It’s a bit more work stay my sunshiney self during the winter. Today we had freezing rain that looks and feels like kosher salt. The last few weeks have involved a lot of staying inside and I wrote about a few ways to boost your mood here.

Today I had my first Light Therapy session at MOCA Toronto. It was cool! 

Light Therapy is included with your museum membership unless there is a private session booked. I had purchased a membership because I thought it was only open to members. I booked weekly sessions for the next few weeks and today I found out I have the room ALL TO MYSELF for each one!

There’s a cafe on the first floor and drinks are permitted inside the installation. There’s parking across the street and coat check on the first floor.

If you are interested in coming to check it out, please let me know. I have the room booked weekly and can bring a few people each time. We can chat or you can do your own thing!

What is Light Therapy?

Light therapy involves exposure to intensive light under controlled conditions. The installation is designed to simulate a bright, sunny day with LEDs generating 5,600 K of low Ultraviolet, full spectrum daylight-balanced light. Everything in the room is white and you’re encouraged to wear a lab coat and white shoe covers to maintain the brightness. I am very into the lab coat. Light therapy can help with SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder). In winter we lack vitamin D from the sun, our skin is dry, and sometimes, depression sets in. This installation is an experiment as part of the Art in Use project and Light Therapy is by Apolonija Šušteršič.

History of Light Therapy

Light Therapy was originally produced for the Moderna Museet in Sweden in 1999, to explore how contemporary museums function as a public space, and as a social or healing device. The project was restaged at the Van Abbemuseum, The Netherlands in 2014, where Apolonija began to also consider new forms of artistic practice that are socially engaged — those which involve people and communities in debate, collaboration or social interaction. In its third iteration at MOCA, we add to this developing research, thinking about how museums might be places that support wellbeing, and more recently as spaces that support mental health.

More on the MOCA Website

Why Light Therapy is great?

• thought to affect brain chemicals linked to mood
• easing SAD symptoms
• help with anxiety
• help you sleep better
• relaxation

I can’t wait till MOCA is open this summer and the park is built outside. It’s nice having this in our back yard. if you’re interested to learn more about Light Therapy, check out this resource.

Sending you warm thoughts and please let me know if you want to join me here sometime.

This cold weather is so damn freezing it hurts. I’m thankful to work from home. Took Em to school, got groceries, turned up the heat, had an old school house music dance party w Sean. ❄️

Good thing about this weather is staying inside and working on yourself. Going through your notebooks, updating your website, fixing buttons, organizing your beauty products, cleaning boots, reading, taking an online course, or doing Kon Mari on every room, closet and drawer in your house. That has been my January. ???

If you put in the work and make the most of this cold/stay inside time, you‘ll feel lighter and accomplished.

There is no time like right now to make a change and shift your direction. 

I’m ready for February, love yourself! ???

And we’re glad about that! I don’t know what it is about this weather that makes me just want to stay home all the time and make things or sort through the clutter. Today is slightly warmer than it’s been but there is no end in sight as next week the temp dips back down to the unbearables. There are 54 days until spring and each day brings a little bit more daylight. ☀️

On Monday this week I had breakfast with Sunwing to announce their Blue Monday deals. I also found out the commercial I’m in playing at Yonge Dundas Square! If you’ve still not seen the latest version I posted it on IG this week here.

Tuesday I went to Art Battle Toronto, a monthly event in its 9th year that is live competitive painting. If you’re intrigued, I highly recommend checking it out. There are two round of painters, the crowd votes via text for who makes it to round three, and all paintings go up for silent auction throughout the night. It was really fun. Lots of telented people. Check out artbattle.com for more info or events around the world.

In other news, I spent some time this week updating my portfolio site. Feel free to check it out at casiestewart.biz or by clicking below. It’s a work in progress!

Added some new stuff here if you’re curious to see some of my work all in one place, brand partnerships, speaking, film/tv. https://t.co/LnCBIz2PgV

— CASIE STEWART ☀️ (@casiestewart) January 24, 2019

Here’s a little update with what I’ve been up to so far this year, my latest Sunwing commercial, and some Netflix recos for the winter storm that’s coming this weekend. I’m prepping to stay inside for more hibernation!

First up, I’m doing quite a bit better with the collarbone and took some much needed time off over the holidays. I got new x-rays today and my bone is healing slowly with no complications. Thankful it’s winter and totally a-ok to stay home for days on end in lazy clothes.

Sean and I went to the cottage for almost a week during New Years and it was the perfect break from everything. We kept warm by the fire, watched movies on DVD, and went for walks on the frozen lake. Woke up New Years Day feeling fresh and ready for a new year.

