Over the Holidays this year, much like millions of other people do, I found myself reflecting on my life, my likes and dislikes about where I am right now, and what things I want to tweak to ensure that I am living my most ideal life RIGHT NOW. 

With this I came up with my 2014 New Years Resolution: Bust Through The Bullshit. 

This feels good to me. This resolution symbolizes my need to stand up for myself on a regular basis. It symbolizes my need to let go of things and people in my life that are weighing me down. It symbolizes my need to quit making excuses and just ACT. And most importantly, my need to eliminate my constantly aggravating negative self-talk. 

One morning in early January I was working at my part-time gig at Lululemon, browsing through the beautiful, colourful and ever-so-useful workout gear. I was attempting to justify and convince myself that it was okay to purchase yet another pair of lulu tights. Just as I was almost convinced, a brief memory popped into my head of me standing in my walk-in closet just two days prior, criticizing myself for hoarding so much clothing! Does one person really need an entire roll bar of zip-up sweaters? When was the last time I even attempted to wear that pink sweater dress? In that moment, while clutching those lulu tights, I decided to bring awareness to my needs instead of giving in to my extremely clever wants. I do not need  anymore tights.. I have enough. What I really need, is clarity and space in my home. Bringing home a new item that will simply take up more space seemed like such a burden. And thus.... my month of January's goal was born.

For the entire month of January I focused my attention on acknowledging and then letting go of my constant desire to accumulate more things. It doesn't matter what store I am in, I am always itching to consume more. Whether it be a new picture frame, a pair of lulu tights, a great new pair of boots or even something so seemingly useful as a new water bottle. The fact is, I DO NOT NEED any of these things. I have everything, or at least access to everything, that I could possibly need to support myself in my daily activities. 

Last month felt...uplifting. Having really recognized my constant desires to accumulate and then allowing them to simply drift away showed me exactly how much power I can have over my actions, if I choose to take it. My visa was eliminated of little surprises... that sure felt good. I spent more money on food, but that felt great because I knew that it was going to a great cause (my health!) and was worthy of my money. And all together I felt a sense of accomplishment. I stuck to my goal... even when there were days when I was pretty shaky and close to cracking. (*ahem* has anyone noticed all the "Boxing Week" sales that happen all throughout the month of January!?) 

As I look at this new month of February, and glance back at the whole 31 days that I dedicated to being a bit more mindful of my need to accumulate, I feel proud of myself. I even feel ready to go through my closet and belongings and have a "spring time" purge a little early this year. Busting through the bullshit... one un-used item at a time. 

Did you set any 2014 New Years Resolutions? What areas of your life did they focus on?

Are you still following any of them as we've moved into the mid-way through month 2 mark?

It came to me a few months ago, in the middle of the night - a sense of urgency and need... in an area that brings me passion and purpose. Earlier that day I had spent some time over a cup of coffee exploring my Core Desired Feelings (click here to read more about what prompted this exploration). I then continued on with my day feeling a strong sense of clarity. When I woke up in the middle of the night with a vision, an idea... I knew that I had to listen to it. I felt so strongly about it that I got up, turned on the light, and began mapping out how I could make it happen. 

What I came up with was an event. I wrote down all my thoughts - the marketing plan, the location, possible names, and more importantly...how exactly it would unfold. When I woke up the next morning and remembered...I have to admit, I was a little terrified - but also ecstatic!

Last night I hosted an evening of connecting, sharing and building a stronger sense of community among the young working ladies of Victoria. This event was the first of it's series called Inspired Connection. I created this series because I feel a lack of connection between the powerful and influential women in my generation working in the Victoria area. I wanted an opportunity to bring these women together and expand each of our networks. We spent the evening discussing some interesting topics, sharing some personal stories, making career and personal connections and of course, enjoying delicious wine and snacks. Overall, it was an amazing evening, and I personally had a fantastic time. I selfishly used last night as a platform to share my news... my other exciting new event... the one that terrifies, as well as empowers me.

The event is Inspired Self. It is a self-discovery and goal-setting workshop created and facilitated by yours truly. I will be pulling from a variety of resources to create this 3.5 hour workshop of diving in deeper to who you are as an individual. This workshop will allow you to focus on what truly inspires and empowers you, making space for your genuine creativity, enthusiasm and excitement for life, and leaving behind pieces of the daily mental crap that often stand in your way. 

