Bell Let's Talk | Useful tips & where to seek help in Edmonton!

Bell, Let’s Talk. In addition to our video where we encourage you to share your own stories, we’ve teamed with Brandi Gruninger (founder of Evolution Psychology) and Jamie Bay, Head of Wellness at YBB and Founder of The Wellness Warrior, are taking us through their tips and tricks for mental health coping strategies and a list of go-to resources when you need help!

Tips in the moment: I’m struggling, I’m feeling overly anxious, depressed, or totally stressed out! What can I do RIGHT NOW?

• Change your body temperature. Get into a hot shower or step outside in the cold.

• Try deep, diaphragmatic breathing or square breathing.

• Practice a progressive muscle relaxation.

• Hold an ice cube in your hand for as long as possible. This is particularly good for preventing self harm.

• Sun salutation (quick yoga flow).

• Journal three things you are grateful for.

• Visit nature – even if it’s the backyard or a picture of nature will work!

• Colour in an adult colouring book or other creative activity such as knitting, painting, or doodling.

-Brandi, Registered Psychologist

• I love the 5-4-3-2-1 grounding technique. This looks a bit different for everyone. If I’m feeling anxious, I look around and find 5 things I see, 4 things I hear, 3 things I feel, 2 affirmations (i.e. I am strong), 1 thing I smell. The things that ground you are different for everyone.

• If I’m in a meeting, sometimes I need to simply leave the room and take time to breathe on my own.

• Go for a 10 minute run. Moving my body does absolute wonders for my brain and it brings me to a state of calm as soon as I finish.

• Touch each of your fingers to your thumb: index, middle, ring, pinky – focus on the sensation and repeat. Another great grounding exercise.

-Jamie, Certified Life Coach

Ok, what about preventative measures that we can do each day so we don’t get to a place where we need quick fixes?

• Get into nature! There’s tons of research proving the impactful effects of being in nature on our mental health. If you can’t get there, it can even be a screensaver as opposed to actual nature.

• Focusing on your nutrition is so important for your mental health. Also try Try adding vitamins (B12, omegas, magnesium), but don’t restrict your food intake.

• Exercise regularly. This doesn’t have to mean cardio, it simply means moving your body. Walking or yoga both have been proven to reduce symptoms.

• Have a group of close friends that you can confide in to share struggles with.

• Limit caffeine, alcohol, marijuana. All of these can have a negative effect on mental health.

• Limiting external comparisons via social media. Try to eliminate anything from your feed that doesn’t make you feel fulfilled! For example, follow body positive feeds as opposed to aspirational, unattainable celebrities.

Brandi, Registered Psychologist

• I take time to move my body 6 days a week. By moving my body, I mean taking at least 20-30 minutes to sweat. Anything that gets my body moving will ALWAYS make my mind feel amazing after.

• See a psychologist or counselor! I am beyond grateful for the work I’ve been able to do with my psychologist and have learned so much over the years. If you don’t know where to start, I’ve included resources below.

• Meditation. I use the app called Insight Timer which is a free app with thousands of meditations. It kicks off my day and gets me completely focused into the present moment. Something that myself and many others have a hard time doing!

• Organizational wellness: This one is huge for me. When I take time to prepare my entire week on Sundays –  who is cooking what day, when we’re having date night, what I’m wearing each day, when am I blocking time – the impacts are huge. I schedule my life so life doesn’t choose for me.

• Create a morning routine. Seriously. I know you’ve heard it a million times but IT WORKS. Each morning I meditate, journal, workout, and learn. It is my favorite time of day and creates an intentionally positive mindset.

•  Take time to journal. No you won’t see immediate benefits, but YES the benefits are huge. I journal about my gratitudes, what would’ve made yesterday better, what would make today great, and finish with a list of my own goals and dreams.

• If you have to take medication, that’s okay too! I was in a very dark place and was SO against taking medication. I had all the negative stigma in my head that it would change who I was and make me a different person. But guess what? It didn’t do any of those things. It simply helped me cope and get out of the hole I had found myself in.

