Nutrition and Fitness

s s F i tn e a n d N u t r i ti o n

Why arts & crafts is a perfect addition to your self-care routine! Alka Chopra, Registered Dietitian, Certified Diabetes Educator & Certified Intuitive Eating Counsellor

“I don’t know if love is a well-stocked craft room, but I know a well-stocked craft room is the sign of a lot of money well (or not so well) spent. ” – Unknown.

As long as I can recall I have been involved with arts & crafts in some form. As a child summer vacation meant a trip to the local art supplies store and working on a new project every year. The art pieces are still up in my mom’s home. At school, I really enjoyed putting in extra effort for assignments that included an art component. Of course, during university, it did get busy and I could not do much art & craft. When my kids were little I took a few art classes from a lady in my neighborhood. That used to be my “me time” and I thoroughly enjoyed it. When we came to Canada 20 years ago and I had some time in the beginning months I took membership at a local guild and painted some terracotta pots for the Christmas sale. Everything got sold out��. And now not a day goes by when I don’t get my hands dirty with some paint or plaster. That is my happy place. You can view some glimpses of the work I do right here.

Now the question is why are arts & crafts so important to me? Well, that is because this is my way of spending time with myself. The thought of spending time with my art supplies lights me up. I get energized and am more productive in my professional work when I get to play with color, beads, plaster, pastels, watercolor, etc.

Research proves a positive impact between stress management and any form of an art & craft activity. The levels of cortisol, a stress-related hormone, drastically drop when you spend time making art. It really does not matter if you are artistic or not, we all deal with stress in some way. And making art is a fantastic way to divert your energies in the right place. A few years ago, I was presenting on “stress management” to a group of fathers who were dealing with divorce and custody issues. When I presented to them a short art activity that involved making art on grid paper and colored pencils they looked at me as if I was someone from outer space. They all said, “we have never ever picked up a crayon in our lives” . I asked them to just draw any random shape on the grid paper and begin coloring the small boxes with colors of their choice.

To my surprise and even theirs, none of them even raised their head up to look around. They got so engrossed in the simple coloring activity. Upon asking them how they felt after they completed the activity each one said “it was so relaxing & calming” . Upon asking if they would try again they all said yes.

The bottom line is that when you create any form of art, no matter what your skill level is, we engage your mind, body, and spirit in a way that is healing and comes with numerous benefits. Practicing art therapy not only helps to reduce stress and anxiety but also increases self-esteem. Just avoid adding any conditions of creating “perfect art” because there is really nothing called perfect. Perfection is very subjective. Something might be perfect for you and imperfect for someone else and vice versa.

When we create art, it gives us the ability to look outside of ourselves and see the world around us with a new pair of eyes. When we create, we focus on getting details in place that are drawn for our lives. We also learn new things about ourselves. Some people even discover new talents. There is a lot of self-expression going on and that can be very freeing, healing, and soothing. We just need to be open-minded.

So, what is stopping you? Just get started. Here are some simple arts and crafts ideas that require very few materials:

1. Shadow tracing 2. Dot painting 3. Play Doh modeling clay 4. Painting with chalk pastels or oil pastels 5. Collage with paper shapes (use old magazines) 6. Acrylic pouring 7. Painting with alcohol inks 8. Sticker art 9. Art with masking tape or washi tape 10. Mandala drawing/journaling 11. Finger painting 12. Create a feel-good box

Start with one and then keep adding more to your toolbox. I would love to see what you create. Share with me! Send me an email – at alka@alkachopra.ca If you would like to follow along with all the programs and services I offer you can take a look at this page.

Alka Chopra

https://www.alkachopra.ca/

How to Do an End-of-the-Year Reflection

Jackie Kickish, Doctor of Physical Therapy and certified pregnancy and postpartum corrective exercise specialist

The end of the year is a great time for reflection and celebration. While most of us tend to be more retrospective this time of year, many of us are more eager to set goals for our New Year's resolutions. However, if we don't reflect on the last year, how can our resolutions for the next one be meaningful and impactful?

In this article, I'll discuss the importance of reflecting and how to get started.

Why is reflection important at the end of the year?

