Hey! Hope you are having a fabulous summer so far with plenty of sunshine and time spent with friends and family (social distancing of course!). Today I have a few ‘hot off the press’ items that I think you will appreciate. First up is my newest YouTube video ‘How to Spot a Gaslighter’ which will tell you what you need to know so you can protect yourself against gaslighting from narcissistic personality types, and secondly, I have two modern day heroes to discuss that will brighten your day.

We had two weeks up at out vacation place near Powell River, BC at the start of July and it was a much needed break! Although the weather was a bit iffy and the mosquitoes were out in force due to all the rain we had been getting, we still had a fabulous time swimming, kayaking and enjoying the natural beauty of coastal BC.

How To Spot A Gaslighter

With my vacation over I came back refreshed and ready to make a new YouTube video. Reflecting on my counselling / consulting work over the last year I realized that gaslighting had come up in several client and couple sessions and thought it would be helpful to do a video on this.

Gaslighting has been in the news a lot of late thanks to a certain US President and you have probably heard the new hit song ‘Gaslighter’ from The Chicks (formerly The Dixie Chicks). If you haven’t had a listen, check it out, as it is on fire!

Gaslighting can occur in all sorts of relationships, in romantic relationships as well as in the workplace. At times it can be extremely subtle, so in my newest video I share some ‘red flags’ behaviours and phrases to watch out for that might indicate you are being gaslit.

This is serious stuff as gaslighting = emotional abuse and so I also share the #No. 1 thing you need to do if you suspect that gaslighting is occurring in your relationship. I experienced this myself when I was in my twenties with a former boyfriend (who was very charming) and it is a difficult place to be in- disorienting and demoralizing.

True Heroes – Part I

I was having a discussion with my husband the other day about how I was feeling discouraged about the state of the world, and was disappointed with politicians in Canada and the US, and I said to my husband that there didn’t seem to be anyone to look up to these days, that everyone seemed more interested in gaining power and making as much money as possible.

However, as soon as those words passed my lips I recalled two recent events.

#1- the recent passing of U.S. politician John Lewis and,

#2 – the incendiary speech given by US House Representative Alexandria Ocasio – Cortez (AOC) as a rebuttal to the non apology she received from US House Representative Ted Yoho.

If you haven’t heard the story about AOC, Ted Yoho, in front of the press, called her a; “F*$%ing B#@%ch”.

Lovely right? (You can see why I was feeling disillusioned!)

More on that in a minute…..

First let’s get to HERO #1, Mr. John Lewis, born in 1940 in Troy, Alabama, who grew up in the era of segregation and went on to become a civil rights leader and served in the U.S. House of Representatives for Georgia’s 5th congressional district from 1987 to his death just last week.

This was a man who actually LAY HIS BODY ON THE LINE and took BEATINGS from police and racist white folk in order to further the civil rights movement. If you did not catch the Masterclass clip Oprah did on John Lewis which I posted to my personal FaceBook page I highly recommend you watch it, as it is human beings like Mr. Lewis who give us HOPE and he will be sorely missed.

True Heroes Part II- This Woman Made My Year!

Where do I start with AOC – aka HERO #2?

I’m just going to preface this with what I put on my recent Facebook post about Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez where I shared this same clip (below).

As David Remnick of The New Yorker put it:

“Alexandria Ocasio – Cortez’s rebuttal should be studied for its measured cadence, its artful construction, and its refusal of ugliness”.

AOC gets ALL THE KUDOS and listening to her gives me so much HOPE for the future and I believe it will have the same effect on you!

Please listen to it in its entirety as it is a thing of beauty.

Are you with me on this?

No more will we take this kind of crap from entitled men like Ted Yoho, and Roger Williams (who stayed silent!) …and other men of their ilk – such as the current US President who has openly boasted about assaulting women.

There is NO place for this in our society.

Well, that’s it from me for today.

As we approach the last week of July 2020 I hope you and your loved ones are enjoying these lazy, hazy days of summer and that you will have a safe and sunny August.

Until next time,

xo

Elizabeth

The post How to Spot a Gaslighter (new video!) and Two, Modern Day Heroes that Will Make Your Day appeared first on Elizabeth Ritchie Counselling & Coaching Services.

Reasons For Hope

Although it has been a chaotic couple of weeks following the murder of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, I feel there remains much cause for hope. Do you feel that too? (And FYI we are all mothers in one way shape or form even if we don’t have children of our own…)

When the current U.S. President won the election four years ago, many were angry and despondent, but these emotions motivated them TO DO – energies were channelled into such activities as educating, protesting, organizing, donating, or fact checking.

