The Morning Issue Good morning! “Ok, are you ready? If you are already walking, congratulations, I’m thrilled you’re up! Hope you are too. I don’t care if it’s cold, dark out, bright, sunny, you’re alive and you’re moving...and you’re about to give yourself this exercise so let’s begin...” These are the words of Tony Robbins on my Get The Edge Daily Magic audio tape. A few years ago, I probably would have greeted you with “Good afternoon!” or at the very earliest, “Good late morning!” A lot of people who knew me then would probably have told you that I was a night-owl; work out in the afternoons, see clients in the evenings, and do my best creative work when most people would be sleeping. I would get to bed really late, sleep for ten hours or more and do it over again the next day. “Alarm clock? I have a snooze button problem,” I would respond to people as they asked me why I did not set an alarm after showing up late for morning visits, appointments, and team meetings. I consistently showed up from five minutes to even an hour late for everything and as a Woosh Vol 1.2
health care professional, it was catching up to me. “No matter how hard I try, I can’t help it, I simply cannot control my internal clock!” Although I still struggle with time management (my brain moves one hundred miles an hour with ideas and I get side-tracked a lot), I have learned a few little positive habits that have allowed me to balance seven important areas of my life: my spirituality, mental health, physical well being, family life, social life, finances, and my blessed career in serving others with Qi Creative. Most importantly, I have learned to be truthful with myself about the things I need to work on such as respecting not only my time but the time of others. What does this have to do with this morning edition of Woosh you ask? Although I might not be able to fully master my time just yet, I can proudly say that I get up much earlier than I used to. Not because I have to, but because I am so grateful to do what I love and love what I do. Getting up early in the morning and not rushing from appopintment to appointment has allowed me to enjoy life more, be more productive and has set up my day for amazing ‘wins’. Time is one of our most precious limited commodities in this life and I want to maximize it as much as I can (while I still can). Getting up and using an extra five, fifteen, or even thirty minutes in the morning has helped me reflect on my life mission, my dreams, and what is important to me. I’m not perfect at always waking up when I plan to, but hey, I’m way better than I used to be and that is worth celebrating. WOOSH! Jonathan Rivero, BScOT, OT (C) CEO and Founder Qi Creative Inc.
Wake Up Sleepyhead With the help of the alarm on my iPhone, I don’t have too much trouble waking up. But considering all the different types of alarm clocks on the market, this might not be the case for everyone. A quick internet search shows quite a few options available. From the standard digital clocks that can play the radio, to ones that can be customized to play different animal sounds, there are also alarm clocks that can vibrate your bed and “shake” you awake. For those who need that extra motivation to stop pressing the snooze button, the Clocky Alarm Clock on Wheels “is the alarm clock that runs away beeping!” If that still isn’t enough, the Princess International PI-722 Flying Alarm Clock features a helicopter that flies into the air, carrying the key to silence your alarm in the morning. I can only imagine starting my day by running around my room, trying to reach a helicopter that keeps flying out of my reach. Let’s just say it probably wouldn’t be a good day. Now if only there was a way for all of us to be able to wake up more naturally, without the use of any of these products. A very popular app for the Apple iPhone, the Sleep Cycle Alarm Clock, claims that they have indeed found a way. For $0.99, the 4 ½ out of 5 stars app is “an alarm clock that analyzes your sleep patterns and wakes you in the lightest sleep phase – a natural way to wake up where you feel rested and relaxed.” Using the theory that we move differently in different stages of sleep, the app tracks and analyzes such movements throughout the night, and goes off during the most optimal time within half an hour of your set alarm time. For example, if you set your alarm for 7AM, the app may wake you at 6:50AM, if that happened to be the time when you’re no longer in “deep sleep”. It is an intriguing app, with three versions out and over 2000 user reviews from around the world already. For those who have an iPhone, it may be worth the $0.99 to test it out before committing to another alarm that literally “makes time fly.”
-HELEN HOANG Woosh Vol 1.2
ANDREA FRAGOMENI BA, MSLP, R.SLP Speech Language Pathologist & Coach My favorite time of day is the morning. I usually get up at 5:30 or 6:00 so that i can check my email and enjoy a cup of coffee before anyone else gets up. Once Michael is up, I’m on Mommy duty! We usually follow the same routine. Jamie makes Michael’s lunch while I get the chocolate milk, fruit and cereal that he usually requests for breakfast. After relaxing together on the couch with some cartoons (instead of the news), it starts to get hectic. Getting a toddler and ourselves dressed and out the door on time is usually a struggle! But, I know it won’t be long before Michael’s a teenager and refusing to get out of bed in the mornings. So, in the meantime, I’ll just enjoy our time watching morning cartoons together...there will always be more news to watch when he’s a teenager who sleeps in till noon!
