Career, Life, and Wellness Coach in Milwaukee, WI

Passion has also been a key variable in my happiness equation. As someone who may be lacking in certain departments, passion certainly isn’t one of them.  For those who know me, they can attest to the fact I am a firestorm of passion. I have been lucky to have been passionate about jobs, hobbies, and life in general. When the flame of passion inside of me dies, I know I have lost touch with my most authentic, creative self. I then make a concerted effort to reignite this flame because passion is what propels me forward, energizes me, and makes me fully embrace life.

 

In my late twenties I started to consider whether or not passion was enough to be happy. For some individuals maybe it would be, but for myself I realized I was missing something in my life. When I turned 30 I realized I wasn’t leading a life of purpose. My passion filled life had me coasting along on a smiley happy highway of life, but I didn’t feel completely fulfilled. I felt like a jack-in-the-box that had its lid sealed shut. During this time I was also having dreams of being in danger and when I would try to scream for help, I found myself voiceless. I would try over and over to find my voice but no sound would emerge.

The reason for the reoccurring voiceless dreams and overall feelings of discontent finally became clear. During a meditation session I received a strong message that I was being called to be a teacher. Shortly after this dream I had a chance encounter with a spiritual man who told me point blank I was meant to be a teacher, but not a traditional teacher one would find in a classroom setting. He envisioned me as a spiritual teacher. I then met one individual after another who used the word teacher to describe me. Before these messages I had never considered my purpose in life to teach others. I thought, “What do I possibly have to teach others?”  Up until this point I had been a dedicated student and felt I had a considerable amount to still learn about life. However one door after another started to open and I had to decide whether or not I would confidently walk through these doors in my new role as a teacher.

 The universe wasn’t giving me subtle hints about my purpose in life, but instead the universe was sending out blaring sirens that were hard to ignore. The key for me was to fully pay attention to these hints and take appropriate action.

The actions I took involved starting my own coaching business, writing, and committing time to community service, specifically as a youth mentor. The voiceless dreams all of sudden stopped because I found my voice through writing. I no longer felt like a jack-in-the-box because I fully owned my power as a teacher through coaching and mentoring. My purpose in life was becoming clear, and for the first time I could answer the question, “Why am I here?”

The happiness equation of my life now had a new “purpose” variable in it. After years of questioning and searching, life finally made sense. My life will always be a constant work in progress and I know there are certain areas that still need attention; however, I know I am now on the right path. The reason is because my life now stands for something greater than myself.

Colleen Canney is a Career, Life, and Wellness Coach based in Milwaukee, WI. She coaches clients around the US and is available for both in-person and telephone coaching. If you are seeking inspiration, guidance, support, please feel free to contact Colleen for an initial FREE consultation. For more information on Colleen, please visit her website at: www.colleencanney.com or contact her via email at colleencanney@live.com.

 

A client named "Dave" came to me for help dealing with his addiction to drugs and alcohol. Dave knew if he continued on the self-destructive path he was on, he would continue to be miserable and would end up with severe health issues. At a young age Dave became addicted to drugs in order to self-medicate himself from the painful feelings he experienced on a regular basis. These painful feelings were a result of growing up in a household that was void of love. My client grew up feeling worthless and unloveable because his parents never expressed any emotions, except for negative ones. Dave never felt "good enough" and as a result, his self-esteem greatly suffered. Even though Dave appeared to have the perfect life on the outside, he was in great pain on the inside.

Dave had recently become engaged and he wanted to take control of his life in order to be happy in his marriage. Up until this point, Dave had hid his addictions from his fiance. He would drink and use drugs in secret when his wife wasn't around. The guilt of leading a double life was eating away at Dave. In his seemingly "perfect" life, Dave came across as a great father, husband, and businessman. Everyone loved Dave because he always took care of everyone around him. The only problem was that Dave didn't love himself, and because of this, he didn't take care of himself. Since he viewed himself as worthless, he would binge drink and use drugs to quiet the feelings of shame, guilt, and anxiety that overwhelmed him.