The chilling death of George Floyd captured live on camera, also unleashed powerful emotions such as grief and anger, but it has caused people TO ACT. We have seen individuals of all colours marching and protesting against police brutality and systemic racism in far flung places such as New Zealand, Berlin, London, Australia and Iran!

People of power and influence who never felt compelled to speak up against inequality and injustice before are now using their voices for the collective good. These protests are WORLD WIDE and as George Floyd’s own family members said at his funeral this past week, they never could have imagined that their George would become a household name around the world.

If you follow me on Instagram of Facebook then you may have seen some of the posts I have shared where I have laid out some great resources that have been helping me to better understand the experience of Black people and people of colour. Understanding and acknowledging, instead of turning away, is key because (to paraphrase Maya Angelou);

“When we know better, we do better.”

And I for one want to be an ally to BIPOC (Black Indigenous Persons of Color) and support them to achieve equality and justice.

Announcing The First Ever ‘Made To Shine’ Book Club!

In an effort to ‘do better’ the ‘Made to Shine’ Facebook group will be kicking off our first book club and our pick is…

….Ta Nehisi Coates’ – Between The World And Me

It is written as a letter to the author’s teenage son about the feelings, symbols and realities of being Black in America. Described by the London Book review as;

“An unrelentingly severe, taut and timely text that’s been nearly universally praised.”

The purpose of this particular book pick is to increase our understanding of the Black experience so we can better support Blacks and multi-racial people in the fight for equality and social justice. The book club will be on Zoom and I am thinking about Wednesday evenings at 7PM -8Pm (Pacific time) although there is flexibility around this time / day depending on who is participating.

I believe Audible is offering this book free on a 30 day trial as well or you can download the Kindle app on Amazon.

If you are interested in joining us as we read Between The World And Me shoot me an email (ritchiee@telus.net) and we will start as soon as possible, depending on when everyone can get a copy of the book.

*Disclaimer – this is my first ever book club! But I am picturing a scenario where we agree to read a few chapters, meet and chat about those chapters and go from there. Easy and casual and everyone is welcome!

SOME GREAT RESOURCES FOR YOU!

1. 13th by Ava DuVernay

I decided to watch ‘13th’ by Ava Duvernay on Netflix last weekend and I highly recommend this documentary if you are open to learning more about systemic racism. ‘13th’ is no walk in the park but I think EVERYONE should see this for a better understanding of what black people have been and still are, up against. You will see the world differently after watching this movie, you will see systemic barriers where you never saw them before, and I believe this movie will call you to act. 

2.) On Instagram I now follow @rachel.cargle Her bio reads: building an intellectual legacy through teaching, storytelling & critical discourse.

I am attempting to bring to life Rachel’s directive – “knowledge, empathy, action”. She puts lessons up on her Insta page and there are also recordings on YouTube. These posts will make you consider all that you have been missing about the black / person of colour experience. SHE WILL SCHOOL YOU! Check her out today!

3.) You might like to read the article ’75 Things White People Can Do For Racial Justice’ by Corrine Shutack,

This comprehensive piece has creative and enlightening ideas about how we an be better allies to BIPOC. 

4.) Last week I ordered ‘White Rage -The Unspoken Truth of Our Racial Divide’ by Carol Andersen as well as the book ‘21 Things You Should Know About the Indian Act – Helping Canadians Make Reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples a Reality’ by Bob Joseph in hopes of further educating myself about what I may be missing / overlooking / not understanding in terms of our Indigenous People here in Canada and see how I can better support them.

(I still need to read these once I have read the book club pic!).

More Books!

5. If you aren’t familiar with any black authors I recommend starting with a classic like Maya Angelou’s autobiographical

 ‘I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings’ .

For a more modern take, the fiction book, ‘American Marriage’ by Tayari Jones is also excellent. I read this book a couple of years ago and posted about it on Instagram, where I queried why I tended to read books by white women only and I wrote how I had found this book compelling and funny, and Tayari commented!

Recommendations Welcomed!

There is a MASSIVE amount of excellent art / literature from black & multi – racial people to be discovered and if you have any recommendations for me, I would love to hear them!

I hope you find the above resources helpful.

I think we can all learn to be better allies, take increased action, share our learnings, and have tough conversations with friends and family about these issues as we continue to fight for social justice and equality for all.

