Listen to today's podcast... Have you worn a milk moustache today? January 11th is milk day, the anniversary of milk being first delivered in glass bottles. I grew up on a dairy farm. Milk was a part of every meal.  I can still remember my dad skimming the cream off the milk for his cereal and the first time I stayed with my aunt who ‘bought’ her milk from the store, and thinking that it was so watery.  Nothing at all, like what I was used to. Even after 7000 years of drinking it, milk is still very controversial. Many say we need it for bone growth, but there are those who say we shouldn’t drink it, as it can increase our risk for certain diseases. Take One Action Today To Build Your #Resiliency!      Tips For Building Resiliency and Celebrating Milk Day: Watch what you drink.  Add more water and milk to your diet as opposed to pop and other sugary drinks. Studies show that kids and adults who drink milk are less likely to consume sugary drinks which add no nutritional value to their diet. If you are having trouble sleeping, try a cup of warm milk.  The chemicals in milk, along with the warmth of the drink, can help to produce that sleepy feeling. So to honour my dad and brother, here is a little milk day humour….. Q: What did the farmer call the cow that had no milk? A: An udder failure. Don’t forget that you can find more tips for promoting health, by checking out my Live Smart blog at worksmartlivesmart.com #mentalhealth #hr

Listen to today's podcast... The alarm clock goes off, but you would rather roll over and continue sleeping. You get up, look in the mirror and you feel dumpy and grumpy. You go to the cupboard and instead of something healthy, you pull out one of those sugar cereals. You are not sure what is happening, but there are days when life is definitely more of a challenge. Reportedly 65% of us notice a difference in our mood and energy in the fall and winter. These people may be fighting the winter blues. This decrease in mood and energy colours the way in which we handle the other areas of our life that compete for our energy and attention. Research into the direct causes of the winter blues is ongoing. However, the more severe form, called Seasonal Affective Disorder, is thought to be related to seasonal variations in light which negatively impact the production of neurotransmitters and hormones that affect our sleep, mood and appetite. The winter blues are usually characterized by varying degrees of sadness, anxiety and energy. Winter blues differ from SAD in that the symptoms do not last as long and do not interfere significantly with everyday living. Take One Action Today To Build Your #Resiliency!      Tips For Building Resiliency Against Seasonal Affective Disorders: Increase your exposure to light. Spend at least 20 minutes twice a day. Arrange your indoor environment so that it receives more natural light. Install full spectrum lights. By increasing your exposure to light and monitoring your diet, sleep patterns and exercise levels you will be able to maintain your health, increase your energy and combat the winter blues. For more information on coping with mental health issues, sign up for one of my on-line courses at worksmartlivesmart.com under the resources and courses tab. #mentalhealth #hr

Listen to today's podcast... “What do you say?”  “Thank you” As parents, we probably said this a lot, as we taught our children to be thankful for the gifts that they received or when others did nice things for them. Are You Thankful? I think as adults we sometimes forget to be thankful.  We often focus on the difficulties and on the things that are not going right and sometimes we lose sight of the things that are going well and the blessings that we have received. A line of wisdom goes…You cannot welcome more abundance into your life until you have said thanks to the universe for all that you have. January is the month of new beginnings.  Let’s kick it off by being truly thankful.  Take One Action Today To Build Your #Resiliency!      Tips For Building Resiliency and Celebrating National Thank You Month: Make a list of all that you are thankful for in your work and personal life.  Be specific.  True blessings are the things in your life that resonate importance and touch your core. Know that when we are full of thanks, we radiate this to the people around us and we impact them in a positive way. Hang out with people who are truly thankful.  It is contagious, and you will feel energized, and inspired. Discover how to take small steps towards a healthier, happier, less-stressed you by visiting my website at worksmartlivesmart.com #mentalhealth #hr

Listen to today's podcast... Negative attitudes and behaviours are usually expressed when our customers are stressed out or they just don’t have the energy to use better communication skills, judgment and manners. Being stressed out is chronic in today’s society. We often have too much to do, too many decisions to make and are usually running behind schedule. The difficulty behind the negative attitudes and behaviours is that they are highly “toxic” to our staff. Dealing with difficult customers can make us feel grouchy, out-of-control and can rattle staff to the point where they may quit. It takes a lot of energy to be positive, to keep things in perspective and to actively fend off this toxic effect. As the leader, there are several steps that you can take to ensure that your staff can effectively handle the best and the worst in these customers. Take One Action Today To Build Your #Resiliency!      So here are Today’s Tips For Reducing The Impact Of Negative Attitudes and Celebrating Thank You To Your Customer Day: Discuss the types of customers that you may encounter ahead of time. What are some of the common complaints that your staff may face’ Share past experiences and horror stories with each other and prepare answers and solutions ahead of time. Teach your staff how to keep their composure, be assertive and know exactly what it is they want to communicate. Looking for resources to build your resiliency? Check out my Live Smart blog at worksmartlivesmart.com #mentalhealth #hr