Reflecting allows us to process what has happened and gain insight into why certain things may have happened- for what was in our control at least. It should also provide us with a sense of closure from the past year so that we can move into the new one more confidently. Taking time to reflect helps us learn from our mistakes and recognize what we did well. It also allows us to appreciate the successes of the year and set realistic goals for the coming one.

Reflection is the key to moving forward with clarity into the new year, whether you're assessing your personal or professional goals.

Questions to ask yourself when reflecting

There is no right or wrong way to reflect on the past year. Here are some questions to help get you started:

What was the best thing that happened this year? What was the worst? What were your biggest (and smallest) accomplishments? What did you learn this year?

What mistakes did you make? Why do you think these were made? What did you do well? What could you have done better? What would you have done differently? Where did you need more support or resources? Who could you have asked for help? What are the biggest changes that occurred in your life over the last year? How can you use your experiences to set meaningful goals for the next year? How did you grow as a person and a professional this year?

Look back at old notes, journal entries, calendars, planners, or other documents that you created throughout the year. Reach out to friends or family and ask them to share their most meaningful memories of you from this past year (good and bad, if they're willing to be candid). Look through old pictures on your phone or social media accounts, if applicable. If you still feel like you're missing something, think about any big events that happened in your town or the world this year that had an impact on your life.

Assess our progress Recognize our successes (and celebrate) Identify areas for improvement Set realistic goals for the upcoming year

Tips for Reflecting Effectively

Sometimes, it can be hard to remember what we even did throughout the year- especially if you have a thriving business or kids! Here are some ways to jog your memory:

What will you get out of an end-of-year reflection?

Reflection can be a powerful exercise to stay focused as the new year approaches. Asking ourselves meaningful questions will allow us to:

Once you've gone through the questions, it's time to process all the information you've gathered. You can see how the answers tie together and try to draw some conclusions from them. This will help you recognize patterns and form actionable steps for the new year.

Celebrate the wins

This is the most rewarding part of reflecting, at least in the short term. Celebrating the wins from this past year will boost your confidence and help to put you in a positive frame of mind for the new year. No win is too big or too small. Celebrate it all and be proud of what you've accomplished in the past year. You deserve it!

As a mom, I know goals aren't always met as quickly as I'd like. But giving myself some grace and looking back on the progress I've made can be incredibly fulfilling.

For example, this year I am celebrating:

What are you celebrating this year?

Launching Mama’s Core Connection Created a postpartum exercise program- focusing on diastasis recti and pelvic floor dysfunction Having several podcast interviews with other moms

As rewarding as it can be to celebrate the wins, reflecting on difficult times can also be incredibly powerful- if not more so. It's an opportunity to learn from our experiences and create a more meaningful plan for the future. While difficult times are unfortunately inevitable, how we let them shape our future is up to us.

This year, I'm trying my best to look back at those challenging moments with gratitude and appreciation because they forced me to grow in ways that wouldn't have been possible otherwise.

For example, this past year I struggled with the following:

What are the difficult times that you faced this year? How did they help you grow and become more resilient?

Postpartum anxiety and stress around all the things motherhood throws at me.

Major water damage to our house in May 2022 and having to move into a rental for 6 months.

Make a Plan for the New Year

Now that you've done the work of reflecting. You've now reached a great place to start planning for the new year. Now that you have a better understanding of what goals and strengths you can build on, it's time to make an intentional plan.

As you start setting goals, make sure they are small, measurable, and meaningful.

Reflecting is the Key to Setting the Right Goals for the New Year and Beyond

When you're ready to start reflecting, set aside a block of time- such as a quiet evening or morning when you won't be disturbed. Give yourself the space to be honest and open with your thoughts, without judgment or expectations.

Remember that reflection is not about finding fault in your actions or decisions; it's about understanding how those moments have shaped you and what lessons they may hold for the future.

I hope the end of this year and the beginning of the new one is a time for self-reflection, growth, and celebration for you. Wishing you an amazing 2023 and beyond!

Jackie Kickish-

www.jackiekickish.com

"A woman with a voice is, by definition, a strong woman. But the search to find that voice can be remarkably difficult. ” —Melinda Gates, philanthropist