FEATURED: Personal Renovation

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This article appeared in the Times Colonist Fall 2018 issue of Capital Home Magazine

Longtime friends Jodi Baker and Tracey Lamoureux didn’t quite know what to expect when they signed up for a wellness weekend at The Fairmont Empress, but it seemed like a good way to carve out time in their busy lives to spend together.

At a minimum, they thought it would be a beautiful ‘staycation,’ with two nights at The Empress, gourmet meals, yoga and exercise classes and exclusive access to the hotel’s newly renovated pool and spa.

But more than a year later, the two are still making use of and building on lessons they learned at the three-day workshop, from healthier time management to daily short meditations.


Get the scoop on upcoming events!


For more FEATURED articles, check out the following:

Are you in transition? It's time to rebuild and reinvigorate your life!

Join me for an all-inclusive weekend dedicated to your wellbeing at Victoria’s Oak Bay Beach Hotel, February 1 to 3, 2019!

Join me for an all-inclusive weekend dedicated to your wellbeing at Victoria’s Oak Bay Beach Hotel, February 1 to 3, 2019!

Transitions require a rethink.


Transitions can shatter your identity, or at least put a few cracks in who you believe you are.

Transitions can be the push you need to finally commit to greater vitality.

Transitions can provide the opportunity to live bigger, more authentically, more joyfully.

Whether your transition is the loss of a loved one, becoming a new parent, the end of a relationship, the start of a new job, relocating to a new community, or entering retirement, it will serve you to spend some time investigating who the new you could be.

My daughter Bronwyn turns one next week! As a new parent, I've struggled with my identity.

My identity before becoming a parent was that of someone who was energized, disciplined, present and positive.

The past year has presented many unforeseen challenges, and in the beginning I barely had the time or energy to care for myself. I was overwhelmed, undisciplined, stretched in a million different directions. Anxious. Pessimistic.

To put it lightly, the transition into parenthood shook my foundation.

Despite my years of education and experience practicing and teaching wellness, I really had to rethink things.

How could I maintain the self-care practices I held so dear? I couldn't. I had to stage a reinvention.

Are you in transition? Join me for the chance to reinvent yourself too!

On February 1 to 3, 2019, come retreat at the beautiful Oak Bay Beach Hotel for an all-inclusive weekend dedicated to your wellbeing.

You’ll be provided with the tools, time and space to rethink your life; to add more energy, more presence, more connection, more peace.

You’ll be nourished with delicious food, pampered at the seaside spa, and treated to your own luxurious suite.

You’ll be joined by an incredible group of people who are on the same journey.

You’ll be presented with The Life Delicious' 5-module curriculum, and led through a series of engaging lectures, solo exercises and group discussions, so you can digest the information on a deep and personal level, allowing you to take the necessary actions that will create instant and lasting positive change.

This transition has provided me with even more excitement, certainty and confidence in what I teach. I can’t wait to share my updated curriculum with you! It’s been carefully revised through new eyes to be even more concise and easier to implement.


Nothing is more valuable than creating a solid foundation to live and lead from.

If it’s time to reinvest in you, I hope you’ll join me in February! Details here >>> www.thelifedelicious.ca/retreats


TLD April Intel: A Monthly Roundup Of Intelligence To Help You Live The Life Delicious!

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Intelligence: the ability to acquire and apply knowledge and skills.


 

Spring has sprung, and the sun is shining as I write this (and baby naps)!

More daylight and more sunshine make such a difference to my mood.

You too?

Mood (the way you feel) is always on my mind, as is mindset (the way you think) – and how much power we have to influence both. 

I created The Life Delicious curriculum following a very dark period in my life. 

I struggled with negative thinking, sedentary behaviour, an unhealthy diet, poor sleep hygiene, and loneliness for years. 

When things began to turn around – when I became happier, healthier and more productive – I reverse engineered how I'd arrived, realized there was a reproducible strategy to it, packaged it into a shareable form, and called it The Life Delicious!

Practically EVERY DAY I return to these principles, review and practice them.

It's not a one-time thing to go to the gym, be grateful, take a breath before you retort, or eat a salad!

Your health, happiness and productivity are a summation of small, consistent practices. 

But once you do the work of establishing healthy habits, it's almost effortless. 

 

The Life Delicious curriculum helps you hardwire healthy habits, so they're automatic, with mindfulness-based, science-backed strategies that cover 5 in-depth modules:

  • Mindset

  • Movement

  • Nutrition

  • Sleep

  • Connection 


Imagine the ease with which you could live if you thought better, moved more, ate better, slept better, and connected more deeply. 

I'm as excited as ever to share my work because I don't have to imagine the ease anymore, I'm living it!

And I want you to live it to. 
 


The caveat: as a new parent, my business has shifted.

How I share my time has changed.

For now, I'd like to offer more shorter and local events (in addition to a small selection of overnight retreats at incredible locations). 

This is where I'd love YOUR thoughts!

  • would you prefer a series of 90-minute, half-day or full-day events in Vancouver?
  • would you prefer weekdays or weekends? morning, afternoon or evening?
  • do you know of an amazing venue in Vancouver that's food-friendly, totally private, and comfortably fits 12-25 people? 

Thank you so much for sharing.


Okay, now to the INTEL! Happy reading/listening/watching!


Pressed for time? My top 3 picks:

1.       VIDEO: Core Activation - Why We Lift Before We Wrap  |  The Bloom Method

2.       ARTICLE: How bacteria are changing your mood  |  BBC News

3.       VIDEO: How Not to Die: Dr. Greger’s Daily Dozen Checklist  |  nutritionfacts.org



Get the tools to fuel your goals with soul: A 5-day retreat at Hollyhock

(IMAGE: www.aaronjbarr.com)

(IMAGE: www.aaronjbarr.com)

To live the life you want – to fuel your goals and realize your dreams – you need two things: clarity and power.

