Category Archives: Institute For Harmonious Living

Tips Tuesday – Go Green! There is No Planet ‘B’

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As mentioned last week for our Tips Tuesday, April is a big month for us!  We are pumped for our week of Green Awareness, clearly we have this mindset all year round, but we honor this week every year to inspire, have fun and rally our community to make an effort to clean up our beautiful city and recognize areas in our lives that we could be doing more, while celebrating what we have done up till now!

From April 19th -23 we will be having fun with in salon activities for adults and kids a like!  Pick up a colour sheet for your kids any time during the week and hand them in on Friday, they could win a hair cut and mini mani and pedi!  adults have prizes to win too, pick up your Earth Week Intelligence questionnaire and see how much you know about it, hand them in by Friday and you too could win a Hair cut , Mani and Reiki session!  Our amazing Green Friends will share tips all week on how to be greener and live simpler lifestyles to support mind body and spirit health!  Our amazing April promos will be all month but certainly will be enjoyed more specifically during our Earth Week!

30 min Reiki and 30 min Massage for 1 hour of bliss!  $50

Glow Facial and Hair cut for $99

A full Eco Manicure and Pedicure for $50

Great for a treat for you or an amazing Mothers Day gift!

**Also when you book in the week of our Earth Week celebrations we will be handing out special gifts of appreciation for your participation!

Here we have listed some suggested supplies to keep your clean up fun and safe!

  • Trash bags and Recycling bags, most of what you pick up will actually be recyclable!! Have more of the blue bags on hand rather then filling the landfill with things that could be recycled.
  • Safety signs
  • Refreshments
  • Gloves/heavy-duty
  • Buckets for sharp objects
  • Insect repellent
  • Tools (ropes, rakes, shovels, etc.)
  • Safety vests
  • First aid supplies
  • Communication equipment

Some more things to be aware of :

Make sure everyone is aware of safety requirements and areas to avoid.

Make sure children are assigned adult supervision

Know where to leave collected garbage bags for collection and removal.

Know how to handle and dispose of items that are hazardous waste, tires, batteries, waste oil, etc.

Make sure plenty of water, communications equipment and a first aid kit are on-site.

Know what to do in case of injury or emergency.

Keep a positive attitude and not let volunteers be overwhelmed; the last thing you want to do is overwork your volunteers; you can always schedule another day.  Make it fun!!

We always end at least one day with a trip to Dairy Queen to say thanks to our helpers!

thanks to everyone planning to participate including our local schools and businesses, we need all the help we can get!

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Tips Tuesday – Happy 80th Birthday David Suzuki!

David Suzuki

Everyone knows we are K-W’s First Eco Friendly Salon, Spa and Energy Space.  But do they understand why?  Every knows I have started a new company called ‘The Institute For Harmonious Living’ , but do they know why?

I grew up watching The Nature of Things.  I loved it, it was one of my favorite shows, it was the 80’s version of Kratts Creatures!  As I have grown up with David I have witnessed a transformation in him.  He started out curious, became aware and concerned about our impact on the planet and then started doing something about it.  This brings me back to the ‘whys’ I listed earlier.  I started out curious, ended up waking up from our cultural pablum we are served and then had to do something about it.  Not feeling good at work myself made me realize there had to be something wrong with products I was using.  It had to be making me feel that way, so then what was it doing to my clients, my water, my planet?  As I become more educated It became more and more clear someone had to do something?!  There were other people like me who simply ‘Trusted’ that someone, somewhere was regulating the things we used, bought, ate, slathered on our skin.  Right?  So by becoming more aware, more educated I became empowered, and I followed where it led me.  To create HHDS.  But it didn’t stop there, I realized as I’m sure David Suzuki did when his daughter complained as a child that ‘they might as well give up cause the world was going to end anyway’, that it wasn’t enough to just make noise to draw attention to a concerning cause.  You have to educate others, motivate others through positive action and inspiring example.  And so The Institute OF Harmonious Living was born.  What’s the connection?  As I attempted to ‘make noise’ with the salon I recognized that people were too buys, too stressed, too numbed out to do anything more.  They figured well I’m recycling, isn’t that enough?  Why cant the big corporations do more?  (I do agree with that last one!) But in reality it takes each one of us to do more.  But if you are already in overwhelm, how can you muster the energy to take action?  Through Coaching, Public Speaking, and training others, I can assist each participant in better connecting to their own needs, and in turn connecting to the needs of others and in turn the planet.  Through Self Care awareness and a stronger understanding of how our minds work to create our reality, we can literally ‘Re’ Program ourselves to be healthier, happier and in turn more conscious of our impact on others and Mother Earth.

