Better Me: Recent Episodes
Heather Ross
The Better Me Podcast delves into how people navigate through life’s challenges and live as the best people they can be. Coach, writer, and educator Heather M. Ross chats with guests about how they’ve gotten past life’s bumps in the road, from potholes to sinkholes. She also shares her own stories of living with a mental illness while striving to pursue her dreams.
Visit Heather's website at http://betterme.ca
After six years and more than 180 episodes, I've decided that it's time to put the Better Me Podcast to bed. Three of my favourite people, who were also guests on previous episodes, joined me to say farewell. My dear friend Jennifer Diehr, who was a guest multiple times to talk about books, and author Kelly S. Thompson, whom I met because she was a guest in 2023 joined me. Also, my daughter Sydney Burns joined us for this special episode.
Thank you for listening these past six years. I hope that found something valuable, or at least entertaining in those many episodes. As always, please, take care of yourself.
Julie M. Green was diagnosed with autism when her autistic son, Carson, was ten years old. She joined me to talk about her experience as a mom with autism and how her own diagnosis helped her to better understand and care for herself. Her new book Motherhood: A Memoir of Generational Autism, Parenthood and Radical Acceptance, is out from ECW Press.
Julie's website - https://juliemgreen.ca/home
Julie's Substack page - https://theautisticmom.substack.com
ECW Press page on the book - https://ecwpress.com/products/motherness
My dear friend Jennifer Diehr returned to the podcast to talk about the World Series, what we've been reading, and the terrible algebra course we met in a long, long time ago.
Dr. Brittany Penner, an author and practicing family physician in Manitoba, joined me to talk about her new memoir, "Children Like Us: A Métis Woman's Memoir of Family, Identity and Walking Herself Home," growing up as an Indigenous woman in a non-Indigenous family, the 60s Scoop, and how her experiences growing up, including multiple traumatic events, shaped who she is as a person and a doctor.
A note of warning, in this episode, we're going to talk about sexual assault and suicide. I'll include some support information in the show notes, but if this is going to be triggering for you, you may not want to listen to this episode.
Canada - Sexual Assault Centres, Crisis Lines, and Support Services -https://endingviolencecanada.org/sexual-assault-centres-crisis-lines-and-support-services/
U.S.A. - National Center on Domestic and Sexual Violence - Hotlines - https://www.ncdsv.org/hotlines.html
Author Ashley Herring Blake joined me to talk about her writing process and what it's like to have her books banned.
Here we are with the start of another season of the Better Me Podcast. In this episode, you'll hear about some of the upcoming episodes, self-care, and my impending experience with empty-nest syndrome.
It's time to take some time off for the summer, but before I go, I recorded this episode on having patience with yourself and setting up your supports and tools before you need them.
Writer and illustrator Gabrielle Drolet joined me to talk about her struggles with chronic pain, its effects on her ability to write and draw, and what that has meant for her identity and mental health.
Unexpected things happen all the time in our typical days. We need to keep an eye out for the ones that will make us smile or laugh. I also talk about the parody film Hardware Wars (1978), which I was reminded of when I recently saw the trailer for the sequel to Spaceballs.
Award-winning author Tessa McWatt and I had a lovely chat about the role that elders, whether human or trees, play in the world. We spoke about her latest book, The Snag: A Mother, A Forest and Wild Grief, and about the joy and peace we both find in writing.
Friend and fellow educator and podcaster Terry Greene joined me to discuss our concerns regarding generative artificial intelligence (GenAI).
Best-selling author Claire Cameron joined me to discuss her latest book, How to Survive a Bear Attack. We talked about an infamous bear attack, how much bears and humans are alike, and how her life has changed since a cancer diagnosis.
Once Renee Hess discovered the game of Hockey, she was hooked. But as a black woman, she found that she and women and girls like her weren’t always welcomed into that space as fans, players, or the families of players. Out of that came the founding of the Black Girls Hockey Club. Renee joined me to talk about her journey into the hockey world, what BGHC is and does, and the role that individual self-care has on a community.
Noelle Podar was finally living as the person she truly is, but as a trans woman, she couldn’t keep silent anymore about what the U.S. government and others are doing to the trans community. She joined me to talk about her journey and becoming a reluctant activist.
Depression can mean missing out on years or experiences. In this episode, I talk about that and how I’m trying to make up for some of what I missed out on.
Welcome to the new season! It’s hard to believe that it’s been five years and 166 episodes. Here’s a bit of a preview of what’s coming up.
Oh, and be sure to follow me on Bluesky: @mctoonish
This is the final episode of 2024. In it, I shared some of the things I’m trying to keep in mind to care for myself and things I’m hoping you will take to heart as well.
Dr. Najwa Zebian, my guest for episode 64, joins me 100 episodes later to talk about her latest book The Only Constant and to talk about why change can be so challenging for people.
Best-selling author Oliver Burkeman and I discussed the fact that we all have choices in life as long as we’re willing to deal with the consequences and that what is often called our "comfort zone” may not be all that comfortable.
Bestselling Canadian author and journalist Elizabeth Renzetti joined me to discuss her new book What She Said: Conversations About Equality. We talked about the way victims of intimate partner violence and sexual assault are treated and about the shifting attitudes of young men toward the gains women and members of marginalized groups have made.