You need to know exactly what you want, how you want to feel: CLARITY.

And, you need the capacity to act, the energy for action: POWER.

When clarity and power come together, your head and heart are aligned.

If this sounds like what you need right now, we’ve created an event for YOU!

Aligning Your Head and Heart is a 5-day retreat at Hollyhock Leadership Learning Centre (June 1-6, 2018) combining 2 renowned curriculums:

  • The Desire Map – created by best-selling author Danielle LaPorte and presented by self-leadership coach Jenny Xenos, The Desire Map: A Guide to Creating Goals With Soul helps you get CLARITY on what you truly want in every area of your life
  • The Life Delicious – created by wellness coach Catherine Roscoe Barr, The Life Delicious is grounded in mindfulness and neuroscience, and helps you hardwire healthy habits to POWER your dreams

Join us this June 1-6 at Hollyhock’s magical 48-acre campus on Cortes Island!

  • Get clear on what you desire
  • Gain tools to become more powerful
  • Give yourself the space to align your head and heart
  • Create your blueprint for an extraordinary life


 

Read/heard/watched something awesome lately? Please share!

Like this post? Please share with your friends!  >>>

TLD April Intel: A Monthly Roundup Of Intelligence To Help You Live #TheLifeDelicious, via @LifeDelish: http://www.thelifedelicious.ca/the-life-delicious/2018/3/14/tld-april-intel-a-monthly-roundup-of-intelligence-to-help-you-live-the-life-delicious

PUBLISHED: Sicily

Story and photography by Catherine Roscoe Barr

Sicily sits just three kilometres across the Strait of Messina below mainland Italy and only 160 kilometres northeast of Tunisia in Northern Africa. Its central position in the Mediterranean Sea has made the island a hot commodity since it was first inhabited 13,000 years ago, the flux of different ethnicities seasoning it with many flavours.

At just over 25,000 square kilometres and 5,000,000 citizens, Sicily is half the size of Nova Scotia with more than five times the population. Its agricultural inhabitants are ample, too, with over 50 per cent of its land area used to raise livestock and grow crops, not to mention countless family gardens brimming with the likes of tomatoes, zucchini, and eggplant.

A Mediterranean climate and divergent landscape—primarily rolling hills and soaring mountain ranges, most notably the 3,350-metre Mount Etna, the largest active volcano in Europe—provide numerous fertile microclimates that support a wide range of plant life, much of it delightfully edible.
— Montecristo Magazine, Winter 2015


For more on TRAVEL, check out the following:

RECIPE: Vegan Southwest Salad with Farro

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Who knew farro was SO DELICIOUS?!

Check out this vegan southwest salad recipe I developed featuring farro from Flourist, Canada's only 100% traceable grains, beans and freshly milled flours.
 

INGREDIENTS: (everything available at SPUD.ca):


INSTRUCTIONS:

  • Cook farro according to package instructions

  • Mix everything together, drizzle with hot sauce, then eat!

  • The longer it sits the better the flavour so try to prepare at least 15 minutes ahead of time



Want local, organic groceries delivered right to your door? Use promo code CRVAN-ROSCAF to get $20 off your 1st SPUD.ca purchase of $50+! 


FEATURED: Recharge Your Mind With Sleep

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Recharge Your Mind With Sleep: The key to mental clarity might just be about getting a better sleep

This article appeared in the Spring 2018 issue of Wellness Matters

The human mind is abuzz with thoughts all day, from experiencing a wide spectrum of emotions and the multitasking required in both work and family to the distraction from media and electronic devices.

“Our mind produces electrical and chemical activity in the brain,” says Catherine Roscoe Barr, BSc. in neuroscience, wellness coach and founder of The Life Delicious (thelifedelicious.ca).

“All cellular activity produces waste material, and the latest science reveals sleep’s role in ‘cleaning’ waste material from our brain. This housekeeping function is primarily active while we sleep and has significant implications for mood regulation, cognitive function, and neurodegenerative diseases. 

To recharge our mind and keep brain and body healthy, we must practice good sleep hygiene. “Reducing both stress—mental, physical and nutritional—and light pollution can help you sleep better,” says Roscoe Barr, and all it takes are a few simple tweaks to your daily routine and home environment.


For more on SLEEP, check out the following:

TLD March Intel: A Monthly Roundup Of Intelligence To Help You Live The Life Delicious!

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Intelligence: the ability to acquire and apply knowledge and skills.


Hey there!

Why has The Life Delicious newsletter been on hiatus since October?

Our little girl, Bronwyn Elizabeth Roscoe Barr, was born October 29!

Read more about our parenting adventure so far HERE.

In a nutshell: it’s been busy, overwhelming, wonderful, frustrating, delightful and filled with excruciating love and uncertainty.

It has stretched us further than we’ve ever been stretched.

Our hearts have expanded (we spend all day with her and then look at photos and talk about how cute she is as soon as she's gone to bed), while our nerves feel more raw

It’s opened our eyes to the incredible challenges so many people around us face that we had no idea of pre-baby.


Now, at 4 months postpartum, I feel a positive shift.

I’m sleeping more.

She’s laughing, giggling, cooing and babbling.

I’m laughing more.

She can entertain herself for short periods of time. She naps from time to time!

I have short periods of personal time (hence this newsletter)!
 

I am more committed to and excited about the work I do now than ever.

Time invested in mental, physical and spiritual wellness isn’t a luxury – it’s a necessity.

You can't thrive without it. Heck, you can barely survive!


Expanding responsibility requires creative self-care.

It doesn’t have to take much time. It can’t, at times.
 
