I’m glad I’m not active on social media because my skeptical brain always wants to verify whatever I read, including celebrity deaths. I still get trapped because I have a smartphone with Google on it, and I’m getting alerts based on things I’ve recently read. That used to be fun when I was online a […]
I don’t like conflict. When confronted with conflict, I attempt to find a reasonable resolution. It usually works, but I’ve been dealing with people who are comfortable with conflict for a long time. We have a landlord who seems to enjoy confrontation at the moment. If there’s a reasonable explanation for a situation, even one […]
The title of this blog post isn’t an original one for me. It could be because it’s like a mantra for me. I’m constantly getting signs that it is an indisputable truth. At the end of last week, I was feeling antsy and thought it would be nice to get away for a couple of […]
Last week we interesting. I started working on an assignment for a new freelance gig for which I had applied. The assignment was 2000 words, due at the end of last week. Before I started working on the assignment, I received a response to a proposal I had submitted over a month ago, and they […]
I was looking for ideas for this week’s blog post and decided to see what I’ve written about my birthday in the past. I noticed a post where I said goodbye to my 30s and hello to my 40s. The birthday coming up next week is the last one I celebrate in my 40s, so […]
I can’t remember the exact conversation, but I’m reminded about grace. The main conclusion was that we should give ourselves grace during challenging times. Instead of beating ourselves up about perceived mistakes we might have made, we should be kind and gentle with ourselves, like a nurturing mother would a child. I found it a […]
My upcoming birthday will be my final birthday in my 40s. Reflecting on the past almost nine years, I think this decade’s theme will be simplicity. I’m unsure when it happened, but something in my brain switched, and I started thinking I wanted to live a simple life. When my car died, I let it […]
My husband is setting up a studio where we’re now living. He had one back home, and the sale of that studio fast-forwarded our move to our new location. He found a new location and has hired an artist to do a mural outside and some portraits inside. I’ve been watching the artist Christopher Scott […]
I’m home this weekend recovering from some bug. I’m on the second movie, and it’s just past noon. 😉 The first movie had me cheering for an anti-hero avenging the wrong-doing her best friend had endured. It was a dark comedy with an unexpected ending that I thoroughly enjoyed. The second movie opened up with […]
It’s been a slow start to the year for me. I decided to switch the way I approach the year. Instead of “hitting the ground running,” I’ve decided to take action with intention, which takes more time because you need to think about why you make each move you make. I’m watching videos with people […]
For the twenty-odd years that I’ve been doing my laundry, the weather has never factored into my decision to do laundry. That reality changed in July once we got our washing machine. Before my current outdoor laundry adventures, I was used to hanging clothes on a line when I lived with my parents. My mother […]
Last week, something in the house went missing. We hadn’t left home and had used it earlier in the day. We looked everywhere for it. We checked every room, the sofa cushions, and even under the couch. Coming back from our bedroom, I saw it under the coffee table. I would have seen it if […]
I saw a quote about regret the other day, and it got me thinking about what I would tell my younger self if I had the chance. There was a time when I would have told her to avoid all my mistakes and make better choices, but now that’s not the advice I would give. […]
We live in a very rural area. We hear dogs barking at night, and in the morning, we’re woken up by braying goats and various bird songs. Even as I type, I hear a goat braying in the distance and leaves rustling on the coconut tree by the window I’m sitting beside. The main road […]
We’ve seen memes on social media that say that the “successful” people have the same hours in the day as everyone else. It implies that the rest of us aren’t using our time as productively, but the medium delivering the message is one of the biggest time-wasters right now. Making the best use of my […]
We’re approaching the end of 2023, and I’m starting to think about my goals for the year ahead. A year ago, I didn’t know that we would be changing the country we call home, so 2023 has been a year of making shifts and pivoting. I’m hoping that the year ahead will find us more […]
We’ve been back home for almost a month, and I still don’t feel like I’ve settled into a routine yet. Our month away was non-stop, tying up loose ends, seeing friends and family, and getting specific tasks done. We completed everything we wanted, but I’m still playing catch-up energy-wise. There used to be a time […]
Last Monday was an accident-prone day. I’m naturally clumsy, but typically, I don’t have multiple accidents on the same day, but that day was different. Honestly, both events happened because I was going through the motions and not paying attention to what could go wrong. The first accident occurred when I poured hot water from […]
We visited our old stomping grounds for 30 days and are now back home. It was interesting to be in the country I called home for 48 (and a half?) years, which had me longing to return to my new home. It was great seeing friends and family and spending time with them, including Thanksgiving. […]
We arrived in Canada on Friday evening. Summer’s not officially over, but fall is in the air. We could see our breath outside on Friday, so I’m glad I packed my jeans and some sweats. We traveled with lots of room in our suitcases because we’re planning to stock up on things to bring back […]
You might be surprised to learn that the biggest obstacle to your freedom is right between your ears. A negative mindset is the biggest block to freedom. There are so many parts of your life you cannot control, from the need to earn a living to finding true love. But you can manage your mindset, […]
I haven’t been driving in the country we’re now living in. They drive on the other side of the road, and I’ve only done it once, over 20 years ago, in a country that’s much smaller, very flat, and maybe a third of the population, so I’m not ready yet. Since I’m always the passenger, […]
It’s been almost three months since I joined the hubby in the country where we’ve chosen to spend the next chapters of our lives. June was the month I was trying to get my footing and figure out my daily routine in a new home. It took almost an entire month, but in July, I […]
Back in June, the 21st, to be precise, I received an email from one of my alma maters announcing a writing contest. If you’ve been reading my blog for a while, you know I’ve been trying to dip my toes in the pool of fiction writing, so I’m considering it. It’s the first week of […]
After moving into our new place, we encountered leaks in three different spots 😖 Of course, the solution to the leak isn’t easy, because the problem lies in the piping between the space above us (aka the top floor and the ceiling). We’ve been in contact with our landlord, who lives in Canada, to figure […]
This week, I had my first episode of frustration living in a developing country. I’ve become so accustomed to things working a certain way that I had a mini meltdown when it didn’t a few days ago. My husband repeated words I’ve told him when he’s getting frustrated: “You have to get used to it; […]
Growing up, my mother always cautioned me to choose my friends wisely. She would say that choosing the wrong friends can influence me to make bad choices if I’m not careful. I used to think it was just my mother talking, but as I grew older, my experiences confirmed that she was on to something. […]
Last week, we had a meeting with some people that someone we recently connected with wanted to introduce us to. We had a general idea of where the discussion would go, but it ended up being a 3-hour discussion where the ideas we came up with were expanded, and new ideas and new people were […]
This weekend we got together with some new friends who invited us to their home. We were their guests, along with two others. We’d met one of the people before, and the other was new. The couple that hosted the get-together is family with friends we know from back home. The evening started at 6, […]
My astrological sign is Pisces. I rarely read a description of this astrological sign that doesn’t include the word “dreamer” in it. I’ll admit that I’m not offended but flattered. 😊 I’ve been a dreamer all my life. When I was younger, I would get lost in my daydreams and often get scolded for doing […]
I must say I appreciate my Daily Spark from Brainsparker. Whether or not I suffer from writer’s block, it provides excellent, thought-provoking questions. One of the daily sparks I received this week asked, “If you knew you couldn’t fail, what would you do?” We often stop ourselves from doing the things that get us excited […]
In one of the articles I wrote a couple of months ago, I found an app to help with writer’s block. One of the apps I stumbled upon is BrainSparker. Since I don’t have an iPhone, I receive daily email prompts that can “spark” an idea to write about. One of the prompts I received […]
The latest article I’ve been working on is about microstress. It was a suggestion by an editor, and I didn’t even know microstress was a thing! After doing some research, it makes sense. Microstress is life’s everyday aggravations that we tell ourselves aren’t a big deal, so we don’t need to deal with them. The […]
April was a crazy month. It’s been packing, storing, and getting our condo rental ready. Today is the first day in over a month that I wasn’t occupied doing something the entire day. Mind you, I still have things to do before tomorrow morning, but I’m giving myself a brief break to prepare for the […]
When I was younger, I always imagined my older self living somewhere other than Canada. Back then, I had dreams of studying in England. Fast-forward 30-plus years, and now I’m packing up to relocate, not to the UK, but to a tropical island. If you had told me ten years ago that we’d be making […]
We all have big dreams when we’re kids. Many of us have some dream life we’re trying to create, and that’s not true of everyone. Life can be so demanding and hectic that you put off worrying about the important things to you, and you’ll get to them later or not at all. This reality […]
I’ve been planning a trip to see family since last year. I wanted to see my dad’s sister since I hadn’t seen her in over 20 years when she and two of my cousins came for a visit. I got a message two weeks ago that my aunt had been admitted to the hospital, so […]
After having a fabulous birthday in the last two weeks, there have been more surprises, making me wonder what else is possible. I used to have a minimal view of what was possible for my life. There was a long time when I didn’t dream big because I didn’t want to set myself up for […]
Last Thursday was my birthday, and while it wasn’t a milestone birthday, it’s still memorable. A few weeks ago, my husband told me he had a surprise for me for my birthday. I think he did it hoping he’d have some fun with me, trying to figure out the surprise. Unfortunately for him, I’m not […]
Sometimes I like to work with music playing in the background, and other times I find it distracting. I guess it’s the nature of the work I’m doing that determines whether I want music playing. It’s funny how I could do my homework with the television on when I was in high school. I wouldn’t […]
About a month ago, I was listening to Erykah Badu’s song Bag Lady. I hadn’t heard the song in a while, but I’ve always loved the lyrics. It’s a reminder to let go of your emotional baggage of the past since it’s the only way to move forward positively. Our past should be our teacher. […]
We’ve been out of the country for just over two months, and I don’t feel homesick. I’m here with my husband, but all my friends and family are miles away physically, but I can still talk to them thanks to WhatsApp 😉 When I went away from home for university, I was excited about the […]
Last week we spent a few days with a friend. He rescued a 5-week-old puppy whose mother killed his littermates, and I should correct that statement. His pregnant dog rescued the puppy and is feeding him breast milk that has come in early (just for him?) with her weeks away from having puppies of her […]
Last week, I wrote about small wonders. I shared that I had two unusual and pretty cool experiences a couple of weeks ago. I shared that I’d seen a shooting star and a double rainbow. I had similar experiences this week, so I had to do a Google search to find out how rare these […]
I have seen things I’d only heard about in the last few weeks. The first surprise was seeing a shooting star more than one night a week. I’d heard that it was common to see shooting stars where we are staying, but I’d never seen one until a few weeks ago. On a road trip […]
Last week, my husband made friends with some fellow travelers on the beach (which is a regular thing for him). We met for lunch on the weekend and had some terrific conversations. One of the topics we discussed was goals and how fear can slow down your progress if you let it. I’m no stranger […]
For a couple of years, I’ve been mulling the idea of writing a fiction novel. Since November is NaNoWriMo – National Novel Writing Month, I figure it’s the perfect time to focus on writing my first novel! I’ll admit that I’m intimidated by the idea of writing a work of fiction. I wrote a book […]
I’ve been writing a blog since the end of 2009. I’d been writing before that, but after years of writing assignments for school, the writing I was doing after I graduated was work-related. It wasn’t until I wrote my book that I sat down and dedicated every day for six weeks to complete my first […]
Earlier this week, I watched a video with a public school librarian in America. She was talking about how she had done a display for Banned Book Week and was asked to take it down by the principal because a parent complained. In the video, she shows some of the books on display, and I […]
I’ve never been a fan of ultimatums. I don’t consider myself rebellious by nature, but there’s something about the idea of being told I should be or do something “or else” that doesn’t sit right with me. I’m a rule follower, but there are exceptions – it has to make sense and feel right. I’ve […]
A few weeks ago, I shared that I was changing things up with the books I read, alternating from non-fiction to fiction, to keep things interesting. I just read my first non-fiction book in years, and I couldn’t help but be amused at the experience. I love fiction books, but they haven’t been the lion’s […]
I’ve been reading The Science of Getting Rich for the past few weeks. I’ve committed to reading a chapter of a book every morning before I start my day because I missed reading for a purpose aside from researching for my next writing assignment. The goal is to read a non-fiction book and then alternate with […]
While I’ve been reading a lot because of the research I do for the articles I’m assigned with writing, I haven’t been doing any recreational reading. After watching a movie where the character (who wanted to be a writer) was told the best way to become a writer was to read lots of books, and […]
I was one of the millions of Canadians without Rogers service on Friday. Fortunately, or unfortunately, I have my internet, mobile, and television with the same company, so it was a quiet day. I didn’t mind it. Thankfully I don’t need to make sales calls to earn a living, and the edits that I was […]
This year marks 18 years since I’ve spent Father’s Day with my dad. In the early years, it was tough, but I thought I had managed to get over my sad feelings on Father’s Day. As this Father’s Day approached, I realized that I was experiencing the kind of immense sadness that I hadn’t felt […]
I’ve been giving a lot of thought to the current state of the world. While there’s a shift to accepting non-binary when it comes to how people identify themselves as far as gender roles, we’re still stuck in an either-or world when it comes to other issues. Whether it’s abortion, gun control, or other highly […]
I have been approached twice by people running scams in the past week. I sensed something wasn’t right and stopped communicating with them immediately for the first one. I also reported it to the authorities because it involved me cashing a cheque, not from a company, but from a personal account of someone I didn’t […]
I believe that sometimes we can mask our selfishness under the guise of “doing the right thing.” In most cases, the right thing is code for the thing that makes us feel better about the situation. Often, it’s not what the person who the “right thing” is being done for actually wants, but somehow we’ve […]
Relationships are never easy, and likely, you and your friends and family don’t agree on everything. This feeling is natural, and everyone has to deal with this at some point or another in their lives. You want to be careful not to allow disagreements to ruin your relationships. So, what is the best way to […]
If we’re connecting on social media or you’ve heard me give a talk before, you know that I refer to myself as a recovering control freak and excuse maker. There was a time when I couldn’t trust that things could or would work out if I didn’t do everything I could to control things. Trying […]
Prevention is better than cure. It’s a cliche we often hear, perhaps even more in the last two years when we were inundated with ads and information on ways to keep ourselves healthy and avoid COVID. I heard it frequently when we were out of the country, but it was meant to say better to […]
When I wrote my book in 2013, nine years after my father’s death, I found it therapeutic to reflect on where I felt I was at the time and where I was almost a decade later. Writing the book about my father’s death and how it impacted me and what I did to get myself […]
A couple of years ago, I learned some news, and my first impulse was to fix it and make it better for the parties involved. Thankfully, I’m not someone who immediately acts on impulses (anymore), especially regarding other people’s relationships. I learned young that people make decisions when they’re ready, not when you want them […]
I used to be a procrastinator, and for some reason, I’m more motivated with a deadline looming over my head. I’ve learned, however, that Murphy’s Law always reminds me that things are more likely to go wrong when you leave things until the last minute. Now that I’ve learned that leaving things until the last […]
