Let's Be Well Together Let's Be Well Together Ltd.

1. We talk about a quote by Osho – “To be creative means to be in love with life.” It has them thinking in different directions.2. We interview Ian Brisbin in the areas of Physical, Mental and Social Wellness.⁠ Ian’s an avid cyclist. We chat about safety. Biking is a social and physical outlet and one of the best ways Ian knows to ensure that he’s staying emotionally centred. His “Rule 1” for biking safety is very simple: You do what you need to do to get home safely. Biking safety is multi-faceted. There’s a lot to keep track of. The best you can do is to keep your head on a swivel and look out for yourself. It’s important to be assertive and be clear about what your intentions are – be very deliberate showing where you’re headed. There’s safety equipment, such as helmets, but more than anything else it’s a matter of being aware of your surroundings and communicating yourself as clearly as you can. He talks about hidden dangers, like dooring, large potholes and the “right hook”. Rule 1 applies to interactions with law enforcement and drivers. If you’re in a situation where you feel that you’re being unfairly ticketed by law enforcement, then take the ticket, go home and deal with it later. If you’re in a confrontation with a driver, then you’re not going to win. You might lose, but you won’t win. Just leave. Your goal is to get home safe and to your families. 3. Starving Artist – Cameron needs to use his car every day, so car trouble spells stress. I took time go figure out what was wrong and get it fixed, then after dropping some serious coin he had another surprise. 4. Move That Body – Julie recounts experiences as a coxswain for 8-person rowing teams while at university. 5. Running Popup – A great lesson from exercise is that it shows us that we can do hard things, and it feels good to know that. 6. Flipside of the Coin – Sheila and John’s impressions when they learned they will be first-time grandparents.

1. The Canadian Mental Health Association gave a great tip – share a compliment. It’s free to give someone an authentic compliment and it brings joy. Give it a try. 2. We interview Rachel Runge in the area of Physical, but also General Wellness.⁠ Rachel tended to compare herself to others. It’s not surprising after she pursued a career as a lawyer. It’s competitive, staring with the competitive process to get into law school. Throughout law school, we’re reminded that it’s going to be difficult to find articling positions. Once we begin as a lawyer, we’re measured heavily on metrics. Rachel got advice to stop comparing herself to others and make small improvements in herself week over week and year over year. She thought, “That sounds nice, but how do you do it?” Meanwhile, she started taking group fitness classes at Orangetheory, which includes benchmark tests, such as a 1-mile run or 2,000 metre row. She saw her performance improve over time. In the middle of a run, the mentor’s advice hit her like a ton of bricks – to make small improvements in herself over time, and not to compare herself to others. She was running beside a friend who was trying to hit a faster time target. Rachel realized, “This is what it is”. She was just as excited for myself to hit her own target as she was for her friend to hit the faster target. That’s what Rachel’s mentor meant when she said stop comparing yourself to others. Check-in and see whether you’re doing better than you were last time. Then it resonated. 3. Starving Artist – a ringing phone woke Cameron up to great news from a student. She had a breakthrough with her voice training and wanted to share. It gave Cameron a lift. 4. Move that Body – We’re often stuck at home. We found an article with suggestions about how to move while at home. 5. Running Popup – We’re seeing in our podcast conversations and interviews that becoming well is work, but it’s not a mystery. 6. Flipside of the Coin – it helps us to give space and time to our partner in a relationship.

1. Who are some of the people we met who inspired us? We talk about examples. 2. We interview Andrea Lee in the area of Physical Wellness.⁠ There are different ways to work with personal trainers, and many possibilities offered by a hybrid approach. Historically the options were: (1) a certified trainer who works in a gym; (2) a trainer who has a home studio; or (3) a trainer who travels to a client’s home. People could also train at a gym or a center that does large group classes. Technology (and Covid shutdowns) brought options and changes. People can work with a trainer online, using one of the virtual platforms (Facetime, Zoom, Teams, etc.). Online coaching is another option. A program is sent to you online or through an app. You’re not spending one-on-one time with your trainer or coach. The learn your goals and set a plan tailored for you. The client chooses what day to do the exercises, then check in with the trainer regularly, often by email. Combinations work. Some of Andrea’s clients train with her, and they also enjoy group classes at other places. People don’t need to stick with just one thing. It’s great to have a variety. Andrea is using a hybrid model herself, with some people visiting her home studio, others doing virtual training sessions and others using online coaching. It allows her to see more people, because it allows for clients to choose an option that works best for them. 3. Starving Artist – Cameron thought he was passed over after applying to audition for a metal vocals project, but he was wrong. He got a belated and very nice response and will be auditioning soon. 4. Move That Body – Julie asked AI for a list of unconventional ways to exercise. It came up with a fun list of ideas. 5. Running Popup- John realized, surprisingly, that life got in the way and he stopped being a distance runner. He was running, but not enough mileage. He’s hoping that getting back into it will feel great again. 6. We can get obsessed about something, maybe a sports team or a hobby. Our lives center on it, which is odd because it makes no different to most people’s lives.

