mental fitness moments

  Being in control matters. Believing you are capable of having an impact contributes to positive feelings and increases life satisfaction. Knowing what you have control over matters. You have the ability to influence your health, well being and surroundings....

Sometimes it’s hard to remember to slow down. Demands from your personal and work life can be consuming. Rarely do we think to take time for ourselves and reflect. Burnout is emotional and mental exhaustion. But… how do I avoid burnouts? Take some time to reflect on...

Being successful requires having your own back. Practicing self-compassion on a regular basis helps you persevere through difficult times. Be there to stand up for yourself when you need it! You need to love yourself unconditionally. That means despite mistakes and...

There will be times when you have to speak up for yourself and others. Avoiding conflict is unrealistic; it leads to resentment, bitterness and passive aggressive behaviour. This can cause a tremendous amount of undue stress, anxiety and interpersonal discomfort....

Sometimes it’s easier to think that the glass is half empty than half full. Harnessing positive energy is a quick and easy way to feel optimistic and energized! Positive emotions include love, joy and gratitude. Having gratitude involves being thankful for people,...

Conflict is natural. Knowing how to communicate your thoughts and feelings with people who have different points of view is important! Every opinion adds value and offers different perspectives. When dealing with conflict, ask yourself the following questions: What is...

The ResilienceInsideOut™ curriculum is the basis of all of AIR’s programs. Interpersonal neurobiology is the science of relationships, assisting individuals to examine, explore and ultimately expand their emotional and social capacity with the goal of...

How resilient are you? Resilient individuals develop mental flexibility, agility and keep their cool under pressure. They welcome difference, don’t shy away from conflict and thrive and grow in the face of adversity. Ask yourself the following questions...

How resilient is your organization? Rate yourself (1 not at all – 3 somewhat – 5 absolutely!) Do your co-workers handle conflict honestly? Is there is little to no gossip in the workplace? Are people engaged and enthusiastic? As individuals, do you share...

How resilient is your team? In sports, either team-based or individual, participants need to be self aware, able to harness emotion, flexible, respectful and able to maintain a positive outlook. Rate your team (1 not at all – 3 somewhat – 5 absolutely!)...

Resilient communities are vibrant, dynamic and thrive. How does your community measure up? Rate yourself (1 not at all – 3 somewhat – 5 absolutely!) In your city or town, do you… Know your neighbours? Acknowledge strangers with a smile or hello when on the...

Recent concerns about access to, and the cost of, publically funded psychotherapy highlight the need for ways to empower individuals to work through challenges and locate inner strengths and resources so they might both learn from and grow through them....

Organizations struggle with an overload of information and a rapid pace of change. With the emergence of disorders such as Attention Deficit (ADD), various forms of Internet Addiction, and a range of disorders related to increased anxiety and a lack of control, we are...

A few months ago, I wrote a piece on compassion and reflected that we as a society are not compassionate 100% of the time, nor should we be, however we should be more often than we are. In the further discovery of compassion it is important to realize that...

Listening matters. It is a topic that has sparked many debates, and has influenced decades of research, as it is one of the most important tools that we have at our disposal. To hear someone speak is entirely different than to actively listen to them. This...

Stress is prevalent. Unhealthy amounts of stress may lead to many negative side effects including aches and pains, insomnia, illness, burnout, decreased motivation, and many other symptoms that get in the way of enjoying life. Cortisol is the stress...

With only 24 hours in a day, it can appear difficult to get everything done. An overwhelming list of “to do’s” raise our stress levels, often to an extent that surpasses healthy amounts, leading to illness, fatigue, and burnout. Often times we look back...

Air is starting a new conversation. We are proposing a new approach to mental health. Neuroscience is revealing new insights into the brain's ability to grow and develop throughout the life span. Neuroplasticity refers to the brain's ability to grow and be...

Neuroscience suggests the brain is like a muscle. Neuroplasticity refers to the brains ability to grow and be strengthened. Resilient individuals are able to tolerate stress and bounce back. This is great news as we face an epidemic of mental illness. If...

Resilience is a capacity. Now we know we can build that capacity in individuals, organizations and communities! The construct of resilience is multifaceted, and it has the ability to provide a link between stress and mental illness. By better understanding...

A lot of people talk about resilience, but not a lot of people know how to build it. Resilience is the capacity to bounce back in the face of stress. The abilities inherent in resilience are skills that can be learned. Managing stress and harnessing...

Emotion is often frowned upon at work. When individuals are “emotional” at work they are frequently seen as irrational and out of place. We propose a new way to think about, and leverage, emotion at work. Emotion is energy. Emotion is tightly tied to...

There has been a tremendous focus on mental health literacy. Unfortunately, when we speak about mental health, we are most often really speaking about mental illness. This conversation results in confusion, and inadvertently further extends and promotes a...

Emotion has its own language. Emotions are physiological responses to stimuli, and each emotion has its own physiological signature. Shame is recognized and experienced universally as a flushing, shrinking sensation associated with an increase in the heart...