It came to my attention that David Suzuki is celebrating his 80th Birthday and what better way then to commit to doing more to make our planet healthier.  The following links will take to stories of David’s journey and to an amazing program to protect and preserve the planet and ALL of it’s inhabitants!  ENJOY!

Don’t forget to book your Coaching Sessions in now for the month of MARCH 20% off all coaching sessions with me!

Happy Birthday David!

happy birthday

Tips Tuesday – Now What?!

to do list

I don’t know about you but I have a list a mile long of ‘Things I gotta Do’!  There never seems enough hours in the day.  The day starts with a list, which grows instead of shrinks, then ends with frustration and defeat, when life gets in the way and the items on the list needs to be ‘bumped’.  Or more likely the list is too long to begin with.  Probably crowded with items that are not even priorities for us, but perhaps have been placed there by others.  What is written between the lines of the to do items is judgment, expectation, disappointment.  Who is the projector of these negative feelings?  Is it you?  Your mom?  Your fourth grade teacher?  Your husband?  Your Kids?  Your Boss?  You get the picture.  Find out how to identify who and how The Writing On Your Wall got there!  Feb 23rd 6-9 Call for a seat 519-404-6627

We tend to lose site of why we are here.  We decide to agree with everyone outside of us, motivated with greed, fame, esteem, attention, popularity, appreciation and respect from others.  As our lives fly by while we rush to reach unlimited heights of everything we are told is important, we never stop to question it.  Until we hit ‘Mid-Life Crisis’ or perhaps serious illness forces us to stop or at the very least slow down, which for many feeling a lot like an all out neck breaking STOP!  For a few that are focused more on observing their lives and dissecting their actions by questioning the ingredients of what is in our collective cultural ‘KoolAid’, their experience is more peaceful, subtle and accepting of selves and others.  Either way the opportunity to redirect through the experience is met with our Free Will.  Will we Decide to see this momentary pause as the chance to fully participate in life or will we choose to hop back on the treadmill until we are ejected off the end of the ride!

The purpose of this post is to give you permission to STOP.  Question the KoolAid, and ask yourself truly, do you want a second serving, or will you pass on that last call and choose a healthier option. Maybe just Maybe, it’s ok to do this whole ‘Life‘ thing a different way!  This doesn’t happen over night.  Start with falling back in love with life experiences.  Observe EVERYTHING!  The detail on the coat of the lady standing in front of you in the elevator.  Listen to the rain till it resembles music.  Inhale deeply as soon as you step outside to smell the air, the dirt, the stone, the flowers! Sit on the couch in silence with your eyes closed, paying acute attention to what you feel.  Is there any tension in your body?  Can you focus on that part of your body and breath into that area deeply to release all the tension, focusing on each and every area in sequence.

You might be thinking ok, anyone watching me is going to think I’m crazy!  Well, trust me, you may think everyone is watching you but that is just the KoolAid Hang Over!  No offense, but everyone else is too busy thinking about how everyone else is looking at them, too busy to watch your every move.  So this freedom provides you with ample opportunity to investigate your new found child like view of the world!  And when you least expect it you’ll find it!  YOUR LIFE!

Your Welcome!

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Happy Anniversary HHDS! KW’s 1st Eco Friendly Salon Spa and Energy Space!

happy anniversary

Happy 6th Anniversary Hybrid Hair And Detox Spa!

WOW WOW WOW!  6 YEARS!

I am so Proud of us!  I must say I believe a lot of my personal strength was support in part by Elena Muscalu my ‘Green Family Mama’ and Facial Queen and of course my Husband, Chris Kiers for his unwaivering support mentally, emotionally and with hammer and saw with every reno I tortured him with!  My kids understanding and my sisters supportive passion have subsidized me when my own was low.

I will not lie, there have been tough times I didn’t think I could make it through.  But when I could look to no other for supplementary support what pushed me through was my Love for Mother Earth.  My commitment to my children, and their children’s future.  My passion for helping others and my commitment to bettering myself so I could prove to others that they too could persevere.

