Webster Finding Wellness Balance
1. Co-host Noura Saad tells us about Ramadan, a sacred time of year for Muslims. Muslims dry fast for 30 days, with no food or water from first prayer of the day through fourth prayer. Noura finds that her mind becomes clearer and she goes inwards when she fasts, with time to reflect and worship. 2. It’s the second half of our short break from the usual interview format. Last week John Webster talked about a practical and achievable way to approach wellness in different categories of wellness. But what about the great balancing act? How can we find balance over multiple categories of wellness, especially when there are numerous activities associated with each category? John found a practical approach that works for him. It’s not about finding a formula or arriving and staying at a spot. Balance looks different at different times in his life. John uses three analogies to illustrate his thinking: surfing, the movie Eat Pray Love and Sheila’s dance-balance analogy. He finds himself doing more activities that foster wellness in different categories. It’s building a shield of resilience that protects him. 3. Starving Artist – 4. Move That Body – Sheila just finished a challenge to do 2,000 pushups in February. She’s feeling strong. People talked to her about pushups during her challenge. She was surprised to hear how many types there are. 5. Running Popup – John found himself looking out a window towards nature while waiting for coffee to brew. The nature scene provided a moment of calmness in a busy day. 6. Flipside of the Coin – Elise and Stephen took different paths to teaching jobs. They each ended up in a place where it feels so good and satisfying to be in a role and profession where they can make a difference.
E109 John Webster Common Sense Wellness Check-In
1. Creativity has wellness benefits. Examples discussed include music, combining music on a walk in a forest, pottery, knitting and sewing. 2. We’re taking a short break from the usual interview format. It’s been just over two years since we started our podcast adventure. We learned much from our conversations between co-hosts, and from our interview guests. The podcast started because of an idea – there’s a practical and achievable way to approach wellness and balance that could work for anyone. This episode and the next, co-host John Webster takes an opportunity to tell listeners about this approach, including how it’s been refined by the podcast discussions. It provides context for why we talk about a wide range of areas on our podcast: Mental, physical, spiritual, economic, environmental, artistic, intellectual and social wellness. This episode focuses on (1) discovering wellness categories; (2) finding then performing activities that foster each area; and (3) a common sense wellness check-in. Listen in to learn more about the origins of the podcast and how this common sense approach could help you work towards wellness and balance. 3. Starving Artist – Cameron fell into a chance to use some of his music skills unexpectedly, at an open mic. At another musician’s request, he wrote out the chords for her song, which means at the next open mic the band might be able to play along with her. 4. Move That Body – Music can boost your workout in different ways. 5. Popup – John is feeling his body waking up – arm muscles, leg muscles even stomach muscles – after getting back into well-rounded exercise and heathier eating. 6. Flipside – Elise and Stephen took different roads to end up as teachers. They chat about them. They both get great satisfaction in having a job where they can make a difference.
E108 Ben Flanagan Balance and Olympic Dream
1. We enjoy reading. We chat about how it helps social and intellectual wellness. 2. We interview long distance runner Ben Flanagan about balance. He’s been pursuing an Olympic dream for years. Balance looks different to each of us. We ask about balance over the course of a time. It’s worth focusing on some areas now, the brining in other areas later. After winning NCAA’s, Ben thought, “Hey, I might have a shot at this and I want to go all in.” He experienced all the setbacks, including major injuries and times where he didn’t see improvement. He got past the setbacks using time, patience and, most importantly, learning from them. As he got older, he saw the off ramps from his running dream more clearly. He chose to stay on the path. There are people in my life who support him unconditionally. He wants to perform well to express gratitude, but there’s also recognition that a lot of this is to fulfil his own dream. It’s something he’s come to terms with better recently. 3. Artist – 4. Move That Body – 5 Tips to help you stay motivated to exercise – find ways to fit exercise into your day; do activities you enjoy; make it social; if there’s a break in your routine get back on track; and keep track of your progress. 5. Popup – John connected with a line from a book. He smiled thinking about how Sheila tends to tap him off balance unexpectedly, and how she’s good-heartedly mischievous. 6. Flipside – While out for a walk, we saw a server running out to ask a customer to pay his bill. It was a cold winter day and she didn’t have a coat. He brushed her off, walking away without paying. It was hard to watch. We felt for the server and felt helpless. We both experienced walkouts in our server/bartending days.
