January 2026

HEARTHELD MAGAZINE

FEAT. TJ ANECA AND “BE THAT GIRL”

5 SELF-CARE HABITS YOU CAN FIT INTO A 10 MINUTE BREAK AROUND THE NOOK RECIPE: PEANUT BUTTER LASAGNA RESILIENCE: THE STRENGTH THAT GROWS IN THE DARK WHAT’S YOUR SELF-CARE SIGNATURE? TAKE THE QUIZ

hello from the

GUESTS OF HEARTHELD

Jasmine Jenne

Executive Editor Grace-Filled Business

Ryder Jenne

Vickie Boechler

Creative Director

Jessica Schultz

Director of Operations

Heartheld Health

Balance Psychological Services

Finding Balance

Pw Design & Co

Donnalea Ferguson

TJ Aneca

The Toy Share

Want to be a guest?

The Balanced Mom

Around the Nook

Be That Girl

Kids Zone

Connect with us!

PHOTOGRAPHY Nicole Zee Photography Hi, I’m Nicole! I’m a Spruce Grove photographer who is drawn to beautiful natural light, calming tones, simple items, and loving connection. When I’m not taking pictures, I love painting and working in my garden. If you love light and airy, true-to-colour photos, I’d love to work with you! www.nicolezeephotography.com

Janice - Wildflower Photography Janice is a Stony Plain based photographer serving the greater Edmonton area. She loves capturing everything from weddings, newborns, families, and branding for small businesses. When she’s not behind the camera she enjoys spending time with her family.

Around the Nook Hi, I’m Donnalea. I am so happy to have the opportunity to share my recipes, baking and cooking tips here in Heartheld and on my website, Around The Nook! I hope you can pop on and find inspiration from some of my ideas. www.aroundthenook.com

If you would like to subscribe, Heartheld Magazine is an invitation to slow down and enjoy creativity, connection, and intentional living in print. Subscription details are available at www.heartheldmagazine.ca.

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Heartheld Magazine gratefully acknowledges the support of the Government of Alberta through the Magazine Publisher Operating Grant. We are thankful for this support as we continue creating print experiences rooted in community, care, and connection.

CONTACT US || Mailing Address: c/o Jasmine Jenne, 5115 54 Avenue, Stony Plain, AB T7Z 1B8 Email: heartheldmagazine@gmail.com

Treaty 6 Land Acknowledgment

We acknowledge that we are on Treaty 6 territory, a traditional meeting ground, gathering place and traveling route to the Cree, Saulteaux, Blackfoot, Metis, Dene, and Nakota Sioux.

It belongs to those who came before us. We are learning to listen, to remember, to be grateful and to allow voices previously silenced to be heard.

We are grateful for the traditional Knowledge Keepers and Elders who are still with us today and those who have gone before us.

As a media publication we recognize our responsibilities and roles in sharing these stories and our contributions within narratives. We hold ourselves and Heartheld accountable for these, and pledge to embrace the heart of the treaty with love.

FIND SELF-CARE STELLA Hidden between pages 3 - 48 of Heartheld Magazine is our very own Self-Care Stella.

COMPLIMENTARY DIGITAL EDITION

When you find her, send heartheldmagazine@gmail.com an email with a photo of your magazine and the page number you found her on to be entered to win a $25 gift certificate to Your Stony Mart.

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Table of

CONTENTS TANGIBLE SELF-CARE Self-Care Stella

03

Simple Self-Care

06

Self-Care Signature Quiz

20

The Balanced Mom

32

FUN & GAMES Once Upon a Time

10

Words and Whimsy Wordsearch

13

GENTLE LIVING AND WELLNESS Grace-Filled Business

08

How To with Heartheld

14

Around the Nook

26

Heartheld Health

28

HEARTHELD COMMUNITY

04

Be That Girl

17

Finding Balance

24

Kids’ Corner

35

Advertising Community

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Letter from the creative Director

Moments that don’t exist yet are already on their way and that’s the part I love most. The ideas, the stories, the collaborations still waiting to land… you can almost feel them circling.

Heartheld has always been about creating with intention, curiosity, and a whole lot of heart. What’s been built so far is something I’m deeply proud of, and what’s coming next feels playful, abundant, and wide open.

More room to say yes. More ways to create together. More moments that remind us why this work matters.

As we look ahead, I’m filled with excitement for everything still unfolding the connections, the creativity, the joy that shows up when community leads the way.

Thank you for being part of this story.

I can’t wait to see what we make next.

Jasmine Jenne Creative Director

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SELF-CARE

intentions

Write down your intentions for each realm of your life mentioned below! Try to be brief and to-the-point.

