Sharing our Strength

Starbucks Run for Women, Because I am a Girl event took place on Saturday, June 23rd.

                                                    learn more at Because I am a Girl!

Top of the Hill!

                                                            
We gathered, young and older, to support the education and empowerment of girls and women. No one should be discriminated because of gender. There was much light-hearted dialogue, dancing and cheering as we gathered below the overcast and drizzly skies. Somehow, our joined efforts kept the rains from coming down until later that afternoon (or at least that's my belief!).

Seeing women encourage and challenge each other up and down the hills at Baker Park was not less than inspiring. Winding around the curving paths in a sea of mauve t-shirts, you were proud to be a woman.

Each of us had a goal, hard fought for through early Sunday morning walks, wet shoes and blistered heals. Hours of dedication fueled this day. Each won their individual race; a first race ever, a first race with a pint-sized daughter, a first race with a new friend, a first race after chemo ended, and hundreds of other stories.

Whatever the goal, each face shone with delight as we crossed the finish line.

Congrats to everyone who completed and to our partners who supported our efforts, took photographs, rang bells and provided hugs at the end of the race.

We are each better prepared to set a new finish line and a new goal.

Home Stretch.

                                                               

Waiting for Better

This is for you. 

Letting time pass to set a history is a good thing. Invariably the good people will stay good, and those that are not will also be revealed. But waiting and waiting can be just an avoidance that creates deeper pain. We say we want to be happy but remain in situations that we know prevent us from being so? It is honorable to give someone the benefit of the doubt, no one wants to be judged by one single act. However, we are sometimes so stuck, so paralyzed by our fear of the unknown that we cannot move out of a situation that does not honour ourselves.

We put up, and we shut up. 

Life has a way of teaching us the lessons we need. We will each get them to teach us in the way that matters most, the inconsiderate "friend", a (lack of a better term) crazy partner, an idiot boss. What will we let that person get away with? Why do we let them do what they do? The nonsense this person hands out will keep escalating until even you can't ignore the volume. The cosmic 2 by 4 will finally stop you in your tracks.

Then one day, you will know with no doubt in your mind that you are “done”. It could be caused by something catastrophic or something small, but it will happen when you are ready and have the courage to move on.

Have faith, you will survive. You will no longer be able to deny the proof.

And on that day, you will love yourself a little more and not let it happen again. Don't lose yourself in the battle and until then be safe, be well.

the Power of "No"

Say No to hitting the snooze button
Say No to poor customer service
Say No to the 2nd half of the chocolate chip cookie
that's sitting in the staff room and calling your name.
say No to spending time with someone
who aggravates you
Say No to "just one more game".
Say No (sometimes) to one more K. of running
and (sometimes) to one more coffee.
Say No to the Booker Prize book
that you've read for 136 pages
Life's too short for "boring".
Say No when you feel disrespected
and say No (sometimes) to one more chapter
of something you like at 11:20.
Say No to being wasteful (of time, worries, and plastic).
Say NO and be comfortable with the word.
No explanation, no justification.

"No" is a sentence.