Author Michelle Hébert joins me to discuss her debut novel Every Little Thing She Does is Magic, which is a story of a quirky and intriguing family in Nova Scotia dealing with grief and ghosts. It’s also filled with lots of fun 80s references.
Bestselling author Lisa Moore joined me to discuss her latest book, Invisible Prisons: Jack Whalen’s Tireless Fight For Justice. Moore co-authored the book with Whalen, who spent four years in the Whitbourne Training School for Boys in Newfoundland, half of which he spent in solitary confinement.
Best-selling author and award-winning scientist Dr. Diana Beresford-Kroeger joined me to talk about her latest book Our Green Heart: The Soul and Science of Forests, the benefits of forest bathing, and why we should all be planting more trees (and what kinds we should plant).
Loleen Berdahl joined me again, and we talked about how so much of the productivity advice out there is by and for people in positions of privilege for whom saying “no” and setting their own schedule can be much easier than it is for others.
Welcome back for the new season! In this episode, I talk about the change to our schedule and the importance of making informed decisions when voting.
I’ll be back in the fall, but I took a few minutes to talk about why I do this podcast, the importance of taking breaks, and having boundaries that protect you and others from being pushed too hard. Find me on Instagram at @heathermross
At a time when I’m hearing so much from people about feeling burned out, asking simple questions can help you see how what you may have learned matters and what matters for you to focus on in your life right now.
For a lot of us, especially those working from home, the end of your workday can be hard to spot. In this episode, I share some thoughts on tips recently shared in a video by Todoist.
If we’re always racing around or staring at a screen, our brain doesn’t have the chance to ponder what we’ve been consuming. Give yourself time to let ideas come to the forefront and capture them before they’re gone.
Writer Misty Pratt joined me to talk about her new book “All in Her Head: How Gender Bias Harms Women’s Mental Health.”
This is a reminder that pausing from the chaos of our days, even just five minutes, can bring a lot of benefits.
Writer Denise Chong joined me to talk about her latest book Out of Darkness, domestic violence, and the troubling way many victims are still perceived.
If you or someone you know is in an abusive relationship, please see the resources below.
https://sheltersafe.ca/ - Sheltersafe - Canada
https://kidshelpphone.ca/need-help-now-text-us/ - Kids Help Phone - Canada
https://www.ctvnews.ca/w5/here-s-who-to-contact-if-you-need-help-dealing-with-domestic-violence-in-canada-1.5188182 - see this article for more support broken down by province.
https://www.acf.hhs.gov/fysb/programs/family-violence-prevention-services/programs/ndvh#:~:text=Accessibility,and%20the%20U.S.%20Virgin%20Islands. - National Domestic Violence Hotline - US
Our mental health can be harmed by how others treat us, which is why Awareness and Heritage Months are important to our mental health.
Sometimes we tell ourselves “I have no choice” because it’s easier than having to consider what can happen if you choose
Award-winning Canadian journalist Sally Armstrong joined me to discuss the new book she co-authored, some amazing women who have made a difference and what drives her to cover war zones and oppression.
What are you putting off today that you’ll have to deal with tomorrow? What are you doing that you’ll pay for a decade from now? In this episode, I address these considerations and disclose my issue with shoe laces.
We have lots of distractions in our lives and they come from a variety of sources. How can you block them out? Which ones should you let distract you?
What you eat and drink is important to your health, but so is the content you read online, listen to on the radio, and share on social media. In this episode, I talk about making changes to lower your stress and fuel your ability to solve daily problems.
Self-care takes many forms, but what you do to care for yourself in the moment, shouldn’t come at the expense of your long-term well-being.
Frequent guest Loleen Berdahl joined me to talk about how we each take time on Fridays to prepare for the following week, and beyond.
Writer, speaker, and podcaster Todd Henry joined me for our third conversation on the Better Me Podcast. We spoke about his latest book, The Brave Habit, and the major change he made to his podcast after 18 years.
You can find Todd and The Daily Creative Podcast at https://www.toddhenry.com/
This episode includes a bit about how I'm trying to improve my wake-up routine, a challenge for you around bravery, and a preview of some of the upcoming guests.
For this episode, I took a few minutes to share some thoughts on Larry David, Elmo, and the mocking Will Wheaton received for sharing about his own trauma and PTSD.
In this episode, I talk a bit about what I’ve been reading, what I learned from Katy Milkman’s book How to Change, and putting courage into others.
To kick off a new season of the Better Me Podcast, Kelly S. Thompson took over the podcast and interviewed me. We talked about why I do the podcast, why we need to talk about mental health, and that we both Bullet Journal.
This is the final episode of 2023. I talked a bit about wrapping up the year and preparing for 2024. I also shared some information about getting help if you’re struggling mentally during this holiday season and beyond. Suicide Crisis Hotline (U.S. and Canada) 988List of Suicide Crisis Lines from around the world - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_suicide_crisis_lines
Fran Eldridge joined me to talk about her debut book A Moment of Clarity, a collection of short fiction stories based on her own experiences growing up in Nova Scotia and her life in Alberta and Saskatchewan.
Author Kelly S. Thompson joined me again to talk about our recent in-person visit, setting intentions for 2024, and holiday traditions. You can find Kelly online at https://kellysthompson.com/
Writer Stephanie Kain joined me to talk about her latest book Lifeline: An Elegy in which she uses a variety of writing styles and perspectives to tell the story of caring for a friend intent on taking her own life.
