Have You Overcome Adversity?

“Someone needs to tell those tales. There’s magic in that. It’s in the listener, and for each and every ear it will be different, and it will affect them in way they can never predict. From the mundane to the profound. You may tell a tale that takes up residence in someone’s soul, becomes their blood and self and purpose. That tale will move them and drive them and who knows what they might do because of it, because of your words.” - The Night Circus

Do you have a story to share about how you have overcome adversity?

 Corresponding with the theme of the upcoming Peterborough SPEAKS event – “What doesn’t break you makes you stronger” – we invite you to submit stories about a challenge that you have overcome in your life. There is no story too big or too small to be told.

Select stories will be compiled in our blog, and two winners will be drawn to win two free tickets each to the Peterborough SPEAKS event, on 15 April 2015 at Market Hall (a $130 value).

You have until February 28^th to submit your stories to info@gphsf.ca. Winners will be contacted via email.

Peterborough SPEAKS presents an evening of stories and entertainment from six compelling, innovative individuals: senior design editor for Canadian House & Home Margot Austin, parenting expert and author Ann Douglas, Chief of Curve Lake First Nation Phyllis Williams, internationally-acclaimed artist Peer Christensen, President of BrandHealth and golf columnist Paul Hickey, and author, historian and former Dean of Sciences at Lakefield College School John Boyko.

They are joined by the musical guests Christopher Dallo & Brian Roman and emcee Linda Kash, who will present a pre-show to lead you into the main event.

Tickets are available for the Early Bird rate of $50 for purchase at Market Hall Box Office until January 31^st, online at www.markethall.org, or by phone at (705) 749-1146.

Do you need a good laugh? Of course you do.

It's that time of year where we all start to feel the looming pressures of the holiday season and the deadlines you need to meet before the end of the year.  And winter weather and darkness have pushed away any thoughts of summer....

They say 'Laughter is the Best Medicine' and this may be the cure for the winter blahs!  This event takes place November 28 at The Venue in support of your local family health team.  Come out to this great fundraising event where they will treat you like a queen...or king.  Either way, you will be spoiled with great food, amazing entertainment, and many laughs.

Click here or or call 705-740-8074 for more information.

Farewell

Its hard to say goodbye. After 15 years of fundraising and events work I am moving to a new role. However I will still be working in the nonprofit sector, I guess it's in my blood! 

For those who work in nonprofit, you will understand what I mean. The cause becomes your life. It's your passion and your hobby. To work in this sector is hard and yet the rewards are truly great.  

Where else can one work alongside volunteers, those who choose the work without remuneration, and often say thanks to you, more than you say thank you back.

And while the employees do occasionally become frazzled by the chaos and pace of the job, the volunteers remind us of why we do it, its just as much for them and about them, as it is about the cause.

Volunteers I worked with at the Heart and Stroke Foundation (my previous position before here) still remain in my thoughts.  What I learned, mistakes I made along the way, and survivors like Patti and Sarah who will be forever in my heart. 

Thank you for every one I encountered in my 5 year journey at the Health Services Foundation.  While there are too many people to mention by name, I will make special mention of my grandmother "Tee".  She always gets involved in wherever I work.  And while she no longer volunteers her time, the people in our office at 150 King Street benefit from her monthly delivery of baked goods. 

Farewell until our paths cross again. 

Hannah Routly

Festival of Trees 2012

Being Thankful

Given that Thanksgiving is this weekend and it seems to be the only thing crowding my mind today I thought, "Why not blog about it?"

For the past five years on this holiday I haven't had a Thanksgiving Day with my family.

I've had them with friends families, but never my own.

My dad works in another province and only comes home once every 3-4 months. My sister lives four hours away and my Mom doesn't want to make a big meal if no one is going to be there.

The only time we all seem to come together is Christmas.

I'm not complaining. I am very thankful for a couple of things in this situation:

•          Those that let me join in their families celebrations. They never make me feel left out and it's a really great experience to see what other families do.
•          When my family does come together it's a bigger deal than normal because we missed everyone so much.