Listen to today's podcast... Do you hold a grudge? January is the month of new resolutions.  It is also the month to Get Over It.  Whatever ‘It’ is.  ‘It’ can be very destructive emotionally and physically.  It is not to say that feeling hurt or angry is bad, but holding on to hurt and anger for a long time is. Take One Action Today To Build Your #Resiliency!      Tips For Building Resiliency and Celebrating Get Over It Month: Weigh the risks.  Holding a grudge takes energy and has a negative impact on your health.  It can keep you awake at night. It can cause excessive dread and worry and negatively impact your digestion.  It can bring about Depression.  Weigh out the risks of hanging on to that grudge or negative emotion and see if it really is worth the energy. Learn to accept what is.  You may not hear an apology.  The person may never admit their mistake but that shouldn’t be the goal in trying to get over something. Often hearing someone say sorry doesn’t make us feel better.  Only you can change your perspective and focus, so start today and Get Over It. Looking for resources to build your resiliency? Check out my Live Smart blog at worksmartlivesmart.com #mentalhealth #hr

Listen to today's podcast... Everyone hates change. So many people I know believe that this statement is true.  However, the truth be known, people don’t really hate change, they may just dislike the process of changing.  I know that people will only change when the behaviours that they have been using stops getting them the results that they want.  With the start of the new year, many of us have taken the time to reflect on the past year’s events or our life.  We may have set some goals for the upcoming year based on these reflections.  When we set our goals for the future and aim to be more on purpose with who we want to be, we need to see and feel the past as uncomfortable and realize that life requires change. Take One Action Today To Build Your #Resiliency!      Tips For Building Resiliency and Celebrating Living On Purpose Month: Know Your Why. To reach your goals, you need to identify the reason for the change in the first place. Sometimes it helps to write this ‘why’ down and keep it available, because sometimes when we are in the midst of moving forward and the path becomes difficult, we may forget the reason for the change and give up on it, before we get through it. Remember that change is not bad, and we don’t need to hate it. Whether the change you are making is a New Year’s Resolution or a life change to live more on purpose, always be kind to yourself. Looking for more tips to build your resiliency? Look for my book on Amazon called Stress Out. 52 Weeks To Letting More Life In #mentalhealth #hr

Listen to today's podcast... Having trouble returning to work on Mondays? Feel like you never really left? Struggling with the blahs’? Studies show that happiness at work may be the most important success factor for a modern workplace and that happy companies make more money! Your happiness at work is your responsibility. Not your boss’s, not your co-workers’ and not society’s. It’s Yours. However, if you are a boss or leader it is your responsibility to set a culture where it’s easy to be happy at work. Happiness at work doesn’t only come from the policies, strategies, plans or values. It comes from being able to do great work with great people. Take One Action Today To Build Your #Resiliency!      So Here are today’s Tips For Building Resiliency and Celebrating Thank God It’s Monday: Decide to say, “Thank God it’s Monday”. Make sure that you set the intention to be grateful for the fact that you have a job and grateful for the fact that you get to demonstrate your talents to the world through your work. Smile – it is contagious. Just as negativity is contagious, so is being optimistic, fun and happy. How you show up in life and at work, matters! If you are just going through the motions, you will be shortchanging yourself and depleting your happiness. Looking for more tips to build your resiliency? Look for my book on Amazon called Stress Out! 52 Weeks To Letting More Life In #mentalhealth #hr

Listen to today's podcast... Humour can help you thrive in change, remain creative under pressure, work more effectively, play more enthusiastically, and stay healthier in the process. Humour is an attitude focused on generating positive feelings in yourself and for others. It is an active state and a choice that we make. One other advantage of maintaining a sense of humour and being able to freely laugh is that it provides us with a powerful sense of perspective and ability to build relationships with those around us. Humour and creativity originate from a lively imagination and the ability to recognize and to appreciate the incongruities of life. Take One Action Today To Build Your #Resiliency!      Tips For Building Your Resiliency and Celebrating Some Day We'll Laugh About This Week: Our ability to look at the funny side of life can be developed with practice. Post a ‘Murphy’s Law of our Workplace’ Develop a Humour First-Aid Kit and fill it with your favourite jokes, clippings, and stories Make up a humourous response to ‘How are you doing’’ Being able to laugh about our situation and ourselves helps us to release the tension, regain our perspective, accept that which we cannot change and experience joy. Looking for more tips to build your resiliency? Look for my book on Amazon called Stress Out. 52 Weeks To Letting More Life In #mentalhealth #hr