2018 started pretty rough. I was in New Zealand with mum and on New Year’s Eve, I accidentally put diesel in the gas car the on New Year’s Eve. I was stressed out and upset when I got gas. I’d never done that before and hopefully won’t do it again! However, the car was toast! ? We had to have a flatbed truck come to our cabin in the park to bring a new car and take the old one. I was hungover, embarrassed, and frustrated. It also set us back a few hours on our trip to see Nana. The first 2 weeks of the year were pretty stressful as we spent time with family and Nana before she passed away. It was a hard time to go through but it also brought us closer.

After all 2018’s ups and downs, I was ready to start 2019 with nothing but positive vibes.

I’ve watched heaps of great shows over the last few weeks. Highly recommend YOU, Sex Education, Instant Hotel, Bird Box and Marie Kondo on Netflix. The book YOU is one of the best books I’ve ever read and I’m glad to see the second book from Carolyn Kepnes ‘Hidden Bodies’ will be Season 2. Gillian Anderson is really great in Sex Education. I’m not usually one for reality shows but Instant Hotel is an Australian show where people rate each others Airbnb’s. One of the pairs is from Bondi Beach, Sydney when I used to live so I was loving it. The show is full of drama and has heaps of tips if you’re looking to have your own Airbnb.

When we got home from the cottage I went hardcore on the Marie Kondo‘s Kon Mari. I started with the pantry, went through all the and went through our cupboards, the whole kitchen, out closets, and all the clothes I own. Emily even got into it and went through all her stuff. It was a family affair!

I tweeted about my experience and one of them ended up in a CBC article. Ha!

I finally saw the lastest Sunwing commercial I’m in when I was watching the Golden Globes. I had people messaging me from everywhere! It’s national and playing on a few channels (CP24, Global, CTV). I was quite pleased to see it during Y&R and Jeopardy.

Click the ‘Play’ button below to watch in the tweet.

I’m still recovering from the shoulder injury so taking it easy but I’ll be ready to come out of hibernation in a few weeks. I’ve been doing more work at the 1188 office lately and we have a few reallllly cool things coming up. I’ve signed on for another great year of the Telus partner program and will have more to share about that soon. I’m still working with Sassoon and have really let my hair grow the last couple weeks. The future is looking longer and blonder!

Overall, I’m starting to feel like my old self again.

Here’s to a great year of adventures, storytelling, sharing advice, and growth.

With love,

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I’ve been laying low the last month, posting less, staying in. I just haven’t felt like it. The other day I wrote down something I overheard Sean said on the phone when someone asked how things were, he said “a mix of awesome and shitty“. It stuck with me, that’s how I’ve been feeling the last month.

On November 21st I was given a prestigious award from the President of Conestoga College, Alumni of Distinction. It was a proud moment when I sat at the back of the crowd with my mum and my ‘Fairy Godmother‘ (mum’s best friend) who watched me walk up and make a speech in front of the group. It felt amazing to be recognized for my career, not something that was voted on by social media but actually recognized by people older than me who didn’t really know me personally.  This part of the night was awesome. 

It was really cold that night we were happy to get home and cheers over a glass of wine. We were all filled with such excitement. We weren’t up late but I went outside for a minute before bed. This part of the night was shitty. I slipped on some ice on the concrete stairs outside mum’s house. I fell on the concrete steps resulting in a black eye and later found out I fractured my collarbone. I went to the doctor the next day, swollen and bruised. I got acupuncture. I felt like garbage, how could this happen? I barely remember falling, mum holding frozen peas on my head, the drive back home the following day.

I tried to hide it, act like nothing was wrong. I covered up my face, wore glasses, stayed home from events. As for my shoulder, it was 1 week and a trip to New Orleans before I thought, ‘ I really should get an x-ray‘. I knew something was wrong and I was right. I don’t need a cast or surgery but it hurts and I’m taking it easy. Tomorrow I’m heading to the fracture clinic at the hospital for more x-rays.

It’s crazy that this would happen right at the same time two really great things happened.

“a mix of awesome and shitty”

Aside from the Alumni Award at Conestoga College, I was nominated for the Premier’s Awards. A provincewide award recognizing alumni in Ontario from all 24 colleges. I was nominated in the Creative Arts and Design category amongst some pretty well known Canadians whom I admire. Although I was smiling and had fun with mum at the awards. I was wearing my glasses and trying to not let my eyes water to reveal the makeup covering the dark bruise around my eye. I left for New Orleans the next day and spent most of the week wearing sunglasses.

I’m doing a-ok and will be back to normal in a couple weeks. The holidays are a great time to sit back, rela, take inventory of the year and set intentions.

Life has a way of making you slow day, teaching you lessons, and making you think about your life in different ways.

This injury has really made me slow down. I’ve missed a bunch of holiday events but then again, am I really missing anything? I’m taking the next 2 weeks off to Marie Kondo our house, exlore my creativity, and get ready for 2019. Can you believe we’re only 1 year away for 2020?