A lot of people would look at my situation as a sad thing, but it isn't when you take a step back and look at the big picture as you can see. I want to encourage you to look at something in your life that may seem grim but turns out to be the complete opposite. I also want to encourage you to make a list of all the things you are thankful for, whether it is just a mental list or something you write down.

To help you with this list I will provide you with a small list of my own.

When you make the list pause and reflect on each thing.

It should make you really happy and want to smile when you think about it.

•         My parents - If it weren't for them, I wouldn't be half the woman I am today.
•         My friends – We share the best memories that leave me rolling on the floor laughing.
•         My sense of sight, hearing, touch, smell, taste – I get to see the colors of life. I get to hear the voices of my loved ones. I get too feel the hands of my loved ones. I get to smell and taste all the food I love.
•         My speech – Allowing me to express myself.
•         My health - It enables me to do what I want to do.
•         My legs - They let me walk, run, swim and play the sports I love.
•         My mind - Allows me to think, to store memories, and to create new solutions.
•         My school and teachers - These have provided me with an environment to learn and grow.
•         My fears – So I know there are opportunities for growth.
•         Music - For lifting my spirits when I'm down and for filling my life with more love.
•         Kind strangers – Brightening up my days when I least expect it.
•         Heartbreaks - This has helped me mature and become a better person.

Thoughts About Over-Thinking Things

I was writing a blog last Wednesday about a completely different topic and then it stumped me.
Stumped me so much that I had to do some research. This research drove me up the wall and back down again and because of this, I thought of a completely different topic....
 
One of my biggest problems used to be that I thought too much.

I overanalyzed any little problem until it became a bigger/scarier thing in my mind. I overthought positive things until they didn’t seem to be that positive anymore. I deconstructed things until the happiness that comes from just being in a moment and enjoying it fell apart.

Based on a lot of conversations I've had, I’m not alone in this.

So how do we not over-think things?
In today’s blog I’d like to share some things you need to stop doing to step out of your own way, simplify your thinking habits and make things so much easier.

Stop setting your day up for stress.
Crazy days are nothing one can avoid entirely. At least not if you want to live a full life. But if you have bad habits for how you plan and live your regular day then that can lead to a lot of unnecessary stress and over-thinking.

What to do instead:

• Get a good start. Nothing makes my day better then having a bagel BLT w/egg in the morning and going for a bike ride. So you should try the same: start your day with a few simple habits like a good breakfast, maybe a bit of exercise and then get started with an easy task.
• Single-tasking + regular breaks. As a woman, I understand doing several things at once is how we normally work but guess what! If you just work and work your whole day then your body and mind will become overwhelmed. Thoughts will start running wild and often down negative paths as stress rises in your body and mind. To prevent this and to do focused work without tearing yourself down schedule regular breaks every hour.
• Minimize your input. I love my social media as much as the next person but....too much information, too many times of  “just taking a few minutes” on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram clutter into your mind during a day. This shoots your thoughts off in more ways and gets your mind extra active. To keep your thinking simple, simplify and reduce the input.

Stop getting lost in the future or the past so much. When you focus too much of your attention on what happened and replaying it over and over or on imagining the future then that usually leads to worries.
What to do instead:

• Be here now.
• Reconnect with the present moment when you get lost.

Stop working without any firm boundaries.
If you have no boundaries for your work hours then you can easily get lost in working too much and in stressful thoughts about your job/school going round and round in your head.
Even when you are spending quality time with your family. Or as you toss and turn and try to go to sleep.

What to do instead:

• Set a stop time.
• Make a firm decision to spend your evenings with other things than thinking about your work. Fill that time with other activities that recharge and relax you.
• Remind yourself of the consequences. When you catch yourself with floating back into work thoughts or school thoughts, remind yourself of the consequences of doing so. Such as increasing stress levels, missing the other important parts of your life like friends and family. 

Chit's Post Internship Post ;)

I have been thinking of writing a blog post on how my experience as a social media intern at GPHSF helped me for pursue of my career. However, it is a little too late, but I guess it’s better late than never. First thing first, I am not really a good writer; my writing skill is super weak, so bear with me. As long as, you can understand my story, I am happy.