We’ve been spending time with people and having fascinating and insightful conversations in the past week. We’ve met quite a few people on this trip and reunited with some old friends, and it’s been a really positive experience. There’s been no drama, no arguments, just lots of laughter and positive energy.It’s pretty cool when you […]
I think that it’s easy to feel sorry for ourselves when things aren’t going the way we would like them to. It can be frustrating to experience easy times and then encounter hard ones, especially the first time it happens. If you’re experiencing unhappiness with life because things aren’t going the way you’d like them […]
I was having a conversation last week with my husband about how decisions made before I was born influenced the person I am today. It was crazy to think about how a decision my mother made in 1971 was what brought her to Canada and had my father follow her a year later. A couple […]
I like to plan ahead. My husband is more of the spontaneous type. As you can imagine, it makes for some dialogue that’s worthy of a comedy show sometimes. I’ve been trying to recruit him to team #planahead by showing him some of the benefits of planning ahead. Of course, he loves to point out […]
I used to pride myself on my ability to multitask. I had it on my resume and would list it as one of my strengths. For a long time I thought that multitasking was allowing me to get things done more efficiently and effectively. I realize now that while I may have gotten a lot […]
2021 has been an interesting year. I started it off by celebrating my first anniversary in Jamaica, during a pandemic when the country we reside in said you should only travel if it’s essential. Well, my husband is a bit of a rebel, and he had already been planning to celebrate his 50th birthday in […]
Last week, I fractured my ankle. It was like something out of a movie, and my ankle dislocated, causing the fracture. I completely forgot about a step and my attempt to walk on air proved unsuccessful. I spent some time beating myself up about the fall, but it didn’t take long for me to realize […]
I love Adele. I’ve been listening to her new album, and she has a song with the lyrics: “Sometimes loneliness is the only rest…” I couldn’t agree more, though I wouldn’t call it loneliness; I’d just say time alone 😉 As an introvert, Adele is talking my language! I love my friends and family, but […]
Fear used to be a massive part of my life. Fear of the worst-case scenario would stop me from doing a lot of things I wanted to do. In other cases, it was fear that someone else had that I assumed as my own that would stop me from doing things. It took a long […]
We hear a lot about gratitude and how it’s essential to be grateful for what you have. When I first started expressing gratitude, I struggled with the idea that expressing gratitude would attract more things into my life that I could be grateful for. Growing up, My parents often told me to be satisfied with […]
One of my writing assignments last week was on career advice. It was an interesting article to write because I stumbled on some things that I’ve never done in my career while doing the research. I may write an article about some of the things I saw, but this post is about one that stuck […]
I used to consider myself a realist, never expecting “best case scenario” because that wasn’t realistic. I don’t like disappointment (who does?), so I like to prepare myself for the let down before it happens. It took me a long time to realize that when I expected the worst, the chances were pretty good I […]
In the past, I have struggled with being kind to myself. When I buy a gift for someone, I do not tend to allow cost to determine what I give. I tend to give gifts based on what the person wants or what they’ve said they need. When it comes to buying things for myself, […]
I read something the other day – I wish I could refer to it here, but I honestly don’t remember where I read it. The main point of the passage I read was that sometimes we tell ourselves that things must be done a certain way, but the only one making the rules is us, […]
For over a month I’ve been thinking about having a conversation with someone. It’s a sensitive subject, so I was deliberating on how to bring it up in a way that didn’t ruffle any feathers. If you’ve been reading my blog for a while, then you’ll know that I admittedly have struggled with anything that […]
Last week I took on work with a new writing platform. The minimum word count they asked me to do every week was close to the maximum I had done so far. A part of me thought it was possible, but there was a small part of me that had some doubts. I asked for […]
Years ago, I read Pam Grout’s book E-Squared: Nine Do-it-Yourself Energy Experiments That Prove Your Thoughts Create Your Reality. I wrote about some of my results with the experiments, and they vanquished any doubts I had about the power of the mind. In the last few weeks, I’ve been reminded about the power of the mind. […]
I watched a movie a few days ago. It started dark, then it looked like things were picking up, and it would end well. Then things took a sharp left, and I was left feeling sad because the movie gave you hope that there would be a happy ending, and then it wasn’t. I commented […]
If you’re new to my blog, then this is a warning that I’m about to say something I’ll probably say in a blog post every once in a while. 😉 Everything happens for a reason. I’m saying that this time because sometimes the things you want to happen without any effort on your part. The […]
I was watching the Olympics this weekend and while watching the men’s marathon, I saw a runner that was in the lead pack, stop running and collapse for a few moments. After a few minutes, he got back up, gave his head a few knocks and kept running. After catching up with the lead pack, […]
I know that I have talked about self-care and how important it is to take care of yourself before you take care of others, but if you’ve ever heard that saying about the shoemaker that has no shoes, you know it can be easier to give advice to others instead of applying it to your […]
A few weeks ago I wrote about the fact that I had take a week away from social media. I enjoyed it so much that I decided to give it a try for the rest of the month of June. I have to admit, I enjoyed not feeling the need to post something everyday just […]
I went to visit my mom last week for her birthday. She’s been in the same house that we moved into in 1994. It’s a four-bedroom house with a decent front and back yard. It’s a lot of space for one woman, but she refuses to let go of it. She has a tenant in […]
Last week I took a week off. I didn’t do any social media posts, write a blog post, or send out my weekly newsletter. There was a time when not doing this, even while on vacation, wouldn’t have sat well with me. I know enough to realize that the powers behind social media will penalize […]
I was thinking about the goals that I have successfully achieved and those that didn’t work out to see if there was a pattern. Of course, there was a pattern; the question was, what was it? It didn’t take very long to figure out that I had successfully attained the goals that I was committed […]
Hope. When we’re at our lowest, it can be hard to think about. Everything feels hopeless. It can be hard to hear people talking about having faith and hoping that things will get better. When you’re going through your dark night of the soul, it can feel like things will never improve. You believe that […]
On the weekend, I witnessed a conversation where someone shared what they considered to be good news with a friend. The friend didn’t share in the enthusiasm and cautioned them from committing to anything. The person who shared the news was disappointed by the response. He wanted his friend to be happy for him, and […]
I try to stay away from politics in my blogs, and while some may think that this is a political post, it isn’t. Writing opinion pieces are tempting, but I don’t want to write simply to state my opinion. I have conversations with friends and family about that. 😉 Today’s post is about talk I’ve […]
Earlier this week, I encountered several opportunities where I could have said yes, which would have ended up feeling extremely overwhelmed. There was a time when I would have said yes to every opportunity that I was offered. In the past, I would have feared that if I said no, that I would regret it […]
If you’re a part of my email list, you know that I made a shift in 2020 and am focusing on doing more writing and less coaching. One of the freelance writing gigs I have is as a writer for WordAgents. I joke that this job trains me for a game show in the future […]
Being honest with yourself is right up there with taking responsibility for your actions when it comes to challenges we encounter when we’re trying to grow. I’m sure there’s a case to be made for the fact that these two things go hand in hand. You’re not honest with yourself if you struggle to take […]
We’ve all heard it said that it’s important to be willing and able to ask for help. I agree that it’s important to ask for help. I would like to add that it’s important to get the right help. It doesn’t serve anyone to get help that causes more issues than it solves. You have […]
It’s taken a while, but I coming to terms with my worth on a professional level. As an entrepreneur, especially when you’re starting, it can be an easy marketing strategy to be more affordable than the competition. It doesn’t take long to realize that even though you’re attracting business, it’s not normally the business you […]
It’s been an interesting weekend. It started off starting to watch a movie on Netflix about quantum physics and energy. This isn’t new stuff for me, but it’s interesting that after starting that movie, the next day, I have a great conversation about energy with my accountant! I believe that the movie and the conversation […]
The video above inspired this week’s blog. While this is a child, I’m sure we all know people as stubborn as this little boy. Maybe you’re the stubborn one! 😉 The young boy’s mother is using a technique my mother was a fan of. As a Jamaican mother, she always said, “those who can’t hear […]
I read an email on the weekend that talked about how the things we manifest happen when we let go of worrying about how the things we want will happen. This used to be one of my biggest hurdles when it came to visualization. I could always get clear on what I wanted, but doubt […]
This weekend I overheard 2 different conversations that didn’t go well. In both cases, the individuals were asking questions and the response they got was defensive. Both questions were pretty simple, not intrusive. If the questions were asked in print form, the response wouldn’t have been the same. It was a great reminder for me, […]
It’s the start of a new month, and I feel like 2021 has started as one of the most calming years I’ve had in a long time. While many found the lockdown of 2020 frustrating, I was grateful for the time to reset. 2020 required that we think about the path we’re on. Are we […]
Last week, I posted an article about accepting challenges. One of the things that I was inspired to do was to submit a piece of work to Chicken Soup of the Soul. I was excited to start writing, and as I started working on my submission, I started to feel like it needed more time. […]
Have you ever had something on your mind that you’ve thought would be cool if you accomplished, but the flame hasn’t quite sparked yet? I had 2 flames get sparked last week that have been lingering for some time. They were achievements that hadn’t quite made it to my bucket list yet, but they were […]
It’s the start of a new year, and it’s typically a time when people talk about New Year’s resolutions and commit to changing habits they have identified no longer serve them. Unfortunately, our commitments don’t stick, and if we can maintain the changes we talked about in January in March, we did better than most. […]
I don’t know about you, but 2020 isn’t ending the way I imagined it would. Truthfully, there’s very little about 2020 that I was prepared for, planned for, or was ready for. I was watching Death to 2020 on Netflix today and I had forgotten a lot of the things that happened earlier this year! […]
I was interviewed for a podcast last week and it reminded me of an experience I had where I set an intention and things didn’t work out the way I had hoped. If you checked out the podcast interview I did with Leonie Dawson that I shared in last week’s post. If you haven’t checked […]
Every time I’ve done something where I thought the chances of success are pretty slim, I’ve always been presently surprised (lottery tickets aside). 😉 It’s funny how the mind can convince you not to try something or take a risk when the worst that could happen is that you’re told no. The reality is that […]
Let’s be honest, 2020 has been a year of adapting. Things are not what they were a year ago. Whether you’re living through a lockdown right now or not, your way of life has changed significantly since this time last year. With all of the unexpected changes that have occurred since early 2020, the plans […]
I feel like a lot of my blog posts this year have been inspired by the things I have watched on Netflix. 😉 This week’s blog post is brought to you by the inspiration I received from Voices of Fire. This show features the building of a gospel choir consisting of singers from all walks of […]
I was listening to a recording of someone talking about the challenges of the lockdowns that have been taken place globally. He spoke about the fact that staying at home allows us to reflect on our surroundings. If the lockdown has offered you some time to reflect, what have those reflections revealed to you? Have […]
It’s funny that this is my second attempt at writing this post. The first working title was It’s not as hard as you think! After attempting to delete the unwanted item on the page (with zero luck), I decided to simply delete and start again. I guess the universe wanted me to put a more positive […]
I’m a Star Wars fan. The original Star wars that is, aka the middle three. Between Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi; I could watch these movies again and again and never get tired of them! They were on TV this weekend, and I couldn’t help but watch a bit. […]
This year I decided to stop saying that I’m busy. It was my “go-to” response most of the time when people would ask me how things are going. Busy seemed to sum it up pretty well. I came to the realization that busy didn’t necessarily mean that I was getting things done. So often I […]
**I’ve discovered some old posts that I saved as drafts for one reason or another, this is a post that I originally wrote on June 25, 2018. I thought it was worth sharing since I’m launching my 4X System this week! ;)** After a mediocre start to the year, I decided that I needed to […]
I watched another Netflix documentary last week that has me thinking. The Social Dilemma talks about the negative impact of social media, including its addictiveness among other issues. This film, along with The Great Hack touch on how social media has exaggerated the political divide, even intentionally. These films confirm what many of us have […]
Last week I watched Brene Brown’s film A Call to Courage. I have read and listened to a few of her books and as a fellow introvert, I always seem to connect with the message she’s sharing. I have had moments of courage in my life, but I’ve also had moments where I have chosen […]
It’s a question I asked myself this weekend. After watching Rising Phoenix on Netflix on Friday and then hearing of Chadwick Boseman’s passing on Saturday, it’s a thought that hasn’t left my mind. From hearing the stories of athletes not allowing what some perceive as a handicap to stop them or slow them down to realizing the […]
I had a conversation last week that reminded me that we often ignore our intuition because we don’t like the message. We pray or ask the universe for a sign to show you what your next step should be. Sometimes I think we forget that the sign could and often does come from within. If […]
I’ve been thinking a lot about the choices I’ve made in the past and how they’ve led me to where I am today. Some of them were done consciously, others not so much 😉 Even when I thought I didn’t have a choice, I did. Whether or not I realized it at the time is […]
I saw a meme few weeks ago and I had to share it because it talked about the importance of aligning rather than hustling. I’ve included it below 🙂 “Hustle” has been a buzz word for a while. I think I may have even invested in programs that promised to help me hustle better. Before […]
Have you ever had those days (weeks) when there seems to be a common theme or concept that keeps popping up? Maybe it’s just me… 😉 A couple of weeks ago, the thought “It’s not about you” must have crossed my mind a handful of times. Some of those times were an observation about the […]
I’ve been thinking about some of the things I’ve seen and heard in the last few weeks. I feel like what we are all being asked to step it up when it comes to compassion, empathy and understanding. I’m not sure if any real progress or meaningful change can happen without it. There seems to […]
Pivot. It’s become quite the buzz word these days as so many of us have had to adjust our plans in 2020, both personal and professional due to the Covid-19 pandemic. I’m not sure anyone was prepared for what the world has been experiencing in the last few months. I’ve seen social media posts with […]
Change tends to provoke extreme reactions. People either hate it or they love it and there are always those who don’t seem to mind one way or the other. What is it about change that causes resistance? Maybe it’s fear of the unknown, or the ripples of other changes that come with one change. Either […]
I was part of a virtual conference hosted by Canadian Small Business Women on the weekend. I hosted 2 breakout sessions where I spoke about Silencing the Peanut Gallery: how to go from being your worst critic to your biggest cheerleader. The title’s a mouthful, but I like it 😉 I shared the following picture […]
I’ve been looking for things to do that don’t involve watching the news or reading it or getting lost in social media. I’ve found 2 things that have helped and one of them might get me into trouble! The interesting thing is that the one that might get me into trouble was constantly showing me […]
As an introvert, I feel like I’ve been training for this my whole life! 😉 I know this isn’t everyone’s comfort zone, however, so I thought I’d put together a list of possible activities to help you if you’re in quarantine, self-imposed or otherwise. I should warn you that this list might have an introvert’s […]
I don’t know about you, but in the last week, I feel like I’ve been drowning in COVID-19 news. I don’t watch the news, but with social media, there’s no escaping it. By Wednesday, I didn’t even want to login to any of my social media accounts. I decided to immerse myself in some positive […]