Birthdays often get people thinking about their lives and the coming year. In this episode, I talk a bit about some recent travels and some thoughts on how I plan to spend my 53rd year around the sun.
As days turn grey and the temperature drops for many of us, it's important to look for some joy. In this episode I talk about finding joy for yourself and doing things to bring a bit of joy to others.
Author and all around great person Kelly S. Thompson joined me to talk about the importance of caring for yourself when you're a caregiver.
Writer, entrepreneur, and leader Ritu Bhasin joined me to talk about her new book We've Got This: Unlocking the Beauty of Belonging, having empathy for yourself and others, listening to your body, and caring for yourself when you're a caregiver.
Singer/song-writer Jesse Daniel Edwards joined me to talk about his latest album Violensia, our mutual California connection, and how he returned to his musical roots to write about how people have been feeling in these hard times.
Author Charlotte Gill joined me to talk about her latest book, Almost Brown: A Mixed Race Family Memoir, how others try to define our identities, and how change in higher education won't come from individual instructors, including elements of equity and inclusion in their syllabi.
In this episode for Canadian Thanksgiving, I talk about the bullying I experienced growing up and finally being in a place with friends who love me and respect me for who I am.
Kids Help Line (Canada) - 1-800-668-6868 or text 686868
Trevor Project (U.S.) - https://www.thetrevorproject.org/get-help/
Loleen Berdahl returns to the podcast to explain the Canadian Notwithstanding Clause and talk about how to cope with the very heavy times.
Author, speaker, and human rights activist Rowan Jetté Knox and I sat down to talk about his new book One Sunny Afternoon: A Memoir of Trauma and Healing. We dove into the struggles we've each had with our mental health, the importance of ending the stigma of mental illness, and why self-care is as important when you're well as when you're deep in the muck.
You can find Rowan on Instagram and Twitter at @rowanjetteknox.
Welcome to the new season of the Better Me Podcast. In this episode I give a quick summary of the guests coming up and talk about the importance of belonging, a theme that will run through many of the episodes this season. I also take a few minutes to talk about how new education policies are denying a sense of belonging to some of our students.
It's time for me to take a break so this is the last episode until late summer or early spring.
As we move between meetings and other activities, we should take a few minute to reflect and prepare. Like having a bit of cracker or a sip of water to cleanse our palate between tastings of two different wines, we need to cleanse our mental palate as well.
Loleen Berdahl and Kelly S. Thompson returned to the podcast to talk about the role that writing plays in caring for their mental health. We also talked about how we choose our journals, vintage typewriters, and the community that can come from writing.
You can find Loleen at https://loleen.substack.com/ and Kelly at https://kellysthompson.com/
My good friend Jennifer Diehr returned to the podcast to talk about book festivals, meeting authors, and the reunion we have planned at Powell's Books in Portland, Oregon.
For people who have depression, just getting out of bed can be a struggle, but on top of that there's concerns about medication, money, and how others will respond. In this episode I talk about why depression can be so frighting for those who suffer from it.
Former long-time editor of Chatelaine Magazine, writer, and mental health advocate, Rona Maynard joined me to talk about her latest book Starter Dog: My Path to Joy, Belonging and Loving This World.
You can find Rona via her website https://ronamaynard.com/
I'm working on being more mindful, which has included asking myself "What do I need right now?" while curled up in the sun with my dog Henry.
Frequent guest Loleen Berdahl is back to join me in a free-range discussion of what it means to be busy, why it's so often the answer to "How are you?", and how to set better boundaries.
Former ballerina, star of the PBS fitness series, Classical Stretch, and author Miranda Esmonde-White joined me to discuss her latest book, The Movement Miracle: The Essentrics Stretch Program to Increase Strength, Improve Mobility and Become Pain Free.
Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg and I talked about her latest book On Repentance and Repair: Making Amends in An Unapologetic World. We discussed how apologies without real change will continue to damage all involved, how the current U.S. justice system's punitive approach does nothing to help victims of wrong-doing, and why we need to be tenacious and hold onto hope to bring about real change in the world.
You can find Danya at https://danyaruttenberg.net/ and on social media at @TheRaDR (Twitter) and @rabbidanyaruttenberg (Instagram)
Retired Canadian Forces officer and writer Kelly S. Thompson joined me to talk about her latest book Still, I Could Not Save You, a book about her relationship with her sister who died of cancer in 2018. We also talked about healing through writing and how your writing can help others to heal.
You can find Kelly at https://kellysthompson.com/ and on social media as @KellyS_Thompson (Twitter) and @kellysthompsonwriter (Instagram)
Best-selling author, speaker, podcaster, and all-around-cool guy Chris Bailey joined me to talk about his latest book How to Calm Your Mind: Finding Presence and Productivity in Anxious Times. We chatted about burnout and it's counterpart engagement, how dopamine makes promises it can't keep, and what we can do for ourselves and our organizations to reduce chronic stress.
You can find Chris, his books, and his podcast at https://chrisbailey.com/
Loleen Berdahl returns to the show for the 5th time to talk about prioritizing the things that matter, including creativity. We also talked a bit about artificial intelligence and about how we both pretend to talk for our pets.
British psychologist and writer Julia Samuel returns to the Better Me Podcast to talk about her latest book Every Family Has a Story. In this conversation we dove into how trauma can be passed down through generations and how family's can work through it to break the continuing cycle.