 I did my internship as a social media intern at GPHSF in May. I was there only for a month, but that experience alone helped me a lot during job-hunting period. First is the impression that I paid back the community I lived in by offering my internship at a non-profit organization like GPHSF. We are actively involved in social media, which in turn, showed the employers that being a social media intern is not just a position, but also an actual job and has distinctive publicity benefits. I told them in the interview, how we work together and how we enjoy working for the foundation, I find that the potential employers are impressed most of the time. But, that’s not the only benefit that I get from GPHSF.

During my internship at GPHSF, I learned that mistakes are lessons to learn and later to be used. Mistakes are not scary at all. Someone who never did anything wrong is most likely someone who never did anything. So, I learned how to challenge myself and be bold and be myself. I am very thankful both Hannah and Carol for teaching me and letting me how to be myself. Like I said, I did so many mistakes while I was working for GPHSF (you can see my very first post about my experience at Alexander Medical Center. FYI, it was hectic. ) However, that experience alone taught me how to handle in such situation. I am very thankful that our lovely executive director Hannah and communication coordinator Carol for being so supportive.

I have learned my lessons, but I guess they never really end. Life is going to keep giving me lessons in the form of mistakes. It’s up to me to learn them and used them to my benefits. Thank you all for reading my little post and keep on rocking Team GPHSF !!!!!

 Chit

Teamwork

Our 'Foundation 4' team at the corporate run and relay event. 

Chair Laura Boden, Hannah Routly, Carol Lawless and Orma Hogarth. 

Mind and Body Connection

After watching the Peterborough Corporate Run and Relay Race on Saturday with a friend I started to think about the way I feel when I run. I came to the decision that I feel like a tiger; at peace in the jungle moving swiftly through the trees, ready to strike at any moment. It makes me feel centered and in control of everything around me and everything inside of me. In a way you could say I use it  as a form of meditation.

The following Monday in my Lifestyle Coaching class we learned about mind and body connection:

• How it is used to enhance the mind’s capacity in assisting the body to do what it needs to do;
• Why some people don't partake in mind/body connection exercises and; 
• What are some strategies to help people partake.  

Sounds boring to some people I know, but knowing this could be really beneficial to someone looking to do something different, so bare with me.

So you want to know why it's good for you? Well....it decreases anxiety, decreases pain, enhances sleep, strengthens your immune system, enhances the ability to heal, and increases your sense of control and well-being.  It can also improve flexibility, strength, posture and balance, along with coordination, stress management and focus.

ALL GOOD THINGS RIGHT?

Why don't people do this more often? 

Lack of money, time, education, professional resources, awareness and interest.

Now forget all of those barriers and focus on how you can get around that..

Time management, support from others, professional support, educational strategies, motivational strategies, and more importantly research. You have the resources right at your finger tips. Go ahead, go to Google and type in, "Mind and Body Exercises".

If you are looking for something different in your workouts—exercise that will engage your body and mind and make you feel like a peaceful tiger then maybe this could be something for you.

Here are a few things that can maybe kick start your research even further: visualization, yoga, pilates, nia, martial arts, tai chi, dance, music, prayer, meditation, support groups and cognitive-behavioral therapy.

All very useful and fun!

Don't be afraid to leave a comment and ask questions about this subject. 
I am full of answers.

Don't Sweat The Small Stuff

There are two types of people in this world: those who pick up their accidentally dropped keys with no complaints and go along their way and those who, more often than not, can't pick them up without cursing or letting out a big, miserable sigh.

 

For the longest time, I was that second person. As much as I wanted to be that person who took life's small slights and setbacks with a shrug, I wasn't. I freaked out, blew up, and flew off the proverbial handle in a loud huff whenever something bothered me.

It wasn't until I was sitting on the floor crying because I couldn't get out of my jacket that I realized maybe it wasn't the best approach to dealing with things. Maybe it wasn't the healthiest approach...

In my Fitness and Health Promotion program at Sir Sandford Fleming we learn about how feeling chronically stressed increases the risk of heart disease and weakens the immune system. We learn that if we could all be more even-keeled (so we didn't sweat the small stuff), we would enhance our physical and mental health.

