Laura in Montreal

12/21/2025

12/10/2025

As December unfolds its long nights and early sunsets, it's a reminder that even in the stillness, potential for growth remains.

This darkest stretch of the year can be a catalyst for introspection and renewal, urging us to slow our pace and trust the cycle of life.

Our bodies, minds, and hearts may feel the weight, but nature whispers words of wisdom: pause, breathe, and turn inward.

Like the trees releasing their leaves, we can shed what's holding us back and stand strong in our truth.

If energy wanes or motivation flickers, know it's not weakness – it's syncing with the season's natural rhythm.

Rest is not only necessary but also preparatory for the light that will return, bringing new possibilities.

It's okay to be tired in December; it's a time to recharge and rediscover our inner strength.

11/03/2025

IF I GET DEMENTIA…..
I’d like my family to hang this wish list up on the wall where I live. I want them to remember these things.

1a. Every time you enter the room announce yourself. “Hi Mom! It's it’s Angela.”
NEVER ask- Do you know who I am??? That causes anxiety.

• If I get dementia, I want my friends and family to embrace my reality.
• If I think my spouse is still alive, or if I think we’re visiting my parents for dinner, let me believe those things. I’ll be much happier for it.
• If I get dementia, don’t argue with me about what is true for me versus what is true for you.
• If I get dementia, and I am not sure who you are, do not take it personally. My timeline is confusing to me.
• If I get dementia, and can no longer use utensils, do not start feeding me. Instead, switch me to a finger-food diet, and see if I can still feed myself.
• If I get dementia, and I am sad or anxious, hold my hand and listen. Do not tell me that my feelings are unfounded.
• If I get dementia, I don’t want to be treated like a child. Talk to me like the adult that I am.
• If I get dementia, I still want to enjoy the things that I’ve always enjoyed. Help me find a way to exercise, read, and visit with friends.
• If I get dementia, ask me to tell you a story from my past.
• If I get dementia, and I become agitated, take the time to figure out what is bothering me.
• If I get dementia, treat me the way that you would want to be treated.
• If I get dementia, make sure that there are plenty of snacks for me in the house. Even now if I don’t eat I get angry, and if I have dementia, I may have trouble explaining what I need.
• If I get dementia, don’t talk about me as if I’m not in the room.
• If I get dementia, don’t feel guilty if you cannot care for me 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It’s not your fault, and you’ve done your best. Find someone who can help you, or choose a great new place for me to live. With a bus and activities!!
• If I get dementia, and I live in a dementia care community, please visit me often.
• If I get dementia, don’t act frustrated if I mix up names, events, or places. Take a deep breath. It’s not my fault.
• If I get dementia, make sure I always have my favorite music playing within earshot.
• If I get dementia, and I like to pick up items and carry them around, help me return those items to their original place.
• If I get dementia, don’t exclude me from parties and family gatherings.
• If I get dementia, know that I still like receiving hugs or handshakes.
• If I get dementia, remember that I am still the person you know and love.”

ᴄᴏᴘʏ ᴀɴᴅ ᴘᴀsᴛᴇ in Honor of someone you know or knew who has dementia. In Honor of all those I know and love and lost who are fighting Dementia/Alzheimer’s.

10/31/2025

If obsessing over Christmas in July is wrong, I don’t want to be right. 😝🎄🎅🏼

10/24/2025

In moments of overwhelm, I crave stillness. No expectations, no unnecessary chatter, just the soothing sounds of nature and the serenity of my garden. This tranquil space revitalizes me, reminding me that clarity and peace are within reach.

Surrounded by nature's beauty, I'm empowered to rediscover my sense of purpose. The simplicity of this sanctuary is a powerful reminder that even in chaos, I have the strength to find calm and forge a path forward.

10/24/2025

Let's empower people with depression and anxiety by acknowledging the complexity of their struggles, rather than oversimplifying their experiences, and work together to create a supportive environment that fosters meaningful change.

10/24/2025

Please be kind. Don’t be the reason someone skips a meal, doesn't want to wake up, or feels left out. Your words and actions stick with people forever. 💜

10/21/2025

October is ADHD Awareness Month 💛

This month, we honor every child, teen, and adult whose mind works a little differently — and every parent who’s learning how to understand and support them with love and patience.

ADHD is so often misunderstood.
People see the restlessness, the forgetfulness, the daydreaming… but they don’t always see the beautiful mind behind it.
They don’t see the creativity that never stops flowing.
The curiosity that can fill a whole room.
The big heart that feels everything so deeply.

ADHD isn’t bad behavior. It’s not a lack of discipline.
It’s a brain that moves faster than the world sometimes allows.
It’s a child who tries so hard but gets told to “focus” when their brain is already running a marathon.
It’s a parent who feels the eyes of judgment in public when their child is “too much” for others to handle.

To those parents — you are not alone. 💛
You’re not failing.
You’re raising a child who sees the world in color while others see it in black and white.
You’re learning to guide a storm without dimming its light.

Some days will test your patience.
Some nights you’ll cry quietly, wondering if you’re doing enough.
But your child doesn’t need “perfect.”
They need you — your understanding, your calm voice, your belief in them when the world labels them as “difficult.”

This month, and every month, let’s break the stigma.
Let’s stop calling ADHD “bad behavior” or “an excuse.”
Let’s start calling it what it really is — a different way of thinking, feeling, and being.

If your child has ADHD, remind them that their brain isn’t broken — it’s brilliant.
They are not less — they are limitless.

💛 Here’s to the parents walking this road with grace, patience, and fierce love.
You are raising world-changers.

10/15/2025

Each moment you choose calm over chaos, your brain rewires itself for peace.

When you resist anger, the prefrontal cortex the part responsible for self-control and empathy grows stronger, while the amygdala, the brain’s fear and aggression center, begins to quiet down.

Over time, this practice builds emotional resilience, helping you stay centered even when life tests your patience.
So, every time you pause, breathe, and choose kindness over rage, you’re not just controlling anger you’re training your mind to stay calm, caring, and unshakable.

10/14/2025

Sometimes, we forget how blessed we are.
We complain about slow Wi-Fi, traffic, or missed promotions…
while someone out there faces the world with half the strength we have…
and twice the courage.

He doesn’t ask for pity.
He just moves forward,
chair after chair, day after day.

If you think your life is too hard,
step outside and see the world.

This isn’t about comparing struggles.
We all carry our own weight in different ways.

But sometimes, life gives us quiet reminders…
to pause, to look around,
and to see strength in places we don’t usually notice.

Gratitude isn’t found in having more
it’s in realizing how much you already have. 💭