The Pursuit of Happiness

There’s a reason the pursuit of happiness is so elusive for so many. It’s a complicated world we live in and many factors that impact our mood are out of our control. To be happier, it’s important we focus on what we can directly and immediately influence.

Happiness, like stress, relies on chemical reactions in our body. Endorphins, dopamine and serotonin all play a part in tipping the scale of our mood. With most Canadians spending up to 10 hours a day sedentary and indoors, these chemicals aren’t stimulated the same way they once were.

Regular physical activity has demonstrated similar effectiveness to antidepressants and can often times be as useful as other types of therapy, such as cognitive behavioural therapy.1 Physical activity also doesn’t come with the side effects commonly experienced when taking medication.

On the bright side

There’s something you can do and it can start today. Research shows that physically active people are more satisfied with their lives and that exercise itself is strongly linked to happiness. Getting 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity a week as recommended by Canada’s Physical Activity Guidelines, reduces levels of stress hormones, cortisol and adrenaline, and increases endorphins and feel-good chemicals, dopamine and serotonin.

Source: Particpaction

Fun (and practical) ways to get moving with a newborn 

Following a pregnancy, taking time for your mental health and wellbeing is vital as it may be suffering due to lack of sleep. Gentle exercise helps you feel better, provides energy, and eases anxiety, and it is also an excellent way to connect with your baby. In a recent Toronto Star Article entitled “Tips for returning to fitness after pregnancy”, Jaclyn Bonder, medical director for Women’s Health Rehabilitation at New York-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medicine Center, merely cautions that women should be monitored by a health-care provider as they restart an exercise regimen.

How to be active while at home with your baby

There are plenty of ways to be active without leaving your house, and you can even include your baby in the experience. While your baby is awake, lay out a yoga mat with your little one beside you on their own blanket or mat. You don’t have to do anything major here. Just stretch your body. Move around in a way that feels good. As your baby gets older and moves around more, make eye contact and mimic their movements. Try yoga poses such as Happy Baby or Child’s Pose, these help babies to move.

Getting out and being active with your baby

Whether you take your baby in a sling or a stroller, walking is a wonderful way to realign your hips and joints after pregnancy. Walk alone, with your partner or friend, or find a stroller walking group through websites like Meetup.Concerned you won’t follow through? Consider telling a friend or family member your intention. This is a great way to keep motivated.

Baby steps for everyone

Respect your body and have the patience to know that you’re setting a foundation for a lifetime of being an active family with every small choice to move. With or without your baby, it all adds up. And when in doubt, simply put your baby in a sling and dance together.

Source: Active For Life

It's All Coming Together!

We’ve been busy bees working on the Community Centre to make our island an even better place for everyone.

Here are some of the things that have been happening over the past few weeks:

• The design team for the Community Centre has completed 95% design drawings.

• A building permit is in hand which means we will be able to get started on the build when the time comes.

• The Municipality, who will own and operate the public amenity, has submitted its grant application for approximately $8 M to the Investing in Canada Infrastructure program.

• Donors have generously committed $1.3 M towards capital costs, which is absolutely amazing!

• And lastly, Council just gave third reading to a loan authorization bylaw to borrow the remaining funds needed – just over $4 M – to help secure the grant and reach our goal of $14.5 M. The next step will be a referendum asking islanders to decide if the Municipality can borrow up to $4,040,000 to build the Community Centre. Borrowing will only occur once we receive notice that our grant application is successful and we will only borrow the funds needed to complete the project.

As you can see a lot has been happening!

We are also continuing to fundraise to create this much needed home for our community, recreation, the arts and a permanent space for the Bowen Island Municipality, and we’d love your support.

To do that, you can make your pledge now at: www.ourislandplace.com/referendum