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Physical

Intellectual

Spiritual

Environmental

Social

Emotional

Occupational

Financial

Career

SELF-CARE

checklist

PHYSICAL

M

T

W

T

F

S

S

MENTAL

M

T

W

T

F

S

S

EMOTIONAL

M

T

W

T

F

S

S

SPIRITUAL

M

T

W

T

F

S

S

1 2 3 4 5

1 2 3 4 5

1 2 3 4 5

1 2 3 4 5

DAILY

DAILY

DAILY

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Grace-Filled Business Effective, Grace-Filled Business Advice For A Digital Age

Ask A Digital Expert...

Q: How do I start an email list? Do I just collect addresses and send emails to them?

A: In essence, yes, but there’s much more to it! First and most importantly, you need consent. In Canada, we have CASL (Canada’s Anti-Spam Legislation). The United States has CAN-SPAM, the European Union has GDPR. The bottom line is, there is legislation in place in most of the countries you will be reaching and each of these pieces of legislation carry hefty penalties if you don’t comply.

You can read a comprehensive overview of all three at this web address: https://brainstation.io/blog/a-comparisonof-can-spam-casl-and-gdpr The bottom line is that you need to ensure that your audience has explicitly agreed to be on your mailing list and you must have an easy, clear way for them to unsubscribe from your messages. Keep this in mind as you develop your email marketing strategy.

TRUE OR FALSE? Trending audio is audio with thousands of reels attached to it.

Verdict? This is FALSE! Audio on Instagram that has been used thousands of times is definitely popular, but if you want to capitalize on the “trending” audio you actually need to catch it before it is viral.

Find a reel that has under 1,000 reels created and check back to see its status for a few days. If you see it jumping by hundreds of reels a day, that’s trending. Strike while the iron is hot and use that audio!

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ARE YOU SETTING YOURSELF UP FOR FAILURE? Writer: Jess Schultz

Have you ever felt defeated when you were unable to hit a self-imposed deadline, complete your whole to-do list, or reach a goal?

If so, you’re certainly not alone.

It’s happened to me and countless others in my life - we set an overly ambitious (read: unrealistic) goal, we don’t achieve it, and then we feel like a failure. So often we create to-do lists and set goals as if we are robots who are 100% productive, 100% of the time.

What we need to remember is that we are in fact human. We will have days where our productivity is a bit lower. We will get sick.

Unexpected circumstances will pop up.

Setting unrealistic goals will, in the end, hurt us more than help us.

Don’t get me wrong, there is absolutely value in goal setting and understanding where you are going, but it’s important to ensure that those goals are created for who we are and not who we wish we were.

What do I mean by that? When setting goals we need to be sure that they are grace-filled and aligned with the needs we have in this current season. Maybe we have experienced times in our lives where we were able to power through long lists of tasks with ease, but right now we need a slower pace. Or perhaps the reverse is true; we might be in a season where we feel very motivated and energized and are ready to accomplish a lot.

What matters is being aware of what we need right now and making sure that we are setting expectations for ourselves that are realistic and kind.

I’m speaking from personal experience here. I am a big fan of time blocking. Very frequently I will decide that I need to hyper-schedule my life and spend hours inside my calendar creating colour-coded blocks for specific tasks to try and account for every minute of my day.

I used to give in to the temptation of creating a schedule that was robotic, jamming much too much into any single day and leaving zero margin for real life or my humanity. It looked great on paper (“WOW, I can get SO much done.”) but it was never sustainable when I tried to put it into practice.

So what did work? Creating a schedule/list of routines that were aligned with what I actually needed in that season of my life. Here’s what that looks like for me right now: 1. I get quiet. I set aside time to do a big “brain dump” of all the things on my mind (my worries, my hopes, my goals, the tasks I need to accomplish) and put them down on paper.

2. I create a list of the tasks I need to do during the week, both personal and professional, and list out how long they will realistically take (with a bit of added margin to account for the unexpected).

3. I plot those tasks on my calendar, leaving space between them for my brain to rest or to look after my self (get a drink, go for a short walk, eat food, decompress).

I try to follow these same steps when I am creating bigger picture goals, as well. I get all my thoughts out on paper, I create realistic timelines, and then I implement them with a healthy dose of grace.

Treating myself with kindness like this is a skill that I am still learning, but it’s one that is well worth the effort.

Won’t you join me?

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As I look back on my life at 91 years old, I thank God every day for his blessings. Yes, it is a life with many ups and downs.

I grew up in Germany. We suffered much during the Second World War, but we survived and became stronger. During the war we spent much time in the basement or bunkers, but we were lucky to come out alive to see the destruction. We saw damage from the bombs, all the beautiful homes destroyed and the people (who were lucky) being homeless. I lost 14 relatives in Pforzheim bombing in one night. So much pain.