Listen to today's podcast... I must have been sleeping. I missed the Festival of Sleep this morning. The celebration is an opportunity to sleep in, snooze, doze, nap, and catch 40 winks. However, I did doze off and I did go to bed early last night, so I guess that I unknowingly celebrated it anyway. The Festival of Sleep reminds us that we all could use a little more sleep. Before the light bulb was invented, we use to get on average 10 hours of sleep. Now many of us are lucky to get 6.5 hours of sleep per night. Yet, we know that we need 7-9 hours per night just to stay healthy. In fact, I think that we should celebrate the Festival of Sleep for two solid weeks – The week between Christmas and New Years and then the week after New Years. What a great way to end an old year and start a new year. Take One Action Today To Build Your #Resiliency!      Tips For Building Resiliency and Celebrating The National Festival Of Sleep: Obvious tip alert – Go to sleep. Watch for those things that interfere or prevent you from getting a good night’s sleep. If you are like the majority (65%) of the population who do not get the right kind or length of sleep, you need to find the right strategies to get a good night sleep. Go to bed at the same time and get up at the same time. Keep your room cool. Block outside noises. Watch the kinds of foods that you eat prior to bedtime. Don’t exercise right before bed. Looking for more ways to build your resiliency? Take my free on-line vulnerability test at worksmartlivesmart.com under the resources and courses tab. #mentalhealth #hr

Listen to today's podcast... The pressure is on! Too much to do. No time to think. Be productive. Do more. Uncertain economy. Climate change. Make the right decision. Make it now. Your thoughts create your emotional and physical state. How you think and react at any given time determines the decisions or actions you take. Successful people realize that by transforming their thinking that they can master the essential skills for thriving in these turbulent times. Take One Action Today To Build Your #Resiliency!      Tips For Building Resiliency and Celebrating National Transform Your Thinking Month: Look at the decisions that you have made in the past. Have they been the best ones that you could have or should have made? If not, evaluate how you made those decisions and see if there is something that you need to work on. Do you have enough tools in your strategy tool belt to deal with the issues and challenges you are facing? Using the S-O-S Principle can help ensure that you deal with issues, stay healthy and are supported during stressful times. For more information on coping with mental health issues, sign up for one of my on-line courses at worksmartlivesmart.com under the resources and courses tab. #mentalhealth #hr

Listen to today's podcast... “This year, I am going to earn my CSP.” That is what I said several years ago at this time. And thankfully, I can say that after many hours of sweating it through, I received my Certified Speaking Professional designation in San Diego, California July 2007. For many of us, New Year’s Resolution Week is a time to reflect on the changes that we want and need, and in doing so we compile a list of resolutions. Unfortunately if our resolutions happen not to work out as we had hoped, we tend to put off trying again until the following year. Take One Action Today To Build Your #Resiliency!      Tip For Building Resiliency and Celebrating New Years Resolutions Week: Visualize It Many experts agree that the resolution itself is too often equated with the plan when it is only one part of the overall plan. One tip is to visualize the future.  Identify and visualize what feelings will come about by you achieving your goal. Replay this image regularly. The more details the better! Everyday is a new challenge to live the way you intend to, according to your passions and purpose. Remember, it takes less effort to stay the same than it does to change. Most goals require stepping outside of your comfort zone and that is why many people give up. Looking for more ways to build your resiliency? Take my free on-line vulnerability test at worksmartlivesmart.com under the resources and courses tab. #mentalhealth #hr

Listen to today's podcast... On the last working day of the year, the office is quiet and you are prepared to take advantage of it to get caught up on your work.  The phone rings.  You sigh. Another stressful interruption. According to Fast Company the average office worker is interrupted and taken off task every 11 minutes. Even worse, they say that it takes basically that much time to refocus on the task at hand.  Often, we end up compensating for interruptions by working faster and harder, which results in us experiencing more stress. We get frustrated, impatient, annoyed, angry, defeated.  The key to avoid interruptions at work is to find productive ways to minimize and deal with them and keep our emotions in check. Take One Action Today To Build Your #Resiliency!      Tips For Building Resiliency and Dealing With No Interruptions Day: Plan for interruptions.  Know the type of interruptions that you usually encounter and when they are most likely to occur.  Limit the opportunities for people to distract you.  If you need time to concentrate on a particular task, block it off in your schedule and let colleagues know that you are not available until a certain time.  Turn off your phone and your email notifiers.  Shut the door.  Book a meeting room just for yourself. Watch for your own personal interrupters.  A messy desk, hunger, thirst and curiosity all get in our own way of being as productive as we can.  Organize yourself prior to starting your focused time, not during it. Discover how to take small steps towards a healthier, happier, less-stressed you by visiting my website at worksmartlivesmart.com #mentalhealth #hr