Five years ago, Shonda Rhimes wrote a book about her year of YES. I’m all for saying yes to things that are important rather than making excuses for why they can’t be done. As I enter my 46th trip around the sun, I’ve decided to take the idea and change it up a bit and […]
I’m taking a course right now and the teacher made a good point in her introduction that got me thinking. She talks about the different types of students she encounters; there are the enthusiastic students, the readers, and the implementers. It served as a reminder that knowledge is only as good as what we do […]
I cut off cable years ago because I wanted to reduce my exposure to the news. I used to watch a 24-hour news station in the mornings while getting ready for work. After a while, I realized that between whatever the anchors were talking about and the headlines flashing at the bottom of the screen, […]
There are so many ways to do so many things these days! It can be quite overwhelming, especially when you’re feeling stuck and trying to find a way out. If you’re looking to eat healthier and do more exercise, there are probably a million methods all saying that their way gets you the best results! […]
In December I decided to do something I haven’t done since I started Embrace Your Destiny in 2009 – take a 3-week break from doing anything work related. For the sake of transparency, I was getting married on January 2nd, so it’s not like I didn’t have other things to focus my time on energy […]
It may seem like I’m a little late to the party when it comes to writing a blog post about the last decade, but I have a good reason. I’m just getting back to work after a three week holiday which included me getting married! Needless to say, I have had more than the usual […]
The end of this month will be 15 years since my father passed away. I was thinking about that this weekend and started to think about how much has changed in that time. In some ways it feels like a lifetime ago, even though I can still remember the weather the day he died. Snow […]
I can’t imagine how many books are out there about how to achieve your goals. There are so many different methods out there, each touting that they are the most effective and efficient way to plan your goals and execute them. For every method out there, however, there are those who have tried them and […]
About 20 years ago, after graduating with my undergraduate degree, I did what many new grads do – I went back to school! 😉 I often think that my certificate in dispute resolution has been one of the most useful programs I have taken to-date. There are many of the skills that I learned in […]
Sometimes when you’re feeling overwhelmed with a project or a task, the best thing you can do is walk away for a moment and clear your head. I used to struggle with this because I have a hard time letting go when I want something to work a certain way (I can’t be the only […]
The other day I found myself getting worked up over things that were completely out of my control. I had to pause and ask myself what I really hoped to accomplish. At the end of the day, I wasn’t going to create the reality I wanted, so there were two choices: 1) continue to raise […]
This weekend I let my dog Lulu’s ashes go. We’ve been talking about it since we got her cremated. We were going to take her by the water where she first ventured in and realized she loved swimming. There were a couple of times where we even said today’s the day, ventured out and totally […]
I recently published a podcast episode where I chatted with Lynne Hurdle, a conflict resolution strategist. We spoke about the fact that while many of us prefer to avoid conflict, there are opportunities to be found in its resolution. You can check out the episode here. It’s easy to get so caught up in the […]
I’ve been doing a lot of climbing in the last couple of weeks. No, I haven’t started hiking or wall climbing! We’re building a deck in our backyard and there are make-shift stairs to get us to the different levels in the meantime. Back to my climbing – I noticed that whenever I would start […]
In most of the talks I give on goals and creating the life you truly want, I discuss the importance of clarity. If you’ve attended any of my webinars or heard me speak in person, you know that I look at the path to achieving our goals like a road trip. We have to be […]
I often talk about the need for everyone, women in particular, to be more willing to ask for help. I have to admit I’m a better talker than doer when it comes to this advice. Asking for help, admitting that I can’t do it all on my own, is not something I would consider one […]
I’ve been thinking about writing this post for a while and have finally gotten around to doing it! 🙂 I’ve been doing a lot of soul searching lately. I’ve been reflecting on my life and the times where I have been frustrated, restless and unhappy. When I think back to situations in my life where […]
I’m feeling a little lighter these days and it’s not because I’ve shed any pounds lately (though it something I’m working on). 😉 So what have I done that has me a bit light on my feet these days? I’ve given myself permission to do things that feel right and light me up without inhibition. […]
I had two different conversations this week where the issue of the truth came into question. The first was about the news and struggling to fine news without bias for one side or the other. In the other conversation, I was talking about the show The Affair which inspired a blog post a few years […]
I’ll admit that I have mastered the art of avoidance. I don’t like to deal with issues that I know are going to cause discomfort. It’s taken me a long time to realize that there are always going to be people who are uncomfortable with my truth, and that’s totally okay. I’m going to be […]
A few weeks ago I saw something unfold and thought that things could have gone in a different, and more positive way if the energy was different. It was the perfect example of what can happen when two people, having a bad day connect due to unpleasant circumstances. Needless to say, it didn’t end well […]
I’ve got some big choices to make in the next month or so… Correction. I’ve made the choice, and now have to advise those impacted about the choice I’ve made. I’m pretty sure that they won’t be pleased about the choice I’ve made, which is why I’m procrastinating on sharing 😉 The funny thing is […]
I wrote the original post back in 2017 and I thought it was time to revisit it since it’s a good reminder 🙂 If you’ve been following my blog for a while, you know I’m a big fan of reviewing goals on a regular basis. If you haven’t been checking your progress on a monthly […]
I’ll admit it – I got caught up in Raptors fever. The good news is that I wasn’t yelling at the television like I used to. Instead, I paid more attention to the interviews after the game in order to understand more about the mindset of a Champion team. I can’t remember who was talking […]
I’ve been spending a lot of time in the garden recently. I never thought I’d be someone who enjoys gardening, especially since I suffer from seasonal allergies, yet here I am 😉 Over the last 2 weeks or so, I’ve been notices small trees popping up in our backyard. I decided to attack them this […]
Years ago I wrote a blog post about why I’m no longer a sports fan. It’s one of those blog post that I knew didn’t fit with my usual content, but it was something that was on my mind. While I’m not claiming to have gone back to my hard-core fan days, I will admit […]
We’ve all been there; we have a monstrous to-do list, lots of things on the go and everybody seems to need something from us. There never seem to be enough hours in the day to get half, never mind all of it done! Whenever clients to me about feeling overwhelmed there are some common causes […]
I watched the following video by Gary Vaynerchuk the other day. He was offering advice to a young entrepreneur who asked what she should do about the people who thinks she’s too young to start her own business. He said something that stuck with me, so I figured it was worth writing about. He said, […]
This isn’t a new topic for me to write about and there’s a reason for that. At the end of the day, if you don’t know where you want to go, then you won’t know what you should be going or where to get started. This lack of clarity is what leaves us with unexplained […]
Self-doubt can be one of the biggest saboteurs when it come to creating the life that we want for ourselves. If left unchecked, it can leave us feeling unworthy, unhappy and unfulfilled. If that’s not sounding like a place you want to visit anytime soon, then you have to do something to shift your thoughts […]
My inspiration for this week’s post is my Peace Lily plant. I’ve had this plant for over 5 years and I can count on one had the number of times it has blossomed and still have fingers left. About a month ago, we were re-potting plants and I decided to give the plants some fertilizer. […]
I have a confession to make. I have a problem saying no. I don’t like disappointing people. My low self-esteem and self-confidence made me a chronic people-pleaser with few boundaries. I have gotten better at setting boundaries and saying not to things. The one thing that has made a huge difference is understanding that just […]
I found a blog post that I wrote almost 8 years ago called Resistance is Futile. I was tempted to share it this week since my chosen theme was resistance, but I thought I’d go deeper with the idea instead. I felt that it was the right thing to do, since I’m still learning how […]
Goal achievement is something that we all struggle with at some point or another in our lives. Sometimes it’s a matter of feeling like there isn’t enough time to ever get it all done. Other times, we can feel like we don’t even know where to get started. Whatever the reason is, it can often […]
My dog Lulu died last Monday. She was 13 years old and started suffering from arthritis this winter. When she collapsed and couldn’t get up, I knew her time had come. That didn’t make it any better and my partner and I were devastated. It hasn’t quite been a week yet, and I’d be lying […]
I was at a networking event a few days ago where one of the topics discussed were the challenges we face as entrepreneurs. All the attendees were women and one of the issues identified was asking for help. I can relate to this both personally and professionally. I used to think I had to do […]
I was part of a discussion a couple of weeks ago and a comment was made that someone shouldn’t worry about bad things happening to them because they’re a good person. I think that’s a misconception that a lot of people have. Whether you consider yourself spiritual or religious, I think that a lot of […]
I remember growing up and hearing people say that they were surviving when asked how they were doing. To be honest, I think that I’ve said it myself when asked how I was doing. It reminds me of Adele’s song Love in the Dark; there’s a part where the lyrics say “But I want to […]
We hear so much about the importance of maintaining a positive mindset. We’re told that it’s one of the keys to a happy life. While I agree that mindset plays a huge role in our lives, I don’t think that having a mindset for success means that we’re happy all the time. I think that […]
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I think that the first time I truly grasped the concept of persistence was back in 2009. I had the opportunity to attend a full day workshop run by Bob Proctor. I learned a lot that day, but the one thing that stuck in my mind, to this day is the importance of persistence. During […]
What was the last thing that left you stuck? Do you remember how it felt to not know what the next move was? Did you give up on what you were working on or did you find a way through/under/over/around it? I don’t like not having the answers, especially when what I’m working on is […]
I don’t know about you, but when I first get the inspiration to pursue a goal, I’m on fire! It’s all I think about and that kind of laser focus can become a bit obsessive 😉 I’m talking about it with people, I’m doing things outside my comfort zone and I’m excited to make it […]
We’re at the end of January and it’s a great time to reflect on the progress you made this month. Whether you made significant progress or not, it’s important to take a look at what’s working and what isn’t working. That way you can adjust what isn’t working and leverage the things that are working. […]
I confess I am a fan of the Game of Thrones television series. I recently re-watched the entire series from the beginning because I finally convinced my significant other it was worth the watch 😉 It was cool to watch it from the start knowing what’s happened so far. I also caught some things that […]
I’ve had a few discussions in the last few months that have confirmed for me that ignorance is a choice. In a time where we can Google anything, read books online or have them read to us in the form of audio books, there is no lack of resources to educate ourselves. Regardless of the […]
I started to work on my business plan for 2019 this weekend. It might not seem like the most exciting way to spend a Saturday night, but it was for me 🙂 I’ve mapped out all that I want to do next year and it feels totally do-able! In my Jump Start Your Year workshop […]
I was watching a show on the weekend where Harry Belafonte was being interviewed. He was being asked for advice on how to be a social activist today. Of course, Mr. Belafonte has had a lot of experience as a social activist from his work during the civil rights movement to fighting apartheid in South […]
Today is the 14 year anniversary of my father’s death. If you’re new to my blog this might not mean much. If you’ve been around for a while, you know that I’m an unapologetic Daddy’s Girl and his death is what started the journey that I’m on today. In the past this has been a […]
I remember hearing a talk where the speaker was talking about traditions. They share an example of a woman who had always seen her mother cut off the ends of a roast before putting it in the baking pan and placing it in the oven. When she started making her own roasts, she prepared them […]
Since I know that there really is no such thing as a coincidence, I knew I had my subject for this week’s blog post after having conversations with 2 different groups of people where the subject of breaking a cycle came up. In both situations, the person who brought up the idea wasn’t happy with […]
Okay, we’ve got less than two months left in 2018. It’s time to get real because there are goals that you set for yourself at the start of the year and it’s never too late to check on the progress you’ve made. I know that there were probably some rough patches and things you wish […]
The other night I was thinking about situations I’ve found myself in over the years and how wrong they could have gone. I came to the conclusion that I’m still here because the work I was sent here to do isn’t complete yet. That realization comes with more questions though, doesn’t it? Specifically “what am I […]
Just like that, we’re in the final quarter of 2018! While you may be asking where the time went, now is the time to review what you accomplished in the first 3 quarters of the year. If you didn’t achieve all that you wanted to personally or professionally, the first thing to remember is that […]
I love the quote that “a rising tide lifts all boats.” There’s something about quotes that give me a visual that makes them stick with me more than others. I have been blessed to benefit from the rising tide of others and I hope that I have been able to do the same. The latest […]
The Golden Rule – Do unto others, as you would have them do onto you. It seems simple enough. Treat people the way you want to be treated. It can get complicated though can’t it? What if you don’t think that you deserve to be treated with respect in dignity? Does that then become how […]
I used to think that once I started my journey of personal development and self-awareness that life would get easier. I figured that drama would be eliminated from my life and everything would be love and light. Boy, was I wrong! This isn’t to say that there isn’t any point to personal growth and development. […]
I’ve been thinking about midlife crises lately. Maybe because I am approaching (or in?) middle age. At 43 I have friends that are suffering what some would consider a midlife crisis, and others that seem to be moving along just fine. This has me thinking about the causes of the midlife crisis and I wanted […]
I was having a conversation today that got me thinking. The subject was a conflict between a couple and the issue was that one party felt that the other one had changed. My first thought was that change isn’t necessarily a problem, so the question becomes what’s it about the change that makes it a […]
I’ve been reflecting on the death of my father recently. Probably because I’m talking about it a lot more as I chat with potential podcast guests. Losing my father was the catalyst for the journey that has brought me here. What I’m realizing now is that the experience didn’t just start my path to becoming […]
Have you ever heard that saying, “show me your friends and I’ll show you who you are?” It’s one of those saying that I used to think was just a cliché, but now as I get older, I see the truth in it. I see it not only in my own life, but in the lives of […]
I wasn’t always a planner. I think for the first 20 years of my life, most of the important decisions had been made for me. That might be why I was so lost in my final year of university when people would ask me what my plans were after graduation. I figured I’d get a […]
I’ve come to the realization that the most magical moments in life happen when we stop making everything about ourselves. When we shift our thinking from “what can I get out of this?” to “how can I be of service?” I know that we are greatly rewarded. Is it as easy as it sounds? I […]
I feel like letting go of expectations is one of my biggest challenges. To be more specific, letting go of expectations when it comes to those nearest and dearest to me. I feel like a glutton for punishment because I know better, but I just can’t seem to help myself 😉 I was looking at […]
I’m not typically one to brag, but I’m pretty proud of myself and my accomplishments over the last 6 weeks. After canceling my live event in April, I was determined not to allow it to make the first half of the year a bust. I wanted to feel like I had made significant progress and […]
I’ve been interviewing women who are interested in being guests on my upcoming podcast and I am amazed by their experiences and their willingness to share them with others. These are women who have been through some heartbreaking experiences and have survived. Not only have they survived, they have come through the other side stronger […]
I used to be proud of my ability to multitask. I could be on the phone, respond to emails and maybe even have the TV going on in the background as well. I thought that focusing on one thing at a time was the most ineffective way to work. I now know better and even […]
