Are you ready to FINALLY prioritize your self-care this fall, prevent burnout, and reclaim your time, energy & balance?

Take Erica's FREE Self-Care Masterclass: Your Personalized 4-Step Well-Being Roadmap for Busy Women With Real Life Schedules

Are you ready to FINALLY prioritize your self-care this fall, prevent burnout, and reclaim your time, energy & balance?

The FREE Self-Care Masterclass: Your Personalized 4-Step Well-Being Roadmap for Busy Women With Real Life Schedules

WELLNESS

Nothing Exceeds Like Excess

I’ve been hesitating sharing this story. It’s not a particularly popular topic. When you tell people you don’t drink, unless you have an excuse like you’re allergic or you’re on antibiotics, the reaction isn’t always… enthusiastic.

No one wants to question their own alcohol consumption. And think about it, what was the last social activity you did that did not involve alcohol? How far back do you have to go?

I only noticed how prominent alcohol was in my life once I decided to stop partaking in the most socially acceptable, celebrated and damaging mind altering substance out there. Everywhere you look, alcohol seems to be the star of the show. You can’t go to a social event unless there’s a promise of wine. And today women more than ever are getting on board the binge drinking train. How many memes do you see equating heavy drinking with a liberated badass woman all in the name of equality? In Montreal especially, us women pride ourselves on our high tolerances and our ability to drink hard liquor ie Jamieson straight, without batting an eyelash.

5 Reasons We all Need to Quit Complaining NOW

Hi, I am Christine Lewicki, wife, author and mother to three girls. I am also a recovered complainer.

Like many women today, I have a very full, busy, and hectic life. We have all seen the commercials and the movies that glamorize the work/mom juggle. But the struggle is real. On the outside, I had a happy life, but deep inside I was resisting the daily grind and it was draining me. My reaction to the stress was to complain and moan everyday about everything that was getting in my way.  Eventually I set out to change my response and react differently. I challenged myself to quit complaining.

It has been quite a journey.

This is my story.

What I Learned On An Afternoon Away

This weekend, I took Saturday afternoon away from my family to attend a yoga, meditation and stress management Masterclass with Bram Levinson. I don’t like leaving Hilly and the kids on the weekends, so in the odd time that I do, I have to make sure it’s for something important. You know– the good ‘ol cost/benefit ratio.

It is my life’s mission to learn and share, and so while it’s all still fresh in my mind from the weekend, I’d like to share some aha moments that woke me up:

We’ve Got Self Care Wrong

We talk a lot about self-care– it’s a very 2019 word. I talk a lot about self-care as a Certified Life Coach, Certified Yoga Instructor, and Parenting/Lifestyle Correspondent on TV. When we think of self-care, we often think of hot baths, or massages, or this picture I posted yesterday on social media – I shared it in my instagram story.

Self-care for me two days ago was the gift to myself of $8.00 tulips I put in my kitchen window sill to look at while I’m doing the dishes or sipping my coffee, to help me channel spring and radiate sunshine.

Our Montreal winters are rough, I tell ya, people.

And I realized that even in my yoga class, when I have my yogis on the mat, I often say to them as they are lying calmly on their backs in sivasana at the end of class, I invite them to channel the good vibes and keep them going after class— a nice hot bath, a warm cup of tea, a nice book, a show on tv that makes them laugh. Something just for them that is pleasurable to end off their evening. That they cannot give form an empty cup.

But here’s the thing: self-care isn’t limited or limiting.

National Eating Disorders Awareness Week

Being a psychologist is a challenging and intensely rewarding experience.

In my day job, I am a psychologist. Sounds humble enough, right? In my therapy role, I work with many types of patients, but mainly with women who have an eating disorder (usually anorexia or bulimia). It’s the world’s best day job, and I mean that sincerely.

I should probably tell you how I came to be so lucky as to become a psychologist (and to be working mainly with women clients) in the first place. First thing, is that I was blessed with wonderful parents and gentle older siblings. Growing up, my family taught me to respect and help myself and others too. They were all strong and resilient role models, who –happily—also never took themselves too seriously; this made the whole process more fun.

Mental Health Support For Kids Via Text Is Now Here!

An estimated 1.2 million children and youth in Canada are affected by mental illness.

This week on Global TV, I had my life coach, parenting contributor AND mom hat on for all our children. Today’s blog post is about sharing important news. And how lucky I am to have the platform both on television and online to share this crucial information. And finally, how fitting it is on Thanksgiving to be grateful for free mental health care accessible to our children at the tip of their fingers.

“Canadian youth can now access mental health support through a free bilingual texting service being rolled out across the country by Kids Help Phone. KIDS HELP PHONE is a charitable organization. Trained crisis volunteers at Kids Help Phone can now respond to young people seeking help by text, in addition to its existing phone and live chat services.

Who’s Da Boss?

Ok, so it’s November.

We all know what’s going to happen in the next little while. It’s going to get darker earlier. There will be less daylight hours. It will get colder. Cold enough to hopefully have snow for Christmas. People are going to stay indoors more. This is also the beginning of flu season, so we are advised to get the flu shot. Our skin will become drier as the humidity wears off. The seasonal birds will be flying south and so will the snowbirds.

Geez, this sounds awful.

Actually, not at all! It’s all about perspective and taking control of your time. For me, I love this time of year. There are many reasons for this. Primarily, I’m happy for the humidity to go away as my curly hair will be tamed into straighter hair. I know that seems a bit trite, but I fight with the humidity for months. Ya, I don’t like having dry skin, but I love having dryer hair. Gone are the pollens and the bees. I will no longer struggle with seasonal allergies. Bring on the frost baby!

How To Embrace Aging and Make Peace With It

Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don’t mind, it doesn’t matter.
— Mark Twain

If there’s one thing that no one in this world is exempt from, no matter how rich, how poor, how thin, how heavy, how nice, how evil, how generous, how WHATEVER… it’s AGING. Yes, we are all aging. And we are all fighting it at the exact same rate as the next person. Some will age better, some will age worse, but it’s a process we all must face whether we like it or not.

It’s a topic of conversation with women I meet and coach a lot lately.  Who is having work, who isn’t, how to age happily. And yesterday on Global TV, I discussed it. If you have or haven’t received a little help or needles from Dr. 90210, you still can try any or all of these 4 tips to make peace and help with the aging process.

Weedless Wednesday

Forget about Wordless Wednesday, today is our last Weedless Wednesday!

Yup, pot became legal in my country this morning.

Leaving Global TV this morning, Sainte Catherine St. smelled of pot. Everyone out there just smokin’ in the streets, having a jolly ol’ time!

I asked my Instagram peeps this question yesterday.

#WorldMentalHealthDay: My 2001 Story

Today is #WorldMentalHealthDay. Yesterday, this is what mental health and self-care looked like for me. I was finalizing my Global TV script, blogging for WomenOnTheFence and making last night’s yoga playlist (hello A Star Is Born) outside at a café on a warm and sunny Montreal day. Sipping green tea (cuz we know that green tea is an antioxidant with a lot of health benefits).

Let’s not forget 1 in 4 will experience mental health struggles at one point in their lives. On World Mental Health Day, let’s talk about what keeps us well (ex: social connection, movement, restorative sleep, medication if necessary), and let’s talk (either out loud or to a loved one) when we’re not feeling so well.

Help is out there. I know, because I needed it in 2001 when I teetered on burnout. 

This is that story.

Avoid burnout and reclaim your time, energy & balance!

Join my FREE Self-Care Masterclass for Busy Women with Real Life Schedules


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