community living kawartha lakes menu
clkl logo and banner
spacer
living life living proof
spacer
spacer
community living kawartha lakes main menu

TAKE CARE

A Health & Wellness Column by Kristin Duare McKinnon

Everything I need to know about stress management
I learned from my cats

November 15, 2007

stress management I learned from my cats
stress management I learned from my cats
stress management I learned from my cats
stress management I learned from my cats
stress management I learned from my cats

Everything's a toy (have fun!)
Hours of fun can be had with a piece of pipe cleaner, twist tie, Styrofoam peanut or jelly bean. Keep an eye out for fun masquerading as the everyday. You don't know what you're missing!

Never miss a sunbeam (relax!)
No sunbeam should ever be wasted. Stop whatever you are doing and take a few minutes to soak up the warmth. A little sunshine is good for all of us; it's even better when it's shared.

Help others (make someone smile!)
You can make others feel better just by being with them. Who is giving to whom may be unclear when one of my cats takes a snuggle in my lap, but spending time with the people (including four-legged ones) who love you is good for us all.

There's no bad time for a catnap (regenerate!)
If you're tired, take a nap! A twenty minute power snooze can bring you to life for hours more of chasing string - or your tail. Give yourself a break.

Make noise (let your feelings be known!)
There is little doubt when a cat wants a hug, lap or lunch. If you need some love or attention, don't wait for it to be offered - ask for it! Demand it (but in a loving and adorable way, of course)!

Keep them guessing (be unpredictable!)
A cat's life is never boring. Keep your eyes open for new adventures and experiences, and then GO FOR IT. Nothing exhilarates more than stepping out of your routine or comfort zone to try something new and unexpected. Change your perspective and new opportunities that are right before your eyes.

Keep 'em in line (know your boundaries!)
Know your limits and establish your boundaries. When you're cornered, stand up for yourself. If you know you can't win, head to the nearest tree (or alternative retreat) and take cover until you can develop a better strategy.

Plan ahead (learn from your mistakes!)
Before your run up the telephone pole, make sure you have a way down. Enough said!

Enjoy the silence (just be!)
Life is crazy enough as it is. Take a few minutes to just enjoy the silence. (If there is no silence in your life, you'd better find some.) You don't have to be doing something every minute of the day. Sometimes it is okay to just 'be'.

Make a big production out of meal time (enjoy a good meal!)
There's nothing like a good, healthy meal to keep up that energy level for whatever adventures life may bring you. Take the time for a good, healthy meal (three times a day would be great) and enjoy it with the ones you love.

Take time to stretch (keep in shape!)
Cats know how to enjoy the benefits of a great stretch. Never underestimate the importance of taking care of your body. Get out and exercise. Take the time to stretch before bed so that you'll have a healthy, relaxing sleep.

The kitties starring in this story are Runway, 12 (the brown tabby) and Trance, 2 (the orange tabby).


What is Take Care?

"Health and wellness" is one of those phrases that, while popular, is becoming a bit of a cliché these days. While overused, "health and wellness" is often misunderstood and can have different meanings for different people.

I like to simplify things. So rather than calling this just a "health and wellness column," I have decided to call it, Take Care. I have chosen Take Care because that is what I will be writing about - how you can take care of yourself.

Don't worry. I won't be throwing facts and statistics at you - although I may occasionally share the title of a great book or the link to an awesome website. Neither do I claim to be a great guru with all of life's answers. What I can offer is the experience that I have gained from 43 years as a human being, 20 years in human services and almost a decade of living with chronic illness.

Let's face it; we live in a crazy world these days. We are constantly barraged by the demands on our time, attention and energy. Many of us are working full-time, managing a home, raising children and taking care of our parents … in some cases even our grandparents (or grandchildren…). We never seem to get away from the ringing of cell phones, the beeping of text messages and the growing pile of email messages in our inboxes - not to mention the old fashioned paper way of communicating.

Just when we think we are on top of it all, we decide to do something crazy like take a vacation … and we have to work twice as hard to get ready before we go away and three times as hard to catch up when we get back.

The body isn't made to be under constant stress. Constant stress leads to physical changes in the body and the mind that can contribute to serious illness. So don't tell me you can't afford the time to take care of yourself because I'll tell you that you can't afford NOT to take care.

Think of "Take Care" as a place to start … a place to start thinking about some very basic ways that you can take better care of yourself.

Why not start by visiting our website each month and reading this column?

Take care,
Kristin

About the author
Kristin has two decades of experience in the not-for-profit and social services sector, ten of those years spent running her own business - KDM Program & Management Services. Through KDM, Kristin provides contract, short-term and recurring program and management support to the not-for-profit sector. Services include - but are not limited to - public relations and marketing, website planning and content development, proposal writing, program evaluation and development, and project management and coordination. To reach Kristin, click here.

Copyright
The column, Take Care, and its contents are copyright, Kristin Duare McKinnon, all rights reserved. You may download, display, print and / or reproduce this material in single, unaltered form only - retaining copyright notice and author information - for your personal, non-commercial use. You must not change any of the material or remove any part of the article or notices that follow. For further information or to use the information contained in any Take Care column outside of the parameters indicated here, please contact Kristin.

Disclaimers
The information provided in the Take Care column is of a general nature only and is not intended as a substitute for professional health advice. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any personal medical and health questions that you may have. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website or any other website.

We have made reasonable efforts to ensure that the information contained in the Take Care column is accurate and up-to-date. To the extent permitted by law, Kristin Duare McKinnon and Community Living Kawartha Lakes accept no liability for any injury, loss or damage caused by reliance on any part of this information.

Please also read our external website disclaimer.

TOP



spacer
spacer
spacer
Take Care

kristin

Introducing Take Care

Looking for past columns?
Click here




Tell us what you think

About the author

Copyright

Disclaimer


the community living kawartha lakes logo and mission statement

Whats New | About Us | Our Stories | Get Involved | Youth Corner | Family Pages | Self-Advocates
Links | Contact Us | Home | Site Map
Disclaimer | Privacy Statement | Top

© Community Living Kawartha Lakes, All Rights Reserved

webmasters TOPIC Topic Computers internet web site design, development, marketing, and maintenance.


Community Living
Kawartha Lakes

33 Lindsay St. S.
Lindsay, Ont. K9V 2L9
Tel: 705-328-0464
Fax: 705-328-0495
Email


home page site map coming events