In working with Dave to increase joy and peace in his life, I coached him to be honest with himself about his painful feelings. Only until we get in touch with our painful feeilngs, can we truly heal ourselves. When Dave had the intense desire to drink or use drugs, I had him pay attention to what he was feeling. I told him to not judge the feelings but allow the feelings to exist as they were. When we allow feelings to come and go, these feelings no longer dominate us. We are no longer scared by them. Worry, anxiety, and fear may come strolling along in our minds and instead of freaking out, we can analyze the feelings. By analyzing our feelings, we realize our feelings don't own us or dictate are self-worth.

Being honest with ourselves about what we are feeling is extremely liberating. Dave confessed he was scared about not being a good enough husband to his new wife. He hadn't told anyone this and just by acknowledging the truth, he felt a huge sense of relief. We talked through his concern and he realized his worry was a mere mental construct. Dave had to learn to believe in himself and see the good that everyone else saw in him.

If you are dealing with addictions, insomnia, or anything else that is a result of painful feelings, stop trying to avoid these feelings. Own them. Analyze them. Work through the feelings and then let them go. You are more than your painful feelings. You deserve to feel light, happy, and at peace!

Colleen Canney is a Career, Life, and Wellness Coach based in Milwaukee, WI. She coaches clients both in-person and via telephone around the US. For more information on Colleen, please visit her website at: www.colleencanney.com or contact her via email at colleencanney@live.com.

The other day I was in the grocery store and a distressed little boy was reading the ingredients of a box of cookies. I was a bit surprised to see such a young boy (about age 10) interested in what was in a box of chocolate chip cookies. In a frustrated voice he said, "Mom, why does everything have wheat and sugar in it?" I then realized this boy was on a gluten-free and sugar-free diet. My heart went out to this boy because he was right, everything does seem to have wheat and sugar in it, especially all the yummy treats young kids enjoy.

Since I have struggled with digestive issues for over 3 years now, I too follow a fairly strict diet that is void of sugar and wheat. My stomach isn't happy when I eat these two items. Since I love to bake and I love sweet treats every once in awhile, I found a number of delicious gluten-free and sugar-free recipes. I wanted to share these recipes with my readers since there is a lack of these types of treats available in stores. I hope you all enjoy these treats as much as I do!

Instead of sugar in the recipes, I use NuStevia, Stevia Syrup, or Lakanto. NuStevia can be purchased in most health food stores. Stevia Syrup by Kal is a bit harder to find but can be purchased on-line. Lakanto can be purchased from www.bodyecologydiet.com. Personally I don't feel the need to ever eat real sugar again after learning about stevia and lakanto.

Here are my favorite gluten-free and sugar-free recipes:

Perky's "Nutty" Power Bars

1 cup Nut Butter such as Peanut Butter or Almond Butter (make sure there is no added sugar)
1/2 cup Stevia Syrup (by the brand called Kal)
1/2 tsp Vanilla
1/8 tsp Salt
1 box Perky's Nutty Flax Cereal (this cereal can be found in almost all health food stores)
Optional: 1/4 Cup Nuts, Shredded Coconut, or Seeds

*The full recipe is on the back of the Nutty Flax Cereal

Coconut Macaroons (Thanks Elana for such a great recipe!)

http://www.elanaspantry.com/coconut-macaroons/

*Substitue Agave Nectar with Stevia Syrup

Almond Butter Cookies
(Taken from The Body Ecoloy Diet Book by Donna Gates)

1 stick butter
3/4 tsp stevia (more if a sweeter cookie is preferred)
1 large egg
1 cup almond butter (make sure there is no added sugar)
2 tsp vanilla flavoring
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 cups Rice Baking Mix

Cinnamon Sprinkles:

1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp stevia (or more if needed)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a cookie sheet.
2. Beat Butter until light and fluffy.
3. Add stevia and cinnamon. Beat until smooth.
4. Beat in egg, almond butter, vanilla, sea salt, baking soda, and rice baking mix.
5. Drop cookies on sheet by tablespoons.
6. Score cookies by crisscrossing them with a fork.
7. Sprinkle cinnamon and stevia mixture on top.
8. Bake 15 minutes or until lightly brown.