MELISSA MO BEd, BScOT Occupational Therapist & Coach I have never been a morning person. In fact, I would give anything to sleep just five more minutes. My alarm used to wake everyone in the house but me–very annoying I know! Now my alarm clock is called Maya (my daughter) and she likes to get up at 7am sharp! Oddly enough I don’t mind and have grown to love waking up early; funny how kids change everything. What I love most is that I can get A LOT more done in a day and eat a BIG breakfast without worrying too much about the calories!
PAULA DEMAY BBA, MSW Student Certified Trauma Specialist & COO of Qi Creative Rise and shine, its morning time! I wake and stretch then open my eyes. Another day I am blessed to have, so I want to start it energized. Up I go, with a one two step, remembering what Anthony Robbin’s said: “Fifteen minutes is all it takes to set up your day for ultimate success.” I have the power, I have the strength, and I have the energy to do my best! And should I falter along the way, I pick myself up and embrace the day.
SAM PATHIRANA BScOT Occupational Therapist and Coach I am Sam, Sam I am. I do not like green eggs and ham…! I sure do like breakfast though, and if green eggs and ham is your idea of a good breakfast, more power to you. My favorite breakfast foods in no particular order: (be prepared for some things you’ve never even heard of, and keep in mind I often like a few of these in the same breakfast) bacon, turkey sausage, string hopper biriyani, blueberry banana pancakes, chocolate chip French toast, mung beans and dried coconut and sugar, cold pizza, power oatmeal, manioc root and coconut sambol, eggs over easy and hashbrowns, shrimp dumplings and shomai, (pretty much everything at dim sum really, especially MANGO PUDDING) and finally peanut butter on toast. Anyone else getting hungry?
BRONWEN BLACK BA, MScOT Occupational Therapist and Coach Mornings to me are: cat cuddles, copious amounts of tea, workouts to catchy music, Tweets, breakfast with Brennan, reading with my nephew before school, gratitude and envisioning my day. I try to start them early so that they can last longer (and so I can have more tea). Mornings are the best part of the day!
HELEN HOANG BA, MScOT Occupational Therapist and Coach I wouldn’t quite label myself as a morning person, but one thing I AM pretty proud of is the fact that I can pop up in an instant the moment my alarm goes off. Part of it is due to the fact that I am a very light sleeper. Pressing the snooze button (once, twice, even more!) used to be extremely tempting, but lately it has become easier to get up on time. What helps? Definitely my morning routine! It’s simple, but that’s the best, because then I can do it half asleep. Most of everything is prepared the night before, from my outfit for the day to my coffee mug sitting ready under the coffee maker. Knowing that I won’t be forgetting anything important lets me focus on what’s important: what the new day will bring!
BRENNAN BLACK BA, BDES Student Communications Director & Designer I love mornings. I love the calm before the world starts; watching the sunlight change and crawl along my neighborhood when I go running; and the most beautiful of beautifuls: hot coffee. Woosh Vol 1.2
I am not a morning person. Never was. If I had a choice, I would stay up until three and sleep until noon. Sadly, the world doesn’t follow my internal clock (I know, crazy right?) so I have to find a way to get up every day and not be a grumpy gus until noon rolls around. Thus, I entitle this piece, Tips For Waking Up And Looking Forward To Your Morning, From A Guy Who Hates Mornings. Do something for someone else – this goes for any part of the day of course, but it always makes me feel empowered and happy to wake up because I know I need to do something for someone else. Whether it’s making my fiancé breakfast, driving my sister to school, or helping my mom out at the restaurant, I always feel blessed and happy to see their smiling faces, and glad to have contributed to making their day better. Sometimes I can go back to sleep after, but most of the time I don’t even need to. Have something you love to look forward to – I know it’s silly, but I am never tired when I am wake up at four o’clock in the morning to check if my fantasy football team won. Be grateful – there’s never a bad time for this. Start your day off by being grateful, and you’ll find more things to be grateful for throughout your day. Eat breakfast right away – it not only kick-starts your metabolism, but will also give you something concrete to do while you are groggy. If you can, set your coffee maker to make your coffee the night before, and have an awesome smell to wake up to. A bread maker is even better! Try a cold shower – I know, it sounds terrible, but it’s actually not bad! Kick starts your metabolism and boy do you ever feel alert afterwards! Make a list – dump, do delegate – the faster you can get everything out of your head and onto paper, the less stress you’ll feel in the morning. While you’re at it, figure out what you can delegate to other people. Timing is EVERYTHING! – Try to make sure you wake up at the end of one of your REM cycles. Generally this means increments of one and a half hours. Related to this is waking up when you naturally wake up! That means if you wake up 35 minutes before your alarm, don’t go back to bed! You’ll probably be much more productive with that time, and then maybe you’ll have time for a twenty minute nap in the afternoon, or an earlier bed time the next day! On extra tough days, make yourself a treat! Bacon smells extra delicious when you are tired!
