Category Archives: mindset

author, dreams, God, mindset

Be a Dream Car

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I fell in love with a car!

Way back in 2001.

I had the great privilege to commute with an amazing group of human beings to a small outlying “VIlle” to teach.  I taught  thirty-three grade six and seven students and had a third of the school in my class, even though there were 6 teachers on staff.  The school was declining in size!  I was fortunate to learn many new things, fall in love with my students and the staff and find my dream car.

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Is it weird that I had never had a dream car before?

Is is strange that my dream was a van?

Perhaps, God knew about the brood of boys that were coming into our life six years later.

I have fallen in love with how he prepares me for “events” in my life.

Day by day.

Person by person.

Story by story.

In 2001, we commuted in a brand, spanking new 2001 grey Honda Odyssey.   On those 5:45am pick-ups, this vehicle was luxury.  With its captain seats and personal water bottles, I thought that I had it made! And that was how my dream was created.

One day.

Some how.

I would own a 2001 Honda Odyssey.

Ten years later, in 2011, we decided to look for a Honda Odyssey as we awaited the birth of our third and three car seats would not fit in the back of our current vehicle.

Enter stage left, a beautiful grey 2001 Honda Odyssey that we could pay cash for and enjoy every day until last Friday.

She decided to stop on the side of the highway.

Just like that!   She sat there for three days while we pondered and prayed and wandered and wondered.

A few friends sat together in our wonderings.

And we are so grateful!

This van taught me how to dream, about cars.

Now she is reminding me how to dream in others ways.

Perhaps our life is meant to be with one car?

I wonder what will happen in the next weeks so that we could pay cash for a new car?

I am excited.

I am leaning in with anticipation.

I am dreaming.

I am so grateful for this dream car!

 

christmas, health & fitness, mindset, psychology

Be Finding Solace on Skis 

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Being present to what we are feeling and thinking takes awareness, especially during the holiday seasons.  

It is easy to let time zip by in busyness, unaware of our body, mind and spirit.  It is easy to get wrapped up in wrapping just doing without being.  

Holidays are often wrapped up in a beautiful package of past memories and experiences that create our present life.    In my book, I talk about my ‘be enough’ mindset and allowing myself space to care for my soul.    

This year, I continue to unwrap past Christmas seasons, grieving the loss of my mom while being aware of my desire to create magical memories for my brood of boys.

I chose to be enough by strapping on my sticks! Heading off in the early morning on cross country skiis, solo. Allowing the thoughts float on by, in silence, in beauty with birds chirping me on as I pass by.  

I chose to be enough by strapping on my boards.  Heading off during the day on downhill skiis with my boys.  Allowing laughter to pour out, looking for jumps, in beauty with my boys hooting and hollering as I go by. 

Creating space to be.  

Exactly where I am.  

In body, mind and spirit.  

Finding solace on my skiis.  

Being me.  

 

blogger, God, mindset, Self-help

Be Seeking Solitude

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I ain’t small. 

I can use a gym voice.  

I have spent a plethora of time in gymnasiums and ice rinks.  

I love chatting to strangers and hearing others stories.  

I have filled a whole bunch of air with my words.  

Through the inspiring women currently surrounding me, I am realizing that solitude and silence fills the air with more.  

My words matter when there are less of them, leaving space for others.  

My being matters when there is less of me “out there”. 

Solitude is my sanctuary.  

Silence is my place to be.  

Seeking solice in space within. 

Re-reading books for a second time, which is unheard of for me. 

Pondering Henri J.M Nouwen’s words on silence: 

“Silence makes us pilgrims.

Silence guards the fire within.  

Silence teaches us to speak. 

Silence is the mystery of the future world.”

Be seeking solitude.  

In silence.  

Being me.  

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With gratitude for showing me the beauty and safety of silence: Annette and Miriam. (You can find Miriam at: http://www.miriamdesjardins.com) 

author, Book, mindset, musings

Be Changing Your Colours 

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The bright beautiful colours of autumn are surrounding us.

The colours express that change is in the air.

The greens transforming into yellows, oranges and firey reds.

The colours shout of our amazing earth, the vibrant life that we can live.

If we choose.

Change is life.

We will find health in the midst of sickness and find other likeminded people along the way.

Embrace it.

We will find quiet in the noise.

Seek it.

We can find solace in the chaos.

Allow it.

Don’t judge.

Just be.

As the colours begin to change and in honour of my country’s new Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, may we embrace our new change of colours during this autumn season.

With one hundred percent responsibility of our words and actions.

With change in the air swirling all around us.

Yellow.

Orange.

Firey Red.

