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I have been taking karate for quite a few years now. I’m a second-degree black belt, so not quite a beginner. It takes lots of hard practice to get this far…yet I am pretty sure that I would still have a great deal of trouble using it against an attacker, especially one with any size behind them.

Early in my university years and again when I was working within a college, I took a couple of basic self-defence courses. They did two things. They enhanced my awareness of the dangers and gave me ideas for options that I could use. They were definitely worthwhile.

Fear is powerful. And so it should be. Fear keeps us on our toes. It warns us to not be in dangerous situations. Even the best karate move is not to be there when the attack comes in.

Take One Action Today To Build Your #Resiliency! Tips For Building Resiliency and Celebrating Personal Self-Defense Month

Consider your answers to these questions.

Do you know what to do if someone grabs you? If not, you may need to take a course on basic self-defence strategies

Are you aware of your surroundings? Don’t become complacent, even in familiar situations.

Are you confident in yourself and do you carry yourself in a confident way? Learn how to walk with confidence. This can be the difference of a potential attacker thinking that you are an easy target and them moving on to the next person.

Take your personal safety seriously. Be prepared. Be Aware. Look like you know what you are doing.

Want to find more strategies to coping with stress? Check out my website at worksmartlivesmart.com

#mentalhealth #hr

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Have you worn a milk moustache today? January 11th is milk day, the anniversary of milk being first delivered in glass bottles.

I grew up on a dairy farm. Milk was a part of every meal. I can still remember my dad skimming the cream off the milk for his cereal and the first time I stayed with my aunt who ‘bought’ her milk from the store, and thinking that it was so watery. Nothing at all, like what I was used to.

Even after 7000 years of drinking it, milk is still very controversial. Many say we need it for bone growth, but there are those who say we shouldn’t drink it, as it can increase our risk for certain diseases.

Take One Action Today To Build Your #Resiliency! Tips For Building Resiliency and Celebrating Milk Day:

Watch what you drink. Add more water and milk to your diet as opposed to pop and other sugary drinks. Studies show that kids and adults who drink milk are less likely to consume sugary drinks which add no nutritional value to their diet.

If you are having trouble sleeping, try a cup of warm milk. The chemicals in milk, along with the warmth of the drink, can help to produce that sleepy feeling.

So to honour my dad and brother, here is a little milk day humour…..

Q: What did the farmer call the cow that had no milk?

A: An udder failure.

Don’t forget that you can find more tips for promoting health, by checking out my Live Smart blog at worksmartlivesmart.com

#mentalhealth #hr

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Are you and your family spending too much time as couch potatoes?

Although this is Family Fit Lifestyle Month, healthy habits should be a lifelong journey. I recently asked my sons what life lessons they have they learned from me (risky question but I wanted to know). I was proud to hear some of things that they said. Both of them said that one of the important lessons was around eating right and exercising often. They said that it has helped them to be good athletes and to feel good. (So all that harping around eating their lunch and working hard at practise has paid off after all). They saw me involved in fitness activities even when I was not naturally good at them. And they saw me having fun anyways.

Take One Action Today To Build Your #Resiliency! Tips For Building Resiliency and Celebrating Family Fit Lifestyle Month:

Reward participation in fitness activities. Be each other’s cheerleader.

Have fun. Fitness shouldn’t be boring or feel like drudgery. If it does that you haven’t found the right activities. Some of us prefer activities that we can do alone. Some of us need the watchful eye of a coach. Others prefer team settings. Fitness activities should be something that we look forward to.

This year, set a few goals for creating a healthier family.

Looking for more ways to build your resiliency? Take my free on-line vulnerability test at worksmartlivesmart.com under the resources and courses tab.

#mentalhealth #hr