1. Following up on tips discussed in Episodes 98 and 113, we finish a list of 31 ways to reduce household waste to help the environment. 2. We interview Mike Farkas about how motorcycling improves his overall wellbeing.⁠ His business took a lot of his time and energy. He’s now making time for health and wellness. He got back into the motorcycle life. It gives him an opportunity to disconnect from tech and work. There’s only him, his hands on the handlebars and his eyes on the road. It forces you to take your time, take a breath, look around and enjoy the sights and sounds. Some of the best conversations Mike has with himself are on his bike. He’s enjoyed motorcycle trips with his dad. There have been great conversations on breaks. You end up sitting and chit chatting about life. It’s having that bond and getting away from all the busy-ness of life. 3. One of Cameron’s projects is playing on a Shania Twain Tribute Bank. They had a full house for their first show. 4. Move that Body – Riley Thompson feels great when she goes to the gym, especially after strength training. 5. With Sheila travelling with a friend in Europe, John appreciates her independence. 6. Elise and Stephen reminisce about architecture in South Korea. While our business buildings sprawl out and wide in Canada, they stack upwards in South Korea.

1. We discuss a 5-Minute Mental Health Check. It’s not only about feelings and mindfulness. Have you also stretched, eaten healthy, had enough sleep and been nice to yourself and others? 2. We interview Eric Davis [Physical and other areas of wellness].⁠ Eric started taking martial arts to get his weight under control. He didn’t think he’d enjoy gym-type workouts. He wanted to learn a new skill. He got so much out of it. A key lesson was to show up on days he didn’t feel like going to the dojo. He always felt miles better after he left. He never regretted dragging himself out of the house to the dojo. It also taught him discipline. Activities such as sparring, practicing or grappling with others forced him to be present in the moment, leaving his busy work life, concerns, worries and stress behind him for a while. The ability to change the mindset can be very useful. 3. Starving Artist – Cameron went to his first concert 15 years ago – City and Colour. It inspired him to learn guitar. He saw the group again, now that he’s a professional musician. 4. Move that Body – Sheila’s biking to work. John’s walking to work. They’re both loving using their bodies to start the day. It also inspires them to do more to help the environment. 5. Running Popup – John got a message from a colleague and recognized there are some people we meet who we trust and believe in from the start, even if we can’t say why. 6. Flipside – how can we harness the passion of you together with the wisdom of age? How do we avoid the inclination to run out the clock?

1. We share thoughts on a quote from John’s quote list. The Dalai Lama said, “When you talk, you are only repeating what you already know. But if you listen, you may learn something new.” 2. We interview Riley Thompson in the area of Social Wellness.⁠ Fyodor Dostoevsky said, “A society should be judged not by how it treats its outstanding citizens but by how it treats its criminals.” Concerns for incarcerated people include overcrowding and access to mental health supports. Riley’s goal is to better the community as a whole. Reducing recidivism and bringing people out of prison into the workforce is beneficial for everyone. She’s researching ways to improve the quality of life for people who are in prison, through empathy training of the correctional officers. Correctional officers often have an underlying assumption when they’re initially brought into prison – that they are different from the people behind the bars. There’s an “us versus them” mentality. Empathy training is designed to encourage that everyone is the same in a way. It helps officers put themselves in the shoes of the inmates and to better understand what prisoners are going through, instead of using punitive measures in response to every incident that happens when they’re in prison. 3. Starving Artist – The solution to technical issues led to Cameron rockin’ stacked keyboards. It’s a nifty setup. 4. Move That Body – We were thinking about how we never stopped moving as a kid. How can we incorporate a move-like-a-kid mentality in our lives. 5. Running Popup – John enjoyed a feeling of being lucky, in the moment, experiencing the world around him. 6. Flipside – our experience is that it helps a relationship to give partners space and independence to do the things they enjoy. It’s healthy to take time out of a relationship for yourself.