“Where is your sanctuary? Buried in a romance novel, in a bath filled with bubbles, on a path by the river or the latest installment of The Walking Dead? Walking along the beach, hiking in the woods, baking a favourite dessert or skyping with your friend? Practising the piano, listening to a classical piece, painting up a storm or painting the bedroom wall? Retreating into silence, humbled in prayer, taking off in the car, sipping that first...

“Using present-day parameters to solve present circumstances will not move you beyond what is present reality. If the world is to change, then your thinking must evolve beyond perceived reality to the improbable and impossible.  Only then will what you are experiencing undergo the transformation, you are hoping for. As Gandhi said: “Be the change, you want to see.”  Such a big step for a small you. See yourself as big and this step will become...

“Are you giving up when you realize a goal is no longer attainable? Are you giving up when someone else chooses another path? Are you giving up when your values no longer align with the work you are doing? Are you giving up when your anger does not help the situation? Are you giving up when someone else offers to help out? Are you giving up when you stop to consider the consequences of your actions? Are you giving up on yourself when you want...

“You have probably heard the adage that people who talk to themselves have “a screw loose” or “are not all there”.  I wonder who first observed this behaviour and then attached this judgment to it? At the risk of incriminating myself, I am such a talker – especially when needing to focus on a series of tasks that can only be completed when performed in a specific order. This type of self-talk not only prevents distractions but also calms and...

“The courtyard in my condo building is in full summer bloom – thick, flowering bushes and berry ones, too. A paradise for small, flying creatures. Butterflies are no exception but today I couldn’t believe my eyes at the size of one I saw while cooling down there, having just returned from a late morning run. It was as big as a bird – in fact, I thought it was a wren or sparrow at first but then on second glance, saw the distinct wings trimmed...