There’s the riddle that asks, how do you eat an elephant? The answer is one bite at a time. I think this is the same approach that we have to have when it comes to our goals. If you’ve ever worked on achieving a huge goal, you know that it doesn’t happen overnight. In fact, […]
Let’s face it – most of us know what we need to do to get closer to the achievement of our goals. It isn’t a lack of time that prevents us from doing those things; it’s a simple lack of commitment. I’ve talked about commitment before, and this probably won’t be the last time I […]
You might have noticed that my website got hacked last week. This guy had the nerve to send me on message on my Facebook Business Page notifying me that it had been done 🙁 This wasn’t the first time that it’s happened and in the past, it has been a distressing, frustrating experience. This time […]
A couple of weeks ago I had a session with Ruby McGuire. She’s a Visibility Coach. I was fortunate enough to win the session with her after she did a bundle on Visibility with the Female Entrepreneurs Association. I was excited for the session and prepared for an ass-kicking for not doing the things I […]
Let’s get things done in the next 90 days! Do you feel like you didn’t make the progress you wanted in the first quarter of 2018? It’s never too late to get focused and take action towards the achievement of your goals! This journal is designed to help you: Get clear on your goals Identify […]
We’re coming to the close of the first quarter of the year. If you haven’t checked in on your progress so far, now’s the time to do it. Tracking your progress is important to the achievement of your goals. You need to know how far you’ve come to know how much further you have left […]
Some ties are easier to cut than others. When it comes to family, there can be lots of guilt and judgement from others from making the decision to remove yourself from situation that is no longer (and maybe never has been) healthy for you. When I went to therapy after my dad died, I remember […]
I’ve noticed lately that there is a common theme in my life. Every time I think that I am done with the lesson, it manifests in another way that challenges me and tells me that there’s still more work to be done. I used to find it frustrating, now I see it as a reminder […]
I’ve been thinking about this question lately. I think that a lot of us make decisions based on what I think is an illusion of security. Whether it’s staying in a job because it pays the bills, or sticking with a relationship because of the fear of being alone, or the uncertainty of doing it […]
A couple of weeks ago I was approached by someone who was trying to run a credit card scam. From the start something didn’t seem right so I was cautious from the start. It could have been easy to fall for it because it came in the form of a potential client. There were lots […]
I love watching the Winter Olympics. Not because I care about medal counts for any country, but because I love seeing people do what they love to do, pushing themselves to do their best. It’s especially inspiring when you hear the stories of overcoming obstacles, including family tragedy and injury. I think the reason why […]
“You have to know your numbers!” I have heard this numerous times. A business coach I worked with several years ago, would repeat it so much that it may as well have been the mantra of the program I was working with her in. At the time, I didn’t get it, but now I do. […]
This weekend, Facebook shared a memory of a post that served as a great reminder that we aren’t guaranteed a certain length of time on this earth. It was an image that said “We worry about tomorrow like it’s promised.” As morbid as it may seem, the reality is that we don’t know when our […]
It seems like something so simple, but sometimes I forget. It might seem silly to think that I forget to breathe. I mean, you can’t last very long without taking a breath, right? Yet sometimes I find myself so caught up in something that I catch myself holding my breath. In the craziness of dealing […]
On Saturday I took the day off. That might not seem like a big deal, but I don’t remember the last time that I wasn’t doing “something”. Packing, unpacking, working in my business – it can feel like it never stops! I had big plans for what my day was going to be like, and […]
I’m sorry. It’s amazing how a phrase so simple can be so difficult for some of us to say. Some say it just to make the other person feel better without truly having any regret for what they’ve done. Others say it even when they did nothing wrong out of habit. Then there are the […]
About 15 years ago I complete my first 10 km run. I would love to say I ran the whole thing, but I didn’t. For me, the important thing was to complete it. I remember seeing the mark for the 9th kilometer and deciding that as tired as I was, I was going to run […]
I’m getting ready to move for the first time in almost 13 years. It’s amazing how much stuff you can accumulate in that time. I’ve started packing and my closet and cupboards have seen quite the purge and I haven’t even attacked my storage space yet! I realize that I have held on to a […]
I’ve been listening to the audio book The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck by Mark Manson. I don’t think I have laughed so much listening to a personal development book! If you can get past the crude language in the title, the book makes some very good points that have been a common […]
How many times have you said you would love to do something and followed it up with a “but…”? Whether that “but” was about money, time or help the truth is that it simply isn’t a priority at the moment. While that may seem a bit harsh at first, I know from personal experience that […]
“It’s all in my head”, is what I said to my significant other yesterday. He smiled and said, yes it is. Now I was talking about the fact that the flu that kicked my ass on the weekend felt like it had made its home in my head. He was referring to my knack for […]
I’ve been reading Brendon Bouchard’s book High Performance Habits for the past week and I feel like this book was written for me. I don’t know if you’ve ever had that experience, where someone’s describing a person and/or personality traits and you think to yourself “Hey, that’s me!” That’s the feeling I got when reading […]
Ready to get some clarity on your vision, and focus on how to make it a reality? Let’s talk! 🙂 In this 90 minute session, you will get clear about what you want, why it’s important to you so that you can identify the steps you need to take to get you there! What’s included? […]
This is a question I was asked during the retreat I attended in Majorca. To be more specific, the question was Who do you need to be in order to make your goals a reality? I think it’s a great question. So often we focus on the logical steps – if I do A and […]
It hasn’t quite been a week since I’ve been back from my trip to Spain, Majorca to be more specific. It was for Carrie Green’s (founder of the Female Entrepreneurs Association) Inspired Vacay. It was an opportunity to reflect on what’s going on in your business, where you want to be and who you need […]
I was having a conversation with a colleague the other day and she said that she was over all the positivity talk. She said that she’d rather be authentic than positive all the time, and I agreed with her. Both notions have become buzz words lately, but they are very different. The understanding that many […]
Is there something that’s been bothering you? Are you troubled by the things that you’re hearing on the news? The best thing to do in these situations is talk about it. You’ll be amazed to discover that you aren’t the only one struggling with whatever it is you’re dealing with. We might not all be […]
If you struggle with overthinking things, know that you’re not alone. We all have moments when we know what we want to do, but for some reason we can’t bring ourselves to do it. Our lack of certainty that things will work out the way that we want them to can leave us feeling stuck. […]
This bootcamp isn’t about push-ups or burpees. This is designed to help you stop overthinking things so that you can take the action you need to make your goals a reality. Easier said than done, right? Let’s be honest, there are only 24 hours in a day and no one is short of things they need to […]
I thought I was going to write about something totally different when I get ready to write this week’s post. I was going to write about perspective, and maybe I’ll write about this week. I changed my mind because I’ve been working for the past 2 hours, getting stuff done and I reflected on why […]
Do you have something, or somethings that have been sitting on your wish list for what seems like forever? The start of each New Year comes along with it the vow that this will be the year? You can’t wait for the experience to become a reality, yet something seems to always get in the […]
If you’ve ever felt stuck in the pursuit of your goals, you know how amazing it feels when you find your way through. When we achieve the kind of clarity that reminds you that it is possible, things start to come together in a way that almost feels magical. Achieving clarity sometimes takes longer than […]
The first half of 2017 has been non-stop. I had the opportunity to welcome 2017 the same way I did 2016 – on vacation. While it was tempting, I remembered how difficult it was to get back to business when we returned, so I decided not to do it this year. Instead of not being […]
Has anyone ever said or done something to you that left you feeling really bad about yourself? Of course you’ve been there, we all have. At some point or another, someone has left us feeling really crappy about ourselves. If your confidence is where we’d all like ours to be, it’s been a while since […]
My people pleasing tendencies are firmly grounded in doubts about being enough. I grew up feeling like nothing I did was good enough. I kept trying to do more, but I never could find the magic trick that would make everyone happy. If you do this for long enough, you start to think something’s wrong […]
If you’ve been following my blog for a while, you know I’m a big fan of reviewing goals on a regular basis. If you haven’t been checking your progress on a monthly or quarterly business, then it’s definitely time to check in as we wrap up the first half of the year. Since we’re coming […]
I’m having a bit of writer’s block so was debating what I was going to do this week because I didn’t want to not post anything, and then I watched this video and had to share: Let me know what your thoughts are after watching this. Are you inspired? What has the video motivated you […]
Today is the first day of my June Refresh and Recharge Challenge that focuses on creating positive daily habits for success. Preparing for this challenge has made me reflect on my own journey and having the discipline to stay consistent with the things I know keep me on track. It’s one thing to stick to […]
I’ve been thinking about what I’ve done in the past that has made me feel like I was operating at my optimum level in all areas of my life. When I’m at that level, I’m eating healthy, getting exercise and have enough energy to get the important stuff done. What I realized when I reflected […]
Have you ever felt like a plan you put together has taken a life of its own? Instead of feeling like the plan is getting you closer to the achievement of a goal, it seems to simply be an exercise in frustration. It happens to the best of us. Somewhere along the way, the focus […]
Go to school, get an education, get a job, and become successful. That’s what many of us have been told is the formula to living a happy, fulfilled life (though I guess I should throw getting married and having kids in there somewhere). For some of us, this hasn’t worked out to be the path […]
I watch the movie Minimalism: A Documentary About the Important Things this weekend. I had heard about it months ago and had never had a chance to watch it until now. If you haven’t watched it yet, I highly recommend it! If you feel like you’re on that hamster wheel always striving for more, better […]
RECAP: Facebook Live Chat on Setting Goals and Maintaining Mom...RECAP: Facebook Live Chat on Setting Goals and Maintaining Momentum with Sandra Dawes of Embrace Your Destiny. The original 60minute chat disappeared from our Facebook Page, so we created a little recap for those who missed the full live chat.
Posted by Embrace Your Destiny on Wednesday, April 26, 2017
This is a recap of a Facebook Live I did with Dwania Peele and Canadian Small Business Women. You’ll see that we did an entire hour of recording and the video disappeared 🙁 We still wanted to leave everyone with something, so here’s the recap. If you’re interested in the goal setting handout or learning […]
It’s been a month since I saw Tony Robbins in Toronto. This was the third time that I had seen him live for one of his 3-hour presentations and while there was a lot that was the same, there was one concept that stuck with me this time. When he said that we need to […]
I remember years ago listening to a recording of a talk that Louise Hay had given where she talks about setting intentions. She compared setting intentions with placing an order at a restaurant. When you place your order with the server, you don’t go into the kitchen to see how it’s being done. You place […]
This has been the year I embraced audio books. I don’t know why I didn’t get on it sooner. Maybe it’s because when it comes to books, nothing beats holding a book in my hands. The book that I recently finished listening to is Brené Brown’s Rising Strong. I related to so much of what […]
I love tools. Whether it’s a handy screwdriver or wrench or a social media scheduling app, I love tools for giving me the ability to get things done efficiently! There are so many different tools available to us. I think my best tools are the intangible ones, the one’s that help me seek light in […]
We’ve all been there. We make plans, think we’ve covered all the steps and then… Oops! The unexpected happens and the plan is not only off track, but heading in the completely wrong direction. Now we’re left feeling frustrated, overwhelmed and ready to hide under the covers. As tempting as giving up and hibernating may […]
Watching programs and seeing common themes seems to be a trend with me these days. This weekend’s theme was all about living life to the fullest. Regardless of age, people were talking about living a life of joy and happiness – a fulfilled life. Do you have things that you have wanted to do that […]
This idea for this blog post came to me like many of them do – having a thought about something and then reading articles and books that discuss the very same theme. I just celebrated my birthday and while I’m grateful for all the blessings that have come my way, I will openly admit I […]
I admit that even though I’m usually pretty focused on my goals, I still have moments of self-doubt. Just this past week I had a day where I was questioning my next move. It’s funny how there are days where one thing can make you question everything. Whenever I get in one of these moods, […]
It’s a catch phrase that’s been around for the last few years. You hear it a lot in entrepreneurial circles (or at least I have). What’s your why? This question is meant to illustrate your purpose, the reason at the root of everything you do. I haven’t always been clear on my why. If you […]
Contact: Sandra Dawes FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Tel. 416.543.8952 Email: [email protected] Date: 2/14/2017 A different kind of Career Fair […]
I watched a video of Denzel Washington making an acceptance speech at an awards ceremony, and there was a line that stuck with me. He said: Ease is a greater threat to progress than hardship. If you’re on Facebook, you can watch the video here. He knew it was an important statement, he said it […]
I heard on the radio last week that February 2nd is the day that most people give up on their diets and head to a fast-food restaurant. Establishing new, healthy habits can be challenging. I guess after 31 days or more, if you haven’t seen any benefits from trying something new, it can be tempting […]
We’re at the end of January and you may be thinking that you didn’t start the year off the way that you had hoped. Trust me, I’ve been there. It can be disheartening to feel like you haven’t started the year the way that you wanted to. The good news is that it’s not too […]
I first heard about visualizing from a recording I was given over ten years ago done by Neville Goddard. I can still remember him telling the story of a woman who wanted to visit her sister who was living somewhere by the sea. While taking the bus on her way to work, she would think […]
When I decided I was going to start my own business, the first thing I did was a business plan. I spent quite a bit of time developing the plan, including quite a bit of research and the ever so fun cash flow projection. There are several reasons why this plan, and many others I’ve […]
As we start the New Year, I thought it was the perfect time to talk about celebrating your accomplishments (again). I’ve written posts in the past about ways to get ready for the New Year or how to close out the year and celebrating our accomplishments is always something I recommend. I thought I might […]
T’is the season to review the year coming to a close and set our intentions for 2017! It’s also time to take stock of the things we want to take with us into the New Year and the things we want to leave behind in 2016. Here are a few things that I’m committing to […]
Go beyond New Year’s Resolutions this year and build a foundation for success with your goals in 2017! This is a 5 day challenge designed to help you create the mindset you need to stay focused and committed to the accomplishment of your goals in the New Year. Sign up to received daily emails with […]
I’ve been watching a lot of movies lately. Thanks to the weather we’ve been having, staying at home under the covers is the best place to be! Passion seems to be a common theme in the movies I’ve been watching. I’m not talking about passion in a sexual sense, but more in terms of what […]
I saw this post on Facebook this week that reminded me that it’s almost time to crack open my miracle jar and read all the amazing things that I wrote and put in the jar throughout the year! This is just one of the neat tools that Leonie Dawson shares in her workbooks. It’s all part of […]
Have you ever had a point in your life where it seems to practically be raining opportunities? Whether it was getting a job offer, finding something you’ve wanted for a long time on sale or reconnecting with a long lost friend, there seems to be times in our lives where the stars are truly aligned! […]
Have you ever been holding on to something for such a long time that when you finally do release it, it feels like a dam has burst? I feel like I’m going through something like this at the moment. I’ll blame it on last weeks’ Super-moon 😉 November is a reflective time of year for […]
