Posts by inspired_admin

When noticing comments in the news, articles and social media, stating the need for us to “be strong”, it reminds me that there is a lot of misperceptions around that word which needs to be redefine. In our culture, when we perceive someone in a position of authority such as a boss or politician, as being “strong”, we typically see them as confident and self-assured.  That in turn can create a covert assumption of them being competent. But in reality, that “strong” person is more likely suppressing a lot of emotions and putting up a wall of defensiveness to appear invulnerable and avoid being “caught off guards”. That illusion can partly explain why some remain loyal to bosses or politicians even when they are acting way out of ethical/lawful norms. In times of...

At Alpine Counselling Clinic in Vancouver, through my full counselling/coaching practice, I have been even more acutely aware of the ripple effect of the pandemic on many people’s nervous system.  One such impact is that the inner window of tolerance for our, normally wide, range of feelings and reactions starts to narrow. A common expression that captures part of that concept is when we say someone has a short fuse, meaning they are quick to anger. More than this, when someone has a small rather than expanded window of tolerance, it usually signifies that their nervous system has become either hyper aroused or hypo-aroused.  Let me explain… As results of trauma or traumatic stress our nervous system becomes hyper-aroused meaning the part of our brain that is in...

The ornate, beautiful, and magical gateway in this image is meant to inspire you to think of how you will lead yourself through the gateway of your own transformational practices and aspirations in 2021. On the larger scale, the last major event across the border infuses us with renewed hope. What a momentous 2021 already, with historical events in North America, from the horrific riot on the US Capitol of January 6, to the Inauguration of Joe Biden as the new President of United States on January 20th.  With this new leadership and everything decent and progressive Biden and Harris stand for; we are experiencing something akin to a huge reset, or course correction of human evolution on this continent. And this return to decency feels even more poignantly...

As I captured the moment of this bee approaching a giant thistle flower, I noticed the largest of the two flowers had a bee nestled in, filling up on nectar. If you are beyond your middle years and have been thinking about “retirement”, consider re-engaging instead.  What will be your new opportunity to approach and dive in?  How will you immerse yourself into new sources of fulfillment that will be your life’s nectar? Over the past decade of leading retirement seminars and providing one-on-one coaching for this major work/life transition, I have observed numerous limiting beliefs acting as barriers in the minds of many pre-retirees. These have been identified and addressed in live seminars across the country and currently in webinars (info included on this at...

By Isabelle St-Jean, RSW, PCC, RTC Since March, as you know, Covid-19 has impacted all areas of our world, from economies, workplaces, job markets, health care system, the list goes on. It seems we all dropped into pragmatic survival mode on the Maslow hierarchy of needs. This in turn shifted us away from the higher aspirations we might have held in mind and heart prior to the pandemic. In various ways, this crisis has rattled our belief systems including the common assumption of being able to control the course of our life.  Countless people now unemployed or under- employed are feeling their previous sense of predictability or financial security suddenly vanishing as if a giant rug was pulled from under their feet. For yet others, social isolation and missing...