***Remember- If you are interested in participating in the book club please email me and we will get you set up in the ‘Made to Shine’ FaceBook group (but you can still participate even if you aren’t on FB).

Much love,

Elizabeth

The post Why I Feel Hopeful and our Book Club pick… appeared first on Elizabeth Ritchie Counselling & Coaching Services.

Do As I Say Not As I Do lol

At this point we have racked up 3 months of ‘sheltering in place’ and for those of us with children or young adults, that means having them with us 24 -7. Up until now I was doing ok, but this week everything seemed to hit. The regularity of our daily routine, no real changes in scenery, the constant see – saw between work and parenting, and having to hear ‘Let It Go’ from the movie Frozen from 6AM to 8PM each day (courtesy of my son who has special needs), well let’s just say it did my head in!

Ironically this past week I failed to follow my own ‘medicine’ as laid out in my newest YouTube video about stopping the bad habits that contribute to low mood / feeling stuck. (Keep scrolling down to link to watch video.)

Back to School For One

My husband works from his office every second week and this last week he wasn’t around, and that always makes things tougher for me as I’m much more time pressed. In fact, yesterday my husband worked a 17 hour day! Yikes!

On the plus side, my eldest son started back to school part – time (mornings only) working with his SEA (Special Education Assistant) in a mostly deserted high school.

He was so happy to be back and this change brought some relief to both of us. Oliver and his younger brother have been doing their best, as have my husband and I, but dang! this last week was a KILLER.

I think it was the realization that there would be no sleep away summer camps for the kids and possibly no day camps at the recreation centres, and these supports are what help us manage during July and August, as they allow us both to work and provide the kids with some much needed variety and fun.

I know I’m lucky but this still sucks!

I also know I am lucky, because I can work from home and be with my kids, I’m not a front line worker in a hospital, I have a yard to sit in, family support, we have our health, I haven’t lost anyone to this awful virus, and yes I am extremely grateful for all that, but this experience has changed our lives, and change is always tough regardless of your situation.

This Covid-19 world is hard on the kids; children lose out on their summer activities / teams and camps, they can’t play with their friends, young adults have to forego graduation ceremonies and are having difficulty finding summer jobs, and for us parents, we are denied a much need break. Of course it is especially challenging for the elderly as well, in so many ways – the isolation, the fear of becoming ill and being unable to hug their grandchildren.

What William said.

Will, my other younger son, who is ‘typical’, well he saw his brother head off to school the other morning and then he said; ‘I want to go back too’. And just the day before he was saying how he had no interest in going back to the classroom, that he wanted to continue to do his school work remotely because he could then hang out with his family, go on long dog walks every morning and play lots of Fortnite!

Things That Help During a Stressful Time

So for me these past 12 weeks culminated in exhaustion and sadness, and having a good cry to my husband, (a good cry is SO therapeutic!), which then led to some much needed early bedtimes (for me!) and frequent long dog walks to find some peace and quiet.

Sitting in my backyard and taking in nature has also helped me to feel calm during these strange days. I particularly love our white clematis that has grown up and into my neighbour’s hedge (it reminds me of a waterfall) and at night, in the dark, the white flowers seem to glow. (Pic of the clematis flowers above).

Then there are the pair of stellar jays who have made a nest in the tree next to our house and they chatter and drink from our bird bath each day. We are lucky it is spring and at the very least we can enjoy being outside and all the beauty that nature offers.

Have you been practicing any of these ‘3 bad habits’?

And one mind set shift that will instantly increase your happiness!

Change your habits and you can change your life!

Above I mentioned how I was not following my own advice and falling into a few bad habits that contributed to my recent low mood. So I returned to practices that as a counsellor/ coach I often recommend to others to help get them out of a slump.

Practices such as;

• Spending time in nature (as I was doing enjoying my back yard / clematis)
• Restorative sleep
• Having something of beauty around you (bouquet of flowers, a clean, orderly kitchen, a picture that brings you joy next to your bed)
• Exercise / moving your body (sweat therapy!)
• Thought work, such as CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy).

Switching Our Thoughts

An example of thought work would be taking the thought;

“I can’t handle this Covid-19 situation any more”

and instead turning that thought to;

“I have handled this Covid-19 situation up until now and I will continue to handle it”.

Instead of shutting down and using Netflix, junk food, on-line shopping or wine to disconnect, consider taking the time to reflect on the issues you are struggling with.