The Jump Start Your Year Retreat wrapped up this afternoon and it turned out better than I ever imagined! Today marks the 5 year anniversary of the first workshop I ever ran. It was the Jump Start Your Year workshop. A 3 hour workshop that I hosted at a gluten-free, vegan restaurant that served the […]
We’re heading into the final stretch of 2016. If you haven’t achieved all you wanted to this year it can be easy to think that it’s too late to accomplish anything significant in the time left. The good news is that it’s not too late to end the year off with a bang! Now’s the […]
I recently joined a book club and the first book that was chosen for the group to read is Hal Elrod’s The Miracle Morning. I don’t know if you’ve ever had the experience of a book coming into your life at the right time, but it happened to me with this book. It has reminded […]
Okay, so you may think this post is a bit self-serving because I’m hosting a retreat in November, and you’d be right! 😉 Seriously, I am writing this post in the hopes that you’ll consider attending mine, but I also know that everyone can’t make it to mine. I’m sure that there are lots of […]
If there’s one thing that seems to hold us back from achieving our goals, it’s our habit of spending too much time thinking about the past. Whether it’s beating ourselves up about past mistakes or using past experiences as proof of what’s to come in the future; it doesn’t serve us. Just like spending too […]
I was catching up with a friend this weekend and the discussion touched on the idea of acceptance. We all have things in our lives that we know we don’t want anymore, but for whatever reason, we choose not to do anything about them. We have consciously or unconsciously chosen to accept something that we […]
I was talking to someone this weekend about the things that stop us from pursuing our goals and dreams. We were talking about the reasons why we’re often hesitant to take action or really commit to making our dreams a reality. I remember saying that at the end of the day, if we’re looking for […]
What do I want to accomplish? It’s a question that I find I’m asking myself a lot more these days. In my desire for more focused action, I find that I need clarity on what the end result to be when deciding what my next steps are. I find that this question is also helpful […]
In a few weeks we’ll be heading into the final quarter of 2016. If the thought of the year coming to a close is causing you a bit of anxiety, I have good news. Regardless of how much you may feel like you haven’t accomplished this year, there’s still time to make 2016 your best […]
I haven’t revisited A Course in Miracles in a while, but I was reminded of its key lesson in a video I was watching on the weekend: our thoughts and actions come from love or fear. I don’t know how many times or in how many ways this concept is mentioned in the book, but […]
Have you ever shared your dreams with someone who suggested that maybe you should be more realistic about your ambitions? Maybe those aren’t the exact words they used. Perhaps they suggested that pursuing your goals isn’t very responsible. Or they quoted statistics on failure rates to give you a realistic view of just how good […]
Last week I started reading E-Squared by Pam Grout. I just completed the third experiment of 9 and all I can say is Holy Sh#t! It’s funny that even though I’ve read books on the law of attraction, been through 2 cycles of doing the lessons in A Course in Miracles and seen proof in […]
This past weekend I thought I would go through my 2016 planning workbooks and see how many of the 100 things I wanted to accomplish this year I had actually achieved. I have to admit I was a little hesitant. I hadn’t actually looked at the list, since I wrote it 8 months ago, while […]
In the last week it’s felt like I’ve had the same conversation with different people. I’m talking about total strangers, people I’ve never met before starting conversations on the same topic. There was a time where I would have chalked it up to a strange coincidence. I know better now. It’s funny how a thought […]
I admit that for a long time I was a firm believer that if you wanted something done right, you had to do it yourself. This kind of thinking didn’t make me a very effective manager, since I delegated very little, and when I did, no one knew what to do since I hadn’t given […]
Have you ever committed to doing something and then later thought “what was I thinking?” I found myself in this position over a week ago. Things have been a bit hectic in my life the last few months and I haven’t been as diligent about writing things down as I usually am. When I received […]
Big dreams don’t happen overnight. Even those things that seem like overnight successes have deep roots that started to grow long before we ever saw the first leaf. The key is to make sure that the soil we plant our seeds in gives them what they need to grow and flourish. For our goals, it’s […]
Contributor to The Huffington Post. Whenever I saw this in someone’s bio, I always thought to myself, “wow, that’s pretty cool, I wonder how they did that?” For some reason, I chose to look at this accomplishment as something that only a chosen few could do. Was it something that I wanted to accomplish? Absolutely; yet […]
When I was a child I used to hear that I should be grateful for what I have. I always interpreted that to mean that I should be satisfied enough with what I had that I shouldn’t want more. The understanding was that wanting more meant that I wasn’t happy with all that I already […]
As someone who knows overthinking well, I’m pretty good at playing the “what if?” game. You know the one I’m talking about – the one where you ask yourself the following questions: “What if people think I’m crazy?” “What if things don’t go the way I want them to?” “What if they laugh at me?” […]
We’re heading into the second half of the year. They say time flies when you’re having fun – to be honest I think it goes by quickly whether you’re enjoying it or not! It may be tempting to think that if you haven’t done anything with your goals by now, there’s no point in getting […]
Is there something that you know will have an impact on the achievement of your goals, but for whatever reason you just can’t bring yourself to do it? So much has been said about the need to step outside your comfort zone in the pursuit of your goals. We know what we could do to […]
I watched the movie Race on the weekend. It’s the story of Jesse Owens and his journey to the Berlin Olympics in 1936. Whether you know much about the Jesse Owens story or not, I highly recommend this movie! I love watching movies based on true stories because there are always so many lessons in […]
I’m re-reading Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill. The first time I read this book I was inspired to quit my job and write the book I’d been talking about for years. When the challenge for the month of June in a group I’m a part of included reading the book, I jumped at […]
Lorem Ipsum is simply dummy text of the printing and typesetting industry. Lorem Ipsum has been the industry’s standard dummy text ever since the 1500s, when an unknown printer took a galley of type and scrambled it to make a type specimen book. It has survived not only five centuries, but also the leap into […]
Lorem Ipsum is simply dummy text of the printing and typesetting industry. Lorem Ipsum has been the industry’s standard dummy text ever since the 1500s, when an unknown printer took a galley of type and scrambled it to make a type specimen book. It has survived not only five centuries, but also the leap into […]
Lorem Ipsum is simply dummy text of the printing and typesetting industry. Lorem Ipsum has been the industry’s standard dummy text ever since the 1500s, when an unknown printer took a galley of type and scrambled it to make a type specimen book. It has survived not only five centuries, but also the leap into […]
Lorem Ipsum is simply dummy text of the printing and typesetting industry. Lorem Ipsum has been the industry’s standard dummy text ever since the 1500s, when an unknown printer took a galley of type and scrambled it to make a type specimen book. It has survived not only five centuries, but also the leap into […]
Join me for a 5 Day Challenge designed to help you move your goals from dreams to reality! This challenge is for you if: You feel like you’ve lost momentum with your goals There never seem’s to be enough time to get it all done Something’s holding you back from taking action You lack support […]
Have you ever had moments where it seems like the stars have aligned and amazing opportunities simply flow to you? Do you remember what you did that allowed that to happen? Were you on the brink of giving up on whatever it was you were working on, or were you still excitedly optimistic? In my […]
If you haven’t figured it out my now, these weekly posts sometimes serve as my confessional. This week, I’m going to talk about one of my fears. As a coach, of course I know that my fears are illusions, stories I’ve told myself based on something that has either happened to me or someone else, […]
Have you ever been out in different social circles and wondered how it’s possible they’re all taking about the same things? Lately, I’ve been meeting people who all have one main focus in their lives right now – making it simpler! Maybe it’s because of my age (41) that more of my friends and colleagues […]
This weekend I watched a video with Idris Elba in it. I’ve included the link because it is definitely worth the watch. In it, he’s asking strangers what they want to be when they grow up. Some laugh, some seem surprised by the question. After a while though, they start to share their dreams. It […]
Have you ever been in a situation where you start to feel like you’ve been bamboozled? It’s not a nice place to be – feeling like someone has taken advantage of you. In situations like this, it’s easy for some of us to express how we feel, stand up for ourselves and attempt to make […]
I’ve been working on a program for goal achievement that I am looking for clients to test out for me. This program is based on the system I used to quit my job, start a career as a public speaker and write the first draft of my book within six-weeks! If you have goals that […]
I remember the first time a saw a meme with this saying, I thought it was funny. The more I saw it, the more it became a motto, a mantra even. It’s funny how this saying made me aware of how many times I have allowed myself to get caught up in drama that really […]
In this time of smartphones and social media, I think that there are many of us who find it hard to just be. There’s so much to do. Busyness has become a badge of honour. Many think that if you’re not busy, if you’re schedule isn’t jam packed, you’re not being productive. Unfortunately, many of […]
We’re coming to the close of the first quarter of 2016. If you haven’t checked in on your progress so far, now’s the time to do it. Tracking your progress is important to the achievement of your goals. You need to know how far you’ve come to know how much further you have left to […]
I watched a TED Talk today that spoke about what makes a good life. The talk is based on a research study on Adult Development that spanned over 75 years. **SPOILER ALERT**: The findings show that having positive, supportive relationships are the key to happiness. I’m sure this isn’t a surprise for many of us. […]
If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. I’ve not only heard it said, I’m pretty sure I’ve uttered those words myself. While I understand that reinventing the wheel is a futile exercise, I don’t believe that it means that we can’t do something about enhancing its performance. Besides, not every wheel serves the same purpose, […]
I think that the problem most of us have when it comes to our dreams is that we think that’s all they are meant to be. That belief, that some, if not all or dreams are meant to be just that is a false one. I believe that our dreams are meant to inspire us, […]
Do you know what it’s like to be “One” with the universe? To be in harmony with everything that exists and in total alignment with your surroundings. This is one of life’s greatest blessings and now, today you can learn how to do it. And believe me, this is something which everyone should experience, at least once in their lives. […]
There was a time when I was interviewing for jobs that I would say working well under pressure as one of my strengths. As an entrepreneur, I am realizing that this isn’t true! Here are 3 ways that I think stress is holding us back from success: Stress affects our health in negative ways When […]
I’m reading Napoleon Hill’s book Outwitting the Devil and I am getting lots of great nuggets of wisdom. Some of it reminds me of his book Think and Grow Rich, especially when he talks about definiteness of purpose. I know from personal experience that when we have definiteness of purpose, our goals become a reality. […]
It’s the end of the first month of the year. How are you doing on those goals? I’m not saying you have to have completed any of them, thirty-one days into the year. What I’m asking is whether or not you’ve made any progress towards your goals in the last month. If you’ll already feel […]
Have you ever had that nagging feeling of discontent? You know the one. It doesn’t seem to go away regardless of how much retail therapy or tropical getaways you experience. Some of us resign ourselves to the belief that this is what life is. Some believe that we must just accept that life isn’t perfect […]
Did you accomplish all the goals you wanted to in 2015? If you didn’t, do you know why? Poor planning, lack of accountability, and not taking action are all reasons why we don’t achieve the goals we set for ourselves, but isn’t there more to it? More often than not, the reason we don’t succeed […]
I’ve been in Jamaica for almost 2 weeks now. Taking 3 weeks off will make this the longest vacation I’ve ever taken. I’ll admit I had some hesitation about taking this much time off even though 2015 was such a busy year and I kept saying I needed to unplug for a while (of course […]
I was at the beach yesterday watching cruise ships in the distance. It made me think of how crazy it is that these hotels on water stay afloat. While I know that there’s a scientific explanation for how something carrying thousands of people and their belongings can stay afloat, it was a nice reminder of […]
We’re only a few days away from the end of 2015 and the start of a new year. A New Year always brings with it the promise of a fresh start, a new beginning. Whether you make New Year’s resolutions, set intentions or make promises to do things differently in 2016, how are you going […]
In the last week I’ve colored AND painted for the first time in decades! I’ve got to admit, I didn’t imagine it would be as much fun as it has been. I found myself getting lost in activities that I wouldn’t have even considered doing even a year ago. It seems to have lit a […]
We hear so much about distracted driving these days. Texting and speaking on our phones (without headsets, etc.) are the offenses most talked about. I believe that there are other distractions that we should consider, whether we’re operating a car or simply crossing the street as a pedestrian. I have been in three major car […]
Last week I got my alignment done on my car. I knew it was off and it was driving me nuts. What a difference it makes when you don’t have to constantly be adjusting for the misalignment! It was a nice reminder of how important it is to work on our own alignment in all […]
I had an experience several days ago that could have left me questioning my worth, and yet it didn’t. This isn’t to say that it didn’t leave me sad, it did; just not for the reasons it once would have. I was sad because a judgement was being made that wasn’t based in fact. Instead, […]
Have you ever watched the show The Affair? I know the title may be a turn off for some, but for some reason I decided to check it out. What can I say? My curiosity got the best of me! This post isn’t about the actors’ performances, or the actual plot line itself. I want […]
The TEDxToronto event was almost 2 weeks ago and there’s a concept that was shared that just won’t leave my mind. In J Paul Nadeau’s talk, he shared how treating everyone he encounters with dignity and respect saved his life while he was training police officers in the Middle East. I can’t help but wonder […]
Join us on Friday November 6 for a spectacular journey through time with acoustic sounds and traditional Indian musical Instruments! Featuring: * Special Performance from the students of Raj Academy * An Introduction to The Revival Project * An exhibition of music, artwork, books and more Location: Lester B. Pearson Theatre | 150 Central Park […]
I had the opportunity to attend Thursday’s TedxToronto talk at the Royal Conservatory of Music. It was an amazing day full of powerful insights and sharing from the speakers. Here’s what I took away from the day and the speakers. Let go of the story of me and embrace the idea of me. Our story […]
Have you ever looked at someone else’s life and thought that they were lucky? Whether it was because of the relationship they were in or the material things they had, you considered their life to be a truly blessed one. If you’ve ever had the opportunity to talk to someone who appears to “have it […]
It’s Thanksgiving weekend in Canada. Of course there is always so much to be grateful for. We sometimes forget to express gratitude for all that we have because we’re so caught up in day-to-day life. For many of us, it’s easier to think in terms of what we don’t have, what we’re still working towards, rather […]
Have you ever found yourself in a challenging situation wondering how you go there in the first place? For me, the answer usually lies in the fact that I didn’t trust my intuition and said yes to something I should have said no to. I know that I can’t be the only one that’s fallen […]
In August I started my third cycle of the 40 Day Prosperity Plan based on The Abundance Book by John Randolph Price. Each time I’ve done the program outlined in the book I have benefited. Whether it’s been a shift in my mindset as far as abundance and prosperity are concerned, or actually experiencing an […]
You may think from the title, that this is another post about the importance of persistence. That’s not what I want to talk about. I want to talk about never giving up on the existence of good in the world. This is about not losing faith regardless of how dark things may seem. It’s about […]
Wayne Dyer passed away in the night on August 29, 2015. I was saddened to hear of his death, but I know that this isn’t the end of his legacy. His words, whether in seminars or in the many books that he has written have touched lives all over the world, mine included. I don’t […]