Colleen Canney is a Career, Life, and Wellness Coach based in Milwaukee, WI. For a FREE consultant, contact Colleen today. She provides guidance and support for those looking to live their best lives.

www.colleencanney.com
colleencanney@live.com

In 8th grade my parents were looking to move and they were considering buying this beautiful two-story Colonial house with an in-ground pool complete with a slide. I loved this house! It was set back in a wooded area and it seemed warm and inviting. Everyday I prayed to God and I even wrote God a letter, asking for help in ensuring my parents bought this house. At the time I didn't realize how overly attached I was to the outcome. I wanted to live in this house and I didn't even consider that there may be an even better alternative.

When my parents didn't end up buying what I thought was the perfect dream house, I was quite devastated. I felt all my praying and letter writing to God was a waste of time. Little did I know that just around the corner was a big surprise. My parents ended up building a house, which meant my family and I moved into our very own brand-new home. The house turned out to be just as beautiful and spacious. The blue Colonial was a wonderful home but it would have meant living in the middle of nowhere, far away from my friends, school, and job. The new home was perfect for my family and I, even if it didn't have an in-ground pool with a slide.

Whenever I find myself attached to expectations, I think back to the above example. Often we can have tunnel vision and suffer from attachment disorder when we want something so desperately. When we fail to expand our view of life, we miss out on potential better opportunities that are coming our way and we also miss out on the greater meaning of life. When something in life doesn't work out, such as a relationship or a job, trust that it wasn't meant to be. Trust there is something better around the corner. Trust we will understand why something didn't workout in time. Life unfolds as it should if we allow ourselves to be open to whatever the universe has in store for us.

Colleen Canney is a Career, Life, and Wellness Coach based in Milwaukee, WI. She coaches clients around the US both via telephone and in-person. To schedule a FREE confidential consultation, please contact Colleen at colleencanney@live.com. For more information on Colleen's coaching services, please visit her website at www.colleencanney.com.

Yesterday I spoke to one of my close friends who lives in Boston and she seemed like a new person. The reason? My friend had recently reconnected with her two passions in life: running and reading. For the past two years my friend had been extremely stressed out and rather miserable working 70-80 hour weeks as an attorney for a large firm. An in-house attorney position with a company was presented to her and she accepted the new position without a second thought. Now my friend works more like 50 hours per week which means she has free time to pursue interests outside of work. With her new free time, my friend is training for her 2nd marathon and she is also taking a creative writing/reading class.

At the age of 30 my friend realized her passions had been put on the backburner for a number of years and as a result, she lost sight of what energizes her. When we fail to live a life filled with passion we become listless, unmotivated, and trudge through life. Passion is like fuel for our internal fire. We absolutely need passion in order to feel alive!

Some people are passionate about their work. Ideally we should all be passioante about what we do for 40+ hours per week but I realize this isn't always the case. If we aren't passionate about our work, we should pursue outside interests that challenge us, engage us, and ultimately help us continue to grow as individuals. When people are struggling to find their passions in life, I ask them what activities they used to love to do when they were younger. I also ask people what they have also wanted to try. Maybe it entails taking a cooking class, learning a foreign language, volunteering, or taking up a new sport. Sometimes it takes trying things out before you really find something that lights your fire.

Life isn't meant to be boring. Life is meant to energize us and make us wake-up every morning looking forward to a new day!

So here's to living a passionate life!

Colleen Canney is a Career, Life, and Wellness Coach based in Milwaukee, WI. She coaches clients around the US both via telephone and in-person. For a FREE 20 minute consultation, contact Colleen today.

www.colleencanney.com
colleencanney@live.com
(206) 529-7044

During Bikram Yoga classes I learned an important lesson about life. I learned the more we immerse ourselves in the flow of life, the more at peace we are with life. Whenever I find myself struggling to get into a pose, or hold a pose in class, I become stressed out, anxious, and typically just fall apart on the yoga mat. As a result, I become frustrated and my mind is flooded with thoughts such as, "Why can't I do this?" "What is my problem today?" "Why is this so hard?"

