Arianna Merritt, MEd | Health Educator & Digital Creator

Assertiveness: The Power of Expressing Your Thoughts

In past years, I have been silent about important issues because I lacked the belief that my point of view mattered or was valid. Even though I knew deep down that I was of value, I was too insecure around others to tell them my honest thoughts and opinions.

What helped me speak was the presence of a supportive community who lifted me up. I truly encourage you to find positive role models in your life as social learning is such a valuable tool for your personal growth. When you surround yourself with individuals who model healthy behaviours, you observe them and want to apply their behaviours yourself.

Invest in Yourself: Lessons from Amanda Abella of Make Money Your Honey

I'm so excited that today, Amanda Abella, is “Speaking From the Heart” and sharing her experiences with all of us. I have had the privilege to be coached by Amanda and will tell you she really is a fireball of inspiration. We connected randomly a couple years ago as we were both recent grads who had a lot in common.

Amanda Abella is a certified life coach and motivational speaker who has been helping millennials have success with work and money since 2010.

How I Turned My Thoughts Into Action by Starting a Blog

Many of you have asked me recently how The Self-Discovery Retreat was created. Let me share with you how opening up, standing tall, and speaking from the heart led me to where I am today.

Invest in Yourself: Lessons from Michelle Ward

Ever wondered how writing and reflection can inspire you to excel in your life? I'm excited that today, Michelle Ward, is speaking from the heart and sharing her experiences with all of us. I am really inspired by Michelle's vision and passion, so I asked her to be part of this series; she is a mentor to me. I spent the early part of my twenties reflecting on what I wanted to be when I grew up.

Invest in Yourself: Lessons from Suzy Greaves of Psychologies

The Self-Discovery Retreat is rooted in my passions: psychology, water, empowering others, and writing. These interests have drawn me to seek out resources and build a community of people with similar interests. Over the years, one of the tools that really strengthens my growth are the articles in Psychologies magazine. I especially look forward to what the editor has to say in the first couple pages, so I asked her to be part of the "Speaking From the Heart" interview series. I'm so excited that Suzy Greaves is “Speaking from the Heart” and sharing her writing experiences with all of us today.

Happy New Year!

Sometimes speaking from the heart involves telling someone close to you your struggles, feelings, and emotions. At other times, it involves being present and listening as someone speaks from their heart and tells you what is going on with them. And other times, people will use non-verbal communication to let you know what is on their heart. So, speaking from the heart means being there for others through all of this.

Arianna MerrittDecember 31, 2013goals, Holiday, New Year, New Year's Day Comments

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas! I can't believe tomorrow is Christmas Eve day! It is already that time of year again. As I love to give Christmas cards, I thought I would turn this week's post into a note of gratitude and support to all of my readers.

What I Learned From Holiday Season Traffic

The holiday season brings congestion everywhere - at shopping malls, on the roads, even at the grocery stores. People are out trying to find the perfect present for their loved ones. This means, though, that the parking lots and routes to these major centres are packed with holiday season traffic. It may seem like the whole city is out shopping!

During this festive season, I usually try to plan to go shopping for my gifts at off hours or to order things online to avoid the crowds and congestion. However, this past weekend I found myself in a jammed traffic lineup while merging onto the highway.

Invest in Yourself: Lessons from Karen Horneffer-Ginter, PhD

Karen Horneffer-Ginter, Ph.D. is the author of “Full Cup, Thirsty Spirit: Nourishing the Soul When Life’s Just Too Much” (Hay House). She has been practicing psychology and teaching yoga and contemplative practices for more than 16 years. Karen co-founded the Center for Psychotherapy and Wellness in Kalamazoo, Michigan, where she currently offers counseling and other classes and workshops. The aim of Karen's work is to reconnect people with the wisdom of their inner-life by reclaiming what gets lost amidst the busyness of day-to-day life: qualities such as stillness, self-care, creativity, joy, humor, gratitude, and compassion. Her intention is to support people in finding a sense of balance and sacredness in their lives.

Growth is a Process

December is always a time of reflection for me. Therefore, to gather my thoughts and reflect on what I learned over the past year, I decided to go for a walk in the forest. On my walk, I found a very tall tree and decided to stop and think. As a nature lover, whenever I see a tall tree, the term “growth” comes to mind. Growth of any kind is a process, whether it be individually or collectively.

Profile of Perseverance: Mo Isom

As I said in my last post, conversations change lives. For me, one of those conversations was seeing Mo Isom being interviewed on Ellen. Watch the video here. Mo's story really inspired me and I had to reach out and connect with her. I'm so excited that today, Mo Isom, is “Speaking From the Heart” and sharing her experiences with all of us.

At just 23, Mo Isom is recognized as a powerful, fearless female voice rising up for her generation. Her unique personal story and athletic endeavors have provided her with a platform to inspire, empower and encourage others to live boldly, despite their circumstances. Having faced great personal tragedy—including battling an eating disorder, overcoming the suicide of her father, and surviving a horrific car accident—Mo is passionate about speaking on a wide variety of topics and is able to connect with men and women of all ages and demographics.

Conversations Change Lives

When talking to people over the past few months, many have independently mentioned how years ago I was “floundering” in terms of transitioning from recent graduate to established professional; now, they love how I have found my balance. Each has used that exact word, floundering, which means: “to make clumsy attempts to move or regain one's balance” (thefreedictionary.com). The reason the word was used was because I took a different route than what they were used to so they thought I was off course. However, I never thought I was "floundering," I used the term exploring instead. I knew exactly where I was going and working hard to get there.

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