In my case, instead of complaining to my husband about how difficult everything was, I would be better served by looking into hiring someone to do fun activities with our two boys so I can get some work done, now that the corona virus restrictions have eased a bit.

That being said, never underestimate the power of a good cry! (as it is a processing of emotions and is very beneficial) but you want to cry and then move on – no wallowing allowed! 🙂

(*Of course this is situation dependent and here I’m not referring to someone who is grieving or dealing with trauma because as we all know processing these kinds of events can take much more time).

Things You Can Do Right Now!

When you watch my new video you will learn what those 3 bad habits are and what to do to keep from getting stuck, particularly if you are an empath like me. In the video I also share the one bad habit that kept tripping me up in my 20’s and 30s (but I’ve got it now! lol) and an easy mindset shift that will allow you to immediately increase your happiness.

So hang in there lovely, with the advent of summer and an easing of Covid-19 restrictions we may get back to our former lives in some way, shape or form, and if we don’t, well we can handle it, as

WE CAN DO HARD THINGS!

xo

Elizabeth

Watch the video HERE

The post A Good Cry Always Helps! (Week 12 of Quarantine Life) AND new video ‘3 Bad Habits That Subconsciously Might Be Keeping You Stuck…especially if you are an Empath’ appeared first on Elizabeth Ritchie Counselling & Coaching Services.

Hello lovely! Now that we have passed six weeks of sheltering in place due to the Corona virus outbreak, how are you managing? Friends, family and clients have been sharing with me that they have been ‘hitting a wall’, which is totally understandable in these challenging times. If your stress levels have been rising due to the quarantine, then my new video ‘6 Easy Ways to Reduce Corona Virus Anxiety’ is for you! Keep scrolling for video.

Your Mental Wellness Matters!

The other day my son Will asked me whether I was worried about the Covid-19 outbreak, to which I replied ‘No.’ I asked him whether he was, and he said ‘Yes’ and went on to explain that he thinking about all the people who could not get food and were losing their jobs. (While Steve and I had been watching the news the other night he had overheard the PBS story about the large numbers of people in the U.S. that are now out of work and accessing food banks due to the Covid-19 situation.)

I told him I did share his concerns but that the governments were doing all they can to assist their people, and that we as a family were doing what we can to help others. Things like our monthly contribution to our Plan International foster child in Kenya (Uba) and by other charitable contributions and volunteering.

The World’s Woes Are Too Much For You

I discussed with Will how taking on the worries of the world was not healthy and it would better serve him to focus on staying optimistic, because a positive outlook keeps you healthy and strong and as such, better positioned to assist others.

‘You can’t pour from an empty cup’ as the old saying goes!

If you feel you have been taking on too much of the world’s negativity then the simple strategies I share in my new video (below) will assist you in choosing peace over worry.

Sending You Good Vibes… & a little gift for you soon!

I think this will be the last email I send you from my old Fullflight e-mail address as my new website is almost ready to go and I have a little gift for you too when it goes ‘live’…so stay tuned!

Here’s the video!

That’s it from me today, hope you find the video useful and I would love to hear how you are staying grounded during these strange times so feel free to share your strategies in the comments over on YouTube or below.

*And if you found the video helpful, be sure to give it a ‘like’ and subscribe to my channel. I’m hoping to get to 100 subscriptions soon as then I can have a live link or something like that … Ahhhh technology, I’m always learning! lol

Click HERE to watch the video.

Don’t Forget About our ‘Made to Shine’ FB group either!

If you want to be part of a fabulous group of women and are looking for more positivity and inspiration, come join us in the Made to Shine Facebook group for women- it’s free! Motivational posts, ‘live’ talks in the group from me on various counselling / coaching topics and some fun challenges can be found there.

To join we need to be friends on FaceBook so if we are not you can send a friend request to https://www.facebook.com/wibeth.turner or just email me at ritchiee@telus.net and I’ll send one to you – everyone is welcome!

Take care, stay safe and we will get through this! 🙂

xo

Elizabeth

The post What to do when you ‘hit the wall’ and the ONE question you want to ask yourself to immediately reduce Corona virus anxiety appeared first on Elizabeth Ritchie Counselling & Coaching Services.

Strange times we are living in! I know a lot of people are ‘feeling all the feels’ right now: anxiety, grief, fear, frustration, boredom, confusion… If you feel like you could use some extra support right now with this Covid -19 situation I have a video for you that will keep you physically and mentally well. (Link to the video is at the bottom of this post so keep scrolling).