When I let go of expectations and just completely relax my body, the poses come easily to me. Forcing poses only causes my body to be stressed out, which makes the poses harder. While staring into the mirror I also empty my mind of any thoughts. What I have noticed is that any self-talk, especially negative self-talk, clutters my mind and prevents me from being fully present with my breath and completely in my body.

As a former competitive runner, I was used to aggressively forcing results. I was always trying to run faster, push myself farther, and ultimately beat the person ahead of me. Yoga taught me that life isn't always about exerting brute force to get ahead in life. On my yoga mat I have learned to completely immerse myself in the flow of life instead of trying to always force life.

A friend once remarked that trying to force life is like paddling upstream. Imagine taking a canoe trip and spending the whole time paddling upstream. Think about how exhausted you would be after a short period of time. Unfortunately most of us spend our whole lives wearing ourselves out by trying to move upstream instead of easily floating downstream with the natural current of life.

The more we force life, the more stressed we become. When we relax into life, all of a sudden our life is easy, effortless, and peaceful. What does it mean to be in the flow of life? It means accepting what is, instead of rebelling against what isn't. For example, people experience road rage when they don't accept the fact that as a result of traffic, their car isn't moving along at the speed they would like. Yes, traffic can definitely cause stress, especially when we are trying to get somewhere on time. Can we change the fact there is traffic? Nope! Becoming angry, honking our horns, and shouting profanities will not do anything to help move the traffic along. All these things will do is cause stress for ourselves and others, and prevent us from living in the flow of life.

When I find myself stuck in traffic I simply accept what is (usually a long line of cars not moving ahead of me) and tell myself I will eventually get to where I need to be. I may focus on my breath, make a phone call, or gaze out at nature. I make peace with the moment instead of allowing my emotions to rise up and dictate my state of mind.

The next time you find yourself stressed out, ask yourself if you are fully immersed in the flow of life. Are you trying to foce life? Are you rebelling agains the current state? Are you refusing to accept what is? Are you trying too hard for something that isn't meant to be?

Colleen Canney is a Career, Life, and Wellness Coach based in Milwaukee, WI. She coaches clients around the US. To schedule a FREE consultation, please contact Colleen at colleencanney@live.com or visit her website at www.colleencanney.com.

When we fail to surrender to the present moment and fully immerse ourselves in the present moment, a deep unhappiness overcomes us. This unhappiness is like a looming Seattle dark cloud that just never seems to go away.

So often we are living in the past or over stretching our minds to the future. Imagine watching a movie in rewind or fast-forward. Can you imagine how frustrating that would be? This is what happens when we aren't fully present to what lies before us. We become frustrated, not fully grasping what is transpiring in our lives.

When we live in the past, we aren't letting go of what already happened. When this happens, we cling to events or thoughts that should have been discarded when they happened. Instead we may replay an old broken record over and over in our head. This broken record drains our energy and prevents us from experiencing the pure joy that can only be found in the present moment.

I will share an example of what happens when we live in the past. A friend told me her sister was angry at her mother for not letting her try out for cheerleading. I was a bit confused because my friend is a bit older and I wondered if she had a much, much younger sister? Or maybe was this sister trying out for the Dallas Cowboy cheerleading team? I asked how long ago this event happened. My friend said, "30 years ago." I was shocked. Can you imagine holding on to anger and replaying this record called "Anger consumes me," over and over in your head? Instead of just moving forward in life and focusing on the present, my friend's sister still talks about the cheerleading event and as you can imagine, has a rather strained relationship with her mother as a result. My heart sighed and became sad when I heard my friend's mother was being punished by a daughter for an event that happened 30 years ago.