I want to share with you a few simple things that I think about that help me to not sweat the small stuff that I picked up over the years. 

1. Think about it. Will what happened affect your life significantly? 
2. Look at the big picture. Why are you really feeling that way?
3. Focus on the present.
4. Breath.
5. Name the emotions you're feeling. This reduces the activation of your emotional brain and engages your reasoning brain. It will help you focus on fixing the problem.
6. Speak positively.
7. If something doesn't happen the way you envisioned, don't get angry. Sometimes a spontaneous change of plans can be fun.
8. Understand that happiness is a choice.
9. Remember, your problem is like a snowflake. Are you going to let one tiny snowflake stop you from living? It'll melt away soon enough. 
10. Not everything is an emergency.

If you met me today, you would think nothing bothered me. You would think I am one of the most optimistic/down-to-earth people out there. I am happy and healthy and I haven't had an anxiety attack in years because of it. 

So next time you trip over a curb or spill mustard down your shirt, take a step back and think before you start cursing. Shrugging it off will help your mind, body and spirit in the long run and believe me, it's worth it.

Meeting Season

The smell of fall is in the air and this means the return of 'meeting season'.  For those who work in nonprofit we know this time as rush time to book and confirm the slew of board and committee meetings that are on hiatus over the summer.

There is something about this routine that is oddly comforting; perhaps that's why I continue on in nonprofit/charitable work after 15+ years!

September also marks the return of placement students from the local Trent University or Fleming College programs, a very welcome addition to our 'small shop' here at the Health Services Foundation.

Kassandra Sewell joins us today from the Fleming Fitness & Health Promotion Program.  She will be here every Wednesday for 7 weeks helping with the www.ptbocorporaterun.com event on Sat September 13 and the 'Laughter is the Best Medicine' luncheon on Nov 28.

Kassandra, hard at work on her first day.

Laughter

How a simple thing like laughter connects and ignites people in your workplace - Carol Lawless

There's nothing I love more than the sound of laughter. Especially when it comes from a group of volunteers working together. 

As I sit at my computer in the corner office in downtown Peterborough overlooking George and King streets, I wonder what is the impetus for such contagious laughter spilling out of the board room at the Health Services Foundation.

Gathered around the long table in the centre of the room, Chit, Marg, Anne, Lindsay and Celia - all volunteers ranging in age from  21 to 77 -  are stuffing envelopes with thank you cards, annual reports and the latest communication pieces reporting on what's new at our Foundation.

I listen but it still offers no clue as to  why they are laughing and I soon realize it doesn't matter. It's such a welcome sound I sit and enjoy it and even get the impulse to join in.

Which is exactly what our Executive Director, Hannah Routly does.. No more than five minutes of joining the group at the table, she too is folding and stuffing and laughing, not only helping to lessen the workload but making the task an enjoyable and worthwhile one. 

From a recent article in The Globe and Mail written by Karl Moore and Sienna Zampino - Why finding purpose at work drives the economy -  www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/careers/leadership-lab/why-finding-purpose-at-work-drives-the-economy/article19693719/

"By building community leaders and allowing their organization to form a bottom-up culture, rather than dictating top-down solutions, leaders will find their organization achieves success through the empowerment of their employees. A sense of community and the feeling of working towards something greater automatically boosts the motivation of employees and their performance.

Mr. Hurst suggests that being collaborative won’t be just a choice for much longer. With the growing need for purpose and a sense of accomplishment and happiness in the workplace, organizations will need to start molding themselves to suit that. And why shouldn’t they? After all, happy employees are good for business."

I get that it's often tough to find joy in what we do. But often more than not, it's a simple thing, like laughter that ignites and connects people resulting in community building,  partnerships and yes, a happier place to work.

A trusted friend and advocate for community-based healthcare

A trusted friend and advocate for community-based healthcare

This week, just before the Board of Directors adjourned their monthly meeting, Dr. Don Harterre stood up and thanked Sister Mary Connelly for being a friend and a trusted colleague for close to 50 years.