-Jamie, Certified Life Coach

Where can I go to seek help in Edmonton?

In person: Momentum Walk In Counselling offers drop-in, goal oriented counselling and works on a sliding scale meaning, you pay what you can afford to pay. How great is that? They also have various peer support groups and a popular men’s group that runs year round.

In person: We All Believe In You (WABIY). WABIY is an incredible peer support group in our city for anyone struggling with their mental health. Check them out.

Phone: The Adult Crises Response Services (780-342-7777). We’ve heard nothing but great things about the support this line provides to those who need it most.

Phone: Distress Centre (Edmonton/Calgary – 403-266-4357). The Distress Centre is the largest crises call centre in North America and has an incredible group of staff to help anyone in distress.

Youth Text Support: Yes! The Distress Centre event has 24-7 text support for youth. How amazing is that? The number for texting is 587-333-2724.

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Upcoming Events

Featured Blog Posts

Women With Vision 2020 - Vision Board Creation Event Recap

2020 is our year of “GROWTH & LEADERSHIP”

What are your words? What are your goals? What are your aspirations?

We are so lucky to have connected with over 45 women to create vision boards of our own to start 2020 off just right! Did you know that this is the second year that WWV has SOLD OUT!? One of the many membership perks is getting first dibs and discounts on events and workshops like this!

The room was buzzing at Work Nicer in downtown Edmonton with goal planning and sharing as the hot topic.

We want to thank everyone including our amazing team for helping bring this event to life!

Jocelyn Davison our rock star event coordinator KILLED IT once again! We could not be more thankful for such a hardworking, kind & confident member on our team!

We kicked it off with a phenomenal grounding session from Kelsey Dalziel where she guided our attendees through a beautiful meditation to engage optimal mind sets before we created our 2020 Vision Boards!

“That session really helped me create a clear vision for myself. I came in not really knowing what to put on my board but after that grounding session I was able to think more clearly and come up with some awesome ideas for my board!” - Workshop Attendee

Nicole Constante is the women behind the vision of this workshop and we are so proud to have her back hosting for a second year! If you are lucky enough to know this women you will understand why she is the perfect person for this workshop! Always shining and such a joy to be around.

“Keep wondering what would it feels like. Keep imagining. Keep daydreaming. Think it into existence. Speak it into existence. Ask for it. Expect it. Believe it with every fiber of your whole entire being and give it no other choice but to come to pass.”

-Nicole

We want to thank the rest of our amazing supporters, sponsors, partners & volunteers for allowing us to bring these events to our community!

Riviera Liquor

Christina Bolstad | Food Sponsor

Flower Wall Edmonton

Brave Fox Coffee

Elisa Valade

Glenny Decasa Thanks to this super women for jumping in and taking photos for Nicole while she hosted! Team work makes the dream work!

If sharing photos online please remember to provide photo credit to @nicole.constante & and tag @yegbossbabes!

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7 Life Areas To Consider When Crafting Your Vision Board

A vision board is a powerful manifestation tool that will help inspire, motivate and drive us to the direction of what we desire.

I used to think that vision boards only contained the fancy things and the travel destinations on our bucket lists but I learnt that it is and should be so much more than that! Our vision board should encompass all areas of our lives.

I believe that we could live the life that we want simply by choosing to intentionally and consciously design it.

Putting not only the dream house, dream car, dream destinations but also our values, empowering quotes, photos of people who inspire us, it helps in making the board even more effective and powerful. Because the primary purpose of the vision board is to inspire us and to keep us focused.

We should have a clear and specific idea of what we want, where we want to go, the things we’d like to accomplish. The values our next level self embodies. The experiences, feelings, possessions, state of being that she has.

These 7 Life Areas method is what Tony Robbins uses for Date with Destiny when he lets his attendees create their own life boards. I loved how he divided several life areas in a different way than most people. This really got me thinking what matters first and to actually consider other sides of life and not just the usual (goals, destinations, bucket lists, etc).