I'm back with a preview of what's coming up in the new season. It's going to be a good one with some fabulous guests.
I had a great conversation with Stephen Hurley, the founder of VoiceEd Radio, talking about baseball, education and podcasts.
In this episode I talk about why it's good that we do some things automatically, but that more meaningful things aren't meant to be memorized and recited without some thought and feeling.
In this episode I referenced my manifesto and land acknowledgements. The links below will provide more information.
My Manifesto (blog post) - http://betterme.ca/habits/my-manifesto/
Better Me Podcast EP 22 My Manifesto - https://www.spreaker.com/user/voicedradio/my-manifesto
Land Acknowledgements - https://teaching.usask.ca/curriculum/indigenous_voices/land-acknowledgements/module.php
The ever popular Loleen Berdahl returned to the podcast for the fourth time to talk about the concept of "found time" and how to make the best use of it.
Best-selling author Melissa Urban joined me to talk about her latest book, The Book of Boundaries. We discussed why boundaries aren't just good for you, but also those around you, upholding boundaries with yourself using a "boundary integrity" model, and how we all should stop setting ourselves on fire to warm other people.
In this episode I share some advice on dealing with subscriptions that are taking more from you than they're giving.
Writer, podcaster, and speaker Todd Henry returned to the show to talk about his new book Daily Creative: A Practical Guide for Staying Prolific, Brilliant, and Healthy. We talked about the importance of routines, how he gets started on new projects, and some of the lessons he's learned throughout the pandemic.
Learn more about Todd on his website - https://www.toddhenry.com/
Addiction expert, speaker and author Dr. Gabor Maté was my guest for the 100th episode of the Better Me Podcast to talk about his new book The Myth of Normal: Trauma, illness & health in a toxic culture.
You can find out more about Gabor on his website - https://drgabormate.com/
Author and social entrepreneur Shaylyn Romney Garrett joined me to talk about her book The Upswing: How America Came Together A Century Ago and How We Can Do It Again (co-authored with Robert D. Putnam). We spoke about how America has face the problems it’s now facing more than 100 years ago, how individuals help to drive change, and the mistakes they made that we can learn from.
You can find out more about Shaylyn on her website - https://shaylynromneygarrett.com/
Dr. Isabeau Iqbal, who was my guest for Episode 92, returned for a conversation about fun, including trying to figure out what that looks like for each of us.
You can find Isabeau at:
website: https://isabeauiqbal.com/
subscribe to monthly newsletter: isabeauiqbal.com/subscribe
I spoke with best-selling author Marshall Goldsmith about his new book "The Earned Life" and the importance of finding the right balance in how much focus and time we give aspiration, ambition, and action in our lives.
Find out more about Marshall and the book at https://marshallgoldsmith.com/.
Tune in to hear about what guests are coming up on the Better Me Podcast through the fall, including Marshall Goldsmith and Gabor Maté.
I’m taking a break for a couple of months, but first I want to thank a few people.
There's some distortion of the sound in this episode. I think I got a bit too close to the mic in all my excitement.
It's hard to focus, to feel like you can do what needs to be done when there's chaos around you when you're living in a time of crisis, but we can’t just bury our heads in the sand. So how do we avoid overwhelm and keep moving forward?
It doesn’t matter how good your map or your plan is, if you don’t know where you’re starting from.
Dr. Isabeau Iqbal joined me to talk about “imposter syndrome” including where it comes from, how we can deal with our own, and how we can make wider changes to reduce the impact.
You can find Isabeau at:
website: isabeauiqbal.com
subscribe to monthly newsletter: isabeauiqbal.com/subscribe
Educator and visual note-taker extrodinair, Giulia Forsythe joined me to talk about how doodling helps her be a better listener, problem solver and communicator. She also explains why she shares her doodles openly and freely.
Check out Giulia’s amazing doodles on her web site https://gforsythe.ca/visual-notes/ and her Flickr account https://www.flickr.com/photos/gforsythe/albums
For more on visual note taking, see these resources that Giulia shared:
Sketchnote Handbook is a great physical book to reference.
Mike Rhodes has a few video webinars online so something like this might be just as good: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZZq5W8FY2A
Also wonderful is Dave Gray's Visual Thinking Basics page (http://www.xplaner.com/2012/12/07/visual-thinking-basics/)
Song-writer and recording artist Laney Jones joined me to talk about her new album Stories Up. We also chatted about our out-of-the ordinary family pets while growing up, putting yourself out there to take advantage of opportunities, and about our mutual love of baseball.
You can find out more about Laney and listen to her music on her website at http://www.laney-jones.com/
Lena Patterson, the President of Open Education Global joined me to talk about the challenges and responsibilities of women in leadership roles, doing leadership transitions with care, and the role of the open movement in supporting Ukrainian refugees.
There is no one thing that keeps me mentally healthy. There is no one set of things that will work for everyone. In this episode I talk about the 8 pillars of my mental health. Have a listen and make your own list.
Link to blog posts I mentioned in this episode:
No More Waking Up To ‘Oh crap, I forgot to …” http://betterme.ca/tools/no-more-waking-up-to-oh-crap-i-forgot-to/
Reviewing Your Week - http://betterme.ca/habits/reviewing-your-week/
In this episode I talk about a quote from Khail Gibran and the Serenity Prayer, and avoiding anxiety about things you can’t control. You also may hear my dog snoring.