As I go back to work this month (I have just 2 spaces left for corporate workshops in April – get in touch if you're interested!), I’m excited to present an even more concise, easy and doable curriculum with strategic tools to hardwire healthy habits – in just minutes a day.

If you want to learn how to clarify what you truly want in every area of your life and create healthy habits that stick, join me at Hollyhock Leadership Learning Centre on Cortes Island for Neuroscience + The Desire Map: Aligning Your Head And Heart, a 5-day retreat facilitated by myself and self-leadership coach Jenny Xenos.


Happy reading/listening/watching!


Pressed for time? My top 3 picks:


1. VIDEO: Input vs Output  |  Emelia Symington Fedy

2. ARTICLE: The key to mental clarity might just be about getting a better sleep  |  BCLiving

3. VIDEO: Wendy Suzuki on The brain-changing benefits of exercise  |  TEDWomen
 



Neuroscience + The Desire Map: Aligning Your Head and Heart

(IMAGE: www.aaronjbarr.com)

Bring a friend, share a room, and get 15% off your room and meal package at Hollyhock Leadership Learning Centre on Cortes Island this June 1-6.

Ocean-view and private rooms are limited, so make sure you book soon!

Aligning your head and heart will give you the tools to fuel your goals with soul at this transformative retreat. Neuroscience + The Desire Map is an international first combining these two curriculums! You’ll be nourished in mind, body and spirit as you create a blueprint for an extraordinary life.

Enjoy delicious nutrient dense meals, energizing physical activities, and plenty of personal time to think while you enjoy the magical grounds at Hollyhock. Plus, you’ll be joined by an incredible group of people just like you, seeking to create the life they dream of.



 

Read/heard/watched something awesome lately? Please share!

Like this post? Share with your friends! Get social! >>>

TLD March Intel: A Monthly Roundup Of Intelligence To Help You Live #TheLifeDelicious, via @LifeDelish: http://www.thelifedelicious.ca/the-life-delicious/2018/3/14/tld-march-intel-a-monthly-roundup-of-intelligence-to-help-you-live-the-life-delicious

Bring a friend, share a room, and get 15% off my Hollyhock retreat, June 1-6!

Aligning Your Head and Heart: Neuroscience + The Desire Map™

June 1 - 6, 2018, with Catherine Roscoe Barr and Jenny Xenos


Bring a friend, share a room, and get 15% off your room and meal package at Hollyhock on Cortes Island this June 1-6 for my retreat with self-leadership coach Jenny Xenos!

Aligning your head and heart will give you the tools to fuel your goals with soul at this transformative retreat. 

The Life Delicious program

Grounded in mindfulness and neuroscience, The Life Delicious program helps you hardwire healthy habits across five pillars of wellness: Mindset, Movement, Nutrition, Sleep and Connection.

The Desire Map program

Created by best-selling author Danielle LaPorte and presented by self-leadership coach Jenny Xenos, the Desire Map is a program for clarifying what you truly want in every area of your life, and using that powerful awareness to guide your choices.

 


This retreat is an international first combining these two curriculums!   

You’ll be nourished in mind, body and spirit as you create a blueprint for an extraordinary life!  

Enjoy delicious nutrient dense meals, energizing physical activities, and plenty of personal time to think while you enjoy the magical grounds at Hollyhock.   

Plus, you’ll be joined by an incredible group of people just like you, seeking to create the life they dream of.



Stoke the fire in your mind, body and spirit: daily rituals to keep the inspiration going

I first shared these thoughts at Winspiration Day Vancouver 2017, where I was the closing keynote speaker.

I first shared these thoughts at Winspiration Day Vancouver 2017, where I was the closing keynote speaker.

We all have the power to bring inspiration to our every day; to be inspired and be inspiring – the theme of 2017's Winspiration Day event in Vancouver.

Winspiration Day is an annual, globally celebrated day dedicated to wellness and personal power. Get your tickets for the May 6, 2018 event in Vancouver at winspirationvancouver.com!

Winspiration Day is an annual, globally celebrated day dedicated to wellness and personal power. Get your tickets for the May 6, 2018 event in Vancouver at winspirationvancouver.com!


At the 2017 event, I had the honour of being the closing keynote speaker, where I challenged attendees to capture the inspiring energy shared by the day’s amazing speakers and take it forward.

 

INSPIRATION is:

  • the state of being energized to act and
  • the power to shift emotions – in yourself and others

 

Are you energized to act?

By practicing daily rituals – like gratitude, movement and connection – you can stoke your inner fire to keep the flame burning bright, and affect beautiful change in the world!

 

A NEW YEAR brings:

  • inspired thinking
  • inspired planning
  • inspired dreaming

 

Were you all fired up in January to make this an incredible year?

Now, how can you keep the inspiration going?

You can choose to stoke the fire by creating energy in your mind, body and spirit!

You can create energy by creating rituals.

 

RITUALS are:

  • habits, elevated
  • created to serve you
  • top priority

 


I’m excited to share these 3 daily rituals with you, and hope they’ll give your inner fire some spark!

  1. Mind – Mindset
  2. Body – Movement  
  3. Spirit – Connection

 

1. MINDSET: Your mindset is the way you think.

Did you know that your brain has an innate negativity bias?

That’s right, you’re hardwired to expect the worst, jump to negative conclusions, assume it’s just you, and believe there’s danger lurking around every corner.

This is an amazing built-in safety mechanism that we’re lucky to have!

I like to think of this inclination as negativity antennae – on high alert to protect us from danger, whether it’s mental, physical or spiritual.

However, these robust negativity detectors can take over, making life seem like an overwhelming assault on our mind, body and spirit.

What can we do? I believe we’re also born with positivity antennae!

For most of us, they’re just little buds we must consciously grow so they’re just as robust as our negative ones.