Listen to today's podcast... It is almost the last day of the year. This is the day that many news programs offer up a year in review. What happened that was newsworthy? Good, Bad and even the Ugly. This is a good time of year to do the same for our own personal life. What was great? What successes did you achieve? What challenges did you face? What didn’t go the way you would have liked. What lessons did you learn? All of these questions can help you to put life in perspective and help you to recognize the skills that you have developed that have aided you along the way. Take One Action Today To Build Your #Resiliency!      Tips For Building Resiliency and Celebrating the New Year ahead: Reviewing Your Life Allows You to Know Where You Are. If you don’t want to live this upcoming year exactly the same as your last year, you need to take stock of all that has happened. It is only when you stop and reflect, that you are able to find out, if what you do, is getting you the results you want. Ask yourself the question, What Am I Working Towards? If you are serious about living your ideal lifestyle, you must take stock of where you are and where you would like to be. Looking for more tips to build your resiliency? Look for my book on Amazon called Stress Out. 52 Weeks To Letting More Life In #mentalhealth #hr

Listen to today's podcast... Are you overworked, over-scheduled and just plain stressed out? There is a quote that says, “Time is the most valuable coin in your life. You and you alone will determine how that coin will be spent. Be careful that you don’t let other people spend it for you.” Take One Action Today To Build Your #Resiliency Tips For Building Resiliency and Celebrating It’s About Time Week: Schedule downtime. At least once during the day, you should allow yourself the luxury of having a period of time to decompress. The simplest and easiest strategy to use is deep breathing. It can be done by anyone, anywhere and in any circumstance. Create off-work zones. Determine what times during the day are off-limits for working, including no e-mail, or text messages. By defining these zones such as at meal-time, bed-time and days off, we are creating the space for rejuvenation and connection. Learn to say no. Say no to things that are outside of your priority. Say no to working late, especially if it is self-imposed. Say no to extra activities if you are feeling stretched to thin. Saying no now, does not mean that it will be a no forever. When you feel like it is a priority and you have the time to dedicate to the activity without compromising yourself, then it is okay to say yes. Looking for more tips to build your resiliency? Look for my book on Amazon called Stress Out. 52 Weeks To Letting More Life In #mentalhealth #hr

Listen to today's podcast... I am a chocoholic. I love milk chocolate. Creamy. Rich. Sweet. Delicious. It picks me up when I am down. Is this wrong? Not terribly. We all have comfort foods and mine is chocolate. I don’t eat it everyday. My addiction is quite mild most of the time. But there are days when I just have to give in. I have scavenged the cupboards looking for any type of chocolaty morsel. And when I do indulge, I try to do so with very little guilt, (which isn’t always possible). It’s About Moderation Contrary to popular belief, chocolate isn’t its own food group, but treats are not all bad. Moderation is the key. Eating healthy around the treats is also well advised. But I do like my chocolate and I am always glad that my Christmas stocking, is lovingly filled with….Chocolate. My boys use to wondered why Santa only brought mommy chocolate…I told them, it was because daddy wanted mommy to be happy so he wrote it in his letter to Santa to bring me a stocking full of chocolate. And Santa hasn’t let me down yet. So hats off to the Mayans and the Aztecs for creating the first chocolaty drink. Take One Action Today To Build Your #Resiliency!      Tips For Building Resiliency and Celebrating National Chocolate Day: I don’t have any, other than to indulge responsibly Looking for resources to build your resiliency? Check out my Live Smart blog at worksmartlivesmart.com #mentalhealth #hr