It was Sister Mary's last board meeting as a director for the Health Services Foundation. At one time Sister Mary was the supervisor of the operating and recovery rooms at St. Joseph's Hospital.

"Sister Mary was one of the first persons I met when I came to Peterborough in 1966," explained Dr. Harterre, physician lead for Primary Healthcare Services of Peterborough. "I'm proud to say we've worked side by side at St. Joseph's Hospital and believe we share the same desire to ensure everyone in the County and City of Peterborough receive the highest quality healthcare possible."

De    Described as someone who always acts with compassionate care, Sister Mary is a long-time friend as well as board member of the Health Services Foundation, formerly the St. Joseph's General Hospital Foundation. After St. Joseph's closed in 1999, the Foundation responded to the need to support community-based healthcare services and partnered with Primary Health Care Services of Peterborough. "Our job is to support the work of the local the family health team," says Sister Mary. "And just because I'm retiring from the Board doesn't mean I won't be around," she laughed as she headed towards the elevator. "So I won't say goodbye, just see you soon."
B

Sister Mary Connelly (l) and Dr. Don Harterre - good friends and supporters of
community-based healthcare.

Health Services Foundation Board of Directors Cynthia Hamu (l) Sister Mary Connelly (c)
 and Executive Director Hannah Routly 

Fifty Years on Insulin - Tino's Story: A Dedication to All Families Living with Diabetes

I read this interesting story in Family Health Team "In the Spot Light" and I wanted to share it with you all.

Feb 9, 2014 will mark 50 years that I have been using insulin. I feel very fortunate and privileged to be able to tell my story. I dedicate this piece to all the families living with Diabetes. Please feel free to send to friends, family or anybody you feel may appreciate this story or find hope and encouragement in reading it.

Ability to share and give at the heart of every great community

I love spending time with my family.
Especially when we're all at an event working together as volunteers.

For the past seven years, my father, mother and older brother Pete and his wife Joan have spent the first Monday in June at Kawartha Golf & Country Club volunteering for the Annual James Fund Golf Classic. We sell tickets, greet sponsors, join golfers with their teams and even play in the tournament.

The golf classic raises money for children and their families battling neuroblastoma - a deadly cancer that took the life of James Birrell when he was just eight years old. The annual tournament, which raises on average more than $40,000,  is pivotal in helping families deal with the costs of cancer treatment, including hotel, gas, parking fees and even medication. It also affords children an opportunity to attend a retreat at Camp Oochigeas where they can try and forget that for one weekend a year they are not suffering with this terrible disease.


Every year, when I turn on to the long road that leads up to the clubhouse, I'm overcome with a sense of nostalgia mixed with sadness, hope and yes, even pride that I get to volunteer at this annual event. There is an energy that flows throughout the day connecting sponsors, golfers, volunteers and organizers to the spirit of James Birrell and his family who have worked tirelessly to help families struggling to get through what is probably the most difficult period in their life.

I'm grateful my parents have taught me the value of giving of yourself to help others. I believe this ability to give and share is at the heart of every great community.

Introducing The Foundation to you!

Oh My My Alexander

Yup ... This blog is dedicated to Alexander.... Not just any Alexander. It's Alexander Medical Center. Story telling time!!!!! So Last Wednesday, I went to different places to drop off new signages for HSF. Alexander Medical Center was one of them. Hannah and Carol  (my lovely supervisors) told me that I might need to pay $5 or $6 (flat rate) for the parking ticket, which I think it's an overcharge, but anyway, Hannah give me $6, so that I can pay for it. I went to different place first. My last destination was Alexander Medical Center. First, I had a problem because I couldn't find my way in

Greetings to you all

              The thing that always amazed me in Peterborough is the bond between the city and the community. People in the community are warm, welcoming and friendly. The most fantastic part is that they are there for each other. Our Health Services Foundation supports Family Health Team, which is a team who provides best healthcare for patients.

               Hi, you all might not know me but my name is Chit and I will be a social media intern at Health Services Foundation for next couples of weeks. I will be writing stories, educational tips for healthy living, our current events and activities , my reflection on new things I am learning, etc.