When we choose to grow our positivity antennae, we choose to be open to all the good that surrounds us, so we can be both inspired and inspiring to others.

MINDSET RITUAL: GRATITUDE

It’s so simple: just think of (or even better, write down) 3 things you’re grateful for every day.

Miss a day? Don’t worry about it! Just do the best you can.

The ritual of scanning your day for good hardwires this habit and grows your positivity antennae!

 

2. Movement: Physical activity boosts your brain and body.

Did you know that moving your body releases chemicals that improve learning and memory? Amazing!

Physical activity also literally stokes your inner fire, by raising your metabolism.

It doesn’t have to be anything fancy, lengthy or pricey – just move however you can, wherever you can:

  • walk or bike to work
  • dance dance dance
  • take a class
  • go for a jog
  • play at the park
  • feel good about housework and put a little extra oomph into it

MOVEMENT RITUAL: Start your day with movement and weave it throughout (at least every 60 minutes).

 

3. Connection: are you in alignment?

You know that feeling of being in flow? That buoyant energy of inspiration? Of being on a role? Of things going your way?

That’s being in alignment.

When your deepest inner desires are reflected in your outer actions, you’re in alignment.

We’ve all felt the opposite feeling of nonalignment, when we have an ache in our gut or a heaviness in our chest when we’ve done or said something that doesn’t reflect our truest self.

When we’re in alignment we feel lifted, expansive and drawn forward.

When we’re in nonalignment we feel depressed, contracted and held back.

CONNECTION RITUAL: Start your day with the intention to think, speak and act in alignment; and when faced with a decision, ask yourself, is this in alignment with my best, true self?, and listen to the answers that your mind, body and spirit provide. 

  

 

To recap: practice these 3 daily rituals to keep your inner fire stoked and keep the inspiration going!

  1. Mind – Mindset
  2. Body – Movement  
  3. Spirit – Connection

 

 

 

 

How to lose the postpartum baby weight

Check out baby Bronwyn’s TV debut on my Breakfast TV segment with Tara Jean Stevens on postpartum fitness!

Check out baby Bronwyn’s TV debut on my Breakfast TV segment with Tara Jean Stevens on postpartum fitness!

How to lose the baby weight? Don’t worry about the weight!

What’s good for your brain (and therefore your mood) is good for your body!

 

SLEEP & MOVEMENT benefit:

  1. Mood 
  2. Muscle 
  3. Metabolism


 

SLEEP >>> In the early days, sleep is the most important thing.

Obviously it won’t be consecutive, but try to get 7 cumulative hours - ask for help so you can squeeze in as many naps as it takes.

Did you see my previous post where I talked about sleep deprivation? It's not good for your mood. It's torture. Literally.

Plus, sleep deprivation messes with your appetite, metabolism, pain tolerance and more. 



MOVEMENT >>> Any kind of movement is great! Here are a few tips:

******* Your unique birth story and body dictates your unique postpartum journey. Don’t worry about what anyone else is doing, do the best you can and give yourself a break. You just created life, you are absolutely amazing and totally incredible! P.S. go see a pelvic floor physio 6 weeks postpartum before you begin any exercises!!*******



MOVEMENT Weeks 1-6+ postpartum:

  1. Core: practice engaging your pelvic floor and transverse abdominis (see resources below)
  2. Stretching: stretch the front of your body to counteract the hunched posture of breastfeeding and cuddling
  3. Walking: start slow and short, and build up to as much as you'd like - I walked for more than 4 hours the other day!



MOVEMENT Weeks 6+ postpartum (keep up weeks 1-6 exercises):

  1. Squat (with or without baby)
  2. Reverse fly (shoulder blade squeeze)
  3. Back extension (tummy time)


Try the above 3 exercises for 1 minute each, 1-3 rounds, for 3, 6 or 9 minutes (depending how much time you have). 

These 6 exercises (core, stretching, walking, squats, reverse flys, back extensions) not only boost your mood (SO IMPORTANT for those stressful early days), they help your muscles by counteracting the poor posture that breastfeeding and cuddles require, and rev up your metabolism to help you lose the baby weight!


RESOURCES >>> check out these incredible women:

  1. My Amazing pelvic floor physiotherapist Anniken Chanwick (www.annikenchadwick.com)
  2. The awesome ladies at Bellies Inc. for pre & postnatal fitness and the #AbSystem (www.belliesinc.com)
  3. Fabulous info from The Bloom Method (thebloommethod.com)
  4. Beautiful pre & postnatal yoga with Teresa Campbell (www.lalupavia.com) at Semperviva Yoga (www.semperviva.com)
  5. Excellent pre & postnatal Pilates at Form Body Lab (www.formbodylab.com)

New Year's Resolutions? 3 practical tips to setting achievable goals!

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How can you to stick to your New Year’s resolutions?

Check out my Global BC chat with Sonia Sunger on practical tips to setting achievable goals!


Changing your MINDSET can help you stick to your resolutions and reach your goals.

Setting goals is great but when you start too big or too impractical to fit into your life, you’re likely to fall short and feel like a failure. But you’re far from a failure. If you’re doing ANYTHING to better yourself, you’re a GREAT SUCCESS!! Seriously. 


TIP 1: start SMALL

Take your goals and slash them in half! Then it will be easier to create the habit, which you can expand once it’s in place.

Would love to journal every day? Start by writing down just 3 things you’re grateful for once, twice or even three times a week.

Would love to sleep better? Go to bed 5, 10 or 15 minutes earlier than you normally do.
 

TIP 2: be CONSTRUCTIVE

Focus on what you want, not on what you don’t want. It’s like driving or cycling into a curve - you have to look where you want to go or you might go off the road you’re intending to go down.