I am so grateful now for every adversity every learning curve every challenge because it made me realize every time I got back up that it really was my passion and my purpose in life to help the evolution of the industry and humanity.

I love what we do!  Our continued commitment to the environment and learning and growing in collaboration with others.  I don’t feel like I’m working when I do what I love!  Having added on the opportunity to educate more extensively through my new business The Institute For Harmonious Living, (http://instituteforharmoniousliving.com/)  I have found a way to create greater awareness to the self care cause that connects us to all other things including the planet and all of its inhabitants.  As we evolve this year my focus is on greater self care acceptance by both sexes most specifically men and assisting them with embracing the importance and art of self nurturing experiences like facials, massages, manicures, pedicures and energy treatments, without judgment and or apology.  This perception should be embraced equally for men AND women.  I am excited yet again to unveil new safer and more local Canadian Made products this year as well!

Of course it wouldn’t be complete without celebrating our amazingly unique clientele!  I am so proud to have watched, against many advisers cautionary appeals about transitioning to our eco friendly concept, that our clientele is bigger, stronger and more diverse then ever.  Nothing gives me greater joy then to introduce someone to our unique space with our tour dedicated to our concept and commitment to the planet and safer experiences for the whole family. Or hearing a like minded new client showing unlimited gratitude for our very existence, Or introducing a client to a new energy, self care service or workshop experience to empower them and their loved ones.

I giggled a little when I realized I had passed our legitimate anniversary date of Jan 1st (opened Jan 1st 2010), but I realized I was lost in what I loved, which was planning the upcoming year, hiring new inspiring family members, meeting with my ‘Green Family’ (Staff) setting goals and celebrating successes,  while growing my other company IHL and enjoying last but certainly not least my family!  What better way to honor an anniversary then participating fully in what created it in the first place.

There are no words to fully capture my gratitude for this amazing experience, or for each one of you reading this blog..

But here goes,

Thank You, Thank You, Thank You!

thankyou

Tips Tuesday – C/O Institute For Harmonious Living, Part of The Problem or Part of The Solution?

There will always be a problem or challenge or injustice for someone somewhere.  The latest ability to raise awareness is social media. Accurate or not, it is one of the most effective ways to share information.  However I will be suggesting here that what we now know about energy transference, perhaps we are adding to the Problem more then the Solution?  Some people will recognize my favorite poem here:

The Responsibility Poem – Charles Osgood

There was an important job to be done and Everybody was sure that Somebody would do it.

Anybody could have done it, but Nobody did it.

Somebody got angry about that because it was Everybody’s job.

Everybody thought that Anybody could do it, but Nobody realized that Everybody wouldn’t do it.

It ended up that Everybody blamed Somebody

when Nobody did

what Anybody could have done

One of my many collections of favorite quotes and inspiring thoughts is the following:  Mother Theresa never joins an ‘Anti-War’ Rally or ‘Anti-Racism’ Rally, she would always join ‘Pro-Peace’ or ‘Pro-Love’ Rallies though.  Do you see the difference?

I have been told by many people disdainfully that I am an overly sensitive person, or too lovey dovey or too forgiving or just too soft.  But here’s the thing we all have a purpose and that is mine.  I am also a ‘Fixer’, this combination is dangerous!  I see injustice, pain, havoc, unrest and I look for ways to assist, Heck that’s how I ended up opening KW’s First Eco Friendly Salon and Spa!  I recently posted on facebook a question to my friends, ‘We Have History Class, Why Not Future Class, Where Kids Discuss, Brainstorm and in General Manifest Amazing Future Inventions, And Solutions For Economic Problems, Eco Problems and Racial Issues, Among Other Global Imbalances?’

hugging cow

I recently was exposed to two videos on facebook, no doubt they were accurately depicting some farmer somewhere executing horrific acts upon animals, calves to be exact, many of you are probably familiar with this/these video(s). (For some balanced clarity I was raised on a farm where animals were respected and handled with earnest care)  I have not finished viewing it either time I was exposed to it.  You see I can’t, I am physically negatively impacted by it, emotionally negatively impacted by it, psychologically negatively impacted by it.  Just as I was before I made the efforts to start HHDS.  So I ask the makers of these videos, what is the motivation behind the videos?  Did you contact the proper authorities?  Is this just sensationalism?  If this is in an effort to create change has anyone done anything or do we think we are saving animals by sharing the video, because we are not.  There is a responsibility that we have to our fellow human being, our fellow species, our friendly planet that ‘allows’ us to inhabit it’s surface.  I understand many who get ovewhelmed, I have felt that way thiking, what could i possibly do?  I’m just one person.  I have and still do feel that way sometimes, but then I read the previous poems and quotes.  If YOU don’t WHO WILL?