E107 Ellyn Winters Being Fit Helped Me Fight Cancer
1. We get to know new co-host Noura Saad. She was born in Toronto, with heritage from Alexandria, Egypt. She’s lived in both countries. She studied social development studies at University of Waterloo. She works as a family court support worker with the Sexual Assault Centre Waterloo Region. 2. We interview Ellyn Winters in the area of Physical Wellness. Being physically fit helped her after a breast cancer diagnosis, during treatment and recovery. Ellyn recommends to everybody that they be physically fit, because you don’t know when a life crisis will hit you. The healthier you are, the more you are prepared to handle that cancer diagnosis and whatever comes afterwards. Training and an exercise regime give you a mental resilience. She told herself when she was first diagnosed, “Ellyn, you just need to put your feet on the ground and keep going.” That’s the same mindset it takes to get through that next rep, or next push or next mile in a run. Being fit also helps with the physical strength needed to endure surgery and the various treatments that come after a cancer diagnosis. It’s a game changer. 3. Starving Artist – It was a fun week that include an African drumming course and a group ukulele course. 4. Move That Body – Pros and cons of morning versus evening workouts. In the end, the message it to workout when you can. The key is to move that body, whether early or later in the day. 5. Running Popup – John keeps being reminded of the same lesson when it feels like he can’t achieve the workout he planned: doing something is better than doing nothing. Keep going even if it’s not the level he planned. 6. Flipside of the Coin – We answer a “Hey Flipside” question: do issues arise because you’re both headstrong? Answer: Yes (he he)
E106 Ryan Bush Ancient Philosophy Relevant Today
1. What’s on Your Mind – Reading literature takes us to different worlds and situations. It enhances mental health. We see it as an investment in ourselves. We chat about favourite genres and what we get out of it. 2. Interview –John’s always felt a connection with philosophy. He met a kindred spirt. Ryan A Bush chats about practical philosophy and how ancient philosophy is relevant to our everyday life [Intellectual wellness]. Philosophy means love of wisdom. That’s what it was about in ancient times – happiness and living a better life. There’s misconception centred around ancient philosophy. For example, stoicism isn’t about white knuckling through everything and not showing emotion. Stoicism is about cultivating greater control over our emotions. The stoics realized that our emotions do not react directly to the events in our lives. Rather, they are mediated by our thoughts. They talk about how you can change your interpretation. If someone insults you, they don’t actually hurt you. Only your own thoughts can do that. You’ll only suffer over it if you believe what they’re saying, or if you allow them to weaken your own mental strength. 3. Starving Artist – Cameron headed to open mic to play fun songs, after a busy week of learning songs as part of the business. 4. Move That Body – Sheila’s doing a challenge: 2000 push ups in February. It’s a good thin it’s a leap year, because that gives her one extra day. 5. Running Popup – Listening to an audiobook on the run. A relationship lesson from Tris and Four is one that’s worked for us [Divergent series by Veronica Roth]. 6. Flipside of the Coin - Elise and Stephen talk about food from other countries. Today it’s all about Korean food from their time living in Korea. They had memorable experiences.
E105 Spencer Delisle World Culture Festival
On the first segment, we talk about different types of meditation. It’s not only sitting in silence. How about meditating to the tones of sound bowls, or doing an object scanning practice, or using a mirror, or using movement, or a directed meditation? We interview Spencer Delisle in the area of Social Wellness. He tells us about the Art of Living’s World Culture Festival. It has brought together millions of people from over 180 countries. There’s a lot of division and polarization in the world we live in today. Most of us want to see how we can find common ground. We want to live in a peaceful society. That was the impetus for the World Culture Festival. We celebrate amazing culture: music, dance, meditation and more. All these things bring us together. The idea is to show the world that we may have different views but we’re a one world family. Let’s celebrate life together. It’s something the world is yearning for. Starving Artist – Cameron has hit the road running in 2024, with many musical projects on the go. He’s even working in a new genre – country music. Move That Body – It’s gym etiquette thoughts, Part Deux: no outdoor shoes, no conversation in high traffic areas, get to class on time, put everything back where it belongs and give people personal space. Running Popup – Freedom is good, but do I sometimes mix it up with selfishness? Maybe there’s a healthy freedom that takes responsibility to others into account. Flipside of the Coin – We have an idea called “Hey Flipside”. We’re inviting listeners to write in and ask us to talk about experiences in areas they suggest. We test-run the idea.
