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Makeda McKenzie
- Oct 26, 2022
- 1 min
The CMI Speaks at the Annual Conference of Human Resource Managers of Central Banks in the Caribbean
Recently I had the distinct honour of presenting at the 14th Annual Conference of Human Resource Managers of Central Banks in the Caribbean Region. Thank you so much Central Bank of Trinidad and Tobago for extending the invitation! As a former Human Resources professional, I know firsthand the toll unchecked stress can take on the employee, and organisation as a whole. During my talk, I was pleased to share with the group of virtual and in-person human resource managers ways
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Makeda McKenzie
- Oct 12, 2022
- 1 min
What's Your Self-Talk Like?
Affirmations are positive, declarative, statements that you make about yourself that can help you to reframe repetitive, unhelpful, thoughts.
Studies show that positive affirmations can help re-wire the brain in a way that boosts our self-confidence. Affirming things about yourself that you value can help bolster your overall sense of self and self-worth, and it can improve your ability to cope with destabilizing experiences. Personally, I use affirmations - coupled with a f
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Makeda McKenzie
- May 17, 2022
- 1 min
Start By Starting
You'll never change your life until you change something you do daily. It’s always a bit challenging starting off on a new healthy habit, especially when life already feels so full - but consistency is key if you want to get the most out of your mindfulness practice. Just like “knowing” about exercise is not enough to keep you fit, simply “knowing” about mindfulness won’t give you all of the benefits that it has to offer. To keep yourself motivated, keep reminding yourself o
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Makeda McKenzie
- Oct 20, 2021
- 1 min
The Caribbean Mindfulness Institute Speaks At The Trinidad and Tobago Medical Association
Free Lecture: Mindfulness For A Happier You! The Caribbean Mindfulness Institute & The Trinidad and Tobago Medical Association In recognition of World Mental Health Day celebrated on October 10th, I'm delighted to be collaborating again with the Trinidad and Tobago Medical Association and to be part of this esteemed panel. This time, I'll be exploring the science and practice of mindfulness in my popular presentation 'Mindfulness for a Happier You!' at the East Branch's Cont
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Makeda McKenzie
- Feb 26, 2021
- 1 min
Mindfulness Tip: Protect Against Burnout
Burnout is now a recognised medical diagnosis and included in the World Health Organisation (WHO) International Classification of Diseases diagnostic manual. Burnout is a state of mental and physical exhaustion that can suck the joy out of your career, friendships, and family interactions. With the ever-increasing demands of work, family life, and relationships, and the looming realities of pandemic-living, it can be easy to feel stretched thin, depleted, and overloaded.
Th
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Makeda McKenzie
- Oct 10, 2020
- 1 min
Happy World Mental Health Day!🎉
Mental health refers to our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It is important because it influences every aspect of our lives - how we think, feel, and behave every day. It affects our ability to cope with stress, overcome challenges, build relationships, and recover from life’s setbacks and hardships. We all have mental health, but how good is it? Being mentally healthy is not just the absence of depression, anxiety, or other psychological issues. Good menta
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Makeda McKenzie
- Aug 5, 2020
- 4 min
Reflections of a Meditation Teacher During a Global Pandemic
As published in the Caribbean Medical Journal July 29th, 2020 I’ll let you in on a little secret – being a meditator doesn’t mean that you never feel worried or stressed out. There’s a perception out there, probably from years of (good-natured but exaggerated) representation in television and film, that people who meditate are an elite group of enlightened, super-disciplined, and almost ethereal beings who can magically transport themselves to a mental space void of stress an
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Makeda McKenzie
- Jun 8, 2020
- 1 min
Caribbean Mindfulness Institute Writes for the Trinidad and Tobago Medical Association Newsletter
I'm honoured for the invitation to contribute this article to the Trinidad and Tobago's Medical Association newsletter. A growing body of evidence suggests that mindfulness training is effective in reducing indicators of burnout, depression, anxiety, and stress and improving indicators of well-being, vigor, empathy, and stress-resilience. Having a mindfulness practice to draw on when things get tough can be a great tool to help you spot when overwhelm and challenging emotions
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Makeda McKenzie
- Mar 6, 2020
- 1 min
How To Let Go At The End of the Workday
It's Friday! We made it! To make sure you get the most out of your weekend (or really any day of the week) the Havard Business Review offers these 5 great tips that'll take 10 minutes or less to complete: 🔸 Do one more small task - This way you end your day on a positive note of completion. 🔸 Write a to-do list - On paper or digitally, make a record of all the tasks you need to accomplish the next day, ideally in order of importance. 🔸 Straighten up your work area - Puttin
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Makeda McKenzie
- Jan 10, 2020
- 1 min
Our 2019 Year In Review (Hint: It was EPIC!)
Happy New Year!
When I formed my company in 2017, my vision was to bring stress relief right to the source of stress for many - the workplace. 2019 saw the Caribbean Mindfulness Institute grow from strength to strength - and we know we could not have done it without your support. Last year was filled with many special moments for us. Whether it was traveling to Barbados to speak at an international mindfulness conference, being featured in the local press, or delivering our
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Makeda McKenzie
- Oct 10, 2019
- 1 min
Today is World Mental Health Day!
Mental health is just important as physical health, and World Mental Health Day is a day for global mental health education, awareness, and advocacy against social stigma. Mental health is important because your actions are impacted by your thoughts, emotions, and behaviours. Poor mental health will impact how you think, behave, and feel every day. It also affects your ability to cope with stress, overcome challenges, build relationships, and recover from life’s setbacks and
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Makeda McKenzie
- Aug 14, 2019
- 1 min
Sneaky Ways Stress Affects Us
Stress has a sneaky way of wreaking havoc on our minds and bodies, and the worst part is, we sometimes only realise this when it's too late. According to the American Institute of Stress if you exhibit any of the following symptoms, you may be suffering from chronic stress: 1. Frequent headaches, jaw clenching or pain 2. Neck ache, back pain, muscle spasms 3. Dry mouth, problems swallowing 4. Frequent urination 5. Difficulty in making decisions 6. Reduced work efficiency or
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Makeda McKenzie
- Jul 14, 2019
- 1 min
Wimbledon Winner Novak Djokovic Uses Meditation On And Off The Court To Win!
Novak Djokovic is the 2019 Wimbledon Gentlemen's Singles Champion! He credits meditation and yoga with helping him achieve peak performance on and off the tennis court. “I do [meditation and yoga] out of a need to have an optimal state of mind and peace and calm, and at the same time happiness and joy. Everybody has their ways to reach that state of consciousness where you’re in a good mood and you feel love towards yourself, towards people around you, towards the planet. S
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Makeda McKenzie
- Mar 30, 2019
- 1 min
Self-care is not selfish
It's the weekend! Hopefully time for some rest, fun, and relaxation! For many of us though, our weekends can feel like the beginning of a second shift. It's the time to catch up on our errands, chores, family obligations - our to-do list seemingly never ends. If you want to give your best to the world however, you need to fill yourself up first so you can serve others from the overflow. It's so important to make time to nurture your mind, body, and spirit. If you're running
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