Inspired Self will be different for each individual as you will each be taking your own journey. I will simply be there to facilitate that journey... but you will be in the driver's seat. Ideally you are willing to ask yourself "why". You are willing to say YES to opportunities. And you are willing to feel great.

If this sounds like you, or something you'd like to explore further, feel free to send me an email and we can discuss Inspired Self or Inspired Connection further. 

And to everyone who has been so incredibly supportive, thank you so much. I appreciate your support and guidance while I take a leap in the direction that feels right. 

After spending a year travelling in a new country, you cannot help but remember your favourite places and spaces from your home. One of my all time favourite summertime places is Sombrio Beach on Vancouver Island. This spot has all the beautiful West Coast scenery that this girl needs. 

I recently spent a night camping on the beach with my boyfriend, best friend and her boyfriend. It was the perfect combination of people and place to make my heart happy. 

After an extremely wet, cloudy and dreary day, we were graced with the beauty of a stunning sunset. Here are some images of the glorious sunset we had the privilege of experiencing:

Last week I had the absolute privilege of attending the final leg of the international film festival LUNAFEST 2013 - a collection of short films made by, for and all about women. 

I was given a ticket to attend the festival through yoUnlimited and really had zero expectations of what I was about to engage with. I knew it had something to do with film, something to do with women, and that it was a fundraiser event for the wonderful Bridges for Women. So along I went, up to the University of Victoria movie theatre Cinecenta for an evening of the unknown. 

It's amazing how seeing a few familiar and friendly faces at an event where you don't know what to expect can completely set your thoughts at ease and allow you to simply relax and be present. The smell of popcorn filled the room, the friendly smiles of women from the community were my introduction to the evening and the little sampler size Luna bar was a delightful treat as the event began. 

As I browsed through the evening's program, I immediately felt a tug on my heart strings as the eighth film to be shown was named "Whakatiki: A Spirit Rising" a film created in New Zealand. My expectations suddenly rose as I realized that this event was truly international... so much so that it showcased a piece from the lovely little islands of New Zealand. 

There were a total of nine films shown at the festival - all very unique, culturally different and with their own artistic touch. But they all had one thing in common - women. They showcased the struggles, the challenges and the ups and downs that are often faced by women all across the globe. But they also showcased the heroes among us - women facing those struggles and challenges and defeating the odds, becoming successful and happy in whatever that might look like to them. Powerful stuff!

One common thread throughout a number of the beautiful films that I personally resonated with was self-esteem and body-image issues. It became truly apparent to me that it doesn't matter what your culture, colour or career is, the majority of women, at some point in their lives (or all throughout) will deal with a lack of self-confidence due to feeling inadequate with their body image. It doesn't matter your age, your family genes, or even how other people perceive you - these issues are ingrained in you from a very early age.  

WHY is it so challenging for a woman to look at her body and see imperfections as unique characteristics? To smile and congratulate her body for achieving to continue living and being healthy instead of frowning and chastising herself for eating that extra piece of cake. Why is this such a common challenge for women across the globe - and how can we change it? 

I look at my 4.5 year old niece and cannot help but smile. She is such a beautiful being, inside and outside, and she is still young enough to be happy to just be herself. It hurts my heart to think that she will soon be reaching the age where the inevitable begins - body image issues. What can we do to ensure that our beautiful daughters, nieces and cousins can learn to love their body beyond the childhood years?

And what are you doing to support that loving being inside of you that may have gotten sidetracked in the past?

One of the first things you notice as a traveller returning to your home and deciding to settle in is the abundance of stuff you have. There are books and trinkets and photos and old letters and sports gear and jewelry and hair products and

SO... MUCH... CLOTHING!!  

After a year of travelling with just one bag, having only a couple pairs of this or a couple pairs of that, or one main jacket that is used for every purpose...to suddenly living with an overflowing closet of items that are for every occasion AND feel brand new as you forgot about them... well that feeling is priceless! 

But, just as many things do, the excitement of all this stuff tends to wear off pretty quickly. Life suddenly becomes more challenging - instead of deciding "should I wear my long necklace or my short necklace" it becomes, "should I wear the long silver necklace with that bit, or the long silver necklace with that bit, or the long gold necklace or the short silver...blah blah blah" So, what does an event planner decide to do when she has too much clothing and needs to give some away... plan a Ladies Wine & Shop Clothing Swap!!