As mentioned in the episode:
Sign up to receive a weekly email with a summary of the latest content - http://betterme.ca/weekly-email/
We had to say goodbye to one of our dogs last week. As a tribute to her, this episode is about some of the lessons I’ve learned from our dogs over the years.
We should celebrate our accomplishments, including thanking those who helped us. We need to share our failures to help others and fight our own imposter syndrome. And we need to relish the boring days. Have a listen to hear how all of this helps with mental health.
Here are some of the things that are making me happy right now. How about you?
1000 Awesome Things (website I mentioned in this episode)
Professor, clinical psychologist, and co-founder of Teach Me Self Care (http://www.teachmeselfcare.com) Jorden Cummings joined me to talk about not only the importance of self-care, but also finding real self care that works for each individual person.
Having the right words is vital to good communication. Having the right words to describe our emotions is necessary for our well-being
Terry Greene, the host of the Gettin’ Air podcast and the Senior eLearning Designer at Trent University, joined me to talk about our mutual love of podcasting and two new projects where students acted as co-designers to create materials to help other students succeed in higher education.
Gettin’Air Podcast - https://voiced.ca/project/gettin-air/
Liberated Learners Project - https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/learner/
Learning to Be Human Together - https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/onhumanlearn/
Professor and writer Loleen Berdahl was back on the podcast to talk about dumping SMART goals for EASY goals, why we need to act before we feel motivated and why it’s not selfish to just take time to think.
You can read her blog / newsletter at https://loleen.substack.com/
My good friend Jennifer Diehr joined me again to talk about books, this time focusing on book banning, the importance of learning about history, and Judy Blume. Plus, we talk about how the Green Room for the Better Me Podcast is seriously lacking.
You can follow Jennifer on Instagram at @jendiehr
My daughter Sydney joined me on the show for the third time, this time to talk about going from being a tween to a teen, starting high school in a few months, book banning, and baseball. This was a fun and interesting conversation.
It’s episode 75! To celebrate I spoke with the founder of the Zero Waste Collective, Tara McKenna about her new book Don’t Be Trashy: A Practical Guide to Living with Less Waste and More Joy. This was a great conversation about buying less, decluttering, and why recycling isn’t the answer to our trash problem. I always publicly commit to making February a “no buy” month for me.
The Zero Waste Collective - https://www.thezerowastecollective.com/
Michael Harris joined me to talk about his new book All We Want: Building the Life We Cannot Buy. We chatted about how social media platforms and advertisers make use of our dopamine, why the GDP isn’t a good way to measure how well a nation is doing, and how supporting others through hard times can give you better perspective on life.
In this first episode of 2022, I talk about taking mulligans in golf, habits, and life in general.
Canadian comedian Shawn Hitchins joined me to talk about his latest book the Light Streamed Beneath It: A Memoir of Grief and Celebration. We chatted about loss, the importance of community, and how scary it can be to start therapy, but how great it can be when you find a good therapist.
Find out more at https://shawnhitchins.com
The incredibly talented spoken word poet Sabrina Benaim joined me to talk about metal health, relationships, and her new book of poetry I Love You, Call Me Back.
Her website is https://www.sabrinabenaim.net/home where you can find information about her, her books, social media profiles, and more.
I had a great time talking with gynaecologist / singer-songwriter Dr. Kristina Dervatis about her recently released album Overdue, telling stories through music, and the increased demand for birth control during the pandemic.
Website - https://kristinadervaitis.com
Music YouTube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2iffk4BLlZ0nyYl2YiiOtQ/featured
Her Medical YouTube Channel (complete with a song about IUDs) - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCk5RWzabWjv4zmrvlrwTo-g/featured
Award winning Canadian author, Donna Morrissey joined me to talk about her new memoir Pluck: A Memoir of a Newfoundland Childhood and the Raucous, Terrible, Amazing Journey to Becoming a Novelist. We had a great conversation about family, the importance of laughter, and how pharmaceuticals have helped both of us through our mental health struggles.
Award winning Canadian author, Donna Morrissey joined me to talk about her new memoir Pluck: A Memoir of a Newfoundland Childhood and the Raucous, Terrible, Amazing Journey to Becoming a Novelist. We had a great conversation about family, the importance of laughter, and how pharmaceuticals have helped both of us through our mental health struggles.
Award winning Canadian author, Donna Morrissey joined me to talk about her new memoir Pluck: A Memoir of a Newfoundland Childhood and the Raucous, Terrible, Amazing Journey to Becoming a Novelist. We had a great conversation about family, the importance of laughter, and how pharmaceuticals have helped both of us through our mental health struggles.
Award winning Canadian author, Donna Morrissey joined me to talk about her new memoir Pluck: A Memoir of a Newfoundland Childhood and the Raucous, Terrible, Amazing Journey to Becoming a Novelist. We had a great conversation about family, the importance of laughter, and how pharmaceuticals have helped both of us through our mental health struggles.
Award winning Canadian author, Donna Morrissey joined me to talk about her new memoir Pluck: A Memoir of a Newfoundland Childhood and the Raucous, Terrible, Amazing Journey to Becoming a Novelist. We had a great conversation about family, the importance of laughter, and how pharmaceuticals have helped both of us through our mental health struggles.