I finished school with eight grades as we missed 15 months during the war.

We had to catch up in grade 7 and then in grade 8 we were out of school, off to work.

My dream was to be a seamstress but I had no place to learn it and no money to get into the higher school for that.

My father came back from the war being sick. My step-mother never worked in her life, so it was up to me to help. I worked hard and long, in a laundry and dry-cleaning place, 6 days a week, 8 - 10 hours a day.

When I was 19, I decided I needed a life. I had the dream to come to Canada, but there were so many obstacles to jump through. In those days, you had to be 21 years old to be of age.

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So, I went to my boss, our Pastor, and Mayor to get signatures saying that I can be of age and sign my own documents. My Father would not have signed it.

I applied to go to Canada, and lo and behold I got the news that I was going on January 13, 1954. The news came on December 24th, 1953 (a Christmas surprise/shock for my stepmother). It was a shock to everyone except my aunt, who was like a big sister to me. I spent Christmas with my Grandfather in another town.

So here my adventure began. After 14 days on a ship we came to Halifax.

Oh it was cold.

After a few days on the train, we came into Edmonton. Finally, here we were - 5 of us girls at the CNR Station. We were put in a taxi and delivered to a family in Edmonton’s West End. Did we speak English? No, but I managed it anyway.

After 3 months, I had changed. I was not treated well and I lost 16 pounds in one month.

I got a job at a senior’s place in St. Joseph Hospital. I liked it there and stayed until I got married and started a whole new chapter.

I met my husband and he was a true friend. He was much older but I thought that was good. We struggled and saved to buy a house (we had 4 children in a one bedroom, rented place). When we did buy it, the house was good but a lot of work to make it nice.

Lo and behold there came one more child, so 3 girls and 2 boys (all healthy, thank God). Children have a habit of growing up fast, look around and you will miss it.

Now a grandma and grandpa, after 30 years of marriage my husband had a stroke on our anniversary. 6 months later, he passed away.

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I carried on to the next chapter in my life. I worked in the food service department of The Bay and was busy with volunteer work for Eastwood community league (where I was president for 10 years as well as being in every other post, too).

I had a senior’s afternoon and loved it. Life was busy. I spent some good times with my grandchildren as their parents were working. My garden was my way of relaxing and enjoying. But as we say, life has a habit of throwing some surprises your way. After being alone for 7 years, I met my now husband. I took a friend to his store (he was a shoemaker). She claimed he was the best (as a shoemaker, he certainly was). He was a widower too, and we got together on February 5th, 1994.

We got married. It had been exactly 40 years for me since I first came to Canada. I moved to Stony Plain and never looked back. I love this town.

We did some traveling together and were content. I made many new friends (but still have some from before), and after 30 years together he passed away.

Life goes on for me. I was always able to look after myself (and everybody else, too). Now I’m just hoping my health holds out and that God grants me a few more years.

God bless you all.

Anita is a Stony Plain resident and a part of the Heartheld Magazine community. She is also the beloved neighbour of Heartheld’s Creative Director, Jasmine!

We consider it a privilege to share her life story with you. Thank you so much, Anita for telling us your story.

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What Creativity Really Needs H O W

T O

W I T H

H E A R T H E L D

Creativity isn’t something that can always increase in an exponential kind of way. To create and create and create and put pressure on yourself to always be producing is to take away from the very nature of creating.

Creativity is allowed to exist outside of the realm of production. I’m a firm believer that creating from a place of rest, abundance, and self-care is the surest way to make something filled with heart, emotion, and magic.

It often starts with being intentional about what you take in. Yes creatives need to consume. But the kind of consumption that nourishes rather than drains. The things that quietly light up your heart and soul.

Sometimes that looks like giving yourself a few days, a few weeks, or even a whole month of leaning into what inspires you: books, films, galleries, podcasts, little adventure dates.

(Doom scrolling doesn’t count.

😉)

There’s something different that happens when the phone is turned off and the noise fades - you can feel what you’re taking in slowly seep into your spirit.

Caring for your physical self is part of it, too. The practical things matter more than we give them credit for. The dentist appointment you’ve been putting off. The yoga class that makes your body feel like yours again. A checkin with your doctor. Fresh hair. Warm hands during a massage. Nourishing food. Water.

How do I create from a place of rest?

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When you treat your body with kindness and attention, that care has a way of showing up in your creations.

Speak to yourself the way you would to someone you deeply love.

That softness carries through.

Create from a place of rest. From abundance. From community. From light.

Then there are the days meant for rest and reentry. The kind where the pace slows on its own. Sleeping in. Eating when you’re hungry.

Going back to bed if you need to. Long showers with the lights low. Moving gently.