E104 Natasha & Caitlin Carew First Marathon
It’s our second anniversary, with our 104th episode. We open the curtain and let you in on some behind-the-scenes events when we were deciding whether to do the podcast, and what the show format might look like. Imagine John and Sheila driving in a car listening to draft early episodes. What were they thinking? We interview sisters Natalie and Caitlin Carew in the area of Physical Wellness. They started running in April 2023 and then did something that’s hard to believe (crazy?). They signed up to run a full marathon in October 2023. They tell us about their first marathon experience. It started as a box-checking exercise. Things changed during training, when they cherished the journey towards race day. Caitlin ran through an injury and Natasha endured after hitting the wall. They got a big boost from the fans, especially from family and friends who cheered them on. Starving Artist – Cameron was outside his comfort zone working on a website. He also had fun learning about Musso.AI, searching for his and other artists’ music credits. Move That Body – Ways to move that body indoors, while you’re at work or doing everyday tasks. Running Popup – My approach to wellness and balance is achievable, but there’s no getting around the hard work. It’s worth it. Didn’t most of our cherished accomplishment take hard work? Why would balance be different? Flipside of the Coin - Our interview guest Nora Fueten passed away recently after a fatal diagnosis (Episodes 89, 90
E103 Chris Costa Choose Love Not Fear
On the first segment, we take tips from an article: “If you really want to change your life say goodbye to these 12 habits”: get past seeking external approval, procrastination, negative self-talk and more. Then it’s our second interview of Chris Costa in the areas of Mental and Social Wellness. Last episode, we heard how Chris got into trouble when young, ended up in prison, then took steps forward and back, including abusing substances. Today we focus on how found a way to be a positive actor for change and hope. He started to live the life he knew he wanted for himself. He declared publicly to Choose Love Not Fear. It was a way to communicate his commitment, then use that commitment to initiate change for others. He got more involved in the community. He’s conveying to people who had similar experiences that there are people who hear them. They are not alone. Other people in the community have a direct experience and commitments to be involved. He was inspired to walk for 24-hours as a fundraiser, as part of Change in Motion. Starving Artist – you can hear the excitement in Cameron’s voice as he anticipates seeing one of his favourite bands of all time – Meshuggah. Move That Body – Exercise conversations – what to wear and whether exercise can be addictive. Running Popup – Focusing on the process in the current effort to get back to a good exercise routine. It worked on an HIIT run. Flipside of the Coin – Sheila’s making real changes in her life because of this podcast and the approach to wellness we talk about. John’s thinking more about a special wellness activity – the activity of balancing between different activities.
E102 Chris Costa Youth Trouble Prison Drugs then Hope
We start with a discussion about an article on community and mindfulness. Our Western approach to mindfulness activities tends to focus on solo activities. What might a more community looking approach look like? It’s the first of two interviews of Chris Costa in the areas of Mental and Social Wellness. We hear how Chris got into trouble when young, ended up in prison, then took steps forward and back, including abusing substances. He ultimately found a way to be a positive actor for change and hope. His parents separated when he was young. Chris started with fairly innocence and mischievous behaviour in grade school, then it escalated. By the end of grade 9 he was breaking into homes and stealing cars. He ended up in an adult prison mid-way through high school. It was eye-opening. A number of people sent the strong message that he had no business ending up in prison and should change course. He signed up for school and graduated from high school while in prison. He started in the right direction when released, but he did not deal with trauma from his past. The more he left it unattended, the more it found its way back into his life. Ultimately, drug use resulted in a week of experiencing a psychosis, being hospitalized multiple times and facing his mortality. It was a catalyst for change. He started doing the hard work and steadily worked his way up, experiencing some setbacks but continuing with forward motion. Starving Artist – Cameron attended the movie Home Alone at the NAC in Ottawa, with a full orchestra playing the music score live, along with the film. Move That Body – Noora Saad is getting into spin classes. She feels great after leaving a HIIT-style workout on the stationary bike. Running Popup – A book had John recognizing how much better we create and provide services when we are connected to what we are creating. Flipside of the Coin – Stephen and Elise are working through a list of over 1,000 movies to watch.
