Sarah Warsi

For as long as I can remember, each November comes with that deceptive blip of warmer, above-seasonal weather just before the winter gloom starts to settle in. And so far, it’s been a pleasant start to the month in the GTA with mild temperatures and plenty of sunshine. It makes the thought of the impending time change and shorter days less daunting.

I’ve also come to really appreciate the autumn colours as each season comes along. It’s funny how little attention I paid to the beauty of the fall, growing up. The changing colours were merely a sign that it was, indeed, fall, but it never went beyond that. Now, anytime I take a walk, I find myself just relishing in the natural beauty that surrounds us.

Also, it’s hard to believe that the holiday season is just around the corner. As usual, this year has just flown right by. It seems like every year, Christmas just creeps up on us faster and faster, and before we know it, we are turning the calendars to a new year.

And while it’s absolutely great that we are restoring a semblance of pre-pandemic times, the continued heaviness we see in the news on a regular is a constant reminder that we must be grateful for each day and not take anything for granted.

No matter what we might be dealing with, we should always stay true to ourselves and prioritize self-care. Ironically, today happens to be National Stress Awareness Day, and while I think every day should be a day to acknowledge the factors that are taking a mental and physical toll on you, it is important to have that one day to really focus on yourself and your well-being.

Take ‘me’ time unapologetically. Whether it’s 5 minutes to gather your bearings or 5 hours to completely disconnect, whatever you can accommodate, make sure you do. If you’re a parent, ‘me’ time is likely a foreign concept, but if you are not all there, you can’t be all there for your loved ones.

Limit your social media consumption – I know, much easier said than done, but you’ll thank yourself later. If you’re successful at accomplishing this, you’ll be surprised at the extra time you have to do other things like, read a good book, pamper yourself at the spa, engage in physical activity, have good ole’ phone conversations with your favourite go-to people, the list goes on.

Any or all of the above is sure to help to restore your inner peace, because, in order to keep going, you need to take the time to slow down.

Learning to manage your stress and life’s challenges also help you become a stronger, better version of yourself. I came across this quote the other day and it really resonated:

“One day, the mountain that is infront of you, will be so far behind you, it will barely be visible in the distance. But the person you become in learning to get over it? That will stay with you forever – and that is the point of the mountain

– Brianna Weist

There are a lot of sayings about the power of progress in one’s life, but what struck me about this particular quote was the emphasis it put on the version of you that manifests in overcoming your obstacles.

This is truly profound. No matter how backward, chaotic, and confusing things may seem, there is always some underlying reasoning behind it. As the saying goes, “hindsight is 20/20” and while it may not be clear why you’re dealing with what you’re dealing with at the moment, it will eventually make sense.

Each obstacle that you face, inevitably shapes the next version of yourself as you continue to evolve in this life. These experiences become part of your DNA and you would not be who you are today, had it not been for those ‘mountains’ you had to climb. 

So instead of seeing the mountains as obstacles, they can almost be viewed as stairs to the next chapter in your life.

So if you’re facing a difficulty or challenge, believe that it will pass and that you will get on the other side of it. It may not always feel that way when you’re in the thick of it, but thinking optimistically and being surrounding by like-minded people who fuel that positive energy can go a very long way.

The quality of our thoughts has more of an effect on our overall mental well-being than we realize. It’s all about perception. This is a constant reminder as it can be easy to let our minds wander and allow external forces to get the best of us. We are human after all. But, with the right, disciplined, mindset, we can protect our peace and focus on paving our own unique path.

Some days might be harder than others, but as long as you have that inner light constantly flickering within you, you’ll find a way to keep moving forward.

Love and light,

Sarah