Award winning Canadian author, Donna Morrissey joined me to talk about her new memoir Pluck: A Memoir of a Newfoundland Childhood and the Raucous, Terrible, Amazing Journey to Becoming a Novelist. We had a great conversation about family, the importance of laughter, and how pharmaceuticals have helped both of us through our mental health struggles.
Award winning Canadian author, Donna Morrissey joined me to talk about her new memoir Pluck: A Memoir of a Newfoundland Childhood and the Raucous, Terrible, Amazing Journey to Becoming a Novelist. We had a great conversation about family, the importance of laughter, and how pharmaceuticals have helped both of us through our mental health struggles.
Award winning Canadian author, Donna Morrissey joined me to talk about her new memoir Pluck: A Memoir of a Newfoundland Childhood and the Raucous, Terrible, Amazing Journey to Becoming a Novelist. We had a great conversation about family, the importance of laughter, and how pharmaceuticals have helped both of us through our mental health struggles.
For this episode I took just a few minutes to talk about some thoughts on integrity and being true to yourself.
Writer Kirsteen MacLeod joined me for a conversation about her new book In Praise of Retreat: Finding Sanctuary in The Modern World. We chatted about definition and key features of a retreat and how breathing connects us and shows how alike we all are.
Canadian singer / song writer and singing teacher Emm Gryner joined me to talk about her new book The Healing Power of Singing: Raise Your Voice, Change Your Life - What Touring with David Bowie, Single Parenting and Ditching the Music Business Taught Me in 25 Easy Steps. This was a fun and inspiring conversation about what she learned from working on the first music video made in space, teaching singing, and giving up drinking just before the start of a pandemic
Lebanese Canadian activist, author, speaker, and educator Najwa Zebian joined me to talk about her new book Welcome Home: A Guide to Building a Home for Your Soul and how you can find your home within yourself, instead of seeking it out in others.
Loleen Berdahl, the author of the popular Academia Made Easier blog/newsletter, which provides easy tips for teaching, productivity, and work-life balance in academia, joined me to talk about how she gets things done without compromising her health. We also talked about how that can be more challenging for women than for men.
Find her newsletter at https://loleen.substack.com and on Twitter at https://twitter.com/loleen_berdahl
When we think of the “gig economy” we often picture Uber drivers, but it also exists among positions that require advanced degrees and experience. In the first episode of season 3 of the Better Me Podcast, Dr. Christina Katopodis joined me to discuss the challenges such workers in education face (including physical and mental health challenges) and what changes need to be made for the benefit of instructors and students.
Self-care, whatever that looks like for you, is key to both good mental health and productivity. This is the fourth and final episode of this series, as well as the last episode of the season.
It’s all well-and-good knowing what you need to get done, but how do you make sure you have the time to do it. In the third episode in this series, I talk about how I use block time to get stuff done.
In part two of this series on productivity and mental health, I talk about the importance of saying ‘no’ (when you can) to things to that align with your priorities.
When I'm dealing with depression or anxiety, my memory suffers and I can be horribly disorganized. Over the years I've developed ways to help prevent important tasks from falling through the cracks. This episode is the first in a series on the connection between me being productive and my mental health.
I've long struggled with emotional eating and how I view my body. In this episode I talk about how I'm trying to change that through working with a dietician and showing myself some kindness.
I'm turning half a century this year. I could look at time gone by or time to come. I'm capable of both, but only one option makes me uncomfortable. I also talk about the wisdom of James Clear and Daniel Brereton, and my grandmother.
In this episode I talk about Naomi Osaka and the need to remove the stigma associated with mental illness.
The first guest on the Better Me Podcast, Reverend Daniel Brereton, returns to chat about maintaining hope and staying connected during a pandemic, plus what lessons he's learned that he'll take with him beyond these challenging times.
I turned the podcast over to the amazing Amanda Coolidge to host this week and interview me. We chatted about mental health, morning routines, and the importance of feeling like you're making a difference.
That's right, I've meditated for more than 400 days in a row. In this episode I talk about why and how I do this. Don't forget to subscribe and share this with your friends and family.
These days people cling to their views often with little to support them. This can be bad for us as individuals, others in our lives, and society. Why do we do this and how can we change?
The first episode of the Better Me Podcast went live just as many of us in North America were going into lockdown in March 2020, and here I am, 50 episodes later. Canadian comedian Dave Hemstad returned to the show to help me celebrate, to talk about the past 14 months, and of course, to chat about golf.
I was joined by jazz and blues singer Darlene Langston to talk about her career, the importance of music in her life and in the world, and about the time we met at a club in San Francisco. Check out Darlene playing with the Buena Vista Jazz Band on YouTube including at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=awATlNSlb8g
Listen to me talk about the importance of evening routines for my overall well-being while acknowledging that I'm failing miserably at being consistent. If you haven't already done so, please subscribe, share the podcast with others, rate, and review the Better Me Podcast.
In this episode I talk about the role that my morning routine plays in helping to keep me mentally healthy, and why you should find your own unique morning routine that includes what works for you. I mentioned Jessica Morey who was my guest for episode 26 and Todd Henry who spoke with me for episode 27.
Trina Moyles will be heading up to a fire tower in Northern Alberta in a few weeks for her sixth season as a smoke spotter. She joined me to talk about her new book Lookout: Love, Solitude, and Searching for Wildfire in the Boreal Forest, plus mental health, climate change, and the role dogs and creativity play in helping us through life.