I was hired to write a speech for someone the other day and the topic was how to unleash your authentic power. My client wanted me to include stories of inspirational women. As I looked up quotes and anecdotes about women who I consider inspiring, I realized that these women were a reflection of me! […]
We all have days that we feel uninspired and unmotivated at work. We sometimes feel like what we do isn’t important, or doesn’t make a difference. The reality is that we can’t all work for an NGO in an impoverished part of the world. The truth is that we don’t have to make headlines in […]
We all have goals that we are working towards. Some days, it’s easier to jump out of bed and hit the road running than others. On the days when we’re feeling less than motivated, much less inspired, how do we get going? Sure, it’s okay to have one off day. On the days when we’re […]
These last few months feel like they have been non-stop. Contract work, workshops, family visiting and day-to-day chores had me feeling like there was never going to be enough hours in a day to get things done. I was burning the midnight oil on almost a nightly basis and it began to take a toll […]
I was listening to India Arie’s song The Truth the other day. I love this song. The words are so beautiful, and if you’ve been in a relationship or are in one, you can feel them in your soul. The words that stood out to me today were these: If I am a reflection of […]
We hear so much about Millennials and how entitled this generation is. I’ll admit I’ve had moments where I’ve believed this to be an issue with “kids these days”. As I give it more thought however, I realized that this is an issue that began long before this generation was probably even born! I remember […]
I don’t often comment on recent events on my blog or social media. While I enjoy having chats with friends and colleagues on a personal level, I’ve always been a bit wary of getting on my soapbox. I believe we all have the right to choose to live our lives the way that we want […]
I’d like to thank Dwania Peele for inviting me to be a part of I C Publishing’s Summer Blog Tour 2015. If you don’t know Dwania, she is the Owner and Executive Director of Canadian Small Business Women, a company soon-to-be the number one provider of business resources for women who are current or aspiring […]
I watched the movie Unfinished Business on the weekend. I won’t give too much of the movie away in this post. If you haven’t seen it and need some inspiration and motivation, you should definitely watch it! This movie made me think about things in my own life that I’ve left undone or incomplete. So […]
Have you ever been working towards a goal and been discouraged by many setbacks? Believe me, I’ve been there. I was actually there last week. A few weeks before that, I felt the melancholy setting in. I knew that I had to do something and went to what I know best in these situations – […]
I’m reading David Schwartz’s The Magic of Thinking Big right now and I love his concept of excusitis. This is the affliction of constantly making excuses for why you can’t do the things you want to do in life. Many of you know that I like to refer to myself as a recovering excuse maker, […]
We here “forgive and forget”, but I wonder if that is really ever possible. I know that it is possible to forgive, but how do we forget? I don’t think they’ve mastered the mind swipe, so how do we forget the hurts of the past? This is something that I have struggled with in the […]
Have you ever had the same experience happen to you more than once? After it happens more than twice, my first thought used to be “why is this happening to me?” Now I know better. I now know that when a negative experience shows up in my life more than once, I didn’t learn the […]
I’m so glad to be back to a daily reading habit! I’ve forgotten how powerful it is to read a book that is designed to share wisdom and inspire on a regular basis. I’m grateful that the 90 Day Mental Fitness Challenge has reintroduced this positive habit into my life. One of the great reminders […]
I started Life Leadership’s 90 Day Mental Fitness Challenge last Monday. I made the decision to do it for two reasons: 1) I knew I could do with a little personal spring cleaning of the mind and 2) to get a full understanding of what the challenge is all about so I can use it […]
When we are kids, we imagine what our lives are going to be like when we grow up. As we get older, most of our aspirations for the future become more “realistic”. We’re expected to have our future figured out by the time we’re ready to complete high-school. If you’re like me, you were told […]
I’m excited about starting my 90 Day Mental Fitness challenge in a few weeks. From what I’ve seen from the 7 Day preview, it covers mindset as well as reviewing daily habits that will keep you focused and moving steadily towards the achievement of whatever you want to accomplish. I know from experience that positive […]
When I was younger, I didn’t really understand the concept of spring cleaning. Housework never excited me, so the idea of doing even more at a particular time of year just seemed like torture! As a “grown-up” I understand the importance of spring cleaning, especially since my organizational skills are pretty much the same as […]
There was a time when I wanted things to be perfect. I wanted the perfect career, the perfect relationship, a perfect version of myself. When I was at a retreat a few weeks ago and the issue of striving for perfection came up, it made me wonder, what is perfection? Whose definition of the word […]
I turn 40 in a few days and it has made be reflect on the last 10 years of my life. I know that many people don’t look forward to turning 40, but I’m excited to see what this next decade has in store for me! My 30s started off on a pretty sour note. […]
I went to a workshop facilitated by Heather Ramsey this weekend. It was all about re-wiring for success – shifting mindset and learning tools for more effective goal setting. We had to choose a goal to achieve in the next 90 days and then rate on a scale of 1 to 10 how much we […]
I never used to think I was controlling. I’ve never felt like I was the type of person who could exercise much influence over people much less control them in any way. It was maybe 5 or 6 years ago that a conversation with someone who didn’t know me at all put things into perspective. […]
I was having some technical difficulties this weekend. My Internet was acting up and I was really trying to access a particular site. I spent (wasted) a good amount of time fighting with this site, my computer and the Internet, trying to make it work. It finally dawned on me that what I was trying […]
Have you ever seen the movie Groundhog Day with Bill Murray? If you haven’t, the premise of the movie is that Bill Murray’s character is stuck in a perpetual Groundhog Day. Every morning is February 2 and despite his many efforts, he can’t seem to break the loop. If you haven’t seen the movie, I’m […]
I watched two movies this weekend: Unbroken and Selma and they both really put things into perspective for me. It can be so easy to get caught up in our personal drama. We allow it to be the sun that our world revolves around. If we aren’t careful, we can let it break our spirit, defining […]
I am constantly amazed at the fact that no matter how different we all seem from each other, there is so much of our experiences that are similar if not the same. Regardless of age, race, ethnicity or any other classification that differentiates us, there is so much that we all have in common. We’ve […]
In the last week, I’ve seen a lot of posts and read articles on the need for women to be more supportive of one another. While the stereotype may be that all women are nurturing, it doesn’t always seem to play out that way in real life does it? Whether we’re questioning one another’s fashion […]
As we head into the first full week of the New Year, I know that this is a time where many of us are getting ready to establish new habits in different areas of our lives. The start of a New Year provides us with a clean slate, a reason to implement new routines and […]
This is the fifth and final post in the 5 Keys to Making Your Goals a Reality blog series. I figured it would be worthwhile to recap the first four keys: Clarity on your goals Silencing the peanut gallery Having faith Creating a plan The fifth key is all about putting the plan into action. […]
We’re at the forth key to making your goals a reality. Here’s a recap of the first 3 keys: Clarity on your goals Silencing the peanut gallery Having faith The forth key to making your goals a reality is creating the plan. I’m sure we’ve all heard it said that a goal without a plan […]
Better late than never! Here’s the third installment in my latest blog series on the 5 Keys to Making Your Goals a Reality. The third key to making your goals a reality is having faith. I’m not talking about faith in terms of any particular religion. I’m referring to faith in terms of believing in […]
We’re in the second week of my blog series on the 5 Keys to Making Your Goals a Reality. It’s one of my favourite topics that I actually dedicate an entire talk to. For those of you who may be unfamiliar with the term, when I talk about the peanut gallery, I’m talking about a […]
If you’ve been to one of my talks, or listened to a webinar I’ve done, then you’ve probably heard about my 5 Keys to Making Your Goals a Reality. These keys are concepts that I have put into practice in my own life and they have helped me achieve goals that I had only talked […]
November 26 will mark a decade since my father passed away. In some ways it feels like a lifetime ago. So much has changed since that day. Recently I’ve been talking a lot about legacy. Asking clients and attendees at workshops and talks I give to think about the legacy they want to leave behind. I […]
I just facilitated my third Jump Start Your Year workshop. Back in 2011 I decided that my first live workshop would be around goal setting. I think it’s something that we’ve all struggled with at one point or another. We have all these dreams for our lives, but making them a reality can sometimes seem […]
I was at a small business expo this weekend and did a presentation on goal setting. One of the things that I always share with people is the importance of surrounding yourself with positive people who are going to support you in the pursuit of your goals. When I mentioned this, someone asked a really […]
My experiences have taught me that it isn’t about how much time you have; it’s about what you do with it. How many times have you said that you would love to do something, but you just don’t have enough time? The truth is that we make time for the things that are important to […]
A colleague of mine told me about Napoleon Hill’s book Unwitting the Devil months ago, and a few weeks ago finally bought it. I started reading it on Monday, and I’m already half way through it. If you haven’t read it yet, I highly suggest it. I admire Napoleon Hill’s ability to share his wisdom […]
I was spending time with a family member this weekend and found myself defending some of the choices I have made in my life. I don’t know about you, but I have always found it an exhausting exercise in futility to explain one’s life choices to people who simply “don’t get it”. If there’s one […]
I watched the documentary I am Ali this weekend. Not that I needed a reminder of the awesomeness of Muhammad Ali, but this movie definitely reinforced it for me. How can you not admire someone whose conviction in his beliefs and in himself is so strong? He had his boxing license and heavyweight championship title […]
The other day while walking my dog I saw a woman headed towards me. She had a bag in each hand and they seemed heavy, based on how she was carrying them. For some reason, it made me thing about how we often carry the baggage of the past with us wherever we go, regardless […]
If there’s one thing I’ve learned from reading the stories of successful people and personal experience, it’s that consistent effort pays off every time. If you want to make something happen, it’s going to take daily effort. It’s not something that you do when you feel like it, or when you have time. You do things […]
I had the honour of being part of a Global Women’s Peace Summit on the weekend and I had the most amazing time. The women present were awesome and the speakers shared stories that so many of us could relate to. I love it when men and women come together to work towards a common […]
Have you ever had your inner knowing tell you that you should do something and you ignore it? Has that ever worked well for you? I know from my own personal experience that there have been times when I’ve know what I ought to do, but for whatever reason (comfort, fear), I didn’t take action. […]
Earlier this week I was challenged to share the 10 books that have inspired me most in my life. Up to the challenge, I began my list. I soon realized that limiting the list to 10 was going to be more difficult than I thought! Here is my list of top 10 books that have […]
It’s that time of year again. The last long weekend of the summer and kids are back in school tomorrow. I remember when I was going to school, my mother always started to get me into my school routine – going to bed early and waking up early. I used to think my mom was […]
I’m a big scaredy cat. My list of fears isn’t based on logic, but they exist nonetheless. Heights, water, the unknown, unfriendly animals with big teeth… the list goes on. I’m sure this post could be sorely based on the things that have the power to give me sleepless nights! This summer I decided (aka […]
You’ve got a deadline and there’s a lot to do to make sure you meet it. It’s just as you near the finish line that the proverbial stuff hits the fan and you’re wondering how you’ve ended up in the middle of what feels like the perfect storm! While it can be easy to get […]
Authenticity and integrity seem to be buzz words these days, but what does it really mean to have integrity? No one’s perfect, right? I checked online, and Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary defines integrity as: firm adherence to a code of especially moral or artistic an unimpaired condition the quality or state of being complete or undivided For […]
If you didn’t make as much progress with your goals for the year thus far, you might be feeling like 2014 is a wash. Many of us start the year promising that things are going to be different this time. We going to stay committed to managing our time better, being kinder to others and […]
In all the lessons I’ve learned thus far, the one that has challenged me the most is that of faith. I’ve had moments where I was full of faith, and other times where I struggle to surrender. Letting go and letting God is not something that comes easily to me. I jokingly call myself a […]
This week’s blog post is a contribution to the I C Publishing Summer Blog Tour. If you’ve ever thought of writing a book, or are in the midst of writing one, I suggest you check out the other entries! I think you’ll find that even though the nature of our books differ, there are a […]
I was watching the Brazil/Germany World Cup match on Tuesday, and it reminded me of why I have worked on releasing my emotional attachment to outcomes. Well, as far as sporting events are concerned anyway! 😉 I used to be a big sports fan. Growing up, I watched all kinds of sports with my dad; […]
I watched The Angriest Man in Brooklyn on the weekend. I won’t give too much of the plot away, but the Robin Williams’ character is told that he has a brain aneurysm and that he has 90 minutes to live. The rest of the movie is about what this man does with the limited time […]
Confession time – I used to be a cynical teen (surprise, surprise). I believe the quote I shared in one of my high school yearbooks was: “If at first you don’t succeed, give up, there’s no sense in making a fool of yourself!” Needless to say, this isn’t the kind of motto I live by today, […]
I was listening to Robin Sharma’s webinar on “Automatic Fearlessness” a few days ago, and I was reminded of the importance of living in the moment. The ability to simply relish in the now and not have any thoughts or worries about the past or the future is something many of us simply don’t spend […]
A few days ago my phone stopped making sounds. I could still hear others and others could hear me, but as far as alerts and ringtones were concerned? Nothing. I refused to take this as a sign that it’s time to upgrade my phone (though popular opinion seems to think otherwise 😉 ). Instead, I […]
It’s a question we hear often. Whether it’s reconnecting with a friend after a long time, or seeing how quickly a niece or nephew is growing up, we are frequently reminded that time is passing by, regardless of what we’re doing with it! Where does the time really go anyway? If you’re like me, there […]
This past weekend was a long weekend here in Canada. Since becoming an entrepreneur, I’ve found it challenging at times to give myself permission to “take the day off”. When you’re the only one responsible for whatever income you generate, time takes on a completely different meaning. There is no such thing as a 9-5 […]
I just finished the 40-day program from The Abundance Book by John Randolph Price. It isn’t the first time that I’ve done the program, but everything made a lot more sense this time. It just reminded me that sometimes we have to hear the message more than once. Not to mention that it’s been a […]
As a recovering people-pleaser, there was a time when I didn’t feel like I had many choices in life. More correctly, that I had only one choice – do what I want or make someone else unhappy. Living like this can be exhausting! All the people in your life are never happy all at the same […]
The beginning of April marked 1 year since I submitted my resignation letter and decided to pursue my coaching practice on a full-time basis. It’s been an interesting year, much like a roller coaster ride – highs and lows, and never a dull moment. Here are 5 truths I’ve experienced since I decided to let […]
If you’ve ever been in love, then you know how heartbreaking it is when the one you love doesn’t love you back. You would do anything to get them to notice you, recognize how much you love them and how good you would be to them. Regardless of your efforts, however, they don’t even seem […]
What are you willing to do to make your dreams a reality? In all the success stories I’ve heard, sacrifice is always a part of the journey. I know from personal experience that in order to make our dreams a reality, we have to give up some things. Whether it’s changing habits and behaviours or […]
Comparing things has a purpose, a definite usefulness in our lives. Like anything, however, it can be used in a helpful way or in a destructive one. If we’re talking about comparing prices, or quality of an item when making a purchase, that’s helpful. When we start comparing our progress, growth and success to others, […]