Want to eat healthier? Set a goal to eat at least 2 vegetables per meal.

Have physical goals? Focus on how you want your body to FEEL and how strong and beautiful it is, not on what’s wrong with it.
 

TIP 3: be FLEXIBLE

Banish the all-or-nothing mentality! If you miss a step in the morning, the whole day isn’t a write off!

Create a Plan A, B, C and D for your goals so you can reroute when things don’t go according to plan.

Miss your morning workout? No problem! Go for a run on your lunch break. Miss that? Go snowshoeing after work! Miss that? Restorative yoga before bed! 
 

When you change your mindset, you remove barriers to the behaviours you want to adopt.

Make 2018 your best year yet by creating small, constructive and flexible habits to achieve your goals!

Most of all, be KIND to yourself. You are AMAZING, you've got this!!

👊🏼💪🏼👍🏼👌🏼🙌🏼
 

 

With a newborn daughter that’s certainly what I’ll be doing! Creating teeny tiny goals, being constructive by keeping focused on the positive, and being super duper flexible.

My SMALL, CONSTRUCTIVE, FLEXIBLE goals for 2018 include:


✳️ Getting outside or to the gym every day, no matter how exhausted I feel, because it always gives me more energy, even when I think it won’t

✳️ Eating more vegetables and less sugar. I’ll admit that I let my usual nutrition rituals slide a wee bit while I was pregnant 😜

✳️ Creating new PM rituals. I haven’t read a single book since Bronwyn was born (I used to read a book a week), and I’ve only written in my journal thrice since she was born (I used to write every day) because sleep wins every time
 

Introducing Bronwyn Elizabeth Roscoe Barr

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Our little girl, Bronwyn Elizabeth Roscoe Barr, was born October 29!! 

 

She is just like her daddy: totally chill and gorgeous. 

We had a very speedy beautiful natural labour and delivery at home, but once she arrived mom and baby had to take a ride to BC Women’s. 

For as-yet-unknown reasons my placenta detached early and my body knew I needed to get sweet little B out fast - there was no pre-labour prep: strong contractions started 2min apart, 1min in duration, and she was born 10hrs later, not breathing and I lost over a litre of blood. 

Our incredible midwives from Pacific Midwifery resuscitated her while my rockstar birth partner, Mr. Barr, calmly called 911. 

By the time paramedics loaded us into the ambulance we were both stable. 

We stayed at the hospital overnight for monitoring, and have been home together, our little foursome with Charlie dog, just recuperating and bonding in bed. 

Mom and baby just had another home visit from midwife and are both doing GREAT. 

We are so in love with this little person, having her feels PERFECT.  💕💕💕💕

 

Nurse, burp, change, bath, swaddle, cuddle, nap, repeat. Monotonous but MAGICAL. 

 

NOVEMBER 17, 2017 - Mr. Barr went back to work yesterday 😭 but Bronwyn and I have been managing pretty well - except for one meltdown (equal parts me and her) yesterday afternoon, when she had a fussy inconsolable couple of hours. Today, after anot…

NOVEMBER 17, 2017 - Mr. Barr went back to work yesterday 😭 but Bronwyn and I have been managing pretty well - except for one meltdown (equal parts me and her) yesterday afternoon, when she had a fussy inconsolable couple of hours. Today, after another minimal sleep night (but progress in figuring out her various cries), we slept all morning and then went for a little walk with her wrap to get lunch. Now, more napping. 😴 .

Sleep deprivation is a real bitch!

I think it's my greatest struggle so far as a new parent. Sleep, one of #TheLifeDelicious 5 pillars of wellness, drastically affects the other 4: Mindset, Movement, Nutrition and Connection.

Sleep deprivation messes with your mind, depletes your energy so you don't feel like moving your body, puts your appetite hormones out of balance so you crave sugary carbs (and nothing healthy), and hurts your connection to yourself (you don't feel like yourself, you feel like a terrible version of yourself) and others (you act like an impatient, unkind version of yourself). 

In a recent Maclean's magazine article titled, "Yes, sleep deprivation is torture", the author says, "Medical science has demonstrated over and over that there is serious physical and mental harm caused by sleep deprivation." 

In fact, the CIA authorized sleep deprivation for up to 180 hours (7.5 days) but later reduced the threshold to 48 hours (2 days), stating that sleep deprivation over 48 hours would now be considered an “enhanced interrogation technique.”

So if you, like me, have experienced this "enhanced interrogation technique" and felt completely unable to cope, I feel you. It's awful. 

Get/accept help so you can have naps with earplugs and tune out your (looked-after-by-someone-else) screaming baby for at least 90-minute intervals. The change in outlook I have after these brief periods of reprieve is massive.

NOVEMBER 13, 2017 - Our first family photo!! We had an exceptionally good (considering) sleep, great breakfast, and awesome power walk today. I can’t believe how much Charlie dog has changed since Bronwyn joined us - he’s great off leash but no…

NOVEMBER 13, 2017 - Our first family photo!! We had an exceptionally good (considering) sleep, great breakfast, and awesome power walk today. I can’t believe how much Charlie dog has changed since Bronwyn joined us - he’s great off leash but not so great on leash... until now! He walks with his nose right at the back wheel of her stroller like a total champ. Oh happy days!! 

Walkies!! Every day. Rain or shine. (Mostly rain.)

Movement is one of #TheLifeDelicious 5 pillars of wellness - an essential daily ritual no matter how big or small.

At 14 days postpartum I’m only just starting to go for short brisk walks, but I’ve been incorporating some form of movement since day 1, starting with pelvic floor and core exercises, and around day 7 I added some postural exercises like standing and sitting cat/cow, shoulder blade squeezes and chest stretches. Even though it takes extra mental and physical energy at first, and I’m next-level-exhausted, I want to train my body to be in proper alignment during the MANY hours I’m spending breastfeeding. These little movements take just minutes and have a huge positive impact on my energy and attitude.

