For most of us, signing up to attend a workshop or a course is usually prompted by a desire to experience professional growth, personal development or learn a new skill.
 
The key is finding a workshop that fits your interest and/or your desired end goal.
Are you after a skill set that might enhance your job opportunities? Do you have a passion about a certain topic that would benefit from taking a course? Have you always been interested in trying a new hobby, but haven’t quite found the time to take it on?
 
Regardless of the reason or even the subject matter, there are so many additional benefits that can be reaped when we choose to step outside the box and engage in learning.
 
Some of those benefits include improving our potential for success, enhancing our social network of like-minded individuals, as well as boosting self-esteem. And by learning new skills there is the added bonus of keeping our brains sharp and slowing down cognitive aging. If that’s not enough, it also prevents stagnation, which can have a direct effect on our emotional well-being.
 
In short, think about one of your passions or goals, find a workshop that will stimulate and/or motivate you, and sign up. Always remember:
 
        If you are not willing to learn,
                        no one can help you,
        If you are determined to learn,
                        no one can stop you.
 
                                     - Anonymous

I love Spring – the longer days, the warmer temperatures, the buds and blossoms.
But for many, Spring brings on a barrage of the unwelcomed symptoms of hay fever such as runny noses, scratchy throats and itchy eyes. And while seeking out the latest over-the-counter wonders in allergy relief might alleviate most of the symptoms, the trade off is usually in feeling either really groggy, wired or simply not yourself.
 
In his book The Allergy Solution: Unlocking the Surprising Truth about Why You are Sick and How to Get Well (Hay House, May 2016), Dr. Leo Galland, MD, shares his ground breaking beliefs about what is fuelling the rise in allergies. Co-authored with his son Jonathon Galland, JD, a passionate environmental advocate and health writer, they explore how our own immunity has a direct affect on allergic symptoms and convey their beliefs that by altering nutrition and lifestyle, it is possible to reverse allergies without the use of drugs.
 
The book takes an in-depth look at how immune imbalance is at the root of allergies.  
Dr. Galland offers a “Three-Day Power Wash” that is designed to kick-start an ability to take back control and guide you back to health.
 
So if you are looking for an alternative approach to feeling better this Spring, this book is a must read.

​We’ve all had them – those days when you feel like life is trying to beat you down. Everything that could go wrong, does. Every decision you want to make has obstacles to overcome. Even simple actions become a tangled mess of complications.
 
Randy Pausch, author of The Last Lecture stated, “We cannot change the cards we are dealt, just how we play the hand.” And this advice comes in handy when faced with those days that feel like everything is unravelling. Here’s a few tips to keep in mind when dealing with adversity of all sorts.

1. First step is the breath. Utilize whatever breathing technique works best for you, whether it is a few minutes of mindful breathing, rapid successions of inhalation followed by rapid exhalations, or simply imagining inhaling strength and exhaling negativity. The breath centers and grounds you so that you can gain more clarity on the adversarial situation that is rocking your world.
2. Consider your mindset. Are you having a pity party, sulking, feel like the victim in your own life? Or when life knocks you down, do you brush yourself off and pick yourself up? The key is mindset. If you view the setbacks, delays, disappointments and failures etc., as learning opportunities, there may be some valuable lessons to be gained. It’s all about converting the pain to personal value, and recognizing the potential for growth. Life doesn’t throw obstacles your way to crush you, they are there to increase your strength and resilience. Taking that approach will help when you feel beaten down.
3. Think about someone you know who epitomizes resilience. It could be a friend, mentor, favourite author or TV personality. Someone who you have seen in action, who remains calm in a crisis and problem solves his/her way out. Mirror that behaviour as you begin to problem solve your way out of any number of adverse situations.
4.  Digging your way up and out requires baby steps. Focus on the baby steps, which will help you prioritize and formulate a plan of action. Relish in the accomplishment of each step, and continue to champion your efforts. And when all is settling down, reflect back on how well you did!

 

Previously, I have written on the benefits of reading, but self-help books deserve a blog all to themselves.
 
Reading self-help books can serve many purposes. Some do so to learn new information or skills. Others may want to satisfy a curiosity about a certain topic, or acquire a different perspective on something. Or we might seek out a particular self-help book that addresses exactly what we think we need in the never ending pursuit of personal growth.
 
The value of self-help books is infinite. They can motivate, inspire, teach, comfort, excite, offer guidance or advice, encourage and expand your awareness. They can help you recognize self limiting beliefs, and guide you in gaining insight into who you are and how you tick.
 
But of all the benefits of reading self-help books, my favourite lies in its ability to make you realize you are not alone on any given path. That chances are, there are others who are on a similar, if not the same path. It is that magical feeling of knowing that someone out there was able to put into words what you could only grasp as an abstract concept. Humans are social beings, so knowing someone else out there is experiencing what you are acts as a soothing balm.
 
Discovering a self-help book that really resonates with you can be like finding a missing piece to the puzzle. Consider it an investment in yourself – which at its core is self-care.
 
 So grab a cup of tea, and a self-help book that’s been calling your name and enjoy the sense of clarity it can bring.