This summer has not been one for me in terms of getting stung by bastard insects. I was stung by a hornet about a week ago on my neck, and as I sit here writing this post, my arm is throbbing thanks to two yellow-jacket stings on my forearm and my hand. I was doing … More Check out this natural remedy for wasp stings
I am a firm believer in recognizing someone’s efforts and a job well done when appropriate. Perhaps this stems from a history of working at jobs where hard work goes unnoticed, because I’ve endured a few (like most of us, but regardless of where the incentive comes from to applaud people when appropriate, it is … More Giving credit where credit is due
Venting, if you’re unfamiliar with the term, typically involves a person unloading their stresses, anguish or frustration with a given situation via conversation with someone. It is something probably all of us have engaged with at some point or another, and a lot of us associate the concept of venting with positivity; getting things off … More Venting: good or bad?
Second chances are, I would argue, a controversial topic for a lot of us. Based on my own interactions and conversations with people on the matter, it seems as though we are either in favour of giving them, or we are entirely against it, with no in between. I had a conversation with my fiancé … More How do you feel about second chances?
Maintaining healthy, balanced friendships is a relatively tricky concept. If you disagree with me, consider yourself quite fortunate; for a majority of us, though, keeping up friendships isn’t always a walk in the park. Friendships, like relationships, require effort, time, commitment and sacrifice, and at times, staying on par with multiple friendships and friend groups … More The reality of friendships when you’re a young adult
There are quite a few duties and responsibilities that present themselves to any given bride or groom when preparing for their wedding. I certainly was not prepared for the amount of work that goes into planning a wedding, and I will be honest in saying that I am not a bride who particularly enjoys finessing … More Making a wedding registry? Read this first
Depression is something that, unfortunately, far too many of us are all too familiar with, including myself. It’s a real bitch; it can make its overwhelming presence known without warning; its severity can differ drastically; and it is incredibly draining, both emotionally and physically. Magic mushrooms, on the other hand, are not something I would … More Could magic mushrooms help combat depression?
Judgment is one of those concepts that just about all of us agree to be detrimental. It isn’t right to do, and we know the implications that can present themselves as a result of judging someone. Yet, despite our recognition of the toxicity embedded in the act of judging a person, and our awareness that … More Here’s why we shouldn’t judge someone based on their appearance
As a woman, I can attest to the trials and tribulations that often coincide with the concept of beauty. Actually, beauty isn’t the right term. Perhaps beauty maintenance would be more fitting. When I say beauty maintenance, I’m making reference to all of the joyous things that come with identifying as a woman, for me, … More Check out these super helpful beauty hacks
There are a few simple things in live that bring me joy. Falling asleep to the sound of a thunderstorm, curling up with a good book and a cozy blanket, and having a warm bath on a cold winter evening, to give some examples. Oh, and ‘Vikings.’ That’s another one. When I say ‘Vikings,’ I’m … More A moment of appreciation for ‘Vikings’
Ahhhh, friendship. A conceptual relationship that can offer so much positivity, but also, unfortunately, negativity, depending on the quality of the bond. Friendship, while incredibly important to me in my own life, is something I haven’t had tremendous luck with. I’ve had a few people in my life that I believed to be good friends … More Here’s why having good friends in your 20s is so important
Not too long ago a good friend of mine reached out to chat with me about a recent breakup she is going through. I was touched she thought of me to lean on and potentially offer her some advice pertaining to the situation, although once she got into the nitty gritty details of how her … More Here’s why knowing ourselves is so, so important
A few days ago, Blaine went golfing with some buddies for a bachelor party. I called him later on that day to see how the party went, and he started to tell me that he was rather taken aback by the ways in which a lot of the men golfing were speaking to the girls … More Here’s why we need to normalize calling out harassment
I am willing to bet that a majority of Ontarians are rejoicing with the news of Doug Ford’s recent announcement pertaining to the gradual reopening of businesses here in the province. It’s been a long time coming, and it is safe to say the patience of the public in Ontario has been wearing thin as … More Please be kind as Ontario begins to reopen
Waking up early has never really been my forte. I will get up early when necessary, but I will admit that it is a struggle, and I most definitely am not a morning person. My bed seems to hold this magical power which makes it very difficult to leave it when I wake up in … More Could waking up earlier help combat depression?