Hard and Wonderful

The saying ‘We Can Do Hard Things’ has been stuck on my fridge for some time now and today I’m adding another saying: ‘Isn’t Life Wonderful?’.

The catch phrase ‘We Can Do Hard Things’ I ‘stole’ from author Glennon Melton’s work and the catch phrase ‘Isn’t Life Wonderful?’ was something I read in a post from Holly Branson (daughter of Virgin CEO Richard Branson).

Holly shared the phrase in reference to her grandfather (who has now passed). She wrote that he was born in 1918, was an absolute joy to be with and one of his daily sayings was ‘Isn’t life wonderful?’ which he would say every day at 5PM as he enjoyed his gin and tonic.

I love that and it’s going to be my new mantra too (and maybe the gin and tonic ritual as well now that I’m home schooling lol!

We all can appreciate the balance between having to do hard things in life while at the sometime appreciating the beauty of it. I am reminded of this now that I am self quarantining with the boys (Steve continues to go to work while I am working reduced hours from home).

This quarantine is broken up with our twice daily dog walks around our neighbourhood (socially distancing from neighbours of course). Although it is quite cold for April the blossoms are incredible right now and getting outside to see the sun and all these signs of spring gives us such a lift.

Gandalf Wisdom

We did it!

It took almost a year but Will and I completed the Lord of The Rings trilogy (LOTR) as well as The Hobbit (which we read first).

I didn’t read to Will nightly, more like a few times week and I found it one of the highlights of my day!

Now I know why these books, the first of which were published in 1937 just prior to the Second World War, have NEVER been out of print.

I can also now understand why George R.R. Martin (author of the Game of Thrones series) said he based his stories on J. R. R. Tolkien’s LOTR saga. It is fitting that the The Lord of the Rings made the list for the top 50 books of all time, and some say that Tolkien wrote LOTR as his way to process his experiences of World War I.

If you haven’t seen the movies or read the books, Gandalf the Grey is a wise wizard and the leader of the Fellowship of the Ring, and I think his words to Frodo (below) are applicable to what is going on in the world right now. (*Frodo is a Hobbit of the Shire who inherits the ring and becomes the ring bearer at a dark and scary time).

Focus on what you CAN control

We can’t control what is happening with this Corona Virus outbreak but we can control how we react to it.

I am working on staying grounded and calm during these uncertain days and in my new video (below) I share the 6 tools I use consistently to keep the peace within me.

Oh don’t get me wrong, I certainly have my moments!

Home schooling kids while working, and parenting a child with special needs who loves routine and consistency when all that routine has fallen away, will push anyones buttons let me tell you! But for the most part I’m staying pretty even keeled and optimistic.

If You Need Additional Support

If you have been finding your anxiety increasing or have been feeling low, then I hope you will find my new video helpful. And I would love to hear how you are staying grounded during these turbulent days so please share in the comments over on YouTube or shoot me an email. ritchiee@telus.net

At this time, I continue to see clients via phone and Zoom conferencing and all you need to do is call me at Tel: 604-803-1567 or email me ritchiee@telus.net to set up an appointment.

My schedule is fairly flexible and sessions can be booked in the daytime / evenings and on Saturdays. (I don’t work Sundays that is my ‘Sabbath’ so to speak).

*All appointments run 50 minutes and are $135 per session and depending on whether you have a employee health plan (Pacific Blue Cross, Sun Life etc.) / or whether my credentials ( ‘RCC’ – Registered Clinical Counsellor) are accepted, the session costs may be covered by your employee benefits plan.

For those without benefits who may be experiencing cash flow issues right now (as many are due to this Covid-19 crisis) , I also offer a sliding scale (reduced rates) so please reach out if you feel you could benefit from 1:1 counselling.

Take care, stay safe, stay in – we will all get through this together!

xo

Elizabeth

The post 6 Tools to Help You Keep Calm During the Covid-19 Crisis (video for you) and what Gandalf can teach us appeared first on Elizabeth Ritchie Counselling & Coaching Services.

On Being ‘Crispy’

First off, what has been going on since you last heard from me, is that post Christmas I was basically burnt out, crispy in fact!

During the fall months I had put my all into my consulting work, counselling practice, the SHINE FaceBook group challenges, and the creation of new videos for my YouTube channel, and I think that all that, coupled with a fabulous but very full holiday season, left me with zero impulse to create or do anything beyond the basics.