-SAM PATHIRANA
Aaaaaah, 9:30 p.m. and he’s asleep. Time for a relaxing cup of tea! It is early enough, so I have time to spend with my daughter. She tells me what she is designing in her Comm-Tech class. Even though it is short, we have a nice time together. I am not too tired tonight. I decide to do one thing that will help me in the morning. I fill the dishwasher and turn it on. Off to bed! I read my book until 10:30. I am jolted awake by the sound of manic laughter coming from my son’s room. I check the time. WTF? It’s 1:30 a.m. I grab my pillow and go lay in his bed. Usually he falls back to sleep after a few hours; tonight is not the night. My morning has started very early. My son is thirteen years old and is severely impacted by his autism. Over the years I have taught him to lay quietly in his bed (as quiet as the current mood allows) when he wakes up early. He is rather calm tonight, but cannot stop wiggling. Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle. “Lay still, Mommy needs to sleep.” I doze for a second. Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle. Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle.... AAAAAAAAAArrrrrrrrrrrggggg....I am trying not to lose my patience. Finally at 6:25 my daughter’s alarm goes off to wake her for school. I ‘start’ the day on 3 hours of sleep. My head is fuzzy. No chance for a nap today; only the essentials will be done. Get the girl off to school.... feed the calves.... breakfast... only a little homeschool for the boy today... plow driveway... go for a long walk... I rest on the couch whenever possible. Every time my son is able to engage in an activity independently, I rest! I do not do any housework or dishes to conserve energy. I try to make sure my son gets a lot of exercise in hopes it will help him sleep tonight. I am definitely going to go to sleep as soon as he does tonight! I will make it through the day! I can do it! -TANYA STOCKWELL
Woosh Vol 1.2
Symbols used are from SymWriter by Widgit
-ANDREA FRAGOMENI Woosh Vol 1.2
If you have a child diagnosed with ASD you probably share one of my biggest fears - that at some point in their lives they will be faced with bullying – perhaps at school, on the playground or even in a program. Being a kid is tough enough when you have to face a bully, but it must be immeasurably harder for someone on the spectrum. Our kids don’t have the skills and coping mechanisms that lot of other kids have. I think there are three important strategies we can give our kids to help them. These things are: • Increasing their self confidence through assertiveness • Giving them the opportunity to develop physical skills, and • Increasing the likelihood they have a friend Research is clear that even one friend to stick up for you is enough to thwart most bullies, but developing assertiveness (the ability to stick up for yourself) and increasing physical skills are important too. My two boys (one on the spectrum and one not) have benefited strongly from intervention from the Qi Creative team and their Young Masters program to work on all three of those important strategies. The martial arts training we learned as a family through the program has given the boys real life skills to defend themselves and build their self confidence. It is simply astonishing to see them strike up a Tae Kwon Do pose in a practice drill and coolly ward off the blows of our instructor. They’ve put in many hours of practice to achieve this proficiency, but they now have the confidence to engage and defend themselves. The services of Jon Rivero and his team have also been helpful in learning and practicing assertiveness skills to deal with a playground bully. If they are confronted, they now know what to do, and who to talk to. And finally, the socialization aspect of the program has introduced us to new friends, and helped the kids be more comfortable in making friends. And their new found ability to break a board in half using one of their Tae Kwon Do strikes is a great conversation starter! -GUY KERR
-PAULA DEMAY Woosh Vol 1.2
Dear Oosh, Throughout my family’s day, I face many stressful situations; sometimes one after the other. During each situation, I’m usually able to stay calm, but afterwards the stress and anxiety start to set in. Sometimes I don’t have time to do something relaxing to regain my strength between each stressful event. Do you have any suggestions for some “on the go” stress and anxiety busters? Oosh says: Here are four ideas that might help: 1) Deep Breathing: Taking several deep breaths through your nose and out through your mouth can help circulate more oxygen to your brain and help to clear your thoughts and calm your body. 2) Active Muscle Relaxation: Start from your head and go down through your arms, hands, legs and feet. Tense up each set of muscles for a few seconds, then release. This purposeful tension and tension release helps to relax your body. 3) Imagine: Imagine a place that feels safe for you and that incorporates some element of nature that is powerful. For example, picture being at the ocean, standing in the waves. Imagine that with every powerful wave some of your anxiety and stress is washed away. Waterfalls and strong winds are also powerful! 4) Smile: Put up funny or inspiring pictures or things that make you smile around your house or bookmark funny Youtube videos for easy access on your computer or phone. Even a little smile or bit of laughter can relieve stress and help you feel more positive! If you have a question for OOSH please send it to info@qicreative.com