Stepping away from emails and screens.

Letting your mind de-stimulate.

Keeping a notebook nearby, just in case.

Emotions often surface on days like these not to be fixed, just noticed.

Time in nature has a way of holding everything without asking anything in return.

Mountains, beaches, forests, or even your own backyard garden.

Wherever you feel most like yourself. There is beauty everywhere when you give yourself time to see it.

Spend time with your people.

The friends who feel like an exhalation. The ones who laugh easily, who see you clearly, who remind you who you are without asking you to perform. Time spent with them around a table, on a walk, over coffee, fills something quietly essential. Creativity thrives in connection. In being witnessed. In belonging.

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Creativity is not something you chase.

It finds you when your life feels lived in when your days hold laughter, rest, beauty, and the most ordinary moments It arrives softly, in the spaces where striving eases and allowing begins.

In mornings without urgency.

In conversations that linger.

In care given to yourself without conditions.

Creativity blooms where there is room to breathe,where joy is welcomed, and where rest is honored as part of the process not a reward for finishing.

Jasmine Jenne

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BE THAT GIRL Be that girl who prioritizes herself to feel her best from the inside out.

WITH TJ ANECA 17

MEET TJ ANECA: YOUR LOCAL FITNESS & WELLNESS COACH FOR WOMEN When it comes to beginning (or restarting) your health journey, the hardest part is often knowing where to begin. If you’re a woman navigating midlife changes, perimenopause, or simply feeling disconnected from your body, you’re not alone — and you don’t have to figure it out by yourself.

Hi, I’m TJ Aneca, a Certified Personal Trainer, Nutrition Coach, Health Coach, and soon-to-be Menopause Coach. I live right here in Spruce Grove, where I’m a proud mom of six and grandma to two beautiful grandbabies. I absolutely love this community, and I’m so grateful to support women right here at home.

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My passion is helping women 35 and over who are just getting started or returning to fitness after years of putting everyone else first. I know firsthand how overwhelming it can feel - I’ve been there too. That’s why I focus on creating a supportive, welcoming space where you can build confidence, gain strength, and reconnect with your body again.

I’m excited to now offer in-person 1:1 personal training at Snap Fitness in Spruce Grove, as well as online coaching for women who prefer training from home or need more flexibility.

Here’s how we can work together: Build Realistic, Achievable Goals: We’ll create goals that support your life, your energy, and your unique stage of womanhood.

Follow a Customized Fitness Plan: Strength training, mobility, energy-building workouts - all designed to meet you exactly where you are.

Progress With Confidence: With ongoing support and guidance, you’ll feel stronger, more capable, and more connected to your health than ever before.

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FOLLOW ON INSTAGRAM @BETHATGIRL_TJANECA

THE BODY ACHIEVES WHAT THE MIND BELIEVES If you’re ready to take that next step toward feeling your best, let’s talk about your goals and how I can support you - whether in person at Snap Fitness or online from the comfort of your home.

BOOK YOUR COMPLIMENTARY DISCOVERY CALL TODAY

I’m a half-Japanese mama to six kids, a grandma, and a wife to an amazing husband — and for many years, I was a stay-at-home mom who loved (almost) every moment. But as my kids grew and I entered perimenopause, I found myself longing for something that fulfilled me again.

Like so many women, I spent years not feeling at home in my body — overwhelmed, unsure of where to start, and ashamed to admit I didn’t feel like “myself.” Everything changed when I began focusing on my own physical and mental health. I learned that I deserved to feel strong, supported, and confident. And now, my mission is to help other women feel the same.

Today, I help women build strength, create sustainable routines, and transform how they feel — not through perfection, but through support, consistency, and simple habits that truly work.

If you’re ready to take the next step toward feeling your best, I’d love to connect with you.

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WHAT’S YOUR SELF-CARE SIGNATURE? Self-care isn’t one-size-fits-all. Let’s find the way you love yourself best—no guilt, no pressure, just goodness.

Your ideal evening looks like: A

A quiet bath and an early bedtime

B

Journaling with a cup of tea

C

Movie night with snacks and laughter

D

Something creative and a little messy—think paint, playlists, or puzzles

Your love language (to yourself) is: A

Rest and permission to pause

B

Encouraging words and daily affirmations

C

Making yourself laugh and feel light

D

Time to dream, explore, and play

You know you’re doing well when: A

Your body feels calm and rested

B

You’re being kind to yourself in your head

C

You’re smiling for no reason

D

You feel inspired and excited for what’s next

The self-care ritual you never skip is:

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A

Sleep or naps, you need that reset

B

Talking to yourself like you would a friend

C

Doing something just because it’s fun

D

Making space for what lights you up

A reminder you need to hear more often is: A

You don’t have to earn your rest

B

You are enough—even on quiet days

C

Joy is just as important as productivity

D

You’re allowed to evolve and explore

Research from the University of Oxford found that engaging in small, intentional acts of self-care - like journaling, deep breathing, or taking a walk - can increase happiness levels as much as receiving a significant financial windfall. Turns out, consistent little moments of care can be just as powerful as big life events.