By holding on to the past, we carry around luggage that drains us of our livelihood. We walk around like a zombie, tired from all the excess negative energy that is weighing us down. Sure, there may be things we would like to change about our past but the simple fact is, we CAN'T change our past. The easiest thing to do is let go and surrender to the amazing life that is trying to unfold before you this very minute.

When we live in the future, we typically are imagining a different life. We may dream about a new job that will automatically make us happy. We may envision the ideal mate who will complete us and cure us of are blues. We may visualize a new car that will make us look fabulous. Living in the future is dangerous because we miss out on the beauty of the moment. Ten or twenty years from now we may look back thinking, why didn't I enjoy life more? Why didn't I appreciate every waking moment instead of scrambling ahead to reach the future?

In my room I have a quote by Ovid that says, "Everything comes gradually and at its own appointed hour." This saying reminds me to enjoy the ride of life and try not to skip over steps in the process of how my life is meant to unfold.

Colleen Canney is a Career, Life, and Wellness Coach based in Milwaukee, WI. She coaches clients around the US and is available for in-person or telephone consultations. If you mention you saw this listing on Colleen's blog, your first coaching session is 50% off!

For more information on Colleen, please visit her website at www.colleencanney.com or contact her at colleencanney@live.com.

A new client, *Sarah, recently contacted me because she was struggling with extreme fatigue, depression, and overall body aches. When we initially spoke, Sarah told me she wasn't passionate about her job and felt "stuck." Each day the alarm clock would go off and Sarah would dread going to work. For the past six years Sarah stayed in the same job because she didn't know what else she could do. After graduating from college, Sarah took the job because it seemed like the next logical step in life. She never questioned other career options because Sarah's friends and family told her she should take this particular job.

Sarah knew if she stayed in her job her body would continue to break down and her soul would continue to die. What prevented Sarah from quitting? Fear. Sarah felt overwhelmed with the thought of leaving the comfort of a job she could do well. One question after another flooded Sarah's mind: What if she wasn't good at anything else? What if she failed at a new job? What if she never found a new job?

After a few months of working with Sarah, she decided to quit her job and return to school. When I recently spoke to Sarah she sounded like a new person. She was upbeat, optimistic, and excited about her future. Sarah said she felt like her whole world opened up and all it took was having the courage to leave a job she wasn't passionate about. Now one door after another is opening and Sarah has been surprised at all the opportunities out there. To top it off, Sarah's fatigue, depression, and aches have pretty much gone away.

When we remain in jobs that suck the life out of us, our bodies rebel and we become sick. Work should be energizing and should lift our souls instead of cause our souls to die. As in the case of Sarah, all it takes is courage to pursue a new path and trust you will be guided in the right direction.

Do you feel stuck in your job? Do you want to make a change but aren't sure what the change is? Do you feel your job isn't it alignment with your soul's purpose? If so, feel free to contact me. I am passionate about helping people find their calling in life!

Colleen Canney is a Career, Life, and Wellness Coach based in Milwaukee, WI. She coaches clients around the US both via phone and in-person. To schedule a FREE consultation, contact Colleen at colleencanney@live.com. For more information on Colleen's coaching services, please visit her website at www.colleencanney.com.

After spending the past three years trying to figure out the answers to my health issues, primarily my digestive issues, I realized the importance of trusting your own intuition when healing your body. I firmly believe each and every one of us has the answers and power within us to heal our bodies. When our bodies are sick, they are telling us something and we need to listen up.

When I first started having digestive issues I started my path to healing my seeing a General Practice MD. She came running in, seemingly in a rush to write some prescriptions for me and get on with her next appointment. I told her about my constant bloating and overall fatigue. She told me I probably just needed to eat more fiber. I told her I was a vegetarian and my life was fiber. She went on to say one of her patients took 16 scoops of Citrucil for her digestive issues My eyes widened and I wondered how someone could consume 16 daily scoops of orange colored grossness. I shuttered at the thought.
 