Mornings in our home might be characterized as systematic chaos. We’ve got routines, story-boards (to provide visual reminders) and consistency in expectations. But, even the best laid plans can be brought to ruin when the kids wake up. I have three wonderful, energetic, children with ADHD and FASD. Each one wakes up bursting with energy; ready to create, play, run, chatter and imagine. My son, smiling, erupts from his room running and roaring! The girls are “early birds”. It’s not unusual to find them already engrossed in some elaborate imaginative play when they should be just waking up. Okay, time to implement the 4 R’s to get through the morning and off to school on time. Regroup. It’s important for me to connect with my kids in a positive way before we start into our routines. Whether it is a cuddle in the living room with mommy, or hugs and kisses on the way to the breakfast table, it is important for my kids to give and receive affection from me before we set about getting our routines accomplished. I get to affirm that I love them and we are in this together. Routines. Each child has clearly outlined routines, in picture form, to guide them from wake up to leaving for school. This is called a story-board it is used to show the child each activity in their morning routine in picture form so that they can see exactly they need to do, and can anticipate what comes next. Redirect. Even with story-boards my kids get off track and need to be redirected. This can be as easy as asking, “So, what should you being doing right now?” Other times it’s more challenging. A child may need a momentary change of activity to satisfy a sensory need so that focus can be regained. Reframe. This might be the most important strategy. Reframe. I needed to think differently. There is no question, our mornings are difficult. My children present some very challenging behaviours. It is loud, fast paced and it is early. Honestly, not the most enjoyable combination. But they wake up happy! Each one is quick to give a smile, a hug and an “I love you”. I found that when I looked at our mornings through another colour lens I had renewed energy and was able to find creative strategies to manage the challenges better and more importantly enjoy my children more. Some days we breeze through, but most often we don’t. One thing I know is we love each other and we are getting through together.
-ROBBIE FUNK Woosh Vol 1.2
Gigantic waves. Crashing boat. Anxiety. Losing my breakfast overboard. Let me tell you about a recent unforgettable morning of mine. This February I found myself venturing with my nephew, aunt, mom and grandparents – four generations – to a small resort in Mexico for a vacation in the sun. The trip was dreamt up by my grandmother; something exciting to do with my grandfather, whose recent decrease in mobility makes it difficult for him to participate in daily activities. I was honoured to spend the week building sandcastles with my nephew, getting whipped at ping-pong by my grandma, taking long walks with my aunt and mom and chilling with grandpa on the beach. Being of the younger and stronger generation, I also often held the role of assisting my grandfather to navigate the stairs, steep ramps, bumpy sidewalks and uneven beaches so that he could get from place to place safely, whether on foot or via wheelchair. Amidst the relaxation and all-you-can-eat guacamole, I also held a role of support for my grandparents and the rest of my family. Near the end of our stay, my aunt generously decided to treat us to a morning whale watching trip - a favourite tourist excursion in the area. I won’t go as far as to say that the boat crew purposely chose the most tumultuous ocean day to subject us to, but, likely not wanting to lose money, they did not cancel the trip when there were treacherous whitecaps and 20-foot waves rolling. The short version of the story is, there were no whales to be seen and most of the passengers were traumatized when we returned to shore. My anxiety and motion sickness had totally destroyed me. My nephew clung to me, frozen and speechless for the entire duration. This experience caused me to reflect on the notion that environmental factors are often major contributors to a person’s
disability. My grandfather, who had been struggling to move around the resort all week, rode backwards for the entire boat ride; he neither flinched with fear nor heaved with nausea. He loved it. And the first thing he said when we got off the boat an hour before lunch was, “let’s go for a beer!” I on the other hand was a mess. All it took was a small shift in surroundings and I was the one who was unable to function. This is not just a cautionary tale about day excursions on tumultuous seas. For me, it has been a catalyst to think about the children that I work with on a daily basis and how I can educate, advocate and re-create; in order that environments are set up to enable rather than disable. Think about it: how can we set up situations and activities that build on a child’s strengths rather than create roadblocks to their participation? A simple shift might make all the difference. -BRONWEN BLACK
Caption Contest Last issue we asked you to write a caption for this photo and help us figure out what’s going on.
The winning caption:
“Wow, God answered my prayers last night! My Iron-man is life-sized!”
Woosh Vol 1.2
Ingredients 1/3 Cup of Quick Oats 1/3 Cup of Almond Milk Cup of Egg Whites 1 Teaspoon Peanut Butter 1 Teaspoon Cinn amon Dash of Nutmeg 1 Teaspoon Vanilla 1 Teaspoon of Honey Cup of Frozen Blueberries
Add oats, egg whites, peanut butter, milk and vanilla in a bowl, and microwave for 3 minutes. Season with cinnamon, nutmeg and honey to taste, and then add the blueberries. This complete meal has a ton of protein, is low in fat, and you’ll be done eating it in 5-7 minutes. It’ll even give your immune system a boost. Having a delicious and healthy breakfast just got that much easier.
-SAM PATHIRANA
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