writing life

Sometimes the biggest challenge is seeing the possibilities in the situation before you. That was how I felt upon my return to work after taking bereavement leave to mourn the passing of my partner’s mother. After eleven days away from the office, I was dreading my return. Because there was something about it that had, recently, set me off. And it took me a little time to figure out that my personal values clash with my work environment. The thing is, I cannot just up and quit (like I would have done in my twenties and early thirties). As I figure out my next steps, I need to find a way to make it work. [Read more…] about Make it Work

What are you waiting for? Yes, I’m putting the question to you, but it is also directed at myself. It’s a question that came up repeatedly as my partner’s mother experienced her end-of-life journey, and then transitioned from this world into the next. The recent passing of my Aunt Olga—whose brightness of life inspired me to live my life fully—again puts that question front and centre. Because too many of us, myself included, keep waiting for the circumstances to be perfect before we act on our dreams. But here’s the thing we still don’t get: the time is now.

[Read more…] about The Time is Now

Any of my friends will tell you that my morning time is sacred. That’s because, over the years, I’ve let them know that that time is sacred. If they want to meet up, the early morning hours are out of bounds. That’s the time I spend writing and runningؙ—a morning mindset ritual that sets me up for a positive day. If I don’t do that, then my day is off. It was a way, too, in the early days of my writing journey to make sure I wrote. Every day. So, it became an important life lesson: make time for you. [Read more…] about Make Time for You

The week that I spent in Port Colborne after my partner’s mother died gave me time to think. In part because, unlike Toronto, the city is ‘quiet.’ I wasn’t caught up in the hustle and bustle that holds me hostage in Toronto. My routine was upended—as I wasn’t in my own home—so I had ‘less’ to do. What surprised me, too, was how my sleep dramatically improved; I averaged seven hours of sleep each night. And as I thought about work, life, fulfillment, and purpose, I realized [again] this: perseverance is key. [Read more…] about On Perseverance

This past Sunday, I hurriedly raced out of my condo to catch a bus. My partner’s mother, Mrs. F., who’d been diagnosed with esophagus cancer (stage 4), was just hanging on. I had been down to visit her two weeks prior, when she was still at home. And the initial diagnosis, which had given her months to live, had been downgraded to weeks. But we knew, because of the aggressiveness of the cancer, that she only had days…if she were lucky. Now, it was down to hours. And everything that happened over the course of a few short weeks was a reminder: slow down.

Don’t Rush the Process

We’re not naïve. In today’s 24/7, always-on always-available world, people are looking for instant success. The overnight kind legends are made of even though we know that that ‘overnight success’ was the result of years, maybe even decades of hard work. Showing up every day and doing what was necessary even when they didn’t feel like it. We’re told to grind, hustle, to push hard. And if you don’t take a break, then your breakthrough will come. [Read more…] about Slow Down