So let’s look at the energy behind the spreading of negative comments, videos or statements.  Not everyone would agree here thinking that everyone should enjoy the freedom of speech.  How does it make the ‘Sharer’ feel?  What is their motivation?  Are they doing enough to help?  Are they continuing their efforts to help after the video is sent?  Think of that negative feeling shared by the new watcher?  The process your mind, emotions and then the triggers of fight or flight the body experiences.  We now understand that the body sends out chemicals that are meant to only be expelled during a violent attack to fight off or flee from the perpetrator.  What then does this person do to assist the victims portrayed in the video?  I’m not just talking about Calves (animals), but Immigrants, suppressed minorities, children, individuals with mental illness.  We have UnPlugged while Plugging in more to technology, becoming more and more desensitized.  We think that by ‘Informing’ people, that ‘Informing alone’ is enough.  It’s not, this is a luxury we can no longer relax into ignorance blindly.  The Planet and all of it’s inhabitants NEED YOU.  Not someone else, YOU.

What will you choose to be?  Part of the Problem?  Or Part of the Solution?

Example:

Problem: Mistreatment of Cattle/Livestock

Solution: Compile a list of local (Preferably Organic) farmers that treat their livestock with care and respect and offer sales to the community directly and share this list on social media.  Attempt to contact either the person who originally recorded the video to see if the animals have been rescued, if not seek out local authorities.  Done.

If you are like me and find yourself very sensitive and suffer from anxiety witnessing the pain of the world, trust me the pain , and collective guilt of being part of the problem subsides as soon as you take action and be part of the Solution!  This Positive action step on your personal part is so empowering and relieves the anxiety as you lead others by example, creating greater and greater consciousness in others too!  Next time you see something you know is wrong, you feel is not right, you recognize in your heart and soul is against humanity, be the change, pick up the phone, contact the authorities, stop the spread of fear and pain that perpetuates more fear and pain.

 What would Mother Theresa do?

 What will you do?

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Tips Tuesday – Sustainable Stability

Apple-blossoms

WORKSHOP WITH ERIN KIERS
HOLISTIC LIFE COACH AND ENERGY PSYCHOLOGIST MONDAY JAN. 11 2016, 7-9
TOOL KIT FOR
SUSTAINABLE STABILITY
$20 @ AUTHENTIKA STUDIOS 298 B MARSLAND DR, WATERLOO, ON


Do you have trouble sleeping?
Are you wanting more positive relationship connections to your parents, or your children?
Are you attaining all of your career goals?
Do you wish you had a deeper connection to your partner?
Are you finding you are running out of hours in the day to meet all of your expectations?
Are you fearful of the state the world is in?


These questions seem all quite random but in reality are all connected. Through a ‘W-Holistic’ Life Coaching approach all of these challenges become one. As you are connected to all things, what is within you is what you create outside of you, a seemingly ‘specific’ approach will not work. Your marriage affects your job, your job affects the relationship with your kids, and your lack of energy meeting every demand that comes at you lowers your energy even more and prevents you from being the best you, you can be. I will be discussing how understanding your programs, beliefs and roles you play in your relationships affect every experience you have, and how your life will unfold from this point forward. My goal is to finally and indefinitely give you back your power. Not by giving you tips on marketing your business, or how to ask your partner nicely to do the dishes, but to get to the very originating point of programed awareness that has created the imbalance within YOU in the first place. Come join me for an introduction to an active approach to your own inner work that will empower you by giving you the TOOLS and SKILLS to overcome ANY obstacle that ever comes your way while enjoying relationships and experiences that truly feed your soul while perpetuating world peace!


For more info or to book a seat call 519-404-6627, info@instituteforharmoniousliving.com or authentikacosulting@gmail.com

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