Self-improvement – Page 2 – Daniela Ginta, The Mindful Writer

Weekly column: Why we ought to see more of the world

On November 5, 2019

In Armchair Mayor Column, Climate change, Environment, Health, Kamloops, Learning, Life Stories, Self-improvement, Social issues

Originally published as a column on CFJC Today Kamloops and Armchair Mayor News, on Tuesday November 5, 2019.

This column was to be about fish. Herring to start with. A few reputable conservation groups, including Pacific Wild, Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, Conservancy Hornby Island and the Association for Denman Island Marine Stewarts, are urging the Department of Fisheries and Oceans to rethink the roe fishery quotas for the herring in the Straight of Georgia (the plan is expected to be finalized in early December.) The stocks are almost 60 percent depleted, their press release said, and that’s happened in the last four years. Shocking isn’t it? Albeit not a local issue, it is a provincial one and a sign of a pervasive and challenging issue.

Writing things down – Why it matters

By Daniela Ginta

On October 29, 2019

In Health, Kamloops, Learning, Life Stories, Self-improvement

Among all my cookbooks there is an old notebook which I will never part with. It contains my Mom’s recipes which she wrote by hand, in alphabetical order, over many years. The notebook was not alphabetical but she made it so by carefully cropping a few pages for each letter.

I love that recipe notebook with its dark blue vinyl covers, the occasional oily page and the chocolate stain here and there. I can almost hear my Mom’s voice and smell the flavours of each recipe. There are no photos, but the handwriting tells stories. Some recipes were written in a hurry, with words bumping into each other; others were carefully written, with words luxuriously lining up one after another.

Weekly Column: Helping youth succeed makes for a better society

By Daniela Ginta

On October 29, 2019

In Armchair Mayor Column, Health, Kamloops, Learning, Life Stories, Motherhood, Self-improvement, Social issues

Originally published as a column on CFJC Today Kamloops and Armchair Mayor News on Monday, October 28, 2019.

I just read an uplifting news story. It was about the tuition waiver program for the former youth in care. About 1,119 young people got a fresh start in life due to the program. I can only imagine how empowering the feeling, and I can safely assume that the gratefulness born from that will create many happy ripples along the way. To say that we need more of that in today’s world is an understatement.

Talking to high school graduates or young adults who are trying to find their way, the one limiting factor many are pointing to is money. Going to school for higher education is one expensive affair. Some say they will not go to university until they are sure of their choice so they will not pay tuition money for nothing.

Weekly Column: Let’s keep the political conversations going – and include kids

By Daniela Ginta

On October 24, 2019

In Climate change, Health, Kamloops, Learning, Life Stories, Self-improvement, Social issues

Originally published as a column on CFJC Today Kamloops on Monday, October 21, 2019.

By the time you are reading this (this was on Monday of course), the voting is in full swing. Did you vote? Please do, voting is defining democratic right that no one should take for granted. The campaign has been wild enough and many say politics is ugly. Yes, it is at times, but we cannot do without. And voting gets us closer to where we want to be. Hopefully. I know, it’s a nail biter.

Regardless of how one feels about the campaign, there is something we all need to acknowledge: it takes courage to put yourself out there as a candidate. The volume of nastiness that comes to wards those whose names are up resembles a tsunami of some sort; discouraging even, but such is the nature of the game.

October 8, 2019. Noon. Snowing.

By Daniela Ginta

On October 8, 2019

In Environment, Kamloops, Learning, Life Stories, Motherhood, Self-improvement, Social issues

I had to look twice to make sure; OK, three times. It was snowing. The wind had been blowing since yesterday when it was 18 degrees Celsius in late afternoon. All degrees but four got scattered by bedtime. We lost two more overnight.

Today at noon we got snowflakes. A first this time of the year by everyone’s account. Dog and I took a walk in that swirling mad snowflake dance and I realized this sad fact: first snow always had my heart flutter with joy. Always. Today, this year, the flutter is missing and instead I feel sad and worried. The world is changing and I do not care about making yet another point about climate change (yes, it is real, and yes, I am shaking my head knowing it is still debated; seriously!). But.

Weekly column: Food studies versus common sense and reality

By Daniela Ginta

On October 8, 2019

In Armchair Mayor Column, Environment, Health, Kamloops, Learning, Self-improvement, Social issues

Originally published as a column on CFJC Today Kamloops and Armchair Mayor News on Monday, October 7, 2019.

You can safely file it under ‘Another day, another food study.’ Followed by… now what?

Case in point: the recent meat-centered study coming from Dalhousie and McMaster Universities, which concluded that the health benefits associated with reducing or eliminating red and processed meats are minimal, and the risks we thought existed are also quite small, hence the recommendation to eat meat without restrictions, if that’s how you feel like it.

So what’s wrong with that, some will say. The study eased the guilt and worry about red and processed meats. It’s good to not have guilt or fear as a side dish, right? Granted, the researchers admitted they had not taken into consideration any animals welfare and environmental issues, and they considered people’s attachment to their meat-based diet as one of the factors to base their recommendations on.

Weekly Column: The complex price of hoaxes

By Daniela Ginta

On September 24, 2019

In Armchair Mayor Column, Kamloops, Learning, Life Stories, Motherhood, Self-improvement, Social issues

Originally published as a column on CFJC Today Kamloops and Armchair Mayor News on Tuesday, September 24, 2019.

When I returned home from walking the dog that morning my youngest was still at home. Enthusiastic grade 8 student that he is, skipping was out of the question. He had walked to school as usual and was told to go back home by the vice principal. There was a police car in the alley, my son said, blocking access to the school entrance.

Daniela Ginta, The Mindful Writer

Freelance Writer and Photographer, Author of the Mindfulness Blog

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Writing things down – Why it matters

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