E101: Marny Williams-Balodis Widowed With Young Children
In our first segment, we discuss a post by the Waterloo Region Suicide Prevention counsel, which compares “pushing” statements to “encouraging” statement. It’s in the context of encouraging loved ones who are struggling. We interview Marny William-Balodis in the areas of Mental and Social Wellness. In 2002, Marny became a widowed at the age of 30. She was the only parent to two children, a 3-year-old son and a 3-month-old daughter. The death of her husband changed every aspect of her world and left her unprepared for the overwhelming journey she was embarking on. Everything was on her shoulders when it came to parenting. It was very exhausting and overwhelming. The first year of grief felt like going through the motions. It’s zombie-like, or a fog. The second year was about building a bit more stability. About two-and-a-half years, there was a moment where she saw the kids were good and they were in a stable spot. That’s when she shifted the focus to what did she want? What did she want my future to look like? She co-founded Hummingbird Centre for Hope with a friend. They were desperate to find that community that could relate to being a widowed parent on a different way than other people could. Hummingbird was founded on what they were missing. It’s everything they wish they had in their early grief. It’s is all about providing education and an opportunity to chat and discuss and vent about what’s happened in the past few weeks, or seeking words of wisdom from other people who might be a little further along in their journey. Starving Artist – It’s a challenge for musicians to get a break during holidays, because they’re often performing. Cameron enjoyed the Heart and Crown Musicians’ Christmas event. Move That Body – What is more motivating: a personal trainer or working out with a group? They both have great benefits. Running Popup – John thought back on 2023 and noticed he made many positive changes based on his approach to wellness. He’s doing new activities that foster wellness in different categories. Flipside of the Coin – We were surprised by and enjoyed the 100th Episode Special last week. We talk about why.
E100 Special: Fave Episodes Spark Conversations
It’s our 100th Episode Special! Cheryl Rickers and Pia Williams are listeners who’ve been with us from the beginning. They join Sheila and Elise to chat about some of their favourite discussions in each of our six show segments: It’s a way to celebrate and look back. It also sparked new conversations between our listeners and hosts. Some of the favorites include:
What’s On Your Mind segments: Masks we wear but don’t always see; the India travel series; and active listening.
Expanding Mind Interviews: all the personal stories we heard - Beth Beattie (bipolar condition), Michael Herman,(depression and anxiety), Ruby Konkol (IBD), Stephanie Sutherland (ADHD), Jason Balgopal (depression and spiraling down), Imran Kamal (recognizing addiction and seeking help), Joe Ashley (depression, travel and wellness), Stefanie Costi (toxic workplace), Jodi Skeates (widowed too soon), Rev. Nora Fueten (fatal diagnosis), NHLer Shayne Corson (Anxiety, depression and more) and Ellyn Winters (breast cancer diagnosis). We were shocked into doing more to protect the environment when hearing from Tova Davidson on U.N. Sustainability Goals and other environmental issues.
Adventures of the Starving Artist: The unforgettable “Pizza Box” story; coming up with “Duh nuh nuh nuh; a proud music teacher; Breaking THEory Rules; Opportunities to perform at daydream venues, like Chateau Laurier;
Move That Body: tips to motivate you to workout; exercise snacking feels amazing; think like a kid to improve your workout; and reasons to work out other than weight loss.
Running Popups: funny ones; John’s Run Kitchener Project (running every street in his city); London Marathon experience; and John says goodbye to his dad.
Flipsides of the Coin: Why it’s called Flipside; how we met; conversations about sex and wellness; a fire next door is unnerving; and knowing the good isn’t doing the good with healthy eating.
Enjoy as we reminisce and have new conversations.
E099 Mirko Petricevic Local News Media Under Threat
New co-host Noura Saad joins for a chat about holiday self-care tips. Many good things happen over the holidays. There are also prospects of challenging situations or states of mind. We found 8 tips to prepare. We interview Mirko Petricevic [Social Wellness]. Have you ever thought about how local news media can impact on our wellness? How does it help our community, our environment, or economic wellness? Reliable local journalism is essential for democracy to thrive. Mirko Petricovic founded Ink-Stained Wretches, a grassroots volunteer advocacy group dedicated to building a culture of appreciation for quality journalism. He previously worked for the Waterloo Region Record for 28 years. Quality journalism is essential for a healthy democracy. It works as a community watchdog on behalf of the public, as a public service. It’s a community builder. Unfortunately, news outlets across Canada are severely weakened from a decade ago. We need to invest in journalism for the health of our communities. Starving Artist – Cameron took a break from practicing holiday music to just play, explore and see where the music took him. Some sweet-sounding outer space sounding music emerged. Move That Body – An article – “20 of the best exercise tips” by Marelize Wilke on News24 (Nov. 1, 2017). These tips are fantastic. Running Popup – John need to turn physical health around. His plan is to focus on the process, without worrying about results. Flipside of the Coin – Life keeps remind us that things change fast. We spend much time thinking an planning, then life throws a twist which changes the plans.