I’ve never been very good at asking for help. Even when I was in management positions, I found it difficult to delegate tasks. I guess the mindset that “if you want something done right, you have to do it yourself” has always stuck with me. It took unmanageable stress, overwhelm and frustration for me to […]
I’ve been thinking a lot about the notion of taking decisive action. I agree that there are circumstances where I’ve benefited from taking decisive action. Times where, had I over-thought the situation, I would have lost out on an amazing opportunity. I can also think of times where decisive action didn’t serve me very well […]
I’m going to admit from the start that I am a recovering worrier. It’s taken a lot of hard work, and there have been the occasional relapse, but I am working to release worry from my life permanently. Will it ever happen? I’m hopeful. The problem is those projects, relationships, whatever, that we invest our […]
Years ago, at one on my jobs, I did one of those personality tests that we’ve all done in some form or another, as a prelude to a team building workshop that the staff was going to do. What made this even more special was the fact that the facilitator thought it would be interesting […]
They say that talking to yourself is a sign of insanity. I know I’ve been known to have conversations with myself out loud (hey, I didn’t grow up with siblings, okay?), but I’ve never thought of myself as crazy. To be honest, it’s the self-talk that goes on in my head on a regular basis […]
I’m a little reflective this week as I get closer to my birthday, my last one in the 30’s! I have to admit, I don’t feel like I’m going to be 39. I’m sure some would say that there are times when I don’t act my age either! 😉 The 30’s have been an interesting […]
I’ve been told many times that I am a patient person. When it comes to my business, however, I don’t feel very patient. I’ve read the stories, watched the biographies, and in theory, understand that there’s no such thing as an overnight success. I’m not looking for overnight success; I’m just looking for 4 to […]
Beliefs are interesting things. We often treat our beliefs as if they are fact. We don’t question them, or their origins, even when there’s something inside of us that doesn’t feel in total alignment with them. Our beliefs come from many sources: family, religion, ethnicity, education and others. When our beliefs are tied to longstanding […]
After watching The Secret I remember thinking to myself that the key to my happiness was to think happy thoughts. Since my mind wasn’t full of those kinds of thoughts at the time, I was on the hunt for them. I was sending emails with smiley faces and chanting “happy, happy, happy” when all I […]
I had a session at a local youth shelter today where I volunteer, and the topic of discussion was how to turn our weaknesses into strengths. Someone asked me what I thought one of my weaknesses was and I shared that sometimes I feel that I’m too trusting. I also said that I consider trust […]
Selfish. I don’t know about you, but it’s a title that I have tried to avoid like the plague for a great deal of my life. Of course, I know that I have selfish tendencies (don’t we all?), but for the most part I considered myself a giver, a people pleaser. However, there was a […]
So we’ve just passed the mid-way point of the first month into the New Year. How is the progress on the goals you set for yourself going? You might have committed to a new exercise regime, growing your business or eating healthier, but are you doing it? It’s so easy to fall back into old […]
I want to hear from you! Please fill out the survey below and help me understand how to best serve you! Everyone who completes the survey will have a chance to win a copy of my book Embrace Your Destiny: 12 Steps to Living the Life You Deserve! in paperback or e-book format. Thank you for your […]
Confession time! I haven’t always had the greatest start to my New Year. I’m sure you can relate. The New Year starts off full of promise. Things are going to be different. All old habits are getting kicked to the curb and shiny new habits that are going to get me where I want to […]
So here we are at the beginning of a new year. Whether you’ve made New Year’s resolutions or have stated your intentions for the New Year or have simply promised yourself that “this year is going to be different”, we all know that things don’t always go as planned. Just as we break promises to others, […]
I’ve got some exciting news for you today! You can now get instant access to 100s of downloadable self help gifts at NO COST. Yep, you heard me right…for FREE! All you have to do is go here: http://selfimprovementgifts.com/go/803 So, if you have found yourself going round in circles time and time again just trying […]
Can you believe that there are just 3 more days left in 2013? How’s your plan for 2014 going? If you haven’t started yet, don’t worry, there’s still time! You don’t have to plan out your entire year right now if that seems overwhelming. Try starting out with a plan for the first 90-days of the […]
My dad would have been 74 years old today. I can’t believe it’s been 9 years since he passed away! I mentioned this fact to someone last week as we talked about my book launch and my decision to have the party on his birthday. Since the number 9 is considered the number of completion, it […]
**FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE** EDITORS: For review copies or interview requests, contact: Marketing Services Tel: 1-877-407-4847 Fax: 812-961-3133 Email: pressreleases(at)balboapress(dot)com (When requesting a review copy, please provide a street address.) Sandra Dawes’ launches new book on her father’s birthday ‘Embrace Your Destiny’ paves way to better, happier life MISSISSAUGA, Ontario
As we head into the last few weeks of 2013, I’ve got 2 “must-do’s” that I need to attend to before the start of the New Year. The first is to fine tune my plan for 2014, especially the first 90 days. The second is to sit down and review all that I have accomplished […]
How often have you not completed something or completed it and not shared it with the world because you felt it wasn’t perfect? We often don’t realize that we’re more critical of ourselves than anyone else can be. We fear the criticism of others so much that it often stops us from being our authentic […]
November has been a jam packed month for me! What’s crazy is that, even though I have been going non-stop I feel good about all the running around I’m doing. Why? Because I know that all that I’m doing this month is working towards a specific goal. I’m sure we’ve all had days/weeks/months where we’re […]
This is the final post in the book launch series. As I say in the book, I saved the best for last! Forgiveness has been one of my toughest lessons in my journey. The realization that forgiveness has nothing to do with the other person and everything to do with me, helped me to understand […]
We’re almost at the end of this blog series! This post is written by Jyoti Nebhnani, and covers the theme of the eleventh chapter of my upcoming book. Learning how to keep the faith through difficult times can be challenging, however it’s when we need faith the most. When I lost my faith in myself […]
This is an excerpt from the chapter on “Stepping Outside Your Comfort Zone” from my upcoming book “Embrace Your Destiny: 12 Steps to Living the Life You Deserve”. Taking risks, trying new things – it can be scary, but when we don’t open ourselves up to new experiences we’re often left with a lot of […]
Here is the next post in the book launch series for my upcoming book “Embrace Your Destiny: 12 Steps to Living the Life You Deserve!” Constantly overthinking my decisions and choices in life has caused me to miss out on opportunities and waste a lot of time. We often know what we ought to do, […]
This is an excerpt from the eighth chapter of my book Embrace Your Destiny: 12 Steps to Living the Life You Deserve. Letting go of the need or desire to judge others can be a challenge, but it is necessary if we want to truly be able to live in the moment and realize all that […]
Learning not to take things personally has been one of my biggest challenges and why I had to include it as a chapter in my upcoming book Embrace Your Destiny: 12 Steps to Living the Life You Deserve. It’s amazing how easy it is to think every negative remark is a subtle (or overt) dig […]
This is an excerpt from the sixth chapter of my upcoming book Embrace Your Destiny: 12 Steps to Living the Life You Deserve. Wayne Dyer says that when you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change. I know that this isn’t just a nice inspirational quote, but the Truth. […]
Rediscovering my joy was a challenge after my father passed away. There were times when I wondered if I would ever truly know joy again. I am grateful that I never completely gave up hope and was able to find joy and happiness in my life again. It is possible, we just have to want […]
Today I’ve decided to share an excerpt from the chapter of the same title in my soon to be released book “Embrace Your Destiny: 12 Steps to living the life you deserve”. I hope you enjoy it! Please feel free to comment and leave feedback 🙂 ~ Sandra Chasing – it’s something we have fun […]
This is the third installment in my book launch blog series. You are not alone is the third chapter in my book and one of my most important lessons. Feeling like you’re all alone in this world can be a frightening thought. When we don’t believe that anyone is there to support us through difficult […]
Today’s blog post is written by Angelika Baum. The topic: Taking Responsibility for Your Life is the theme for the second chapter of my upcoming book Embrace Your Destiny: 12 Steps to Living the Life You Deserve. It isn’t always easy to admit that we are responsible for the circumstances and conditions in our lives, […]
Welcome to the first installment of the blog series in preparation for my upcoming book! Each post relates to the theme of a chapter in my book. Today’s post by Joy Lampkin, covers the first chapter of the book – The Importance of Self-Love. Our relationship with ourselves defines the relationship we have with others. […]
Starting next week (October 7) I will be starting a guest blog series. Each post will cover the theme of a chapter in my upcoming book Embrace Your Destiny: 12 Steps to Living the Life You Deserve. I hope that you will enjoy the posts and check out the blogs of the guest authors 🙂 […]
Have you ever experienced someone telling you they’re going to do something for you and it doesn’t happen? If you have, you know that the feeling of disappointment and being let down don’t leave you all warm and fuzzy. If you’re been the one who wasn’t able to fulfill your promise, you know that there […]
I will be at the Tathaastu Mind, Body & Soul Wellness Expo September 13th, 14th and 15th. I will be speaking on Sunday September 15th at the event from 12 to 1pm. The subject will be Silencing the Peanut Gallery! There will be lots of workshops and presentations to enjoy free with the price of […]
Beliefs are powerful things. They can make you feel like you can conquer the world, or they can make you feel like can’t do anything at all. It took a long time for me to really understand how my beliefs create the reality I live in! Our beliefs colour the way we see the world. […]
I just finished writing the first draft of my book! I’m super excited; however the process has been a long one. I have wanted to write a book for the last 3 years but something was always holding me back! When I started writing the book in 2010, I got almost 150 pages in before I […]
Have you started a new business or are you thinking of starting one? Join me on Saturday August 17th from 9:30am to 3pm for a Small Business seminar being hosted by Canadian Small Business Women. This event will have a variety of workshops, and I’ll be hosting a vision board workshop! For $30, you get […]
If you don’t already have a vision board, here are 5 reasons you should think about putting one together for yourself! 1. Creating one is fun! Remember arts and crafts when you were younger? This is a chance to reconnect with your inner child 🙂 Think of it as the grown up version of picking out […]
Have you ever felt like you were just spinning your wheels? You know what I’m talking about – the feeling that you’re just going through the motions and not getting anywhere. You have a yearning to do more, but you don’t know where to start. If you can relate to any of the following, then […]
Saying no has always been a bit of a challenge for me. My low self esteem and self confidence left me a constant people pleaser and I would often find myself unable to say no to things I really didn’t want to do in the name of not disappointing friends and family. It always started […]
As we near the end of the first month of the New Year, I’ve got to ask: How are those goals coming along? You remember – the goals you set for yourself just over 3 weeks ago with hope and optimism about how this year was going to be “the one”. If you’re making headway, […]
I’m sure we all have a lot of goals that we want to achieve for this new year. We start the year with a long list of things we hope to accomplish and often finish the year with very few items crossed off as complete. So what can we do to make sure that we […]
I don’t know about you, but 2012 was quite an eventful year! Many things changed, but a lot remained the same. While I did accomplish a lot last year in terms of goals I had set at the beginning of the year, there are still a few things that I wanted to get done, that […]
This post is dedicated to my father, Thomas Mollison Dawes (December 22, 1939 to November 26, 2004) *Love you Daddy!* For a long time after my father passed away, I didn’t think that life would be the same, and indeed it hasn’t been. In the moments after his death, I was numb. As much as […]
I was deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Susan Jeffers. I came to know about Susan and her work through a CD series I had purchased from Hay House. The CD had recordings of presentations by Louise Hay, Christiane Northrop, Carolyn Myss and Susan Jeffers. After listening to her presentation on that CD, […]
There are NO coincidences in life! I continue to get reminders of this in my life. I received an email indicating there were 2 spots left for booths at the Wholistic Family Fair being held in Mississauga on Friday. I couldn’t tell you how I got on their mailing list, but I’m glad I am! […]
For some reason the theme of living without limitations has been overpowering for me this summer. First, I decided that it would be a great topic to do a workshop on and started to put something together. As I started working on the outline, I realized that this wasn’t going to be something that I […]
Have you ever found yourself in a situation where someone says or does something that you consider inappropriate and you fight the urge to say something? Or even worse, someone says something inappropriate or demeaning to you and you let it go, convincing yourself that they didn’t mean it or that he or she is […]
I was fortunate to be a guest on Karen Harkness’ online radio show Shine Your Light! For those of you who weren’t able to listen live, please feel free to listen to the stream! The topic of the interview is Avoiding the mid-life crisis: Discover how to turn your passion into your livelihood! We discuss the […]
I’ve had my dog Lulu in my life for 6 years and she has taught me quite a bit about myself and life in general. Before adopting Lulu, I had fish and rabbits as pets. I had never imagined the joy of having a dog! Don’t get me wrong, it hasn’t been all kisses and […]
I’m doing my second round of A Course in Miracles and the lesson that really struck a chord with me lately was: “Let me recognize the problem so it can be solved.” I immediately recognized the truth of this request. So often we think we know what the problem is, when clearly we don’t because […]
I was doing a workshop at a youth shelter I volunteer at and the topic for the day was Values. One of the exercises was borrowed from The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: write your obituary. The purpose of this exercise is to give you an opportunity to think about how you want to […]
We all have goals and aspirations for the future. If someone were to ask you, for example, where you see yourself in 20 years, you may pause for a bit, but soon you would be able to come up with a list. The problem for many of us is that we haven’t given much thought […]
I’ve always considered my average. I never really thought that I was special in any particular way. Growing up, I think there were times I thought I was “less than”. I was a chubby, shy kid and school was all (I thought) I was good at. My parents couldn’t afford for me to wear the […]
We are all familiar with the saying “don’t assume because it makes an ass of you (u) and me”. While it may seem like an over-used cliché, I can’t help but reflect on the truth of this little quip. Haven’t we all gotten into trouble at one point or another for assuming things were one […]
Creating boundaries – it sounds like something you would hear in a therapy session or read about in a self-help book, but what does it really mean? For me, it means being self-aware, able to know and express to others what is acceptable in my life. This has not been an easy feat for me […]
The Four Agreements has given me a nice reminder about the importance of not taking things personally. It is something that I have gotten better about with time, but there is always room for improvement! The first time I was ever presented with the idea that peace of mind could come from not taking things […]
For many, the beginning of a new year brings promises of new positive habits and the release of old negative ones. While we start the year off motivated to make big changes in our lives, we often lose steam before the end of February. But what about those that actually do stick to their resolutions, […]
I started to read The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz recently. The first agreement is Be Impeccable with your Word. While it may appear to be a simple concept at first glance, I’ve realized that this is a critical step if one wishes to achieve the highest level of enlightenment. Not only is it […]
My mission a few weekends ago was to find a copy of the documentary I Am, by Tom Shadyac. I had received an email that mentioned the movie and I was reminded of the Oprah episode where she and Shadyac discussed the film and showed clips. Fortunately my hunt was fruitful, my cable company had […]
It is understandable that maintaining your workout routine over the holidays may not be on the top of your list of things to do over the holidays. With all of the shopping, baking, cooking and family visits on the agenda, finding time can be a challenge. As stretched as our time is during the holidays, […]
Love is a wonderful emotion that we all seek to experience. It comes in many forms; the love a parent has for a child, the love one feels for a romantic partner, or the love we have for friends and family. We have all said the words “I love you”, but have we really thought […]