Grateful for our amazing midwives at Pacific Midwifery!!

And grateful Bronwyn and I got a gold star at our day 17 postpartum checkup 😊

We’re so lucky in B.C. to have midwifery care covered. Did you know you can give birth at home under the care of TWO midwives, who bring everything you’d need in case of an emergency - so you can feel safe to labour and deliver in the quiet, peaceful sanctuary of your own home. Even though we had to go to the hospital after Bronwyn was born, it was an amazing experience to labour and deliver at home.

JANUARY 5, 2018 - Bronwyn, just chillin with Light Up Birdie and Giggle Dog, when… she turns her head... to see Charlie dog being very naughty! #tummytime

JANUARY 5, 2018 - Bronwyn, just chillin with Light Up Birdie and Giggle Dog, when… she turns her head... to see Charlie dog being very naughty! #tummytime

JANUARY 15, 2018 - How has 11 weeks gone by both so fast and so slow?! Bronwyn is so much like her daddy, from the way she carefully observes the world around her and her gorgeous smile to how much she loves her sleep! I’m so grateful for this …

JANUARY 15, 2018 - How has 11 weeks gone by both so fast and so slow?! Bronwyn is so much like her daddy, from the way she carefully observes the world around her and her gorgeous smile to how much she loves her sleep! I’m so grateful for this amazing little lady and the opportunity to be a parenting team with the amazing Mr. Barr. 💕❤️💕

JANUARY 19, 2018 - I call Bronwyn “the most pleasant girl in the world” because she’s just so darn pleasant! Morning Bronwyn is especially delightful as she’s full of smiles after a good night’s sleep and dives into her breakfast with great ent…

JANUARY 19, 2018 - I call Bronwyn “the most pleasant girl in the world” because she’s just so darn pleasant! Morning Bronwyn is especially delightful as she’s full of smiles after a good night’s sleep and dives into her breakfast with great enthusiasm and happy moans (just like her mom). Golly, I love her!!! #11weeks

FEATURED: 10 Wellness Getaway Lessons You Can Take Home

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As a travel and health writer, I’ve attended my fair share of wellness getaways, retreats and classes.

One recent favourite: a luxe weekend at Victoria’s Fairmont Empress Hotel with wellness coach Catherine Roscoe Barr.

There’s huge value in taking a break from the chaos to focus on yourself – especially when healthy meals are included!

But until you can make it to your next wellness-focused getaway, here are 10 lessons I’ve learned that everyone can share.

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Get the scoop on upcoming events!

Building powerful rituals into your daily routine – WNORTH Conference 2017

(IMAGE: Jenn Di Spirito Photography)

(IMAGE: Jenn Di Spirito Photography)

At the 2017 WNORTH Conference in Whistler, BC at Nita Lake Lodge, I spoke about:

  • building powerful rituals into your daily routine

  • the massive impact of small consistent actions

  • the power you have to create a future self that will THANK YOU

Watch the video below now!

Rituals are habits, elevated.

Rituals are habits, prioritized.

Rituals are habits that serve you.

 

In the video above, I share tools for creating:

  1. the ritual of practicing mindfulness
  2. the ritual of creating expansive posture
  3. the ritual of choosing to sleep better

 

What powerful rituals are YOU already practicing? 

If you focus on adopting just ONE new ritual that serves you, you can transform the quality of your life, and experience greater vitality in the present that will gain interest and grow with you… until you become your vibrant future self!

 


The 4th annual WNORTH Conference is April 18-20, 2018 in Whistler, BC at Nita Lake Lodge

 WNORTH is a boutique-style conference focused on providing a forum for women who are aiming for, or already on, a senior executive leadership track. Top female business leaders in corporate, public and entrepreneurial sectors, will come together to enhance their leadership training, engage in high-level networking and witness inspirational talks from global leaders.

 

Check out the amazing, first-to-be-announced speakers for 2018!

 

I've attended WNORTH Conference the past 2 years, and can't recommend this event enough!

In addition to totally inspiring speakers, empowering ideas, delicious meals, and a beautiful location, the networking opportunities are invaluable.

The collaborative, warm and welcoming atmosphere is apparent from the opening reception to the Scandinave social and closing keynote, with ample time to have real, authentic conversations and make meaningful connections.

To get a feel for the positive energy at WNORTH Conference, check out the 7 previous speaker videos below:

 

1. The Rise of the New Heroine  |  Elizabeth Cronise McLaughlin (WNORTH 2017)

 

2. The Female Industrialist  |  Joanna Peña-Bickley (WNORTH 2016)

 

3. Survival Mode to Thriving  |  Tori Holmes (WNORTH 2016)

 

4. Tipping The Scales In Your Favour  |  Jacy Wingson (WNORTH 2016)

 

5. Getting Sponsorship in Business  |  Philip Grosch (WNORTH 2016)

 

6. New Paradigm Women's Leadership  |  Elizabeth Cronise McLaughlin (WNORTH 2016)

 

7. Money Stories: How to be the CEO of your own Life  |  Marissa Cepelinski & Allison Warnyka (WNORTH 2015)

 

TLD October Intel: A Monthly Roundup Of Intelligence To Help You Live The Life Delicious!

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Intelligence: the ability to acquire and apply knowledge and skills.

 

Hello! How are you?

I'd really love to know.

Arianna Huffington just said something (actually, a lot of things, but this one thing in particular) that I totally agree with on The Tim Ferriss Show podcast (see link below in my top 3 picks):
 

"I really believe that our stories can help others in a way that goes beyond science and data."



