I need to write this for myself, and if anyone else cares to read it to gain a deeper understanding of why a person would willingly give up a career that they invested so much time, money, and dedication into building, just to start all over again. Three degrees later, two of which are in…
Category: Mental Health
The Amazing Concept of Neuroplasticity
What is Neuroplasticity? Neuroplasticity is basically our brain’s ability to change over time through altering and gaining neuronal connections. Neuronal connections within our brain change over time as a result of new learning experiences and changes within our environment (Pinel & Barnes, 2021) Those who work in education may have heard the term “growth mindset”…
We All Grieve in Our Own Way and That’s Okay
I haven’t written a blog post in a while. I just haven’t felt like it; I haven’t felt like doing a lot of things, to be honest. I am sad and angry, and I have reason to be. Being both sad and angry about losing my mom are very normal feelings and it hurts me…
Why is Crying Good for Us?
TL;DR: When we cry, oxytocin, endorphins, and cortisol are released in our tears. This leads to feelings of connection, relaxation, and reduced stress. Crying also activates the parasympathetic nervous system, causing us to feel tired and calmer. Holding our emotions inside can lead to a variety of illnesses and medical complications over time. We’ve probably…
Helpful Time-Management Tips for Everyday Life
Whether you are working inside or outside of the home, are a student, a stay-at-home parent, or are currently unemployed, we all have busy lives to manage! Most of us could likely use some suggestions to ensure we prioritize certain tasks and activities over others and to make sure we have enough time for relaxation…
Ways to Develop a more Positive Mindset
Are you finding it difficult to think positively lately? Do you feel like you complain constantly about the same things? If so, here are some researched-backed strategies that you and I can use to work towards becoming more positive: Practice the “three good things” exercise. *This is pretty self-explanatory. Think of three good things that…
Languishing and How to Combat It
Have you been feeling unmotivated and much less energetic than usual? You may have heard of what seems like a buzz word all over social media called “languishing”. If not, “languishing” is defined as “the absence of feeling good about your life” or the “lack of meaning, purpose, or belonging”. This term was coined by…
Exercise and Our Mental Health
Discussions of mental health are growing in popularity nowadays, especially since the Covid-19 Pandemic began. The repeated message has been that finding time to exercise, and in particular to get outside and exercise, can greatly benefit our mental health. A recent study conducted by Chekroud et al. (2015), which involved over 1 million U.S. participants,…
Dealing with Anxiety: For Teachers
Once I started talking to other teachers about my own anxiety, I was surprised to find out how many of my colleagues also struggle with it. Some teachers have a diagnosed anxiety disorder which they’ve been dealing with for a long time, whereas others feel an increase in their anxiety levels during particular situations and/or…
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy: Changing Our Thoughts and Behaviours
Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is used to treat a variety of mental health disorders and addictions, such as depression, anxiety, eating disorders, gambling and drug and alcohol addiction (Society of Clinical Psychology, 2017). CBT strategies help people to change the following: Negative or unhelpful ways of thinking Negative or unhelpful patterns of behaviour (which result…