Are you getting your daily DOSE?

Have you ever felt overwhelmed by stress or anxiety? Or struggled with depression or a lack of motivation? If so, you're not alone. These emotions are all too common, but they can be managed and regulated with the right approach. That's where your daily DOSE comes in - dopamine, oxytocin, serotonin, and endorphins. These hormones and neurotransmitters are the key players in regulating your nervous system and balancing your emotions.

Let's start with dopamine. This hormone is responsible for feelings of pleasure and reward, and it's essential for motivation, focus, and attention. To get your daily dose of dopamine, try activities that give you a sense of accomplishment, such as exercise, playing a musical instrument, or even just crossing items off your to-do list.

Next, we have oxytocin. Also known as the "love hormone," oxytocin is responsible for feelings of bonding and connection. To get your daily dose of oxytocin, try engaging in activities that bring you closer to others, such as hugging, spending time with loved ones, or helping others.

Serotonin is another important hormone for regulating your nervous system. This neurotransmitter is responsible for regulating mood, appetite, and sleep. To get your daily dose of serotonin, try engaging in activities that bring you joy, such as spending time in nature, practicing mindfulness, or even just listening to music you love.

Finally, endorphins are hormones that act as natural painkillers and mood elevators. They're released during physical activity, laughter, and even chocolate! To get your daily dose of endorphins, try working out, laughing with friends, or indulging in your favorite comfort food.

Getting your daily DOSE is key to regulating your nervous system and balancing your emotions. By engaging in activities that boost these hormones and neurotransmitters, you can minimize the impact of cortisol and live a more balanced and joyful life. Enjoy!

The Miseducation of Conscious Creatives

Last night, I saw Lauryn Hill live for the third time in three years.

In 2016, she was rusty and two hours late. Her voice wasn’t what it used to be. The arrangements were all off — she was trying too hard to make the past new again. Her hair was shaved down and she didn’t look like herself. The tension on the stage between her and the band could be cut with a knife.

Last year, she performed with Nas. Her voice was back, did away with most of the strange musical arrangements and her music was beautiful. Only she was hiding under layers and layers of labels and dark sunglasses. The stage and production was overly produced and packaged. She wasn’t in her body.

Last night, she was coming home. Her voice was impeccable. Vocal arrangements and production was simple and on point. Her clothing felt like her. Her social justice and conscious warrior was present and speaking her truth. We saw her do something I have yet to see: she was smiling and having fun. She was beautiful and her soul was dancing. For the night, at least.

When I reflect back upon the 20 years since The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill was released, and her life and struggles since then, it deeply resonates.

While she only had the one album, not counting the 2008 Ms. Hill, her body of work has stood the test of time because her story is the story of the human condition and that of a creative:

1. What do you do when there is magic inside of you that is dying to be expressed and there are no templates or role models to learn from?

2. Who are you in the world when you are different? Where do you belong, who will see and hear you?

3. What do you do when you believe the illusion is that the universe is stacked against you and wills you to fail? How do you show up when you believe the lie?

4. Who do you turn to when you feel alone and how do you discern if they are in service or out for themselves? Who has your back? Who will stand by you when you lose yourself?

5. How do you live with an open heart when you clearly aren’t from here and don’t belong in the matrix?

6. When will you find home within yourself and your gifts?

7. What is your true purpose?

8. She was brilliant and very comforting to see her in her natural flow stage. We can all move forward, we all evolve, we can all find home.

What a beautiful soul and story. Love Lauryn Hill. I’ll be watching her and learning, heart open.

This was written for my dear friends who are fighting the good fights and who clearly aren’t from here. I’m so glad we’re on this planet together. I’m proud of you and see you.

© 2021 Cognōscō Noor Ltd.

This can’t be it? Can it?

This can’t be it. Is this all life has to offer?

If you feel this way, please be assured that you are not alone. Particularly in these uncertain times, there is a widespread epidemic of frustrating, restlessness, distress and more.

As a society we are conditioned to “treat” larger issues — unhealthy and dysfunctional relationships, divorce, childcare, familial and religious conflict, addictions, the opioid pandemic with “things” to make them go away. You’ll find top 10 lists online and 30 minutes videos telling you how you can starting #livingyourbestlife.

So why doesn’t this all stick?

Why are we in a time in history where mental health and well being are compromised more now than ever?

I often find clients reaching out because their marriage is falling apart, children are rebelling or they can’t figure out why they keep attracting narcissists, only to realise that these are actually symptoms of something under the surface. What’s hiding in one’s underbelly needs to be dealt with for once and for all so it is no longer running the show.

So what’s typically hiding in the underbelly? The answer may or may not surprise you: it’s trauma.