Cancer is a word that, unfortunately, most of us are familiar with. Whether it is you yourself who has been diagnosed with cancer, a friend, a loved one or family, just about all of us can say we have been affected by this horrid disease. It is becoming more and more of an issue with … More Are we nearing a cure for cancer?
Assertion, or being assertive, has, in my opinion, a rather negative connotation attached to it. And, really, I’ve never understood why this is, considering assertion does not typically coincide with aggression in any manner. Aggression, too, has a negative connotation attached to its meaning, but such connotation is a little more logical in terms of … More The importance of understanding the difference between assertion and aggression
Reading holds a spot near and dear to my heart. I used to be far more of an avid reader than I am now, although I wish this wasn’t the case. I fell in love with books, reading and words when I was quite young, and I’m pretty sure I had read all of the … More COVID-19 has more kids reading
Nowadays, it seems as though more of us are short of time than ever before. We wake up and rush to get ready for work; we rush to work; we rush out of work; we rush home from work to get food on the table. You get my point. Because so many of us are … More Check out these self-care practices that take less than 15 minutes to do
The sensations we experience when we are feeling inadequate aren’t exactly pleasant ones. Some that come to mind include inferiority, hopelessness, helplessness, isolation, and sadness, and that’s only naming a few. Feeling as though we are inadequate, or, in simpler terms, not good enough, is truly a debilitating sentiment. It is frustrating because while we … More How to grapple with feelings of inadequacy
I am willing to bet that just about all of us, at some point or another, have seen or heard about blackhead strips. Or, perhaps I should refer to them as blackhead removing strips, seeing as that is what the products aims to do; pull blackheads out of the skin to reveal clear(er) pores. Blackheads … More Are blackhead strips worth the money?
Self-pity, while a rather unattractive practice, is a bit of an inevitable one in this thing we call life. We are human, and therefore act, feel and behave as humans do, so sometimes we succumb to the temptation to feel bad for ourselves regarding a particular unfortunate event. Self-pity is a very normal occurrence from … More Here’s why you need to stop feeling sorry for yourself
Resilience is understood to be the ability to rebound from a difficult situation with perseverance. It is a phenomenal skill to possess in all facets of life, considering life isn’t exactly a walk in the park for most of us, and, in the past year or so, I would argue that more and more of … More The power of resilience
Irritability is something that inevitably affects all of us at times. We all handle our emotions differently, and therefore express them in different manners, meaning some of us may show our irritability more than others, or perhaps to a more evident degree. Something I feel as though a lot of people may be unaware of … More Feeling irritable? It could be anxiety
Having a toxic influence in your life, in any form, can be gruelling. Even worse is when the toxicity comes in the form of a person, and further, when that person happens to be your family. It is certainly easier to cut ties with toxic people who aren’t your own kin, and the prospect of … More Here’s how to deal with a toxic family member
A year ago, I never would have thought that I would still be writing about the coronavirus pandemic and all of its unfortunate and adverse effects. But, here we are, still in the middle of this shit, trying to come to terms with how to grapple so much stress and confusion while juggling daily life … More The importance of recognizing simple joys
Comfort food, as the name suggests, is a dish of any kind or form that brings the consumer joy upon eating it. That’s my own personal definition of the term, anyways. It is rather unfortunate that because comfort is intended to bring comfort, it is normally not the most nutritious item of food we put … More Do you have a go-to comfort food?
I would like to start this post off by stating that the information in this post is subjective and not scientifically-backed. These are my own thoughts, ideas and opinions, and by no means am I trying to imply that I am certified to give concrete advice in the context of mental health; rather, this is … More Here’s how to help someone dealing with a mental health crisis in a pandemic
I’ve been chirped more times than I can count because I am a serial re-watcher. When I say I am a serial re-watcher, I am referring to how many time I re-watch television series as well as movies, and while I personally don’t see anything wrong with this behavior, apparently, others do. I get asked … More Do you re-watch shows? Read this to learn why it is a good practice
Here in Ontario, it’s about that time of year again where winter occurs in the early hours of the morning, spring and then summer arrives around noon or so, autumn make its presence known mid-afternoon, and we are back to winter in the evening in the context of temperature. The weather around this time of … More Feeling down? Try one of these pick-me-ups
