Category : Winter in Canada

'Tis the Season, Blog post, Christmas, SHIFT Happens, Social Exchange, Winter in Canada

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Small Steps

It is that time of year again when we look back to examine what we have accomplished and set some goals for the New Year. I always marvel at how much I have accomplished in just one year. I have initiated my relationship with UVI. I have travelled to The US Virgin Islands and the BVI by many long and circuitous routes. I have danced and curled and spent time with family and friends. I have read books and finished writing one. I have visited Italy and Scotland. I have spent time at Lac St Anne and in St Albert and I have written morning pages almost everyday.

There are of course many things I have promissed myself that I would do that I have not been able to add to a daily repertoire. For Example… I always admired the way my mother went for a daily walk. It kept her slim, and happier and healthy … or at least we thought she was healthy. I really do want to add it to my routine. There always seems to be a great reason to NOT walk today. It’s too cold. It’s too hot. The wind is blowing. The snow or rain is falling. Its too dark. There’s too much traffic. Beyond weather there are the multitude of distractions in side … dishes, floors, dusting, books to read, garbage to take out, phone calls to make, emails to send … the list goes on … have a shower, get dressed, find warm clothes until there is suddenly not enough time left before work to walk for twenty minutes. And after work… forget it. The busy evening schedule which may or may not include favourite tv shows.

I am so good at avoiding it that I am starting to wonder what deep seated, psychological reasons are keeping me from walking. When I do convince myself to go I usually enjoy the experience. But obviously not enough to do it again the next day. Since I started thinking about establishing this routine in 1990… 25 years ago… I have NEVER gone two days in a row. I have enrolled the help of partners… some willing and others indebted to me because I gave birth to them. Buddy or not I have not succeeded.

This is a dire circumstance that I want to change. Enter the self coaching tools of the certified coach. Remember Kaizen and one small step. Remember mind sculpting. Remember how thinking about doing something and enjoying it can help you want to ACTUALLY do it. If I can commit to small steps I may be able to short circuit my brain’s built in resistance to the new behaviour. The trick is for me to imagine ENJOYING the walk and how it makes me feel.

I’ll let you know how it goes…..

Winter

The calendar indicates that we are still in the fall season. HMMMM Out my window I see winter. This morning it was milder than usual for this time of year and it had rained last night so there was a layer of ice over everything that made my 300 step walk from my apartment to my office a little tricky.

I heard the other day on CBC radio that Canadians have the largest wardrobes, that is they own the most clothes. Our weather is such that we have to have clothes for four very different seasons. We have summer, fall, winter and spring clothes that we may need anytime of the year depending on the weather. So very true.

This week I have been sorting and selecting pieces from my own wardrobe that I am hoping refugees might appreciate … things I no longer wear in that overstuffed wardrobe. To be honest I like the change of seasons and the need for lots of different kinds of clothes. I also love my winter forays to the south which have taught me that it is always summer somewhere. I keep my sundresses and shorts handy at all times in case I need to head south but I had really never thought about the need for more pieces in a wardrobe here as opposed to other places in the world. In fact it is hard to imagine only needing summer clothes.

We Canadians also talk about the weather more than other people in other places do. There is obviously more to discuss. Weather changes rapidly here and sometimes our lives depend on how prepared we are for the changing conditions we face. We are also better prepared physically and emotionally to help others in need. People call us NICE and we are in part I am sure because we know that if we don’t stop for someone freezing by the side of the road that they could actually die.

The other cool (as in interesting) part is that we have fewer weather related deaths than many other countries. Good work CANADIANS. Stay prepared and be cautious out there and look after each other. Keep that extra layer of clothing from your abundant wardrobe in your car. It’s WINTER again and although it is supposed to be milder than most we still need to be ready for anything.