Embracing change with all that we are.

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This post is written humbly in honour of a beautiful friend who went through a biopsy today and another amazing friend who sits at her mom’s side in the same hospital as well as my incredible teammate who supports her parents through many changes.

Boys, Goals, mindset

Be a Dreamer

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As I grew through grade school, University, professional life and motherhood, my dreamer’s heart began to fade.   My mind became prominent in my life. Other’s words about myself and my life began to permeate my being.   My brain and other’s opinions became my driving force in what was ‘right’ for me.  It became the motor and the compass.  

Now, I am beginning to dream again.  I have found freedom to look beyond my current circumstances and be filled with wonder of ‘what if?”.  

Full on, life-changing, nourishing dreaming. 

I am surrounding myself with other dreamers and asking people about where they see themselves in five years if time nor money were a consideration.  I am dreaming every day and encouraged greatly to hear other’s dreams. 
My decision to dream combined with daily hard work and discipline has propelled us to become gypsies for a week, open our home to families affected by cancer or needing hospice care, reach my person health goals, allow our tall eight year old join a competitive gymnastics team and create a list of dreams I have looking forward to the next two years.  

Be a dreamer.  

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This post is dedicated to two incredible parents CC and TH.  We were talking about their son’s dream of playing NHL hockey.  CC said that he needed to stay in reality, but I want to encourage this whole family to dream. Remember the dream you had of owning a home and how you made it happen.  Dream of playing NHL hockey or professionally in Europe.  There is nothing holding this young man back.  He has two hardworking, dedicated parents who would help him in any way.  He has an outdoor backyard lighted rink with boards and lights!  Wow! He has a love and heart for hockey that just oozes out of him.  There is no barriers for this young hockey player. 

 Dream Zach, dream! It will propel you forward and take you to places you never thought possible.  Your dreams may change but I hope you never stop dreaming.  

  

friendship, mindset, Parenting, writing

Be Living a Dream 

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Our home is in another’s hand.  

We are roaming around our region in Grandma and a Papa’s truck and camper. 

No plans.  

No agenda. 

Just living in the moments that create our days and make our lives.  

It’s a dream of ours to do this.  

Creating a bit of financial freedom through sharing our home.  

Making carefree memories for our boys.  

Day one is complete with a stop for a paddle and kayak.  

  
Throw in a post-hockey camp tailgate party provided by friends celebrating their sixteenth wedding anniversary.   

 A stop at a beach then up the road for ice cream.  

Now we are tucked in and ready for sleep on our friends beautiful acreage with crickets singing us a nightly toon. 

Don’t be surprised if you see our rig pull into your driveway if you are living close by…. 

No plans.  

No responsibilities. 

One moment. 

One day.  

One life.  

Living a dream with my boys and friends.   

 

life, mindset, musings, school

Be Pondering Newton’s Third Law

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In Mr. Voigt’s Chemistry 11 course, I sat in the middle of the science lab room on the right hand side.

I was a mid-pack kind of kid that was really trying to hide.  Numbers and science weren’t my forte.  I couldn’t feel anything from numbers and the subject of science, well, that was a whole bunch of really long, confusing words.  BUT the quotes on the right side of Mr. Voigt’s wall were a hook for me.  In his class, I started writing down quotes.  In my sixteen year old mind, I read over and drank up these quotes every day.    These quotes were more nourishing to me than any book or writing assignment that Ms. Birdsall did in English class.  (Yes, these were actually my teacher’s names.  Quite fitting aren’t they?)  These quotes help me survive and even thrive in Chemistry 11.

My favourite quote was: “Minds are like parachutes, they only function when open.”

Today, I thought of Mr. Voigt and I must confess that for the first time in my life I was pondering something science-y.

Newton’s Third Law

Every action will cause an equal and opposite reaction.  (Did I get that right?)

A good example for me right now would be when I think about swimming in our pool.  I amazingly have strength to push the water backwards and miraculously the water pushes me forward.  Viola, Newton’s Third Law.

The crazy thing is not only have I been pondering this in the physical realm around us, but I have taken it a step further and am pondering it in the mental realm we create in our minds.

Do our thoughts create equal and opposition reactions?

Could thoughts be considered actions?

The reason that I have been thinking this is that over the last three months I have infused my mind with a potpourri of positive podcasts, the discourse of thoughtful, serving people and videos that are encouraging and motivating.

Could these actions pouring into and nourishing my mind be creating a new mental picture for my life?

Newton’s Third Law for changing your mind.

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Your dreams.

Your life.

Stay tuned.

This is only the beginning of this scientific experiment!