Follow the evidence - and science
Timothy Caulfield suggests trying the following thought experiment. It’s far-fetched to be sure, but to test the “stranger danger” hypothesis – known to cause considerable anxiety among today’s parents – imagine placing your child alone on the street as bait for some shady character in a white van. How long would it take for that child…
The world is going through difficult times. COVID-19 is not only testing us physically, it has created an economic crisis for many. And it’s taking a psychological toll on all of us. When facing challenging times, I’ve found that certain resources always provide hope and a way forward. Viktor Frankl wrote his classic Man’s Search …
Human relationships are complex. But there are some simple principles you can follow to build solid friendships
Everybody wants to have friends. Growing up, I often heard, “If you want to have friends, you have to be a friend.” To me, that statement always left more questions than answers. I was recently reading The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens by Sean Covey with my students and I came upon the best…
The story of Mary John is one of perseverance and resilience, and should serve as an example to all who read it
One of the benefits of teaching is that I get to make the final choice with regard to the books we study in class. With a greater emphasis on Indigenous content in the new British Columbia curriculum, I was drawn to Stoney Creek Woman, the story of Mary John. The Stoney Creek Reserve, today called…
You must first learn to respond positively to negative situations – embrace your willpower
It’s said that successful people aren’t those without problems, they’re simply those who deal effectively with their problems. This is an easy claim to make but what does it really mean? Stephen Covey, the author of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, tells us that between stimulus and response there’s a gap and it’s…
Whether laid off, terminated or fired, it all means the same thing. You've been de-jobbed, out of work, no more paycheque
It's happening all the time: Workers get the proverbial boot. But whether laid off, terminated or fired, it all means the same thing. You've been de-jobbed, you're out of work, and there's no more paycheque. It means pounding the pavement and looking for a new job. It's natural to be overwhelmed with negative emotions –…
Standing still only causes us to move backward
“Do not be afraid of improving slowly. Be afraid of standing still,” popular Zen master Leo Babauta tells us. Many in our society believe that there’s a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow and once we reach it, life becomes easy. Others believe that “you can’t teach an old dog new tricks.” We’re…
It’s easy to get distracted by money, power and shallow relationships. But at our cores we know what’s right
During my rebellious teen years, I listened to an incredible band from Detroit (the Motor City) called MC5. On one of their live albums, recorded in the late 1960s, they made a statement that struck me and has never left me: “Brothers and sisters, the time has come for each and every one of you…
Create visions and not resolutions to take control of your life
Why don’t resolutions work? Eighty per cent of all New Year’s resolutions fail by the second week of February, according to U.S. News and World Report. Only eight per cent of us actually follow through, according to Forbes. In fact, just over 50 per cent of us don’t even bother with New Year's resolutions. It…
Rejected in love? Lost a job? Experienced a serious medical condition? Gone through a financial crisis? Spiders In Space offers comfort
Spiders In Space: Successfully Adapting to Unwanted Change By Todd Hirsch and Rob Roach P&P Publishing C$20 For those of you who had any doubt, this book confirms that misery really does love company. It tells the story of 15 very different people from a variety of backgrounds across Canada who have but one thing…