Sharing our stories is truly a gift – to ourselves and others.
 

In sharing our stories, we:

  • gain clarity on how we're really feeling

  • clear #EmotionalCongestion

  • let others know they're not alone in their experiences

  • inspire others to share their stories too

 

Sharing stories is one of the most powerful and profound parts of the work I do through #TheLifeDelicious, whether it's private coaching, wellness retreats, corporate workshops, or lifestyle writing. 

Do yourself, your friends, family and colleagues a favour, and share a personal story with someone you trust and care about today.

Then, take a moment to reflect on the positive ripple effect your actions put into motion! 


Happy reading/listening/watching!


Pressed for time? My top 3 picks:

  1. ARTICLE: Don’t overthink your exercise: just 2.5 hours per week of any kind could help you live longer | Vox

  2. PODCAST: Arianna Huffington: Media Maven – The Tim Ferriss Show

  3. VIDEO: How to get a better sleep | Breakfast TV Vancouver


Check out my talk at WNORTH Conference 2017!
Your Future Self Will Thank You: Building powerful rituals into your daily routine


More wellness awesomeness:


Read/heard/watched something awesome lately? Please share!

 

Like this post? Get social and tell your friends! >>>

 

TLD October Intel: A Monthly Roundup Of Intelligence To Help You Live #TheLifeDelicious, via @LifeDelish: http://www.thelifedelicious.ca/the-life-delicious/2017/10/20/tld-october-intel-a-monthly-roundup-of-intelligence-to-help-you-live-the-life-delicious

FEATURED: A getaway for looking inward

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As someone who rushes through life at high speed, calendar packed and every moment accounted for, I don’t always have time (or make time) to reflect – or to plan.

But after a year of incapacitating back issues, new-to-me panic attacks and a general sense of feeling overwhelmed, it was time to take a breather.

So when I was invited to join a group of attendees at this all-inclusive weekend retreat hosted by Vancouver-based wellness coach Catherine Roscoe Barr, I signed up immediately.

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Get the scoop on upcoming events!

TLD September Intel: A Monthly Roundup Of Intelligence To Help You Live The Life Delicious!

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Intelligence: the ability to acquire and apply knowledge and skills.

 

Back to school, back to work, back to business!

Don’t you just love September for it’s new-year, new-start vibe?

It's exciting to gain new knowledge that helps set even clearer intentions for how you want your life to be. 

As always, I get so much pleasure creating these roundups with you in mind!

I truly hope you get a few sweet nuggets out of the resources below, and are inspired to prioritize what you need in your life right now.

Happy reading/listening/watching!


Pressed for time? My top 3 picks:

  1. VIDEO: What’s a Nature Bath & When’s The Last Time You Took One?  |  Breakfast TV Vancouver
  2. ARTICLE: A getaway for looking inward  |  Globe and Mail
  3. PODCAST: 10 Wellness Getaway Lessons You Can Take Home  |  Best Health Magazine

Events:

September 29 - October 1 >>> The Luxury Wellness Retreat at Victoria's Fairmont Empress

*** Wednesday, September 27 is the last day to register ***

For a life-changing, weekend immersion in super-simple, science-backed tips on Mindset, Movement, Nutrition, Sleep and Connection, join us for the Luxury Wellness Retreat at Fairmont Empress!

You’ll learn how to create powerful, time-efficient rituals using The Life Delicious’ mindfulness-based template, and fill your battery so full it overflows into your business and life.


More wellness awesomeness:


Read/heard/watched something awesome lately? Please share!

 

Like this post? Get social and tell your friends! >>>

 

TLD September Intel: A Monthly Roundup Of Intelligence To Help You Live #TheLifeDelicious, via @LifeDelish: http://www.thelifedelicious.ca/the-life-delicious/2017/9/26/tld-september-intel-a-monthly-roundup-of-intelligence-to-help-you-live-the-life-delicious

FEATURED: What’s A Nature Bath & When’s The Last Time You Took One?

Chatting about "Nature Bathing" with Breakfast TV Vancouver host Tara Jean Stevens

Chatting about "Nature Bathing" with Breakfast TV Vancouver host Tara Jean Stevens

Last week I spoke to Breakfast TV Vancouver host Tara Jean Stevens about "Nature Bathing" and shared a few tips on how you can easily incorporate healthy habits into your back-to-school/work routine to benefit your mental and physical health!

Watch the video below >>> 

 

Forest Bathing vs. Nature Bathing – what's the difference?

Forest bathing is translated from the Japanese shinrin yoku, which means, to take in the forest atmosphere with all of your senses.

 

Take in nature with all of your senses:

  • sight
  • smell
  • taste
  • hearing
  • touch

 

Nature Bathing expands the Forest Bathing philosophy to encompass all of nature:

  • forests
  • urban parks
  • tree-lined streets
  • seaside walks
  • sandy beaches
  • soily gardens
  • salty oceans
  • crashing waves
  • babbling brooks and rivers
  • serene lakes
  • crackling campfires
  • starry nights

 

Nature Bathing also includes our daily interactions with nature through:

  • the food we eat
  • the fabrics we wear
  • the beauty products we use
  • the design elements in our home
  • where we exercise

 

Ancient Wisdom and Modern Science

Since the beginning of time, humans have sought out and benefited from the healing power of nature.

Many traditional cultures, like the Japanese, understand the incredible benefits to mental and physical health that come with being present and fully aware in beautiful, natural surroundings. 

Modern science is finally catching onto this ancient wisdom and providing data on why nature is so critical to our overall wellbeing.

Chronic stress is a significant detriment to our mental and physical health. 

Nature can provide an antidote. 

 

Nature Bathing decreases stress hormone cortisol and increases feel-good neurotransmitter serotonin

Spending mindful time in nature helps reduce stress.