If you could gift yourself anything today, it would be: A

A whole day with no expectations

B

A note from your future self, saying “you’re doing great”

C

A spontaneous treat or tiny adventure

D

A creative day to play and dream

Your self-love style is best described as: A

Gentle and grounding

B

Honest and encouraging

C

Playful and permission-giving

D

Expansive and curious 21

IF YOU ANSWERED ...

Mostly A’s – The Grounded Caregiver You care for yourself by slowing down and staying grounded. Your superpower is knowing when to rest, recharge, and listen to your body. You find peace in the pause, and you remind others that doing nothing is doing something.

Mostly B’s – The Inner Cheerleader You love yourself from the inside out - with kind words, big dreams, and daily encouragement. Your self-care is rooted in mindset and meaning. You speak to yourself with compassion, and your quiet strength helps others believe in themselves too.

Mostly C’s – The Joyful Rebel You celebrate self-care in bright, rebellious ways - permission to laugh, play, and not take everything so seriously. You remind people that joy is healing and that a big belly laugh can be just as restorative as a long nap.

Mostly D’s – The Creative Soul Your self-care is expansive, imaginative, and full of possibility. You fill your cup by following your curiosity, dreaming big, and making space for inspiration. You’re the kind of person who turns a slow Sunday into something magical.

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OFF THE WALL START

AND

END

YOUR

DAY

ON

THE

RIGHT

COLOUR

Since our founding in 2016, Off The Wall Painting & Decorating has operated with strong values aimed at understanding and serving client needs.

To us, every new project means a new relationship. The information we learn from this open communication model allows us to deliver excellent results.

INSTAGRAM: @CASSANDRAS_OFF_THE_WALL PHONE: 1 (780) 908-0521 23

F I N D I N G Resilience: The Strength that Grows in the Dark Redefining Resilience Beyond “Being Strong” Resilience means many things to most folks, including me. For a long time, I thought it meant being strong, being fine, being the one who keeps going no matter what.

But I’ve learned through adversity that resilience is usually quieter than that. It looks like letting people in. It looks like telling the truth about what hurts. It looks like unlearning old survival strategies so you can make room for something gentler. Following multiple significant losses and a separation from my husband in 2019, I have truthfully never felt the same.

When Life Shifts: Personal Experiences That Reshape Resilience My entire system was rocked (internally and externally) and I moved through the world in a haze. The cloud of grief was dense. It wrapped around everything. Showing up for work as a junior-high teacher felt impossible, and being honest about the depth of my grief felt even harder.

Grief, Loss, and the Unseen Weight We Carry In my small community, I couldn’t escape the pitying eyes, the well-meaning grocery-store check-ins about the worst moments of my life, the nervous energy of people who loved me but didn’t know how to stand near my pain.

Everywhere I went, I felt exposed, raw, and disconnected from who I used to be.

And, I was lucky.

I had, and still have, a strong, steady support system. Every day, my friends and family showed up: long nature walks, warm meals, soft places to land, conversations that felt like breaths of fresh air when I couldn’t find oxygen anywhere else.

The Slow, Human Process of Growing Resilience I found a good therapist, who truly saw and knew me, and provided so much space for me to heal, learn, and grow. Slowly, my capacity grew. My plate expanded. I noticed the glimmers.

I became stronger, not in a triumphant, dramatic way, but in the slow, human way that healing usually unfolds.

Healing Through Connection, Therapy, and Compassion The backpack didn’t get lighter, but my strength grew to carry all I was holding, with each vulnerable conversation with loved ones, therapy session, nature walk, yoga class, and dog snuggle.

Something that was probably the most unexpected was my gratitude. Gratitude not for the losses and trauma, but for the lessons they taught me, including how to dig deep, lean on my people, have compassion for myself, notice my expanded empathy for others, and look for the glimmers in all the little moments that add up to so much.

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B A L A N C E What Resilience Looks Like in the Therapy Room What you’re probably expecting me to say is that resilience is overcoming adversity. And while yes, by definition it is…it’s so much more than that. It’s not glamorous, not linear, and not clean. It’s also inspiring, expansive, and connective.

Resilience doesn’t just show up in the big transformations. In my own life, resilience has appeared in countless forms: the moments I’ve had to dig deeper than I ever thought possible, the heartbreaks that demanded every ounce of strength I had, and the small, quiet choices that kept me moving when everything felt unbearably heavy.