So I laid low over this past while and spent time doing things I hadn’t had a chance to do in awhile – like see friends and read books for fun!

(*Two great books I recently read below)

Reorganizing my closet, buying new lamps for the living room and hanging some pictures that were still in boxes from the renovations was also on my winter agenda.

Quiet progress.

Plans I had made pre Christmas were altered during these last two months as well.

Business wise I have completed a great new freebie and my new website is nearing completion (both coming soon!), but I decided to put my new counselling / coaching program I was planning for the new year on the back burner because I just don’t have the bandwidth right now. (And there are some other things I want to do first).

Out of the Flow

Life is good but the last couple of weeks I have been feeling out of alignment. The ‘ju ju’ just hasn’t been flowing and I wasn’t really sure why, it could be a number of things really.

For starters, my left shoulder has been bothering me since November, I need to alter my gym routine when I work out and I’m now seeing a physio for dry needling in hopes of improving it and let me tell you dry needling is not fun! 🙁

Then this past weekend we were up in Powell River for my younger sons hockey tournament and my eldest son got really ill (vomiting on the ferry ill – good times!) and the next day we had to rush him to emergency with a high fever and his feet turning blue!

(FYI- The doctors were baffled by the blue feet, we think maybe it was lack of circulation or temperature dip due to fever).

Then a few days later after we returned home, my other son got sick and he too ended up in emergency! and was diagnosed with a staph infection and is now on antibiotics.

So both boys have been home all week from school and between caring for them, getting my own work done and missing my gym workouts due to scheduling conflicts, well, let’s just say I was feeling I was feeling irritated and anxious.

And thats how I woke up today- out of alignment, irritated and anxious.

How Do You Know You Are Not in Alignment?

Your mood will tell you.

If your mood is low like mine was the last few days, that is a sign you are misaligned.

I can remember the last day I was really in the flow. I was getting work done at light speed, feeling creative, content and inspired, everything was falling into place and the world was working out for me.

I was like wow! this is F.A.B.U.L.O.U.S.

And then I stepped out of that good energy.

Impatience, worry and doubt started to rise.

Getting Back Into Alignment

How to make things right?

You do stuff that makes you feel good.

Those things that brings you joy.

You don’t check items that you don’t want to be doing off your ‘to do’ list. You don’t fulfill obligations that your heart just isn’t into.

You look for the JOY and once you are feeling good the energy will start flowing and everything will be working out for you.

So that’s what I did today. I focused on feeling good.

The shot below is from this morning when I took myself for an early morning run at the beach, then out for coffee and some contemplative, kid free, obligation free time.

Siting at the coffee shop I mapped out all the fun things I want to do in the coming months. I made my way back into alignment.

Dang it works!

Move your body, do something fun and suddenly your entire outlook improves!

Taking time for myself helped me to get clear on what I want to focus on in the coming months.

And here they are:

1. Increased and consistent exercise.
2. Having more fun!

I have to acknowledge that I really haven’t been making exercise a priority of late, party due to being away and scheduling conflicts but it is time to regroup and bump ‘getting a sweat on’ up the priority list.

How to increase the ‘fun factor’. In the coming weeks we are hosting a ‘We Survived Our Renos’ party, heading to the States for spring break for a few days, I’ve got some ideas about a workshop I’d like to host (on alignment and manifesting!) , and I will be chatting with Steve some of the exciting things I want to do as a family this summer.

More fun, more flow and BIG audacious dreams.

So how is your alignment these days?

What are you dreaming about for the months ahead?

Do you have some clear intentions?

All the good stuff is yours for the taking…

…as long as you are FEELING GOOD!

Until next time my friend,

xo

Eliz

The post What Got Me Irritated and Getting Back Into ‘Alignment’ appeared first on Elizabeth Ritchie Counselling & Coaching Services.

In this short video I share a ‘decade in review’ process that I just completed myself yesterday, and it was powerful!

The exercise gave me increased clarity around my priorities, not just for the next year, but for the next TEN years. It also helped me to understand what my ‘game changers’ were and what I want to leave behind in the 2010’s!

You need to watch the video to fully get what I am speaking about here but regardless I’ll share my top 5 ‘Game changers’ of the last decade, so you can get a sense of what I learned through this ‘decade in review’ process. And by ‘game changers’ I am referring to the things I did / experienced these last 10 years that had some kind of personal impact on my life.