E098 Ellyn Winters Trauma: Breast Cancer Diagnosis
We start with environmental wellness – ways to reduce waste in your home. We chat about an article with lots of ideas. We interview Ellyn Winters-Robinson, flowing from her experience with breast cancer. She tells us how it felt to receive a diagnosis, which came as a complete surprise. There was trauma at different stages. She didn’t know how to handle it. Her family didn’t know how to handle it. Fortunately. she is now cancer free. Although a cancer journey is hard and ugly, she looks back with gratitude, because it brought her some amazing people. It’s incredibly frightening at the beginning and intimidating, but there’s an element of transformative behaviour that is quite strong. Starving Artist – Cameron shows us some tools he uses when writing music, focusing on harmony – the chords – the music that supports the melody. Move that Body – Sheila and John will be trying ballroom dancing. They’re hoping it’s a fun way to move that body. Running Popup – This one’s a bit out in left field. John wondered while hearing the waves, as he ran beside the water, whether the sounds help him connect with the cosmos? Flipside of the Coin – Elise and Stephen met while teaching in South Korea. They tell us about the school they worked at.
E097 Ryan A Bush Happiness: Become Who You Are
We discuss a social media post with 10 ideas for great habits to start. We interview thinker and author Ryan A Bush [Mental Wellness]. We discuss concepts from his upcoming book, Become Who You Are. The framework he introduced puts a strong focus on “virtue”, in the sense of admirability. Ask yourself what have I always thrived at? What do I value most in other people? What do I admire them for? The answers point the way to what you should be cultivating and exercising more in yourself. You in your actions needs to become the you in your ideals. There are a lot of people who will tell you how you should be living your life. You’ve already got the compass built into your brain on where you should be going. Have the courage to listen to pay attention to your own ideals and values and follow them wherever they lead. Starving Artist – Cameron was trading artist horror stories with his buddy Joey Vinegar. The exchanged musician horror stories, with Cameron telling us about a spooky ending to one of them. Move That Body – There are lots of reasons to exercise that have nothing to do with weight loss. We chat about a social media post listing many. Running Popup – In Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, Robert Persig points out that you need to change the rationale underlying a system instead of focusing on effects. The same holds true for wellness in John’s experience. He needed a lifestyle change to make a real difference. Flipside of the Coin – We have great plans and goals to get things done to improve our wellness. We’re set up for a great week, but it never works out that way. Many things pop into our week, every week, that makes it hard to get to the wellness plans we make. It’s never under control.
E096 Spencer Delisle Power of Breath and Meditation
On the first segment (What’s On Your Mind), it’s the last of Elise’s India travel series. They travelled in the Northwest then worked their way south. She saw architecture in Jaipur, museums in Mumbai and ended with the relaxing vibe of Kochi. We interview Spencer Delisle [Physical and Mental Wellness]. Breath work and meditation can be transformative. The breath connects the outer world of dynamism and activity to the inner world of silence. The breath is connected to your thoughts and emotions. You breathe differently when your angry, happy, sad, etc. The Sky Breath Mediation technique uses very specific rhythms in the breath to help release deeper seeded emotions and traumas stuck in the past, and bring the mind back to the present moment. Some of the benefits are increased level of energy, decreased level of stress and at same time you get into a very relaxed state and a high level of focus and awareness. The founder of the Art of Living, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, is a yogi from. The organization’s goal is to create a stress free and violence free world. Adventures of the Starving Artist - Cameron’s has daydream venues to perform at. They’ve been different as he’s lived in different places. He took a shot as performing at the Chateau Laurier in Ottawa. He scored. He performed there on November 27! Move That Body – Adding a destination is fun and helps motivate us to move that body. We took a long bike ride from Collingwood to Thornbury for lunch. It took us on a 40-kilometre fall ride through the trail system. It was lots of fun. Running Popup – John’s favourite temperature to run is in the 3-10 Celsius range. He’s enjoying his fall runs. Flipside of the Coin – We felt a bit anxious at our first very busy movie theatre since Covid began, because we’re not accustomed to being with so many people. We came to enjoy it. It was a fun social experience and we liked the movie.
E095 Sammy Damaren Balance and Working Multiple Jobs
We talk about the wellness check-in concept. It helps to check-in regularly and ask yourself whether you’re taking care of your physical health. The same holds true for all areas of wellness. We interview a founding co-host, Sammy Damaren. She took a break from the podcast earlier this year as her way of working towards balance, because she started new businesses, was working multiple jobs and had many balls in the air. It’s great to hear from her. She tells us about finding balance with a busy life. Starving Artist – Choir has been a part of Cameron’s life since he was young. His brother joined a choir in Ottawa. Cameron went to a rehearsal that was open to the public. It felt different to be an audience member instead of performing. Move That Body – A CBC article about “7 ways to make your walks more intense and more interesting”. Running Popup – Taking time over a coffee to enjoy seeing animal life in his own back yard, with squirrels enjoying crabapples from a tree they planted and water from a bowl they put out. Flipside of the Coin – Sheila and John have very difference concepts of what chillin’ out feels like.
