Today is interesting to say the least. Lots of shock, confusion and change. For SaverinaScozzari.com, this is the first #WellnessWednesday post featuring an article from contributor Eryl McCaffrey. She will be writing about mindfulness throughout this blogging season, and the timing couldn't be more perfect. Check out her article below. When was the last time you took yourself on a date? Not a do-or-die gym session--a real, wonderful date with numero uno? If you can’t remember, it’s been too long. Gone are the days of pushing through and burning out. NOW is the time of self-care, working smart and living with ease. This is one bandwagon you want to get on, my friends! This is a real ongoing personal project of mine—making “me time” a cornerstone of my daily self-care routine. I feel like I came out of the womb kickboxing and blowing fire! I like action. I like creation. It serves me well, but it often drains me if I’m not careful. I can fall into an old pattern that consists of working too hard, fizzling out and then coming back. That’s why I love yoga so much: it keeps me balanced and in connection with what I really need at any given moment. The fizzling out and coming back part wouldn’t be necessary if I consistently took breaks for myself and made rest a necessity, right? Right. So, that’s where I’m at. Back to me. Back to basics. Back to balance. And it feels so so so good. Sometimes all I need to do to hit my reset button is take a short walk and drink a tea. I’ve dropped extremes in exchange for that cozy middle ground. I’m breathing more easily, communicating better and finding freedom in places I never knew it existed. Basically, life is brighter and more beautiful than ever before. Don’t just take it from me—a study published in Frontiers in Psychology found that free time can actually help us to become more self-directed, especially as kids. The paper highlights that children who spend more time in “unstructured activities” get a better grasp on crucial life skills like speaking clearly and organizing their thoughts effectively. Those of us over the age of 5 have plenty of reasons to dedicate time to ourselves too, like having a clearer mind, less stress, better problem solving, an improved mood, and healthier relationships. Not to mention, we get to know the most important player in our lives much better—ourSELVES. We can’t create shifts in our lives or the lives of others without looking at ourselves in the mirror first. The best way to do that? BE with yourself. The non-negotiable truth is that we need to fill our energetic cup before it gets empty, not after. Our inner resources are what give us the ability and capacity to help others. We can’t serve our external world if we don’t serve our internal world. So let’s start with a whole lot of self-love and go from there. You don’t have to start meditating to get in your “me time” (although I’d strongly encourage it), just reconnect with whatever it is that makes you relax, smile, play and explore. Start and end the day with YOU. Take breaks. Get outside. Watch a movie. Read a book. Sit in silence. Whatever it is, whatever brings you back to balance, do it with kindness and do it often!
Before we get into this juicy story, I want to remind all of my American readers to get out and VOTE! I don't care who you vote for, as long as you do it. Your voice matters.
Alright, now that we have that out of the way, let's talk about the statement from Prince Harry that was released this morning in defence of his lady friend. You have probably all seen Prince Harry and actress Meghan Markle's faces on the cover of every tabloid over the past couple of weeks since the story broke about their relationship. Well, it's been very difficult for Meghan and her family. Take a look at the statement below:
It is unusual to see this, but nice. Everything noted in the statement couldn't be more true. It's kind of sad actually. I will never understand the cruel world that we live in and why people always feel the need to bring others down. If Prince Harry is happy, we should be happy. I think the two are a good fit for each other considering that they share an interest in serving the common good. Even though Meghan is an actress, she's somewhat normal. I'm rooting for them and look forward to seeing how the rest of their love story unfolds.
This week I'll be returning to the Hamilton Film Festival for the second time, but it has been successfully running for 11 years. It's great to celebrate local, national and international talent in the film industry all in one place, all at one time.
I made so many connections last year, and look forward to seeing what this week has in store starting with the Opening Gala tonight. I will be doing interviews with various filmmakers and publishing it on the new SaverinaScozzari.com YouTube Channel launching this week. The Hamilton Film Festival begins this Monday, and I am very excited to be covering the Opening Gala for the second time. 'First Round Down' is the opening night film from the Butler Brothers starring Rachel Wilson (Republic of Doyle), Dylan Bruce (Orphan Black) and John Kapelos (The Breakfast Club). In Jason Butler's words, here's the logline: "A former hockey star turned hitman returns home after ten years to take care of his younger brother, but his checkered past catches up to him faster than he can deliver pizza." It features the Hamilton Steelhawks as the hockey team in the film.
I was lucky enough to watch it ahead of the screening. Usually, I pass on watching anything sports-related since I don't have an athletic bone in my body (although I have taken an interest in following basketball). First Round Down has a decent and easy to follow storyline - it's nothing like your typical sports film. There were some interesting twists. It was also nice to see the city I was born and raised in featured. Toronto always has the spotlight, finally Hamilton is getting some love. I look forward to interviewing some of the cast and crew this Monday. Stay tuned for all of the footage coming at you throughout the week. I don't normally watch the CMAs (make that never), but I couldn't miss them this time around because word had it that Queen Bey was there. And in my opinion, she did not disappoint. Most people were not impressed when Beyoncé hit the stage with Dixie Chicks to perform 'Daddy Lessons'. I hate country music with a passion, but I loved this performance. It was a nice mix, something different. The Dixie Chicks were amazing too. Internet trolls will be internet trolls and find something wrong with whatever you put in front of them just for the sake of giving their two cents. The CMAs and Dixie Chicks both released statements and A-listers outside of the music industry like Gabrielle Union are supporting Bey. Check out the performance below: |
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