1. Physical Body

This may include way you want look, how you want feel about your body, a fitness/weight goal. What do you want your health to be like? Every part of your body should be operating at its peak.

Our body is the vehicle with which we do things so it is important that we start to determine how we want it to be and our relationship with it. There are many outside factors that we don’t have control over but for most people, our body and health is something that when we have enough discipline and determination, we can control it.

2. Mind + Emotions

This can include attitude, beliefs that will determine your behavior, emotions or your experience in life (example: bliss, ecstasy, peace) and of course, your mindset and education.

This may be represented by words or symbols. For example, you would like to acquire more knowledge on business, you may put a picture of a bookshelf, or personal development books. Or for happiness, it can be a picture of someone happy and thriving.

3. Relationships

This particularly pertains to our life partners. The most important decision you’re going to make in your life is who you’re going to share your life with. Other relationships such as family will be in number 6. But for now, what’s the kind of relationship that you want? More than physical attributes, we should also set standards on what kind of principles, values and mindset they have in life. I learned that when you don’t share the same values, it’s never going to work and you’ll spend days secretly hoping they’d change. What kind of marriage do you want? What kind of experiences and lifestyle would you like to share and have together?

4. Career/business

I think my current vision board is mostly filled with this one. Haha! This is my favorite part and for my current stage in life and for the future that I want, I feel like it’s just right that this is one of my top priorities. This is also something that I took my time curating pictures for especially as a multi passionate like me who literally wants 700 things at once. It is important for me to be as specific as possible but at the same time, allows freedom for my ever changing heart.

If you’re an entrepreneur or are aspiring to be one, this can have our business goals, products you want to create or services to offer, how will you provide value. It can also have symbols for a sense of fulfillment, how you are learning, job promotion, location independence, etc.

5. Finances

This is the most famous part. Haha! Finances and money in general. This can be about your dream income but not just the amount. You may also put pictures that symbolizes what you’re going to do with that money or the things it allows you to have such as material possessions, dream home, dream car, designer items, equipment. It can also be about travel destinations on your bucket list and other experiences that can symbolize wealth and abundance for you!

For my new vision board, one of the things about finances that I put was my giving goals. I remember an experience where I only realized I reached my monthly income goal was when I was counting my tithes. It was the best feeling ever! Like, I forgot I set that (aka detachment!!) and then it came. That “YES LORD! We did it!!!” feeling is the best feeling ever and it’s super nice to have felt like I’m business partners with God. I want to partner with Him on everything.

6. Social

Who we surround ourselves with determine the course of our life so it is important that we become aware of the people around us. This area may include your network, your friends, and of course, your family. What’s your relationships like? What kind of people are they? What kind of impact do you make on each other’s life? What are the activities you do together?

I really want to have a girl best friend. Like, you know the ones in movies where you share literally everything and are super goofy around each other? That’s what I want. Haha! In my vision board, I put a picture of two girls working out together and having fun. LET’S GROW TOGETHER, GIRLY.

And of course, this includes your hobbies and the ways you nurture your inner child! What are the fun stuff you want to fill your life with? Although when you love what you do it never feels like work, you should also have other hobbies and experiences that fill you with joy.

Do you have new experiences in your list? Restaurants, places.. (Not even) the sky is the limit!

7. Spiritual

We’re not human beings having a spiritual experience. We’re spiritual beings having a human experience. Our vision should include things and experiences not only of the physical realm but also of the spiritual one.

You may put your relationship with God, alignment with your higher-self, self-Mastery and awareness, meditation and prayer practices you would like to stick to. It is also nice to have your values and beliefs up on your board to set a reminder of why you want these things and what grounds you.

I also created a PDF guide for creating your first vision board! It contains lessons I learnt while creating my first vision board. Some from my visualization exercises that taught me what I connected to most, and others I learned recently as I compiled photos for my new board!

I hope you have fun crafting your own dream board!

Posted Curated by: Nicole Constante ! NicoleConstante.co
The Get It, Girl Radio
instagram.com/nicole.constante