It’s the same in my therapy room. I’m humbled to witness resilience in so many shapes: the courage to face a trauma or loss, the slow rebuilding in the years that follow, the learning of coping skills and selfcompassion, the navigation of daily anxieties and pressures. Sometimes it looks like reconnecting with an inner child who has been waiting decades to be held.

Understanding Resilience as Integration, Not Perfection Resilience truly comes in many forms and many sizes. Because when we experience the hardest parts of our lives — whether the long-lasting effects of attachment wounds or childhood trauma, the losses that crash into us without warning, or the experiences we saw coming but should never have had to endure — we learn what resilience actually is.

It’s the distance between impact and integration, the quiet terrain where we make choices, reach for supports, and learn how to live inside our own bodies again.

Of course, therapy is a huge help along the journey.

Resilience is supported by so many approaches: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps you choose what matters even in hard moments; self-compassion softens, invites non-judgment and self-kindness; mindfulness brings you back to the present; Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) eases the sting of old pain and invites protection, nurturing, and wisdom to the parts who needed it most; Hakomi invites curious exploration of long-held beliefs; Somatics teaches you to listen to your body; and attunement through Attachment-Focused methods let you feel truly seen, heard, and supported.

The Vulnerability Required for Resilience Together, these practices create steadiness, choice, and connection — the quiet foundations of resilience.

Being resilient often means being vulnerable. Asking for help. Digging into the dark, uncomfortable places you’ve avoided. Letting yourself feel things you spent months or years trying not to.

Sometimes it’s holding yourself together by a thread. Sometimes it’s falling apart on purpose so you can rebuild honestly. Sometimes it’s responding somatically to what your system can no longer hold.

Sometimes it’s simply naming the truth out loud for the first time.

And then, we notice the light. The growth, the gratitude, the glimmer…the steady strength that reminds us we can do hard things.

Disclaimer: Information provided through Balance Psychological Services' posts is meant for educational purposes only. This is NOT medical or mental health advice. If you are seeking mental health advice, please contact us directly at (587) 985-3132.

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Chocolate Peanut Butter Lasagna INGREDIENTS 1 box chocolate baking crumbs (400 gram size) ½ cup peanut butter (smooth or crunchy) ¼ cup butter Peanut Butter Layer: 8 ounces cream cheese 1 cup smooth peanut butter 1 cup powdered sugar ½ tub whipped topping 1 L tub (about 2 cups) Chocolate Layer: 2 Tablespoons cocoa powder 1 teaspoon espresso powder 3 cups milk 2 packages instant chocolate pudding (6 serving size) Topping: ½ tub whipped topping 1 L tub (about 2 cups) ¼ cup peanut butter chocolate sauce as needed crushed peanuts optional chopped Reece's peanut butter cups optional mini chocolate chips optional

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DIRECTIONS

Quick Tip! Place peanut butter in a zippered bag and microwave for about 15 second until soft enough to drizzle. Snip off one corner and drizzle it over the whipped topping!

Bottom Layer: Heat butter and peanut butter in the microwave on high for 30 seconds.

Add the Oreo crumbs and stir until fully combined.

Pour mixture into 9×13 inch baking dish, press down with fingers (or a measuring cup) until level.

Refrigerate.

Peanut Butter Layer: Blend peanut butter and cream cheese with a hand blender.

Add powdered sugar and blend. Fold in whipped topping until incorporated.

Carefully spread over chocolate crumb base. Refrigerate.

Chocolate Pudding Layer: Combine cocoa, espresso powder and pudding mix.

Slowly add milk and mix with a hand mixer until smooth, about 2 minutes.

Spread over peanut butter layer. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Topping: Add whipped topping by spoonfuls onto the top of the chocolate layer. Spread gently to the edges first, then spread to the middle.

Melt ¼ cup peanut butter in the microwave for about 15 seconds and add to a zippered bag (or add peanut butter directly to the bag and microwave until soft).

Snip off one of the corners of the bag, and drizzle peanut butter over the whipped topping.

Drizzle chocolate sauce over the peanut butter.

Garnish as desired with crushed peanuts, chopped Reece's peanut butter cups, and/or mini chocolate chips.

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heartheld health Written By: Vickie Boechler

WHY HOPE HELPS WITH LOSS “Loss or grief is the place where memories are held, where everything is in the past; hope is where dreams are born and all that is yet to come in the future” (Johnson-Murphy, 2022).

Why is loss so important to recognize?

I need to discuss loss before I can discuss hope in order to show how they relate to each other.

Loss can be anything and it lives in the past; it can be your home and now you are homeless, it can be your job and now you are looking for a new one, it can be your reputation and now you are doing damage control, it can be a loved one and now you are grieving; it can be money and now you are broke; it can be the loss of your health and now you have a chronic illness.

