Meditation

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4 Simple Steps To Better Sleep

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4 Simple Steps To Better Sleep

Do you have trouble sleeping? Maybe you wake up a lot during the night or have to get up to do something and then find you can't get back to sleep. Perhaps your thoughts are very active at night and it's hard to settle your mind. 

If this is you, you're not alone.

Most of us lead busy lives. So much of what we do is based on speed and being connected online 24/7. We get to the end of our day and we're exhausted. We may even get frequent head aches. It's no wonder when it comes to sleeping, it's really hard to settle our buzzing minds and relax. 

According to a study conducted in the UK, sleep disorders and sleep problems are more common than we think. Canada may be the third most sleep-deprived country in the world, with nearly a third of Canadians feeling like they don't sleep enough....

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How I stay motivated in stressful times

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How I stay motivated in stressful times

Here's what I tell my audiences, my clients and myself... 

YOU CAN ALWAYS COME BACK TO THE BREATH.

Last year I walked away from stability and a healthy six figure income to launch Wake Up Kate, a mindfulness and stress resilience consultancy. What can I say?... It's been amazing. A truly powerful experience. It's the most incredible rewarding work I've ever done and I have to pinch myself sometimes that this is really happening. But as we all know (and sometimes forget) great things take time. You have to think of it as a 'ten year project'.... so I can assure you, there's plenty of impatience, frustration and worry to deal with as well. 

Actually, something happened while I was writing this blog, that should have caused a complete meltdown (aka significant stress) but it didn't. Read on to hear about it....

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The holidays, stress and mindfulness

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The holidays, stress and mindfulness

I'm somewhat disconnected from the mad rush of Christmas, because my family and I have chosen to spend it this year focusing more on creating small but meaningful experiences throughout the month of December, rather than giving many gifts.

Christmas is of course one of the biggest holidays of the year for many of us.

A time of joy and celebration, and yet it can also be a time of emotional worry. The mad rush of last minute shopping, waiting in huge lines, feeling frustrated, having frayed nerves.........

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The truth about meditating

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The truth about meditating

It was exactly one year ago today I went on a 9-day silent retreat. 

I remember a sinking feeling in my stomach as we approached the monastery.

I felt nervous. But most of all what I remember were thoughts screaming at me: "Why on earth am I going to a monastery to spend nine days in silence with some monks?"

We pulled into the parking lot and my husband offered to carry my bags into the reception area. I told him to leave me there and just go. I wanted my family to depart as quickly as possible, or else I'd be too tempted to jump back in the car and go with them!

I checked in and found my room. The door next to mine led to a chapel and prayer room. There was a crucifix above my bed. Nothing else on the walls. Oh god, what had I let myself in for?.......