Live a Life You Love

Decisions, decisions. Did you know that one of the reasons people come to counselling or therapy is to get help making decisions? That fact is one of the many things I learned in my studies last year. (Cue the marching band! I am one step closer to earning my credentials to provide Addictions and Mental Health Counselling. Being a full-time student was more time intensive than I had anticipated; however, it was a great year of learning!) In my counselling course, I learned a system for making decisions that you will find helpful. A traditional pros and cons list can… Read More

SANGER, Calif., November, 2022– Motherhood is stressful, but international award-winning speaker and worry management expert Denise Marek is here to tell you that you can stress less by learning to worry wisely! With her proven CALM method, a four-step process that has helped many individuals and organizations around the world connect with their inner peace, overcome their fears, and take the risks that are essential for success, mothers can tackle the stress of parenting. In this book, readers learn how to move from worry-filled to worry-free so their parenting experience will feel happier, more present, and less stressed. Whether they… Read More

What do these five things have in common: earthquakes, tornadoes, mudslides, volcanic eruptions, and in-laws? They’re all things over which we have no control. Some of the things we worry about—like natural disasters and other people—are beyond our control. Though they’re beyond our control, they’re not always beyond our influence. That which is beyond your control is not always beyond your influence. If you’re faced with an “uncontrollable” in your life right now, don’t give up. Instead, read the following three ways to influence the uncontrollable and come up with some creative actions you could take. Influence the… Read More

Did you know not all worry is bad? That’s right! Some worry can actually be good for you. Sometimes it’s saying, “Hey, pay attention! There are some things you need to do to protect your health, your wealth, yourself, your family, your business.” When you feel worry brewing, instead of sitting there stewing, get up and start doing! When you’re feeling worried, ask yourself, “Is this worry prompting me to take action?” If it is, act. Sounds simple enough, right? The challenge is fear and worry often stop us from taking action. Has fear ever stopped… Read More

*Trigger Warning: Grief, Loss This may seem like an unusual Christmas message. Yet, this is a story of hope. It’s a story of help in the midst of a storm. It’s a story to ease loneliness during a time that can be lonely for so many. It was the first snowfall of the winter and the day after I returned from a holiday in Disney World with my husband and two young daughters. It is a day I will never forget! The Driver We had booked a Disney “land and sea” vacation package. Three days at a Disney… Read More

Give this sixty-second video a quick watch and tell me . . . Do you think this could possibly be the world’s strangest pick-up line? I’m quite certain that if someone had asked me the question my friend had been asked, I would not have assumed I was being hit on! I would have taken it personally because I was teased about my weight when I was a kid. In his book, Free to Change: Escape from the Forces that Keep You the Same, Matthew J. Taylor writes: “Young… Read More

When my daughter Lindsay was a little girl, she was looking through some black and white baby pictures of her dad. She asked, “Daddy, was everything black and white in the old days?” “Yes,” he said. She looked puzzled and asked, “When did the new days start?” He quickly replied, “When your mom was born.” Change is happening all of the time. We often don’t notice the little or unexpected changes until we look back and see how far we’ve come. Some change – like the pandemic – happens so fast we can get thrown-off balance physically, financially, relationally, and… Read More

We cannot change what this pandemic has done, but we can change ourselves by learning to adapt and move forward. Adapting to change helps you to enjoy less stress and more success in your work and in your life. “When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.” — Viktor Frankl In my business as an international speaker, I have given keynotes and training sessions around the globe in Canada, United States, Mexico, Australia, Aruba, and United Kingdom. I love travelling. I love being together with others and… Read More

Did you know that William Shakespeare wrote King Lear while in quarantine from the bubonic plague? There’s more . . . In 1606, when the bubonic plague returned to England, wreaking havoc on Londoners, Shakespeare completed three of his greatest tragedies: King Lear, Macbeth, and even Antony and Cleopatra. Experts believe that Shakespeare completed Antony and Cleopatra in July of 1606 after the plague forced the closure of his venue, the Globe Theatre. That was over 400 years ago. Admittedly, Shakespeare, didn’t have the same distractions to occupy his mind that we have available today. Try picturing Shakespeare binge-watching Netflix, crushing it… Read More

In addition to dealing with a “new normal” way of life, many of us are facing another new normal – a “new normal summer body.” The term coined for weight gained during the pandemic is: The Quarantine 15. A popular post on social media reads: “Due to coronavirus, my summer body will be delayed to 2021. Thank you for understanding.” Making light of difficult situations can have its place in helping to reduce stress. But . . . Let’s face it, weight gain can be hard on our self-esteem, health, and overall wellbeing. What can you do… Read More