Today is not going to be your typical post of awareness but more about education. I am in training this weekend, and I had NO IDEA about the science behind cold plunges and saunas, especially infrared saunas, and the health benefits and healing/recovery. Science suggests something different. A simple combination of 3 minutes of cold exposure (a shower works too) and 20–30 minutes of heat improves mood, recovery from injury, illness, and so much more. ❄️ 3-Minute Cold Plunge Cold water creates an immediate stress response. Your heart rate increases, blood vessels constrict, and your nervous system shifts into high alert. When the cold exposure is brief, your body adapts by becoming more resilient. Research has linked regular cold exposure with the following: - Improved alertness and focus - Increased norepinephrine (supporting attention and mood) - Reduced inflammation - Faster exercise recovery - Greater resilience to everyday stress - Having a huge impact on your brain and immune system. - 300 calories burned just to warm back up. The key isn't staying in longer. For most people, around 2–3 minutes is enough to stimulate many of these responses. Tip: This is a great way to start your day! 🔥 20–30 Minutes in a Sauna Statistics show that time matters; a minimum of 20 minutes in a sauna is equivalent to a 20-minute run. Do this 2-3 times a week; there's a 27% reduction in sudden cardiac death. Do it 4-7 times per week; that increases to 50%. For people who struggle to be active due to injury or handicap, THIS IS HUGE! Heat works almost like moderate cardiovascular exercise. As your body temperature rises: - Your heart pumps harder. - Blood vessels widen. - Circulation increases. - Sweating helps regulate body temperature. Regular sauna use has been associated with: - Improved cardiovascular health - Lower blood pressure over time - Better insulin sensitivity - Reduced muscle soreness - Improved sleep quality Many researchers believe 20–30 minutes is the sweet spot where many of the cardiovascular benefits become more pronounced, provided you're well hydrated and medically able to tolerate the heat. Tip: You don't need to invest in expensive outdoor saunas; you can have a very hot bath (challenge: water cools too quickly) or invest in a good-quality IR blanket for this same purpose for just a few hundred dollars and lie on your bed.

How to manifest what you want without force. Watch below:

Here is your momentum for today. Mondays are usually dull and can be dreary—but what most don't realize is they are in full control of that dreariness. So watch and listen up as I share some key steps to take back your control and beat the doom and gloom of Monday mornings and every other morning you face.

Have you ever noticed how quickly life can convince you that you're powerless? For years, I genuinely believed my reactions were caused by everything happening around me. Loss. Stress. Other people's behavior. Work pressures. Parenting challenges. I felt like life was happening to me, and I was simply responding the best I could. The truth? I wasn't responding. I was reacting. When my daughter began receiving diagnoses that required a different level of understanding and support, I realized something painful. The harder I tried to control everything around me, the more disconnected we became. At the same time, work stress was impacting my health in ways I could no longer ignore. I didn't know there was another way. Most of us aren't taught that there are three things we always have influence over: The thoughts we think (the meanings and stories we attach to situations) The feelings we have and The actions we choose to take This doesn't mean we control everything life throws at us. We don't control diagnoses, loss, other people's choices, or unexpected challenges. But we can learn to influence the internal experience that shapes how we navigate those moments. Often, our protective logic sounds like: "I can't help it." "They made me feel this way." "This is just who I am. It's just life" Underneath that is usually a nervous system trying to stay safe. The leverage point isn't controlling life. It's learning to pause long enough to notice: "What story am I telling myself right now?" Because the meaning we give something impacts how we feel, and those feelings influence what we do next. When we shift the story, we create space for different choices. Micro-momentum: Today, pause once before reacting. Ask yourself: "What happened?" "What story am I making this mean?" "What action would align with who I want to be?" You don't need to master this overnight. One pause creates awareness. Awareness creates choice. What's one situation this week where you could practice responding instead of reacting?

Today I am out in the cold at the Alberta Mine Rescue Competitions. This is where all the local mines come, practice and compete with their firefighting skills. Should there be an incident on site this keeps them ready and prepared. More pictures to come as the day progresses. This is just one of the props that they will have to extinguish.