Listen to today's podcast... If you are a business owner, you may be looking at the end of the year as the time to review your Business Plan. I don’t enjoy doing this and I find it stressful to sit down and review where I have been and where I would like to grow my business. But I know that this is a necessary task as an entrepreneur. Writing my business plan greatly improves my chances for success. Take One Action Today To Build Your #Resiliency!      So Here are today’s Tips For Building Resiliency and Celebrating National Write A Business Plan Month: Keep it short. Your business plan should be a tool you use to run and grow your business. If it is too long, it becomes daunting, stressful, and relegated to the bottom of your to do list. The biggest part of the business plan and the most helpful part of my plan answers the questions of what am I actually selling, how am I solving a problem for my market, and why me and not my competition. Your customers are stressed about something and you are there to solve it. My customers are leaders who see that stress is negatively impacting the health, productivity and functioning within their team, and they need tools that they and their teams can use to manage their stress, promote positive mental health, and build overall resiliency. Whether you are a business owner or not, the end of the year is a great time to review where you have been and where you are going. Set your intentions for a bright year ahead and make decisions that take you along this path. Remember, If you like today’s wellness tips, let me know. You can leave me a review on amazon or through your #alexa app. Don’t forget that you can find more tips for coping with mental health issues, by checking out my Live Smart blog at worksmartlivesmart.com. #mentalhealth #hr

Listen to today's podcast... We can be a nation of entitled whiners.  “It’s too cold.”  “I am the only one around here who does anything.”  “Blah, blah, blah” or should I say “whine, whine, whine.” Hunger, tiredness, boredom and feeling unwell are factors that can precipitate whining sessions at work, but some colleagues have learned from a very early age that whining gets them the attention that they are seeking.  Whining has become second nature and their predominant way of communicating.  Their behaviour is draining on relationships and it can poison a workplace. Take One Action Today To Build Your #Resiliency!      Tips For Building Resiliency and Celebrating National Whiner’s Day: If you catch yourself whining: Try moving from an attitude of entitlement to one of gratitude.  It is hard to be whining when focused on the positive and being thankful. Focus on problem solving.  It is okay to vent, but that venting must be followed by problem solving otherwise it is whining for whining’s sake. If you are going to confront a whiner: Understand that they are looking for attention, but give them attention for solving the issue, not for whining about the issue. Finally, minimize the amount of time that you spend with the whiner.  They will zap your energy if you aren’t careful. Looking for resources to build your healthy workplace? Check out my top 10 tips under Resources and Courses at worksmartlivesmart.com #mentalhealth #hr

Listen to today's podcast... It is Christmas Day for those of us who celebrate this time of year. As we go into the holidays, I wanted to share this little blessing with you. To you I wish all the blessings of Christmas. May you experience the warmth of home, The cheer and good will of friends, And the hope of a child-like heart. May love work its magic into your life, And may you touch every life you meet. May you provide compassion to those in need, And have the courage to stand up for yourself. May the stars light your way. May you have unmatchable success in life and the ability to handle it with grace. Have a blessed Christmas.   #mentalhealth #hr

Listen to today's podcast... It is Christmas Eve for those of us who celebrate this time of year. As we go into the holidays, I wanted to share this little blessing with you. To you I wish all the blessings of Christmas. May you experience the warmth of home, The cheer and good will of friends, And the hope of a child-like heart. May love work its magic into your life, And may you touch every life you meet. May you provide compassion to those in need, And have the courage to stand up for yourself. May the stars light your way. May you have unmatchable success in life and the ability to handle it with grace. Have a blessed Christmas.   #mentalhealth #hr

Listen to today's podcast... Holidays provide opportunity for celebration, and they often bring about family tension. By determining your goals for the holidays and by staying in control of your reactions, you can help to ward off excessive stress and have a stress-free family gathering – whatever that may look like this year. Take One Action Today To Build Your #Resiliency!      So here are today’s Tips For Building Resiliency and Celebrating Stress-Free Family Gatherings Week: The first and most important step to a less stressful family gathering is to determine who pushes your buttons. Then understand what the person gets from being so difficult. Some want to feel more in control over what is happening around them. Some want to feel important and listened to, and some want to avoid outright conflict, but will act out their annoyance or disagreement through other negative behaviours. By understanding what people expect to gain from using undesirable behaviours, we are in a much better position to deflect and defeat the difficult behaviour and move the person towards more acceptable ways of responding. Our job is to help these family members feel more in control, more listened to and more important. My second tip is to avoid ‘holiday perfectionism’. Thinking, saying, or planning for the best holiday ever can lead to certain disappointment. Be okay with disorganization, conflict, and family chaos. Going with the flow will help to reduce your stress. Finally, stop and be in the moment. When you start to feel the tension rising, take a moment to notice the wondrous sights, sounds, and smells around. Changing focus helps to reduce your stress level. Wishing you a meaningful, joyful, and Stress-Free Family Gathering. Remember, If you like today’s wellness tips, let me know. You can leave me a review on amazon or through your #alexa app. Looking for more ways to build your resiliency during the holidays? Check out my holiday infographic at: https://worksmartlivesmart.com/mental-health-infographics/ or read a few of the articles posted at: https://worksmartlivesmart.com/?s=holiday+stress #mentalhealth #hr