Have you ever stopped to ask yourself, “How am I feeling?” Or even “What am I feeling?” Our bodies are constantly sending messages to our brains about what’s happening inside us. But how do we receive and interpret those messages? The answer lies in a sensory system called interoception. Interoception is our internal sensory system. It allows us to notice, …
In our quest to find the reasons why we might be in pain, we tend to focus on questions that ask WHAT. What is the reason? What is the diagnosis? What did I do? Did I move the wrong way? Did I sleep funny? Maybe it was something I ate? When I ask practice members to observe themselves when they’re …
This past week, I had the privilege of presenting an online workshop to more than 130 employees at Natural Resources Canada. Together, we explored the concept of bandwidth and how our energy, focus, stress levels, physical tension, and recovery influence our daily capacity. We looked at how to recognize the early signs of reduced bandwidth, including mental fatigue, physical tension, …
Most of us have heard the terms acute and chronic when discussing health conditions. But have you ever considered how the nervous system’s ability to access energy might influence the way a condition develops? An acute condition often appears suddenly and is associated with a heightened state of alarm. Imagine a fire that has just erupted into a blaze. There …
Back in the day, I remember watching an episode of the TV show M*A*S*H where one of the characters develops a chronic sneeze. By the end of the episode, the constant sneezing has been driving him crazy. With the help of the chaplain, he eventually remembers a traumatic experience from his past: watching helplessly as his brother drowned. I’ve been …
They say there’s only so much time in a day. Maybe that’s why we’re drawn to experiences where time seems to stand still. Falling in love. Feeling appreciation and gratitude. Getting into a state of flow. Being completely present. In those moments, something shifts. We’re not necessarily given more time, but our experience of time changes. Life feels fuller. More …
One of the most rewarding aspects of the care we provide at the Happy Spine is seeing how improvements in one area of health can often have positive effects in others. Someone may come to us because they’re experiencing back pain, for example, and along the way notice changes in their sleep, digestion, energy levels, or overall well-being. Why might …
Have you ever been in a conversation with someone and heard yourself say something in a way you didn’t intend? Maybe it was the words you used. Or perhaps it was the tone you said them with. And sometimes, if you’re really listening, you can hear something underneath the words. You can hear the undertones of how you’re trying to …
Have you ever surprised yourself? Like when the rubber really hit the road, the way you saw yourself, you would have guessed that you didn’t have it in you to succeed like you did, or to stay the course rather than falter or to persevere and not give up? How often do we have thoughts that say “who do you …
When you get a new smartphone or computer, you assume that once you’ve connected to the internet and updated any older programming, your device is ready to use—out of the box, as they say. A smartphone comes pre-programmed to do all sorts of amazing things. It’s a calculator, a flashlight, a camera, a to-do list, a calendar, a weather service, …