1. Taking Personal Risks

Participating in activities that pushed me out of my comfort zone, things like quitting my job to spend more time with my young sons, starting my coaching / counselling business, running workshops, public speaking and co-facilitating a coaching retreat in Arizona.

2. Connections

Connecting with new neighbours after we moved, reconnecting with former friends through social media, making new connections with fellow coaches – like the time I travelled to Savannah, Georgia for a coaching conference (and I am still in touch with the friends I made there), and strengthening existing connections with family and friends. Without strong connections we don’t have much.

3. Having an outlet for my creativity

Making videos for my YouTube channel, writing pieces for newspapers and magazines, creating my newsletters to you, gardening, trying out new recipes in the kitchen, all of the above activities help me keep the creativity flowing and this is essential.

4. Travel!

After travelling to the UK and France this past summer I realized what power travel has, to shake up your world and enable you to look at life differently. It is so refreshing and recharging and I want more of it going forward!

4. Prioritizing Exercise

This ‘game changer’ was a surprise for me as I didn’t even think about it affecting my life in a major way. Not until I did this review that is. A few years I signed up with a new gym and committed to twice weekly small group workouts and it has been fabulous! This ‘sweat therapy’ has truly saved my bacon during some stressful times these last few years. I cannot envision my next decade without some similar consistent, commitment to my health.

Curious to find out what your ‘game changers’ are? Then check out the video below!

Decade in review – a personal wisdom map

In the video I share 6 key questions that will allow you to glean insights from your experiences of the last ten years, and then use this wisdom to create a transformational road map for your 2020s!

Click HERE to watch. I promise you if you follow the process in the video you will set yourself up for your next, best decade! 

Enjoy the rest of the holiday season and I wish much health and happiness to you and yours in the new year!

xo

Elizabeth

The post Holiday Gift For you! (Decade in Review- a how to) appeared first on Elizabeth Ritchie Counselling & Coaching Services.

The countdown is on. As I write this there are only 10 days left until Christmas! Where the heck did December go!?

How are you holding up?

I hope you are getting lots of rest, keeping up with the exercise and not over eating / drinking, and are avoiding over scheduling, during what can be a hectic holiday season.

I treated myself to a pedicure last week, (opting for some sparkly gold polish) and it was a lovely ‘time out’, and while I was there I picked up the prize for Leah, our November Two F’er Tune- Up Challenge winner .

Lucky Leah received a $100 gift certificate for Casbah Spa! (pic below).

The November Challenge Wraps!

With all the hustle and bustle going on this time of year, a believe a little extra rest and a little extra pampering can go a long way!

Leah, and several other of the Shine FaceBook challengers, consistently followed through with their two daily wellness goals for the month of November, setting them up for a great December.

Kudos to everyone who signed up for the challenge and even if you didn’t finish, you still are further ahead than those who never started, and research has shown that you will more likely go further the next time, so its a win win!

Mental Health in the Workplace –

Two New Videos for You!

In the last few weeks I uploaded two new videos on emotional wellness in the workplace to my YouTube channel.

Diagnoses like depression and anxiety are on the rise in society. Do you know how to recognize signs that someone is in some form of mental health distress, and if so, do you know what to do about it?

If you aren’t entirely sure, then these two videos are for you.

Part I

In Part I of this video series I discuss ‘10 Signs That Your Co-worker or Employee May Benefit From Seeing a Therapist’ and I explain what you want to say (and what you want to avoid saying!) if you suspect someone in your office / workplace is struggling with their emotional health.

To watch Part I click HERE

Part II

In Part II I describe ‘7 Ways to Support a Person Who is Experiencing Emotional Health Issues’.

And for you managers or business owners, I have also included 6 additional steps you can take to further assist your employee.

To watch Part II click HERE

Let The Festivities Begin!

I don’t know about you, but after a busy fall, the focus on work is beginning to shift to thoughts of Christmas shopping, decorating the tree, making gingerbread, and parties!

Parties, parties, parties!

Last weekend I attended a fun Christmas party with my consulting peeps, complete with secret Santa present swap and a delicious sit down dinner, and last night I was out waaaaay past my bedtime enjoying a fabulous meal with long time friends. So good to catch up!

It will be an early bedtime for me tonight!

After finishing a client meeting in West Vancouver I had a wander around the neighbourhood and found this neat flower / plant shop, and I picked up some stocking stuffers at another store across the street.