Just in time for the holidays, I have decided to make gift certificates available for those that would life to give the gift of self-empowerment! You can determine the value and it can be delivered via email or regular mail (small shipping fee added for postage). The Gift Certificates can be used for coaching sessions, […]
I didn’t know what to expect when I decided to start doing the daily lessons in my A Course in Miracles text. I had received the book in March 2010 and started reading the text shortly after. I’ve never been one to highlight textbooks in the past, but this book had so much information to […]
I am working on putting together a brunch series that will cover a vast array of subjects around the theme of Self Improvement and Empowerment. The first seesion will be held in November and the topic will be goal setting. The way I figure it, now is the best time to get a jump start […]
I’ve read many inspirational and motivational books. I’ve gone to seminars and I’ve listened to CDs and mp3 recordings. If connecting to one’s higher self could be achieved by simple osmosis, I would be in a constant state of contentment. The reality, however, is that this is not the case. This is not to say […]
While the title may have you thinking of a Madonna song, it seems like a material world is where many of us are living, now more than ever! It would appear we live our lives simply for the accumulation of “stuff”. We want bigger homes, nicer cars and the “right” brands of clothes. What I […]
I will be a guest on the Mind Body and Soul show with Steve Toth this Friday, August 12 at 9pm eastern on Real Coaching Radio-TV Network, call in, chat and interact with us in the Live studio at http://www.realcoachingradio.net/content/live-studio-call-vip-show-hot-line-303-872-0503. Studio VIP Hotline for Listeners to call in: 303-872-0503 Contact Studio via Skype: “realcoachingradio”
Growing up, competition was considered a good thing, healthy even. As a visible minority I was told I had to be better than the rest, because nothing was going to come easy to me, and I was going to need the upper hand intellectually in order to achieve the success I wanted. To be honest, […]
I’ve been a bit tardy in making this announcement, but I am happy to report that I am now a certified life coach! I did my training with the American University of NLP and passed my final exam at the end of June. I am now working on my Master Life Coach certification and will […]
When was the last time you had a really good laugh? You know the kind I’m talking about – those laughing fits you get where you can’t stop laughing even though your stomach hurts and tears are rolling down your face and you can’t even speak. Those are the best laughs, and when you think […]
I was reading Caroline Myss’ book Defy Gravity the other day and I came upon the word surrender. For some reason it gave me pause, and immediately I decided that it would be the subject of my next article. What is it about the word surrender? Why did it seem to be something I needed […]
I almost entitled this article Learning from our mistakes, but I don’t want to refer to the opportunity to learn as a mistake. The title of one of Wayne Dyer’s books echoing in my head, Change your thoughts, change your life. Since changing my life for the better is a constant theme, then it is […]
Between watching Star Wars for the millionth time and finishing the book The Shadow Effect, I have been in heavy contemplation about the dark side, more specifically, in terms of The Shadow Effect, my dark side. There was a time when I would have denied the existence of a dark side in me, the proverbial […]
“What does your gut tell you?” It’s often a question we are asked when we are struggling to make a decision. If you are anything like me (or my former self anyway), decision making is not your strong suit. Even on the simplest things, where the choice seemed obvious, I just couldn’t commit to anything, […]
You’ve been doing your spiritual work; affirmations, visualization, meditations, and life is going pretty well. All of a sudden, something you perceive as negative pops up in your life and you are completely blown away! How did this happen? Negative experiences aren’t supposed to happen to someone surrounding themselves with positive energy, right? There was […]
Have you ever found yourself in a situation or conversation, which at the surface seems pretty ordinary, yet find yourself becoming strongly emotional in some way? For me, it is not something that happens very often, but when it does, especially these days, I am amazed at the power of my reaction to something so, […]
Have you ever considered how you are living your life? Do you have goals and a plan to achieve those goals or does life seem to just happen to you? Are you proactive or reactive in life? When you haven’t made a plan to achieve your goals, they really end up just being dreams; things […]
It’s easy to put a value on a home or a car, but I wonder how much of us really put a lot of thought into how much we are worth? I can only speak for myself, and I can honestly say that I have constantly undervalued my own worth. Whether it was jobs I […]
It makes me giggle a little bit to type the title of this article. How many times have I heard this line quoted? A line made famous by the Borg in Star Trek: The Next Generation, it has taken me a long time to realize that it’s not just another cheesy quote, but a truism. […]
I have yet to see the movie Limitless, but I must admit the movie trailers aired on television had me very intrigued! The idea of being able to access 100% of our brains capacity is literally mind blowing! Imagine what we would be capable of if we could tap into all of that potential, a […]
Years ago I had to do one of those personality tests as part of a team building exercise at the job I had at the time. Each person in the office had their results reviewed by the session leader in front of the entire group (much to some of my colleagues chagrin!). When it was […]
Typing the title of this article reminds me of the Michael Jackson song (it’s actually playing in my head as I write, sans the music video with Lisa Marie Presley). After almost a year of doing the lessons in A Course in Miracles, the reality that I am not alone is one of the biggest […]
Finding a life partner can be a daunting task. Television and movies tell us that finding the “one” is a magical, almost mystical event. Against all odds, boy and girl meet, fall in love and eventually live happily ever after. The reality is that most of us don’t live the kinds of lives depicted on […]
While watching the Oscars on Sunday, I saw a quote by Lena Horne that made me grab a pen to write it down: “It’s not the load that breaks you down; it’s how you carry it.” I absolutely love this quote as it succinctly summarizes one of the key lessons I’ve learned in the last […]
As a woman in my mid-thirties, I feel a sense of urgency amongst my single friends. While it was perfectly fine to be single in our twenties, being single in our thirties, seems to be a place that no one really wants to find themselves. I know that I have that little voice that is […]
Coupled with forgiveness, releasing judgement has been one of the things that I struggle with the most as I continue on my journey of self-awareness and enlightenment. What’s interesting, is that the more work I do on achieving inner peace, the more aware I am of just how judgemental I am! Being more conscious brings […]
Have you ever wondered why you seem to attract the same kind of relationships into your experience. The names and faces change, but the circumstances don’t. This may leave you feeling like you are a magnet for what you don’t want in your life, which is true, but this is not a permanent fate – […]
Do you believe in miracles? Growing up, I understood miracles to be rare circumstances, amazing occurrences that happen when all logic says it shouldn’t. As I get older, my thoughts on miracles are changing. I no longer think of miracles as some kind of fictitious phenomenon, heard of by many, but seen or experienced by […]
There seems to be a lot in the news recently on the subject of bullying. There have been cases of teenagers being bullied so severely that they have committed suicide. This is obviously a serious problem when it results in the death of someone. There was a recent campaign started to raise awareness of bullying […]
We often don’t think of setting goals for ourselves until closer to New Year’s Eve. We plan to lose weight, quit smoking, go back to school, or some other goal that we think will make our lives better. Unfortunately, most of us don’t put a game plan together for how we’re going to do this […]
The end of this month will mark 6 years since my father passed away. It’s hard to believe that it has been so long in some ways, and it other ways, it seems like a lifetime ago since he was with me in the flesh. When he first passed away, I didn’t think I would […]
In the last few months I have had both acquaintances and a family member pass away. My Grandmother passing away at 92 was not a great surprise. She had lived a long life and had been ill recently and her death ended her suffering. The two acquaintances that passed away were completely unexpected; one passing […]
With less than 3 months left in 2010, I’ve decided to review my accomplishments for the year so far. I had established certain goals for this year – beyond New Year’s resolutions, they were tangible goals that I wanted to achieve before the year was over. This year was the first time that I had […]
Embrace Your Destiny is now a Hay House affiliate. Whether it’s Marianne Williamson, Wayne Dyer or Louise Hay herself – it’s all available from Hay House Publishing. Many of the books on the Inspired Reading page are available from this site, including Esther Hicks’ Law of Attraction series… Check out the banner on any page […]
In my mid-twenties I got a tattoo. I wanted it to be something meaningful, something that I would look back at years later and it would still be significant. I’ve never been a spontaneous person, so there was a great deal of research done before I decided what the image would be. I decided to […]
To thine own self be true, and it must follow, as the night the day, thou canst not then be false to any man. ~ William Shakespeare I’ve heard this phrase quoted so many times, but only recently have I really thought about what it really means. What does it really mean to be true […]
Time seems to be one of those precious commodities that we never seem to have enough of… We make comments like “there aren’t enough hours in the day” or “I just don’t have the time”. The reality is that we have to make time for the things that are important to us. I used to […]
I’ve often heard it said that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but I don’t think I truly understood what this meant until recently. I was watching Jessica Simpson’s show The Price of Beauty and watching a woman in Thailand tell her story about how a skin bleaching product had burnt her skin […]
I have spent a lot of time this year practicing detachment. Books I have read, including A Course in Miracles, talk about letting go of attachment to material, physical things. I now understand that none of us are defined by the things we have, whether it be the home we live in, the car we […]
I’ve never been very good at asking for help. I have always tried to figure everything out on my own… Acting as if I was Superwoman or something – I can do it all! Isn’t it funny how those of us who take on the world soon get frustrated when no one is around to […]
I spent the weekend at the I Can Do It! conference put on by Hay House. It was an amazing weekend with amazing speakers such as Wayne Dyer, Marianne Williamson and others. The subject of happiness was a common theme throughout the weekend. In the past I have said that “I will be happy when…” […]
I saw the following quote on Facebook the other day and immediately had to write it down: Keep your thoughts positive because your thoughts become your words. Keep your words positive because your words become your behaviours. Keep your behaviours positive because your behaviours become your habits. Keep your habits positive because your habits become […]
As I continue to read A Course In Miracles, one of the themes that is hitting home for me is that of guilt. The concept that guilt is a construct of the ego is one that makes sense to me when I think about how it has manifested itself in my life in the past. […]
I have started reading A Course In Miracles and fear seems to be a common theme that keeps popping up. I have completed the first 8 chapters of the book so far, and each chapter gives me a perspective on the scriptures of the bible and life in general that I had never considered before. […]
I have begun to read A Course In Miracles. After reading the first two chapters, my head is spinning! I knew that this book would be thought provoking, but I really had no idea how deep it really was. If the first two chapters are any indication, this book is going to take me on […]
I have been working on consciously incorporating the law of attraction into my life for over three years now. When I first started, I had my doubts about the reality of my ability to manifest the life I wanted for myself. When things were good, they were really good, and then I would have moment […]
Do you ever get so caught up in something, that even after the event or experience is over, you still dwell on it? It happened to me this weekend. I forgot to do something that I considered pretty important on Friday, and I let it bother me for the entire weekend. I knew that it […]
If you’re like me, you are so busy that taking care of yourself isn’t always at the top of your to-do list. There have been times when I’m so busy at work, I barely remember to make time to eat! While you may justify your workaholic tendencies on the fact that others are relying on […]
I remember during my first week of my MBA program, sitting in a lecture hall where alumni were speaking about their experiences in the program and offering advice to the new entrants. The message of one of the speakers has stuck with me ever since. I don’t remember what he did or where he worked, […]
I must admit that the subject of forgiveness has probably been the most challenging on my journey of spiritual enlightenment. In the past I had mastered the ability to hold a grudge. Passive-aggressive could have been my middle name. I have never been comfortable with conflict, so even when I was upset with someone, I […]
I don’t know about everyone else, but I have become caught up in Olympic fever. I love watching the world’s best athletes compete against one another, even if it’s in events that I would normally not have any interest in. There’s just something about the Olympics that pulls me in. I’ve found it so interesting […]
I used to have a lot of expectations of the people in my life. I would expect that if I did something nice for them, they would express their gratitude and in time, do something nice for me… Needless to say, this led to a lot of disappointment over the years and I had to […]
A few weeks ago I joined a 50 day Challenge Writer’s Marathon For Women to write my first book! I found out about the challenge through one of the groups I belong to at LinkedIn. The challenge started on Monday so I am almost a week in and loving the process though it does indeed have it’s challenges! The […]
“You should be grateful for what you’ve got!” It was a line I heard often as a child, usually when I was pouting or crying about not getting something that I really wanted. It took a lot of years to realize that it wasn’t just one of those lines you hear growing up as a […]
I just started practicing meditation in 2009. Until last year, I hadn’t been doing much in terms of spiritual work. I had been reading books, and some ideas resonated with me, but I hadn’t really done anything to change my habits… I started with guided meditations by Wayne Dyer and Doreen Virtue (if you haven’t […]
Have you ever had a conflict with a friend or lover that at first glance seems so severe, and then when you actually share your thoughts, you both realize that it was just a simple miscommunication? You think a coworker is upset with you because they didn’t say “good morning”, or you think your spouse’s […]
Each day that passes, we continue to hear about survivors found amongst the rubble in the aftermath of the earthquake in Haiti. With each news report, we continue to hear how unlikely it is that there will be anymore survivors to be found, and today a man in his twenties beat the odds by surviving […]
I first started yoga 2 years ago, after hearing a number of my friends talk about the amazing feeling they got after doing “hot yoga”. I decided to give it a try and purchased a one week unlimited pass. I wasn’t sure what to expect, or if I would be able to handle the heat, […]
We are into the third week of 2010, how are those New Year’s resolutions going? I personally gave up on making resolutions a few year’s ago because I never had much luck in sticking to them past February. In 2009 I enrolled in the Jack Canfield “Law of Attraction” program, and it really helped me […]
Like most of you, I was saddened to hear about the recent earthquake in Haiti. What I find most interesting, is that it takes a crisis like this for the world to show its empathy and caring for its fellow citizens. While there are a lot of people that dedicate their lives to helping others […]
Now that we are done with the Christmas goodies and New Year’s champagne, it’s time for the “love it or hate it” Valentine’s Day (or so the stores tell us, with an abundance of chocolates and stuffed animals). If you’re single, Valentine’s Day can be a dreadful reminder of your lack of partner, if you’re […]
If you have had difficulties in the past manifesting your desire’s, click on the following link to fet a free copy of the first chapter of The Manifesting Manual: http://www.enlightenedmessages.com/signup/EmbraceYourDestiny. Here’s to making all your dreams come true! Bookmark & Share
Here we are at the start of a new year, and I hope that everyone is as inspired as I am to take this opportunity to use this as a fresh start, a chance to achieve the goals you have put on hold in the past and shoot for the stars. Consider the following – […]
Well, we’re at the eve of New Year’s eve, another year over… If you’re like me, 2009 has just flown by! I feel like I have achieved a lot this year, and this is the first time that I have actually listed my accomplishments for the year. This is an amazing exercise that I highly recommend! It’s a great way […]
Welcome to Embrace Your Destiny! I have created this coaching practice to help others discover what I have (and continue to) discover about this amazing life each of us are living. We all have a divine purpose, a reason that we are here, and I have spent the last few years on an amazing journey […]