E094 Rev Nora Fueten Medical Assistance in My Death
Doing something nice for someone else reduces stress, helps our emotional wellbeing and even our physical health. We talk about 20 act of kindness from an article listing 50. We interview Rev. Nora Fueten in the areas of Mental and Physical Wellness. Nora has been diagnosed with terminal cancer. She shares her thoughts about seeking medical assistance in death (MAID). Nora believes it gives her the opportunity to make a decision about how long she wants to live, especially if she gets to the point where the quality of life becomes significantly impaired. It provides an opportunity to take her destiny into her own hands and make up her own mind. It’s important to be able to say enough already, particularly nowadays when medicine can keep us going forever and ever. It’s not because she doesn’t love life and all its beauty, but there is going to be an end anyway. She prefers to be able to make her own decision. Starving Artist – During then long-haired Cameron’s first performance with the progressive metal group Emissivity, he learned that under the laws of physics, glasses apparently go flying when you’re doing the windmill head bang technique. Move That Body – Not letting bad weather stop us from moving that body. Enjoyed a Blustery cold day walk on the trails. Running Popup – John like the idea of trying to be childlike, not childish. He’s thinking about what that might look. Being creative? Seeing the having a feeling of wonder when we see the world around us? Flipside of the Coin – A wardrobe malfunction while Elise was emcee at a friend’s wedding.
E093 Shayne Corson Finding Mental Health Help
We chat about intellectual wellness. We found an article about 4 exercises to keep your mind sharp. Elise gives them a try. It’s Part 2 our interview of former NHL player Shayne Corson, who captained two NHL clubs in his 19-season professional career. Over the course of his life, he suffered from anxiety, depression, panic attacks and more. He started to feel better when he reached out for help. Shayne tell us about things that help him to stop his mind from spinning, things like exercise, listening to music, spending time with his dog and thinking about great memories of time spent with his dad before he passed away. If he could go back and talk to his younger self, he’d say, “You can’t do this on your own. It’s okay not to be okay. There are days when you’re going to be depressed and down and feeling anxious, but there are mechanisms and coping skills.” His advice to anybody going through something like this is to go get the professional help they need, without feeling embarrassed or bad about it. It’s not a weakness. Strong people have mental health challenges. There are people who care a lot. Go get that help. Make that first step. Move That Body – We’re back to the theme of being childlike, this time in the context of exercise. We found an article, “For a Better Workout, Think Like a Kid”. It’s the attitude more than the type of workout. Be playful. Running Popup – An analogy: balance is like being in the eye of a hurricane. It’s quiet in the eye even if things are whirling around you. Flipside of the Coin – Knowing the good isn’t doing the good with healthy eating. Why do we turn our nose up at healthy food that we know we enjoy?
E092 Shayne Corson Depression Anxiety and More
Art contributes to wellness. Elise is learning and enjoying pottery. It’s Part 1 of a two-part interview of former NHL player Shayne Corson [Mental Wellness]. Shayne played for 5 NHL teams and captained two during his 19-season professional career. He represented Canada many times. Over the course of his life, Shayne suffered from anxiety, depression and panic attacks. He kept these conditions to himself. His coaches, general managers and agent didn’t know. During the 2003 Stanley Cup playoffs, Shayne stopped playing for the Maple Leafs in the midst of a playoff series. He had been experiencing physical symptoms of anxiety. They were so severe that he didn’t know what was happening to him. At times he thought he was dying. He started to feel better when he reached out for help. One of the best ways to break down stigma and make it easier for people to seek help for mental health conditions to hear from people like Shayne, who shares his struggles, experiences and recovery. Retired Artist – Sheila describes five life lessons dance taught her, after decades of performing and teaching: the importance of stretching; there are times you must perform; pushing through; love of all music; and listening to her body. Move That Body – 6 components of physical exercise: balance, coordination, agility, speed, power and reaction time. Running Popup – One of many examples of feeling the flow on a run – really enjoying the present. Running brings so many opportunities in life to savour the moment. Flipside of the Coin – We’re about to become empty nesters. We wonder what will happen.