I walked out of my appointment with three prescriptions, although I wasn't sure why I needed prescriptions for depression, anxiety, and something for stomach spasms? I felt defeated and didn't no where to turn next.

After some contemplation I decided to see an MD who specialized in more holistic medicine. When I sat down with this MD I said right away, "If you tell me I just need to eat more fiber, my stomach will spontaneously combust right before your eyes." Luckily the MD had a sense of humor and he just laughed and said he would hold off on recommending I eat more fiber until he better understood my case. The MD suggested I keep a food diary and determine what foods were causing me problems. This seemed fair although I was already eating a limited diet and it seemed everything caused my stomach to become bloated.

I ended up relocating out of state so I didn't see the Holistic MD again, although I very much appreciated him taking a full hour to meet with me and understand everything that was going on in my life. So often doctors don't assess a patient's whole picture, but rather try to treat an illness with a band-aid approach. In my case, the drugs I was prescribed by the first MD I saw wouldn't have helped my situation, and in fact, the drugs would have probably made my situation worse by causing my body to be contaminated with foreign substances.

After seeing a number of other doctors, I finally decided to look inside and also try alternative healing practices, such as acupuncture, stomach masages, and nutritional consultations with NDs.

 

The answers to my health issues have come from within, with some guidance from very intuitive healing professionals. It always seemed that I ended up meeting the right person at just the right time. Someone would tell me to read a certain book, try a supplement, or eliminate something from my diet. The universe is funny that way. When we are open to receiving answers, the answers easily come.

Trust the answers to your illness will come. Trust that you have the answers to your illness within you. Healing your body takes effort, a lot of patience, and most importantly, a positive attitude. Our bodies want to remain in a perfect state of health. Once we start working with our bodies, instead of against them, our health will be restored.

Colleen Canney is a Career, Life, and Wellness Coach based in Milwaukee, WI. If you are interested in scheduling a FREE coaching consultation with Colleen, please contact her at colleencanney@live.com. For more information on Colleen's coaching services, please visit www.colleencanney.com.

Why are so many people depressed? What are the causes of depression? I have pondered these questions for a number of years because it seems I encounter one person after another who is either currently on anti-depressants or has been in the past. I have also encountered people who aren't on anti-depressants but definitely seem depressed, or at least stricken with a case of the blues. 

All too often I think doctors are quick to subscribe anti-depressants to individuals who are down and out. I wonder how many of these individuals truly need medication? In some cases, I realize anti-depressants are absolutely needed, especially if someone is experiencing suicidal thoughts. In many other cases however I think "depressed" individuals can treat their depression in a more holistic way. Depression is quite complex and can often be attributed to other factors rather than just an imbalance of brain chemicals.

If you are feeling blue but would like to avoid taking medication, below are some alternative solutions that may help in treating your depression:

1) Eliminate caffeine - Initially caffeine gives us a burst of energy and we can feel alert and happy. A few hours later however most people crash and feel blue. As someone who recently gave up caffeine, I can vouch for how much more upbeat and alert I feel off caffeine.

*If you consume caffeine, I highly recommend you read Caffeine Blues by Stephen Cherniske. This book provides insight on the correlation between depression and caffeine.

2) Have your thyroid checked - Hypothyroidism can mimic the symptoms of depression because you can feel tired, listless, and just overall “blue” due to an underactive thyroid.  If you have hypothyroidism and want to avoid medication, there are alternative treatments. I would recommend seeing an ND for more information on how to treat an underactive thyroid.

3) Have your levels of Vitamin D checked – After learning from an ND that I had low levels of Vitamin D, I decided to read The Vitamin D Cure by Dr. Dowd. For more information on this book, please visit: www.thevitamindcure.com.  In this book I learned how low levels of Vitamin D can cause weight gain, fatigue, depression, and a host of other symptoms. Having lived in the Midwest for the majority of my life, I just thought I would have to suffer from SAD (Seasonal Affected Disorder) every winter. Little did I know I could prevent SAD by taking Vitamin D supplements and getting regular doses of sunshine.

