Spa: a place one is encouraged to visit in order to pamper and take care of one's self. A tranquil place of relaxation, luxury, wellness, and beauty. Or, as some in our town would like to call it.... "fancy!" Until 10 years ago, I don't think many people in our town of 7,000 would have ever thought such a "fancy" place could survive in our blue collar farming community. Yet, here we are: Altitude Spa is beloved by men and women of all ages in not just our community, but in our province, our country, and now, in a little part of Uganda.

This morning 24th March 2020, Britain has woken up on an almost lockdown state, people ordered to not to leave their homes unless it’s absolutely necessary and has finally given police powers to break up gatherings in beaches, parks and in towns. The frightening part is the unknown, no one has ever gone through this before and people are scared, not so much of the virus itself, but of the unknown road that comes with it. This is a road that hasn’t been taken before, there’s no mile’s stones or signs posts telling anyone which way to go. It’s going to take a wee bit of time to Adjust to a new way of life and it is going to be hard, but not only can we adjust to this and survive, we can thrive as well.

As fear mounts in the hearts of people due to the high frequency spread of 2019 coronavirus disease, people are increasingly asking questions related to the disease. Such questions include: what is the mortality rate of the coronavirus disease? Is there a vaccine or cure for the disease? Are there actions a person can undertake to avoid getting the disease? Can companion animals, pets or livestock infect humans with coronavirus disease 2019?

In times like these, those of us who struggle with anxiety are finding things even more difficult than usual.

The media hype surrounding the coronavirus is astounding, not to mention awfully demoralizing to watch. They do it for the ratings, the readers, as well as the information that could be put out. Yes, there could be a coronavirus vaccine soon but that is mostly reliant on other countries working together. If nothing else, it seems that a hot climate helps stomp the virus out. If more countries got together to share resources, and not blame China for every last little thing, then something good may come out of this coronavirus mess since working together is one way to come up with a vaccine faster.

Growing up I was always told by my dad to “lose weight” “eat more fruit” “be more like so and so”... I came to terms with the fact that I would never be good enough, whatever that meant. I was far from confident and most definitely ate food for comfort. I absolutely hated my image and pictures were a painful reminder for me every time. My brother who I had been living with throughout my childhood also had joined the team and constantly made fun of my weight. There clearly wasn’t anything more amusing than to make me miserable.

In the early part of 2011, I was battling burnout as a result of my workaholic habits.

I am a massive book worm! I am obsessed with books, i think it is obvious to say that any other human being or spiritual entity who loves a good read, is obsessed with books. I have a nasty habit of searching for more books to add to my library, when i should re-read what currently is in my collection.

Going dark on social media seems sometimes like the person doing it is punishing those around them for being a distraction or for disagreeing with what they do. However, it is actually healthy to disconnect every once in a while and allow yourself to fully experience the range of your surroundings without having technology distracting you from the world around you.

Meditation is all the rage these days. So many people are taking advantage of its benefits and allowing it to work in their lives to create true change. For those who are skeptical about how sitting still in the quiet can help them, it may seem like a waste of time to sit around and be inactive for long periods of time when they could be going out there and getting things done.

It may seem like a no brainer for some and a surprise for others, but stress is highly associated with clutter. While living with depression can often increase the risk of clutter, studies have shown that the more clutter you are surround in, the more stressful an experience you will have. Living and working in a clean environment is a surefire way to begin eliminating stress from your life. Whether it’s just tidying up more regularly or doing a major overhaul of your clutter, the moral of the story is the same. Less mess equals less stress.

Some health practitioners have compared internet addiction to the same high that’s experienced by cocaine users after a hit. Yes it’s that serious. Nowadays, it’s not uncommon to see someone glued to their phone in public places such as bus stop, and even in public transport. The internet and in particular social media has made many people slaves to their mobile phones. The problem is so bad that some people find it difficult to go for a few minutes without looking at their notifications or keeping up with the latest stories making rounds on the internet.