And along with the parties, the tree trimming and shopping I completed my gingerbread cookies (the only baking I’ve done so far) using my Mom’s receipe (it’s the best!) and am enjoying one right now with my tea.

Season’s Greetings

I hope you are having a merry December and getting to do all the things that bring you joy!

I also hope you enjoy my two new videos and glean a few ‘take aways’ from them. And when you are there remember to subscribe! 🙂

All the best,

Eliz

The post Mental Health in the Workplace Part I & II (new videos!) & our November Challenge Winner! appeared first on Elizabeth Ritchie Counselling & Coaching Services.

Click HERE to watch my newest video around the do’s and don’ts when it comes to speaking with a person who has depression.

I share phrases that are appropriate and the ones that you want to steer clear of as well as touch on common phrases that a person with depression may use.

If you like the video remember to give it a like and subscribe! Thx!

Ok I’m signing off as Steve and I are off for a rare night away from the kids! Woot!!!!

xo

Eliz

The post The one word you want to avoid using when talking to someone with depression appeared first on Elizabeth Ritchie Counselling & Coaching Services.

Hello beauty!

Hope you are enjoying the last few days of October.

Where I live the sun is out and with all the red and gold leaves it is dazzling!

I have been feeling a bit under the weather so have been resting (or trying to!) and drinking lots of hot tea. But prior to feeling ill, I created a new video about introverts for you.

Click HERE to watch. But be sure to keep reading to the bottom first so you don’t miss the two big announcements!

New November Challenge is coming!

I wanted to give you a heads up about a NEW CHALLENGE for November over in the ‘Shine – It’s Your Time’ FaceBook group (which I haven’t actually even announced there yet but will be doing very soon!).

It is the Two ‘Fer Tune-Up Challenge and it will help us get ready for the holidays which, if we are not careful, can be filled with over scheduling, overspending, not enough rest, and too many cocktails and rich treats!

I speak from experience here! 🙂

So if you are interested in getting ‘tuned up’ before December arrives and are ready to commit to TWO GOALS from November 4th through to the 29th then I hope you will join us!

There will also be two rest days included (where you don’t have to stick to your two goals) because I know that for you Americans reading this that Thanksgiving approaches, and other holiday festivities like early work Christmas parties, also can take place before December.

The two rest days give us more flexibility for the challenge and in my estimation hitting 80% of your goals is better than hitting 0%.

Right?

Goals I am Talking About

I am going to be giving some thought to what my two goals will be, maybe something along the lines of eliminating processed food or sugar, or some type of exercise each day, or writing in my gratitude journal each morning, or getting to bed by 9:30PM each night….

We are still few days out from November 4th so you have time to mull it over.

Be sure to choose goals that feel right for you and will get you to where you want to be (or closer to where you want to be) come December 1st.

And as with the other challenges we have done, the goals should push you, (you don’t want them to be too easy as you won’t feel accomplished at the end), and you need to keep track of your daily progress and submit to me to be entered in the draw for the prize.

More details about the great prize coming soon! …and it will be perfect for this time of year!

If you want in on the challenge and you are not in the Shine FaceBook group or you aren’t on FaceBook, no worries!

Just send me an email to elizjturner@gmail.com and let me know that you want to participate. If you are on FB we will link you up with the group (if you want) and if you are not, you can participate without being on any type of social media platform.

Everyone welcome!

And lastly for the New Year – 2020 omg! ….

2020 is almost upon us and I am super stoked to be launching a new online group coaching program that will help you to create a STELLAR new year full of freedom and transformation!

We invest in our holidays, our bodies, our wardrobes, our houses and or clothes but often investing in our mental wellness is overlooked.

If you are ready to transform overwhelm, anxiety and self doubt into peace, confidence and mastery over your emotions, then message me at elizjturner@gmail.com to get on the waitlist for January.

More details coming soon so stay tuned!

Video of the week – Why Introverts Shut Down

In my new video I discuss 5 signs that might indicate YOU are an introvert, how introverts and extroverts differ, even at a cellular level ( hint* it has to do with arousal) and what makes introverts “shut down”. Click HERE to watch and if you like the video, leave a comment or question, give it a like and subscribe so you will be notified when my next video on mental wellness is out.

Thanks my friend and have a wonderful week!

xo

Eliz

The post Good things are a coming! Plus a new video (Why Introverts Shut Down & 5 signs that might indicate YOU are an introvert) appeared first on Elizabeth Ritchie Counselling & Coaching Services.