Whatever it is, loss can be a lot of different things, not just the death of someone. The worldrenowned psychiatrist Dr. Kubler-Ross (Tyrell et al, 2023) developed the iconic model on the 5 stages of death and dying - basically addressing a loss [of a life]. Several other models in psychology have since mirrored her model because grief is the normal reaction to a loss of any kind. Some professionals have called it the grief process while others have called it loss. These stages are not linear and we can experience two or three different stages in one day or week. I had the privilege of attending Dr Kubler-Ross’ presentation when I worked as a Case Manager in Edmonton Home Care.

I also favour Worden’s four tasks (stages) in understanding how people journey through grief or loss (Tyrell et al, 2023). These four tasks must be completed in order to recover from a loss in the past.

First Task: Accepting the reality of loss - initially the person has great difficulty accepting the loss (let’s use the loss of a job as an example). Some people are in denial and cannot see the reality of their situation. Other people move through this stage rather quickly and find a new job in a short time.

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Second Task: Next is to process the pain of loss, experiencing the pain of grief so that the person experiences anger, sadness or confusion as to what to do next.

Third Task: Adjusting to the environment the person lives in. It can involve focusing on the loss so much that it causes the person to ignore other roles in life. When that happens there can be more losses.

But the task is to adjust to a world without the loss.

Fourth Task: And finally redirecting emotional energy involves acceptance of the loss. The person starts to engage in new activities that bring pleasure and hope and holds space for hope.

But what about hope - why is hope so important when there is a loss?

This is where hope can help. Hope is the future and it is a positive and optimistic experience in a person’s life (Boyer, 2022). Hope gives us meaning and reassurance for our future. We need to have hope when navigating challenges that happened in the past like losing a job or a home.

Hope is finding or creating something for the future and is a feeling or mindset that one holds onto during the loss. Hope is the dim light at the end of the tunnel.

There are five stages of hope everyone has to go through to regain hope in your future life (Johnson-Murphy, 2022)! They are not linear or sequential but are iterative. By that I mean you might be in stage 4 and then go back to stage 2 in the same day. You may feel good one minute and terrible the next minute. You will find yourself dwelling in a stage for longer periods as time goes on until you have completed all the stages and stay content and grateful in the last one.

First Stage: Engage Other People Once the person accepts the reality of the loss the first stage of finding hope for the future is so very important and that is to engage with others. Finding hope with others is key to dealing with a loss in the past. Sometimes offering kindness to others is a great way to heal oneself. Hope isn’t just for us; it is something we can give to others!

First, reach out and make a connection with people who understand you the best. It’s hard to admit that we need other people sometimes because it can make us feel inadequate. We don’t like to admit we cannot handle hard stuff. We are scared we will be judged or rejected but other people help us to be part of a bigger world and help us to forget our loss momentarily or help us cope with the loss.

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Second Stage: Look for an Opportunity If we look at a loss of a job for example we can turn it around and say it’s an opportunity in the future.

Opportunities are everywhere you just have to find one that meets your needs. They don’t have to be big ones - you can start small. You may find a nicer job or team to work for. Your new boss is open to suggestions where the first one wasn’t. The loss of a family home for a senior may be an opportunity to find socialization with others instead of being lonely in their own home.

Keep opportunities in mind, turn negative thoughts into positive ones. Choose to get up in the morning with a positive outlook. Remember you are in charge of your thoughts! Write down 3 positive things you can do that day - go for lunch with a friend, do some baking , go shopping for groceries or that new dress for your son’s graduation. All it takes sometimes is to know that in the end everything will work out.

Third Stage: The Essence of Trust Trust is when you can count on others to honour their agreements with you in the future. For example, Mary said she would meet for lunch and she did! It turned out to be a great lunch! We must trust in the fact that hope leads to healing, that someday in the future you will find yourself in a better place but you had to go through the loss in the past to get there. Trust is the essence of people cooperating with each other. It sustains the truest parts of ourselves and others.

Fourth Stage: Courage to Hold a Space for Hope Courage is always needed to maintain hope. Hope is finding something better and you need the courage to find that. You hold the belief that the world will be a better place in spite of difficult things along the way. You face your fears and hold space for hope in the future and look forward to a new you!

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Fifth Stage: Connection with others Connection with other people in our community is how hope makes our communities a better place.

Finding connection is when you engage with other people and you realize that hope really did sustain you for the future.

You can also do something for someone who really needs a hand up. That one small gesture may save their life. Buying a Christmas present for a 7-yearold who has a homeless father is about a humane connection with others. Remember, wherever you are in life you have something to give others and they have something to give to you.

