Sarah Lake

Fall officially starts on September 22nd this year, and alongside every single autumn equinox we have the pleasure of experiencing comes a natural change of pace.

Our lives tend to get busier and more structured in the fall. We pack our schedules full of work, studies, projects, and activities, and we end up leaning more into a "doing" energy instead of a "being" state.

This can be a wonderful catalyst for growth towards our goals, but it can also lead directly to burnout if we don't balance our effort with rest.

Do you ever have days where no matter what you do, your brain just can't seem to turn on? Your mind feels sluggish, you can't focus, and you may even feel a bit detached from reality. It's as if you're living in a fog, and that's exactly why this experience is called brain fog.

While brain fog isn't an official medical diagnosis, it's a term that describes a symptom many people experience for a myriad of reasons. Brain fog can be a side effect of medications, conditions, and illnesses, or it can occur due to lifestyle factors.

If there was a person that followed you around all day every single day and constantly whispered criticism and abuse in your ear, do you think that would affect your mental wellbeing? Unless you're an imperturbable rock, the clear answer is yes. Unfortunately, this scenario is quite real for many people. 

Our inner voice speaks to us all day long and it can either be a voice of positive encouragement or our own worst bully. In psychology, this voice is referred to as our "inner dialogue" or "self-talk", and one of the main purposes of psychological counseling is to reprogram this voice into becoming our ally.

Phones are a marvelous invention. We can order our favorite food at the drop of a hat, check our emails, do our online banking, track health biometrics, consume entertainment, or stay in touch with loved ones. A huge number of our needs can be met through our phones, but not all of them.

Gua shas are an aesthetically pleasing skin beautifying tool that has been sweeping across social media for several years now. Although they certainly look pretty, the important question is do they do anything?

Many people claim they can lift, smooth, and even sculpt the face. They may have anti-aging skin benefits, and with the pervasive spread of perfectly filtered faces online, anything that can create a more youthful appearance is desperately desired by a huge audience.

This might not be news to you, but your mental health and your physical health are deeply connected. They're so connected, in fact, that it can sometimes be difficult to tell if mental distress is manifesting physically, or if physical ailments are leading to mental symptoms.

Stress and anxiety are often associated with headaches and nausea, whereas depression or sadness can come with an unpleasant side of chest pain, sleep issues, and fatigue.

My point is that while we often remember caring for ourselves physically is essential for good mental health, we can forget the reverse is true. Investing in self-care for your mind is a powerful tool for transforming your physical health.

We're two months into 2024, but the Lunar New Year has just passed, marking a season of transition and rebirth! It's a perfect time to check in with your trajectory and realign yourself with your intentions for the year.

For many of us, these intentions are healthier bodies, minds, and bank accounts.

Transforming these things is a daunting task, but thankfully, you're not alone. Many of the world's best psychologists, doctors, fitness experts, chefs, authors, thinkers and dreamers have condensed their vast knowledge into books, and you dear reader have this all readily available at your fingertips.

Without further delay, here are 7 of the best books to help you become healthier, wealthier and wiser.

February is here much to many people's dismay, as is the so-called season of love. If you're not a fan of winter weather or the cultural obsession with Valentine's Day, you're not alone!

Single people and people in relationships alike can feel pressured from the constant suggestion that we should all be experiencing perfect romantic bliss. No matter how happy you are with your current love life, it's hard not to compare yourself to an elusive ideal and feel disappointed with your reality.

If you're feeling fed up with pop culture's one-size-fits-all expectations for love and perhaps somewhat lonely this time of year, this piece is for you.

Another year has come and gone in seemingly the blink of an eye, and it's a perfect moment to assess whether this past year brought you closer to your life goals, or if they're just as distant as this time last year. If we view our year through the clarifying lens of hindsight, it's far easier to see how staying busy with long to-do lists everyday doesn't necessarily translate to truly meaningful growth and productivity.

Meditation has been shown time and time again to have powerful effects on wellbeing that few other practices can touch. It's unique in its ability to have lasting cognitive effects, physical effects, and emotional effects. It can be a transformative practice if done correctly, but unfortunately the vast world of meditation can be intimidating to navigate.

Contrary to popular belief, working out isn't necessarily the most important component of fitness. While getting in some regular movement is certainly an essential part, you only truly reap benefits from physical activity you can properly recover from. Many a gym rat has gotten stuck in the loop of working out intensely everyday only to feel increasingly exhausted and sore. This can lead to injuries, mood swings, disrupted sleep, and frustration from dedicating so much effort with little to show for it.

Books are one of the single greatest tools available for doing self work. They offer life-changing insights from the minds of incredible people all over the world of both current generations and generations past. They're a timeless way to capture life lessons based on other peoples experiences both unique and similar to our own.

One of the most wonderful things about being a human is that no one is going it alone. Countless people have lived through whatever struggles you may be going through and made it out the other side. We can learn from one another and share this wisdom through books.

When you think of Tai Chi, you might be envisioning a slightly eccentric and gentle form of exercise. Maybe something your wacky aunt would be into or your hippie friend might try. Let me be the first to tell you that you're probably selling one of the most ancient practices for attaining internal peace just a bit short. Let's find out what Tai Chi is really all about, and how it can reshape your body and mind.

It's not surprising news that anxiety disorders have been steadily increasing in recent years across all demographics with young adults and teenagers being hit the hardest. Since this is a growing problem, the solutions we currently have to treat anxiety clearly aren't enough. But what if starting to heal this rising issue was as simple as moving our bodies?

Pilates is a contemporary practice that focuses on exercising and conditioning the body. It was invented and developed by Joseph Pilates in the early 20th century, with the primary goal of providing professional dancers with proper injury recovery. However, this workout has gained immense popularity over the years as many people have begun to realize its powerful health potential.