writing off the grid

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

I think that one of the hardest things you can do is to watch someone you care about suffer. Especially when all that you can do is be there for them, comfort them, and try to reassure. That was me a couple of weeks ago when I spent some time with my partner’s mother who, at the beginning of August, was diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer. She is on her end-of-life journey, and it is hard to watch someone who was active lose their independence. And the time I spent with her had me asking: are you living your best life? [Read more…] about Are You Living Your Best Life

When I returned to the office after a four-day break, it became clear that my job and the vision I have for my life were not in alignment. Let’s set aside the fact that the work environment is toxic. What I realized—and to be honest, I’ve known it for some time—is that this is not a place of growth. It’s not a place where I can reach my full potential. I am a lion among sheep. And while not fitting in is okay, I’m staying because staying is the easy route. But it comes with a cost…

[Read more…] about Not Fitting In is Okay

I’ve always been that person who, in everything they do, aims for perfection. It’s an unrealistic goal that often leaves me frustrated with myself. And that frustration with myself has peaked as I’ve struggled, over the past few months, to change some habits and, by extension, change my life. Even when I know what I need to do, change is f*cking hard. [Read more…] about Change is F*cking Hard