Are you going through some dark days?

Where are you in any of these stages?

Are you still at one of the loss stages with some hope for the future mixed in?

TAKEAWAYS

I can only hope I have shown you how loss relates to hope and how you can move forward to the next task in front of you.

“Stories remind us that others have walked thru darkness and made it out” ~ Tuhin (2025)

“Real hope makes room for loss.

It tells the truth. It weeps when it must-and still believes that something new can grow from the ashes”

Disclaimer: The information in this article was prepared by Vickie Boechler BScN, MN and is intended for information purposes only, not to give heath advice. This information does not replace the health advice of a physician or any other health care professional.

References: Johnson-Murphy, T. (2022). The 5 Stages of HOPE – Stars of Hope; accessed online December 18, 2025 Tuhin, M. (2025). The Psychology of Hope: Why It Matters More Than You Think; Science News Today; accessed online December 18, 2025.

Tyrrell, P.; Harberger, S.; Schoo, C.; Siddiqui, W. (2023) . Kubler-Ross Stages of Dying and Subsequent Models of Grief; tot_on_stages_of_death_and_dying.pdf; accessed online December 18, 2025

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The Balanced Mom 5 Self-Care Habits You Can Fit Into a 10 Minute Break When life is busy and chaotic - like balancing work, mom life, and the endless to-do list - finding time for self-care can seem nearly impossible.

But here’s the good news: self-care doesn’t have to mean taking hours away from your day! With just 10 minutes, you can prioritize yourself in simple yet impactful ways.

Here are five self-care habits that can refresh your mind, boost your energy, and help you reconnect with yourself - all in under 10 minutes.

Mini Meditation or Deep Breathing Exercise Meditation doesn’t need to be lengthy to be powerful.

Sit somewhere comfortable, close your eyes, and focus on your breath. Inhale deeply through your nose, hold it for a few seconds, and exhale slowly.

Stretch It Out

Repeat this for a few rounds, focusing on each inhale and exhale. If meditation feels like a stretch, just doing this deep breathing exercise can work wonders. It calms your nervous system, clears your mind, and helps you centre yourself, so you’re ready to tackle whatever’s next.

Focus on your neck, shoulders, and back common areas where stress loves to settle.

Try gentle shoulder rolls, neck stretches, or even a forward fold.

Try it with your little so you both reap the benefits!

Gratitude List Grab a pen and paper (or open a note on your phone) and jot down three things you’re grateful for. They can be big or small - anything from the cozy cup of coffee you enjoyed that morning to a positive interaction you had.

Taking a moment to focus on gratitude can shift your mindset from stressed to grounded, giving you a quick mental boost. This exercise reminds you of the good in your life, and when you make it a habit, it can improve your resilience and overall happiness.

They can be small wins; I know when I first started, I always had the same things listed.

Tip: try writing down in your phone notes app so you can remember the small wins even when you’re on the go.

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A quick stretching routine can wake up tired muscles, improve circulation, and help relieve any tension you’re carrying in your body.

Just a few minutes of stretching can bring relief and relaxation, making your body feel less tense and more energized.

Bonus: it’s a great way to break up long hours of sitting or being on the go.

Sip on Something Warm and Relaxing Whether it’s a cup of herbal tea, a cozy hot chocolate, or your favorite coffee blend, taking a few minutes to mindfully enjoy a warm drink can be incredibly grounding.

Use this time to slow down and savour each sip.

Don’t scroll through your phone or worry about the next thing on your list - just be present in the moment. Feel the warmth of the cup, close your eyes and enjoy the aroma of your drink.

This simple ritual can be a great reminder to pause and enjoy small pleasures in your day.

Quick Journaling Session Take out a journal and let your thoughts flow freely for a few minutes. You don’t need a plan or a prompt - just write whatever comes to mind.

This can be an excellent way to release stress, work through any emotions you’re feeling, or even brainstorm new ideas. You might surprise yourself with what you come up with in just a few minutes!

Quick journaling can help you release pent-up feelings and gain clarity, leaving you feeling lighter and more centred. If you do need a prompt to get started, try: What are you most proud of accomplishing as a mother?

Making Self-Care a Habit, Even in 10 Minutes Taking just 10 minutes for yourself doesn’t take away from anyone else; in fact, it makes you a better, more present version of yourself.

Join me on Instagram where I help moms find balance, selfcare, and joy in the chaos.

By carving out a few moments for one of these self-care practices, you’re building a habit that reminds you that you are a priority too. These small steps can add up to big changes, helping you create a sustainable self-care routine that fits into your busy life.

Remember, it’s not about how much time you spend; it’s about how consistently you show up for yourself.

So, which 10 minute habit will you try today?

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