Trauma occurs when a distressing life occurrence or incident impairs the mind. It is the result of an overwhelming amount of stress that exceeds one’s ability to cope, or integrate the emotions involved with that experience. Too often trauma is associated with a major event — abuse, violence, neglect, etc. What’s not as well understood is that ANY incident or occurrence can be traumatic — a break up, mom saying no, a critical teacher, a bullying boss, an emotionally unavailable father.

Trauma can be triggered at any time, without warning. Triggers, when one is aware, can be managed. Unmanaged triggers often result in destructive or self harming behaviour such as making excuses for an abuser, checking out, using food, alcohol, drugs or work to mask the discomfort.

Trauma can shape one’s intimate relationships, work, and how one relates to the world. Too often trauma is something your rational brain may have “dealt” with or buried, but your subconscious is desperate to heal. If you find yourself repeating patterns and not understanding why, this may be in indication that you have unhealed trauma.

Understanding and confronting trauma does not make it go away. What it does is help you gain control of the narrative of your life and empower you to make better decisions and manage your relationships.

I have spent nearly 25 years seeking solutions focused on traumas, childhood neglect and sexual abuse. My work has ranged from studying Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), creating Dialect Behavioural Therapy (DBT) informed programs, teaching mindfulness-based techniques, a sexual abuse focused program to assist survivors in managing PTSD, to working with a shaman in the depths of the Amazon to understand how a greater understanding of one’s spirit can be incredibly healing and impactful. I have many years of experience with cases of bipolar, complex post traumatic stress (C-PTSD), and borderline personality disorder.

Suffering is optional. This work is not for the faint of heart. If you feel trapped in a life or relationships that do not serve your highest good or potential, contact me and let’s get cracking.

© 2021 Cognōscō Noor Ltd.

Covid 11:11

Hey friends, acquaintances and the odd weirdo. Happy Wednesday.

Today is my 41st birthday. For those of you who know, this year I almost didn’t make it thanks to a little virus.

What you will not know is that for the last 10 years, and maybe even a few times in my 20s, I had visions that I was going to die before my 40th birthday. The visions came in the form of dreams, feelings and sometimes a deep knowing.

When Ms. Covid arrived and it was clear that it was serious, I figured, “oh so this is how the story ends.” As my condition went from yellow card (an aggressive flu) to red card (cerebral spinal fluid leak and oxygen from a machine and worse), I increasingly accepted my fate. Always figured if I it was my time to go, it was time to go, and frankly my pups would move on, no sweat.

I was alone in the U.K. and terrified. Had just picked up my puppy Lanikai and found myself too sick to care for her. Work shut down abruptly and the things that made me feel useful and were like my oxygen were no longer accessible. At best, it sucked. At worst, it felt inhumane.

The universe has a sense of humour. Sometimes the path it leads you on is twisted, but if you hang in there long enough and trust the process, you’ll realize it has been conspiring for you the entire time.

The virus forced me to slow down and reflect. On everything. It left no stone unturned and slowly chipped away at masks, identities, where I hurt, where I may have inflicted hurt, what was aligned and true and what was false and needed to go. It forced a serious life inventory and a careful look at where my energy was spent. When oxygen is limited, where you need to expend it becomes glaringly obvious.

When I returned to Toronto, after my 10 months of hell, and what felt like a return to civilization, I parked myself in a hotel room for two months to just be. Most days I would grieve and let it all out. Other days, I would slowly get up and dance to some music and start to rediscover the things that made me happy. And here and there I would reconnect with loved ones and start remembering who I was to them and that my life, in fact, did matter.

And then, slowly, but surely, I started to feel different. Like a 600 pound gorilla had finally gotten off my back and I was free for the first time. It’s an unnerving feeling, especially when you didn’t realize you were in bondage.

I see the world through a different lens. My entire life all I wanted to do was be useful and this little virus made me understand, despite all of the accomplishments, how low of a bar I set for myself. How many more chapters I have to go. How what I fill in those chapters matters. How my life matters and how my time needs to be focused on the important, and less on the trivial.

Today at 11:11, after the Veterans get their much deserved moment of silence, I’m going to meditate. To be clear, I am unworthy of standing with the veterans, as my war was not something I went into willingly. But my birthday just happens to fall on their day.

Will be sending everyone who showed up love and even those who didn’t. Will pause and say thank you to the virus for helping me face and take out some cancers.

Friends, I’m not going to pretend that all of the lessons have become evident. Or that a near death experience has suddenly turned me into some guru or Yoda. You’re not going to see me do a Ted Talk anytime soon. The only thing I know for sure is that I did die in 2020. The rest of the mysteries will reveal themselves in time and on time.

Love you all. Make everyday count, you only live once, blah blah blah and all that jazz.

Thank you for the messages, calls, texts and special deliveries. My heart is full.

© 2021 Cognōscō Noor Ltd.