4) Eat a pure and clean diet – What you eat or don’t eat can greatly impact your mood. Take an inventory of your diet and eliminate all processed foods and beverages. The best diet for most people is one that consists of plenty of raw and cooked fruits and vegetables, along with whole grains and protein. The body is not meant to be clogged with anything artificial.

5) Get tested for food allergies – You may be surprised to learn you are allergic to a food you regularly consume. I found this out my junior year of high school when I was plagued with extreme fatigue. I ended up missing the entire cross-country season because I thought I had mono. After seeing an ND, I found out I was allergic to yeast and as a result, suffered from candida. Considering I ate large quantities of bread that contained yeast, it was no wonder I was tired all the time. My body was rebeling against something it didn’t want. Once I eliminated yeast from my diet my energy was restored and mood greatly improved. I went on to run cross-country my senior of high school and also in college.

6) Live a passionate life – I read that depression can be a result of drifting away from your passions. Ask yourself if your life is filled with passion? Are you passionate about your job? Is there anything in your life that brings you pure joy? Have you connected with your creative energy lately? Think back on your life and figure out what activities used to make you happy.

All too often we can get caught up in a mundane daily routine and neglect to pursue our passions.  When this happens we become apathetic and suffer from the case of the blues. We lose our hunger for our life. Passion equals energy. If you live a passionate life, you will truly feel alive and “high on life.”

If you aren’t passionate about anything, try new activities that spark your interest. At the age of 60 my aunt decided to take up tap dancing. Now tap dancing is something my aunt loves and little did she know, it would be a new passion she ended up discovering later in life.

7) Learn to control your mind – If you pay attention to the stream of thoughts running through your head on a daily basis, you will notice how negative these thoughts can be. When we have a clear mind void of negative thoughts, we feel happy and at peace. Our mind can easily make us depressed if we allow it to; however, we have the power to dictate our thoughts. Instead of waking up thinking, “Great, another day from hell,” change your thoughts to, “Today is going to be a great day filled with amazing people and amazing opportunities.” Instead of thinking, “I am worthless, stupid, and unattractive,” change your thoughts to, “I love myself. I accept myself and I am perfect just the way I am.” There is a saying, “Change your thoughts. Change your life.” I absolutely believe in the power of this statement because it has worked wonders for my clients, friends, as well as myself.

8) Exercise – Do you want to experience a natural daily high? Get moving outside or hit the gym and your endorphins will start kicking in. Do you ever notice how super fit people are always super happy? You may roll your eyes at these people and think, “Why are those annoying high energy runners, cyclists, or yoga enthusiasts so darn happy?” Well, it’s because these people know the secret to a natural high. They have learned how important exercise is in maintaining a positive, stable mood.

9) Try SAM-E or St. John's Wort - These are natural supplements that may help to alleviate mild depression. I recommend consulting with an ND for proper dosage and potential side-effects.

10) Seek out professional help- When painful feelings are buried deeply within and not dealt with, individuals often become depressed. By working with a professional, such as a therapist, psychiatrist or coach, you can learn to deal with painful feelings by acknowledging them and then letting them go. All too often individuals anesthetize feelings such as shame, guilt, and fear with alcohol, drugs, food, and even TV. While this band-aid approach may work temporarily, our painful feelings will return and only intensifyif they continue to fester. If we fail to deal with painful feelings, they will dictate our state of mind and we will never experience a true state of happiness.

11) Connect with others – Depressed individuals often feel isolated and all alone in the world. By reaching out to others, our spirit is revived with energy from others and our depression is lifted. Volunteering can serve as a potential cure for depression because giving of ourselves selflessly means we are no longer trapped in the ego-induced confines of our mind. 

Colleen Canney is a Career, Life, and Wellness Coach based in Milwaukee, WI. She coaches clients around the US either via telephone or in person. Colleen offers FREE consultations to new clients. Contact Colleen today to learn more about her coaching services.

 

Colleen Canney

www.colleencanney.com

colleencanney@live.com