It's like taking a little time-out from the chronic busyness and urgency of work and life. 

Chronically elevated cortisol levels can deplete our immunity, mess with our digestion, dull our libido, slow down our metabolism, and dampen our creativity.

Spending mindful time in nature boosts mood, and much more. 

Nature Bathing, especially the physically-active kind (walking, running, swimming, cycling, etc), increases serotonin, which has been shown to improve mood, digestion, desire, metabolism and cognitive function. 

 

Connect with nature through The Life Delicious' 5 pillars of wellness:

  1. Mindset
    • practice mindfulness (engaging all your senses in the present moment), which calms the nervous system and inspires creativity
  2. Movement
    • practice #GreenExercise: get outside and move your body any way you like
  3. Nutrition
    • practice connecting with your food by getting to know your farmers (or growing your own food!), and eating locally, in-season
  4. Sleep
    • practice dimming your lights or using candle light, and dimming or shutting down your screens (computer, phone, TV) as the sun sets
  5. Connection
    • practice connecting with nature (whether you're walking to school/work, or hiking in the wilderness): take off your shoes and feel the sand/dirt/grass between your toes; float in the ocean or a lake; inhale the spectacular smells; gaze at the moon and stars

 

Pre and Post Natal Exercise at Form Body Lab

 

Yaletown's Form Body Lab has been an important part of my prenatal team.

 

I first met Jessica Slonski, owner and founder of the Pilates, yoga, physiotherapy and massage studio, last year when she came highly recommended as an expert for a postnatal exercise story I was working on (see link below). 

Slonski was a professional dancer and teacher in Toronto before moving to Vancouver, attaining her Pilates certification from The Physical Mind Institute, and leveraging her understanding of proper body mechanics to specialize in mat work, apparatus, and pre- and post-natal Pilates.

 

Prenatal Pilates

Pilates has been the perfect addition to my prenatal exercise routine because of it's focus on posture, pelvic floor, expansive breathing, and core activation. 

"Practicing prenatal Pilates will improve pelvic support and can allow for a more speedy recovery after childbirth," says Slonski, who leads a team of more than a dozen experienced Pilates and Yoga instructors, physiotherapists and registered massage therapists (RMTs).

Speedy recovery after childbirth? Yes, please!

"It may also help prevent injuries that are associated with the incredible process of growing a child and giving birth," she says. "Through supported workouts and poses, prenatal Pilates can be used to maintain good posture and alleviate recurring aches and pains associated with pregnancy." 

"Prenatal Pilates also focuses on breathing and relaxation. As your baby grows, it is important to maximize rib expansion to allow for easier breath, while relaxation is particularly important in the pelvic floor to allow for the necessary expansion during birth."

Form Body Lab offers private prenatal sessions (highly recommended – I did 3 before joining the classes, and continue to check in) plus 6-week Mat and Reformer group series. 


Postnatal Pilates

Pilates will be the perfect addition to my postnatal exercise routine because of the aforementioned prenatal reasons (posture, pelvic floor, expansive breathing, and core activation). 

"After childbirth, postnatal Pilates can help new mothers strengthen and recover from the incredible stresses that pregnancy and giving birth can have on the body," says Slonski.

"Having a child is a miraculous event but this process is hard on your pelvic floor and it will require rehabilitation."

In the postnatal story I mentioned above (see link below), Slonski shares tips on:

  • adjusting to postpartum
  • healing the body
  • improving sleep
  • shedding baby weight
  • speeding recovery

Plus, she shares 5 equipment-free exercises you can do anywhere, anytime to "target the areas new moms can struggle with the most": 

  • pelvic floor
  • abs
  • glutes
 

TLD August Intel: A Monthly Roundup Of Intelligence To Help You Live The Life Delicious!

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Intelligence: the ability to acquire and apply knowledge and skills.

 

I hope you’ve been soaking up a little sun, fun, and summer serenity!

Our summer has been jam-packed with incredible long weekend adventures, and productive short weeks at work.

Water is the theme that’s tied everything together – we’ve tried to dip our bodies in as many bodies of water as possible, from swimming in the ocean, to paddling around lakes, to icy-cold dunks in refreshing rivers.

Now in my 7th month of pregnancy, the weightlessness and invigoration of swimming feels like total bliss, and the feeling is significantly heightened by the natural environments we’ve traveled to.

What are you doing to elicit bliss? It’s so important to make time for bliss!

I hope this month’s edition of TLD Intel with give you a boost of inspiration to create space for mind-body-spirit invigoration in your life.
 

Happy reading/listening/watching!

 



Events

September 15 - 17 >>> Get Delicious Wellness Retreat at Four Seasons Resort Whistler

Reset mind, body and spirit this September at Whistler’s only Forbes Five Star resort with a pampering, transformative, all-inclusive weekend that guarantees you’ll leave with the tools, tenacity and drive to take action in creating the life you desire.  

 

September 29 - October 1 >>> The Luxury Wellness Retreat at Victoria's Fairmont Empress

Treat yourself to a luxurious weekend of self-discovery, self-care and inspired action. Get unstuck and catapult your life to the next level! Following a dramatic $60 million transformation, the Fairmont Empress boasts a revitalized pool and beautifully renovated Willow Stream Spa – with exclusive access and treatments for retreat participants.


 

Read/heard/watched something awesome lately? Please share!

 

Like this post? Share with your friends! Get social! >>>

 

TLD August Intel: A Monthly Roundup Of Intelligence To Help You Live #TheLifeDelicious, via @LifeDelish: http://www.thelifedelicious.ca/the-life-delicious/2017/8/23/tld-august-intel-a-monthly-roundup-of-intelligence-to-help-you-live-the-life-delicious-1