Last weekend my girlfriend Lyndsey and I gathered some of our lovely close friends together, everyone brought some clothing that no longer served them, we had wine and appies, laid out all of our items and just had a great time shopping and swapping. There was only a small number of us there, but that made it all the more fun when trying things on. If something cute didn't fit one person, she'd suggest it to someone else and then they'd try it on. Everyone got to walk away with a few new items that they were really excited about. And the best part about it all... 

Lyndsey and I were thrilled that at the end of the night we were able to put together a massive box and two huge bags of clothing to donate to our local community cooperative, Women In Need. A few weeks earlier, we were able to support WIN with a fantastic campaign they created, the 100 Women Campaign.  (see below)

We joined forces with many other Victoria women on a Saturday morning, put on our beautiful hot pink WIN t-shirts and ran out into the streets as a declaration that we care!

Have you ever hosted or been to a great clothing swap party? What did you like the most about it? If you're planning to host one in the future, be sure to let me know as Lyndsey found some fantastic resources that we'd be happy to pass your way! 
Happy Swapping!

I recently had the privilege of having my mind blown. It was blown by outrageously powerful, impressive and smart leaders. I don't know a single one of these leaders personally, but after watching their speeches, I now feel as though I have shared a little part of their lives with each of them. I knew nothing about this event before I went. I really had very little expectations, all I was hoping for was a notebook or pad of paper as when I pulled up to the location, I realized I had forgotten to bring some paper. My demand was met, and then some, and then some and then some! I watched an online streamed version of the 2013 Chick-fil-A Leadercast event and it was amazing. Top notch. Inspiring. Awesome! I have been aching for more ever since. Want to find out what this event was all about? Click here to read my full blog post at YoUnlimited.com

If you like what you read...let me know and I'll make sure you know how you can be involved in the 2014 Leadercast event!!! :o)

One of the three companies I am now partnered with is the Victoria Yoga Conference. VYC is an annual event that brings together yogis and yoginis from British Columbia, Alberta, the state of Washington and then some. It boasted 400+ attendees this year at it's very first event and apparently made a pretty strong impact on the yoga community of Victoria. Sadly, I was unable to attend the conference as I was enjoying the final leg of my travels through New Zealand and Australia. 

If you would like to read my first published blog post from these interviews, 
click on the image below:

do you practice yoga? is it a lifestyle piece or simply an action of fitness? :o)

Last week I attended Canada's biggest Social Media Camp - the fourth annual in Victoria, BC. What a privilege. I would not consider myself a computer techy by any means, and that was absolutely okay! This conference was as much about marketing and getting your message across to the right people as it was about the technical tactics of doing so. The camp was two days in length, with a choice of 12 speakers each day - a LOT of learning was done! If you use social media for professional, or even for personal use, it's worth your time to read through a few of my key take-aways and learn about what the top social media experts in North America are talking about. It was a great two days of conference and I enjoyed the overwhelming feeling of learning far too much in a short period of time. :o) 

Click here to read about my take-aways on the YoUnlimited website. 

Welcome to a new chapter in my life. My daily lifestyle has changed drastically in the past few months. I spent a year backpacking around New Zealand, worrying primarily about where to eat dinner, where to sleep and whether or not we had enough money for a beer that day. And now, I'm working full-time in a position that I love, contributing to my community in a way that fulfills people's needs and helps create a society of mindful individuals. Wow.. what a change! I am proud, and happy with the new road that I am on. In the first two months of being back from my travels I managed to generate an income in a field of passion, find a dream home for myself and my boyfriend, connect with a lot of old friends, and simply enjoy being in my favourite city in the world! Congratulations to me! And the best part in my eyes, it's all right before the beautiful season of summer hits... when everyone cannot help but be happy and blissful. Woohoo! 

Here's a beautiful quote I'd like to leave you with. It is hanging in my office, directly over my desk. I think it is so beautifully simple, real, and to the point. Why are more of us not already doing everything that we want to do? Why are we allowing ourselves to stay in positions that bring pain, discomfort and unhappiness? Often the answer is right under our noses, we just have to stop and smell the flowers to find it! :o)