You just never know what the day may bring. In this episode I tell the story of being invited to a party by strangers and meeting new friends in a hotel lobby.
Brantt Myhres played for the Tampa Bay Lightning, Philadelphia Flyers, San Jose Sharks, Nashville Predators, Washington Capitals and Boston Bruins. Throughout his career he was suspended four times by the NHL for failing drug tests and was eventually banned from the league for life. After becoming clean and sober and studying substance abuse behavioral health at Mount Royal University in Calgary, Myhres was hired by the Los Angeles Kings in September 2015 as the team’s player assistance director. Brantt joined me on the Better Me Podcast to talk about his new memoir "Pain Killer: A Memoir of Big League Addiction".
In this episode I talk about the importance of admitting when we don't know something and then asking questions. I also sing the praises of Adam Grant's new book Think Again: The Power of Knowing What you Don't Know.
I sat down with two teachers, one in Saskatoon and the other in Southern California to talk about their experiences teaching during the pandemic. We touched on the challenges they've faced, the challenges their students have faced, and how they think education may change as a result of this collective experience.
Jess Mitchell joined me to talk about inclusive design. She describes her perspective as having always wondered why some and not others, why us and not them, and how that perspective has led her to "see ethical lines drawn through decisions manifested throughout our world - in the design of everyday experiences and expectations for behaviour, and how we could do it all differently."
Bestselling author, Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, and a leading British psychotherapist Julia Samuel joined me to talk about her latest book This Too Shall Pass: Stories of Change, Crisis and Hopeful Beginnings. We discussed the importance of connection and how people are grieving in isolation, plus her own vulnerability in writing this book.
I sat down with best-selling author Timothy Caulfield to talk about his latest book Relax, Damit: A Users Guide to the Age of Anxiety. In this conversation we managed to cover everything from foreplay to how we can get people to wear masks to help stop the spread of COVID-19.
Welcome to the first episode of the Better Me Podcast for 2021. In this brief episode I talk about some upcoming guests and ponder the importance of remembering the good things that happen in the midst of dumpster fires.
In this final episode of 2020 I thank all of the guests who gave their time to be on the podcast this year, plus I talk about asking yourself "Did I do the best I could do, given the circumstances?", and remind listeners to stop beating themselves up about their answer to it.
Rachel Matlow's mom was diagnosed with Cancer, but refused conventional treatments. Rachel's boss at the CBC, Jian Ghomeshi, was a nightmare to work with. She took these two devastating experiences that were happening in tandem with each other, and wrote a touching and honest memoir about this time in her life. Rachel joined me to talk about her newly released first book Dead Mom Walking: A Memoir of Miracle Cures and Other Disasters.
Marianne Boucher went to Los Angeles in 1980 for a tryout with the Ice Capades. She never made it to her audition after being approached and recruited by two members of a cult. Marianne joined me to talk about her experience and her new book Talking to Strangers: A Memoir of My Escape From a Cult.
Historian Merle Massie joined me to talk about her latest book A Radiant Life: The Honourable Sylvia Fedoruk - Scientist, Sports Icon, and Statewoman.
Angela Erickson and Jackie Remieche, the women of the Happy Body Health Company joined me to talk about the role that fitness and nutrition played in improving their mental health, and the harm that the diet industry has on our mental and emotional wellbeing.
The Happy Body Health Company can be found at https://happybodyhealthco.com/
For this episode, my long-time friend Jennifer Diehr joined me again to catch up and talk about the books we've been reading since our previous podcast (episode 17) and what's in our ever-growing stack of "to-reads".
I also talked about the short film and book The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore.
You can find the short film at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ad3CMri3hOs&feature=youtu.be
While I received incredible support from my supervisors and colleagues through my own depression, that isn’t always the case. Professor George Siemens and I spoke about the struggles post-secondary instructors, but also others in their workplaces, who often don’t receive the same support and why depression and anxiety are such a big problem for so many in higher education.
Good leaders care for their teams, while also taking care of themselves. Mary Burgess, the Executive Director of BCcampus, and I chatted about her leadership style and the role that’s played in supporting her team through these tumultuous times.
I had the opportunity to speak with writer and podcaster Kathryn Nicolai about her very success podcast, Nothing Much Happens, and her new book of the same name. We talked about sleep, story telling, and how knowing you’re making a difference can bring joy to you.
Kathryn’s website is nothingmuchhappens.com where you can find more information about her, the podcast, and the book, as well as some stories to get you started on a good nights sleep.
In this episode I explain why it's important to me to be a good role model for those around me, and why it should be important to you too.
I had the honor of sitting down with author and speaker Todd Henry to talk about his latest book The Motivation Code: Discover the hidden voices that drive your best work. We discussed why anyone who solves problems as part of their work is "a creative", how individual creatives and their managers can best support them during these tumultuous times, and we delved into the results of my own Motivation Code Assessment to look at what fuels me to do what I do.
Todd Henry can be found at http://toddhenry.com/ and on Twitter at @toddhenry.
To launch the second season of the Better Me Podcast, I was joined by Jessica Morey, co-founder of Inward Bound Mindfulness Education. We talked about a range of topics including how mindfulness can help children and young adults through these trying times, as well as helping their parents, plus the importance of self-care for people with leadership roles.
