Prioritize your Wellness Budget

During these financially trying times, you may find that you are forced to review your monthly expenses. Certainly, the cost of living has increased in all areas, so some adjustments have likely been necessary. As a small business owner, my own costs have steadily increased in all areas over the past few years. So, the challenge becomes sustaining your wellness goals during fiscally turbulent times.

Employee health insurance benefits help to meet your personal wellness goals. Full or partial coverage for services such as massage therapy, physiotherapy, counselling and psychotherapy ensures that your wellness goals are supported in holistic ways. Progressive employers understand the profound merit of supporting employee health and wellness through comprehensive benefit plans. This support can continue after retirement for those people who opt to continue to purchase them. Your family doctor is also likely to support your needs for referral to services that help to address physical, emotional, and mental ailments.

So, explore what your employer has co-purchased with you, and make sure that you are utilizing your benefit coverage. Finding a therapist to meet with on a bi-weekly basis will help you to gain clarity on your emotional, mental, and spiritual wellness goals that can, in turn, help you to mobilize into action. Two sessions per month can really make a difference in your overall mental, physical, and environmental health and wellness. Improving your mood, confidence levels, and self-esteem are generally fundamental to feeling well. Research also shows that moderate regular exercise including walking has positive impacts on overall health and wellness.

You may find adding “wellness” to your monthly budget a helpful exercise. Costs associated with your gym membership, paramedical health services, and monthly beauty-care can be organized under wellness. Some of you may wish to include your costs of food under this section as well. For many, the quality of food is not compromised by increases in costs even though there may be a significant change in the budget allotted for food. Where your food costs have increased significantly, what remains in your wellness budget may be strained also.

So, you may decide to forgo your regular monthly facial or similar beauty service to ensure that your food quality remains intact. Another strategy may be to prolong time between services, so that you can afford everything in your budget. In this example, your facial or beauty service happens every other month rather than monthly. In a similar way, you can also stretch your health insurance coverage by engaging in monthly counselling or massage services rather than bi-weekly sessions. Talk to your therapist about ways to sustain your counselling sessions without negative financial impact. Many therapists offer subsidies and will adjust your fee or schedule of interventions accordingly.

Readjusting your budget when costs are rising is always challenging for everybody. It calls for you to clarify what items in your budget are priorities and the reasons that you prioritize them. Including your “wellness” goals in your monthly budgeting will help to ensure that you remain healthy during financially trying times. Remember that your health and wellness is important and that you deserve to be well!

Lisa Romano-Dwyer BSc, MSW, PhD, RSW

New Year, New Decade, New You – 2020

Aurora Festival of Lights in Toronto, Ontario

One of the main reasons societies celebrate “endings and beginnings” each year is the hope to begin anew. It is a time when people review the past year and decade reflectively.

You may have lost family members and friends due to illnesses, misunderstandings, divorces, or tragedies. At the same time, your life may have been blessed with family weddings, the birth of children, new degrees, credentials, diplomas, promotions, or a new job or business!

Everyone in society shares in the passing of the old year and the hope of the new year in common. New Year’s day is a statutory holiday for everyone to remember how fortunate you are to begin anew.

You may find yourself wishing you had reacted to something differently. You may also find yourself seeking to make amends with people you may have hurt or offended. The road you take in the New Year is completely up to you.

Starting slowly and honestly to review what aspects of your life you wish to improve, change, sustain, or maintain this year as the foundation to the next decade is an excellent way to move forward in your life.

Some people benefit from making a list of goals, ideas, resolutions, or plans for the next year. You may also expand your list to include a 3-5 year plan. Having an overall structure or framework for you to organize immediate and future goals is healthy and critical to success.

None of us experience success in isolation. Ensuring that you cultivate healthy and happy family relationships is essential to feelings of fulfillment, gratitude, health, and wellness.

In this past decade, North American societies have learned to talk openly about mental illness and the years of silent suffering caused by the social stigma created by misinformation and bias.

Know the signs of mental illness and be there when your friends need you most. Forgive yourself if you have missed the needs of others due to petty distraction or busy-ness.

Gone are the days of historic institutionalization where people lost self-determination and freedom due to episodes of depression, mania, anxiety, or psychosis. Canadians have come a long way due to the bravery of individuals such as Margaret Trudeau, Clara Hughes, Princes William & Harry, and Michael Babcock.

The constitution has also caught up accordingly and people with mental disabilities are protected equally under the law – even in the workplace and academia.

Your mental health and wellness is far too important to be misunderstood or mistreated. More service is needed, so you can find expert support at school or work without barriers.

Connect with a Registered Social Worker and Psychotherapist today who will truly remind you about your rights to be Well!

#NewYear #Let’sTalk #Heal #Wellness #KnowYourRights

Christmas Memories

Joyful experiences are forever dear.

Most people have good memories about Christmas. Despite the stress of shopping, and entertaining with family and friends, people make a concerted effort to spread the peace and joy of the season. There is no doubt that children benefit from the loving and thoughtful efforts parents, friends, and extended family put into making Christmas magic.

Memorable Christmas gifts are NOT always the ones that cost the most money. In fact, people remember thoughtful presents, crafts, ornaments, meals, or baked goods. Families fortunate enough to celebrate years of Christmas traditions together create meaningful memories for everyone.

Looking back on happy memories ensures that people have a wellspring of joy to draw upon whenever health, travel, or unexpected circumstances disrupt opportunities to be together with the ones we love.

Of course, all families have memories of tense Christmas memories as well. It is common for people to experience intense emotions, like sadness, and anxiety during the holidays as well. Everyone copes differently.

Some people argue and fight when they are stressed and anxious while others grow quiet and withdrawn. Indeed, there is a small group of people who dislike all the fuss of the Christmas Season – the crowds, expenses, and indulgences.

For those of us who love the Christmas Season, treasured time with friends and family is precious and coveted. Homemade decorations, photographs and recipes are kept for years and years, and in some cases for generations.

Christmas is a time for family and friends to celebrate together, establishing traditions of your own. Raising children in homes where traditions of togetherness and care is a priority transcends class, time, and culture. Spending quality family time celebrating traditions is as important as ever.

Happy family memories last a lifetime. Make this Christmas a beautiful one. Celebrating with all the people in your life makes your world a happy, safe, and healthy one.

#memories #emotions #happy #joy #yum #good #wellness