one more step in a greener direction

I love cycling. It's another one of those win - win things ... I get exercise, sunshine and fresh air, while NOT using a gasoline powered vehicle for my transportation needs.

One of my goals this summer was to find a way of being able to get groceries while on my bike. I new what the answer was, and have been watching for my opportunity to put things in place. A little while ago opportunity knocked, when I saw that bike trailers were 40% off at Canadian Tire.

By the way - if you ever get the chance to see the movie "Who Killed The Electric Car" - I'd recommend it. After seeing it, my view of gasoline and automobiles changed completely ...

Today I am off to get groceries by bicycle.

It's not a huge step to reduce my carbon footprint, but the way I see it, even smaller steps can be effective ... as long as they are in the right direction.

Goals For The Upcoming Year

A week from now I will be celebrating another birthday.

What should I focus on for the next twelve months?

• To be a supportive, loving partner
• To be a positive role model / influence at every opportunity
• To honour my body with nutritious dietary choices
• To remain healthy, vibrant and active
• To be happy, positive, friendly and loving
• To be reliable, trustworthy and helpful
• To improve, learn, grow and explore
• To enjoy and appreciate the many good things in life
• To remain productive, prosperous and an asset to many
• To cultivate new friendships
• To strive for compassion, understanding and patience
• To seek out win - win situations

I believe that these goals are worthy and attainable

I look forward to the year to come ...
it will bring wonderful things

attitude adjustment

Once in a while I find myself a little short of patience.

I don't like being cranky, and sometimes have to make a bit of an effort to escape from that mind set.

Let's face it ... if we don't get a decent night's sleep, feel pressured by challenges and responsibilities, or are in a bit of a rut, most of us can find ourselves feeling frustrated.

Often we can't control what comes our way,

but we can control how we react to it.

Strategies I use to try when I want to improve my attitude:

• Get a little more exercise
• Contemplate the GOOD things in your life
• Seek more sunshine
• Force yourself to do something you've been putting off
• Listen to music
• Take a St. John's Wort
• Focus on happy events you are looking forward to in the future
• Treat yourself to a treat that you can be proud of, is healthy, and honours yourself
• Get out and get some fresh air
• Escape, and go see a "feel good" movie
• Think about your accomplishments, and take pride in your good work
• Use positive affirmations to remind yourself of good things
• Meet a friend for a coffee or tea
• Give people around you a heads up and warn them of your state of mind

It can be a challenge at this time of year for some of us Canadians to stay positive ... we can feel like we've had enough of winter and are ready for spring ... there can be a lack of sunshine, and at times we can feel a little stir crazy ...

Fight the blues!

We deserve to be healthy and happy,

and the people around us don't deserve to be exposed to our crankiness.

The choice is ours ... we can selfishly dwell in despair, frustration and anger, or we can spend more time feeling good about life and who we are ...

my former self

It wouldn't surprise me to learn that many people can't relate to me anymore ... I am not the man I used to be.

There was a time when I was aggressive and demanding. I am far from perfect, and at times still probably a little demanding, but I am a work in progress. I am not perfect, and expect I never will be. I have come a long way, but know that it is a never ending journey.

I have spent much of my life like many people ... a little misguided. My idea of success was to dominate and win. Anyone can live this way, but there is a price that comes with the lifestyle. Stress and unhappiness were side effects of the world I lived in then. I remember the pressure of the destructive nature of my life back then. It was taking it's toll on my health ... I knew it was no way to live, and that changes needed to be made.

There was a point when I enjoyed arguments, and could win most ... but it produced a lot of negative energy. I could feel the toxic juices flowing throughout my body during the heat of battles ... it was ugly, and in the end, wrong.

I decided that my lifestyle, the way I thought, my goals and intentions had to re - tuned to be healthier and more loving. I set out on a mission to improve my world, my future, my spirit and my health. It would be an upward spiral that involved daily efforts to tap into the positive forces within us all, and focus on what is good in our world.

Adversity can often be a wonderful catalyst for change, and for me it was a battle with Crohn's Disease and a failed marriage. I remember not liking who I was back then and knowing my life needed to change.

Setbacks happen. They are part of life, and we all stumble from time to time. If we can learn from them, forgive and move on, we can be richer for it.

I continue to try to grow and improve. I focus on love, joy and positivity. Life has improved and my world is filled with many good things I am grateful for. The journey continues, day by day, and I keep heading for that man I want to be.

dealing with stress

Here are some top tips on how to effectively combat stress-


Stay Organized

Find ways to keep things where you can find them.
Scrambling to find things creates unnecessary, avoidable stress.
Investigate solutions to organizational challenges.


Seek Balance in Your Life

If you are overworked and run down, you can become sick.
If you are sick, you will be unable to rise the challenges in your life.
Do what you need to do to take time to rest and play along with all the work you do. How you manage your downtime will help you be at your best during up time. Take the time to recharge and rejuvenate.


Don't Focus on Negative Things

Life may present us with problems, but obsessing on them only makes them more of a burden.
Recognize them, acknowledge them and move on.
Look for positive things in your life that bring you happiness.
Be grateful for supportive friends and the wonderful things around you that bring you joy.
Contemplate sources of happiness in your world.


Surround Yourself With Support

Seek out people who are healthy for you.
Friends and loved ones who care for you want to help, enjoy the opportunity to help. Often talking with someone can go a long way in sharing the burden.
Avoid people who are negative and destructive or minimize contact with them if possible.


Take Good Care of Yourself

Eat properly ... nutritious, healthy foods are the fuel that will help keep you functioning at your best. look at the things you are putting in your body ... they affect your body chemistry and make a big difference in how you cope with stress and rise to the challenges of your world.
Exercise ... find activities you enjoy to help you stay active and perform at your best. Exercise helps us feel alive and rise to the expectations life will present us. Take the stairs instead of the elevator ... go for walks, or find some other outlet to increase your physical activity.
Invest in yourself ... make the time to do the things that you need to do for you, so you can be at your best ... healthy and strong.
Be your biggest supporter ... use positive affirmations to reinforce the good things in your life.


Stress is inevitable. Life presents us challenges daily ... some small, and some huge. How well we cope with stress depends on how well we’ve prepared ourselves for life’s bumps and bruises.
Investing in yourself empowers you to conquer the challenges and be at your best. Believe in yourself … you have what it takes to minimize and overcome stress.

Stay healthy and arm yourself with the necessary tools to thrive.