In this season finale episode, I talk about how thinking about what we’re grateful for and showing acts of kinds to others can make us feel better mentally and physically.
In this episode I chat with my good friend Heather Fenyes about her work through various education initiatives to foster critical thinking and civil conversations about the challenging issues the world is facing.
For this episode I had the privilege of speaking with retired U.S. Army Major and “expert on things going sideways“, Shelby Edwards. Shelby and I had a wonderful and, frankly fun conversation about how what she learned while in the military, the poetry of Mary Oliver, and dogs have been instrumental in not only helping her get through the difficult times, but also to strive to make the world a better place.
A few years ago I read a blog post from writer Todd Henry (The Accidental Creative, Die Empty, Louder Than Words, and Herding Tigers) in which he talked about his manifesto, a list of the principals that guide him in life. In this episode I explain my own manifesto, which I created after reading that blog post. Tune in to hear me explore the principals behind who I want to be as a person, how I want to show up for those in my life, and how I want to make a difference in the world.
I was lucky enough to have my favourite guest on again. My daughter Sydney joined me to talk about the importance of establishing good habits, breaking bad ones, and how parents can help their children to work on these.
In this episode I chatted with science journalist Marta Zaraska from her home in France about research showing that our connections with each other, including sharing meals, may be just as important in determining our longevity as what we eat and how much we exercise.
For episode 19, I had the privilege of speaking with Lisa Thomaidis, coach of both the University of Saskatchewan Huskies and Canadian National Womens’ basketball teams. We talked about the tumultuous year she’s had, the reputation she and her players have for their kindness toward fans and opponents, and what it was like coaching superstar Sabine Dukate who moved from Latvia to play for Thomaidis and the Huskies.
Angela DeBarger, the Program Officer in Education with the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation. In this episode, we talked about Angela’s own experiences of feeling the need to “fit in” in school and the importance of students seeing representation in their learning experiences.
Reading has been one of the tools in my toolbox of protecting my mental health. In this episode I’m joined by my good friend Jennifer Diehr to talk about books we’d recommend to each other and to listeners.
I went solo for this episode to talk about why I started the podcast and about the role that meditating has played in helping me through my most recent bout of depression, and how it helps me to stay well now.
I sat down with Professor Robin DeRosa to talk about how universities and colleges can support student learning during the pandemic and beyond by becoming “more human”. We also talked about the Salem Witch Trials so be sure to check this one out.
Writer Eva Holland joined me to talk about her new book “Nerve: A personal journey through the science of fear”, the importance of support networks, and what inspired her to share these stories about some of her most difficult struggles.
More than a decade ago Greg Johnson gave up his job at the communications, marketing, and advertising firm he founded to pursue his passion for capturing nature’s most beautiful and deadly displays of severe weather. In this episode, we talk about tornado chasing and the unpredictability of life.
Recently my friend Hugh McGuire, the co-founder and Executive Director of the Rebus Foundation chatted about something we’re both passionate about - increasing access to education and improving the learning experience for students of all ages through open educational resources.
I recently chatted with Canadian journalist and writer Carl Honoré from his home in London. We talked about his best selling book In Praise of Slow, why slowing down is good for us, and how to be mindful of this both while staying at home and when our communities start to reopen.
For this episode I sat down with John Boyer to hear his advice on staying informed about, but not overwhelmed by world events.
I chatted with Canadian actor and comedian Dave Hemstad about the time he was struck by lightening and how laughter can get your though some tough times. Learn more about his latest comedic venture at https://offthehozzle.com/
Award-winning singer / songwriter Jefferey Straker joined me to talk about his upcoming album, the death of his mother, and how that experience has inspired him to try to be the best person that he can be. Listen to his new song “Light A Fire” co-written and produced by Royal Wood.
https://youtu.be/tTsP_cfQRVk
For this episode, Heather sat down with her 11-year-old daughter, Sydney, to get her take on getting through all of this physical distancing and why she’s the “super-fan” for the University of Saskatchewan women’s basketball team.
In this episode, Heather spoke with writer, speaker, and social justice educator Patti Digh about how the elements within Digh’s book “Life is a Verb: (“say yes”, “be generous”, “speak up”, “love more”, “trust yourself”, and “slow down”) are so relevant in these difficult times.
How can you get through the pandemic while taking care of yourself, your family, and your team? Heather spoke with Professor Loleen Berdahl, Head of Political Studies at the University of Saskatchewan about what Berdahl sees as the key that helps her get through this while looking out for her family, her colleagues, and the students - remember “why” you’re doing it.
Heather sits down with author, speaker, entrepreneur, and president of The 2% Factor Inc., Ted Mouradian to talk about his Law of Cooperative Action and getting past your “mego” during these difficult times.
For more information about Ted, the Law of Cooperative Action, and The 2% Factor, see the2percentfactor.com or email Ted at Ted@the2percentfactor.com
In this episode, I talk about the importance of taking care of yourself in these chaotic times, plus my hope that we all come out of this with an attitude and position to make the world a better place.
In this episode, Heather chats with Reverend Daniel Brereton about the importance of self-care for those whose job it is to support others through their struggles. Also, learn about what Daniel would do to help his 12-year-old self, and what advice the adolescent Daniel would have for his grown-up version.
In this introductory podcast, host Heather Ross talks about the importance of being honest about our struggles.