How to stop feeling overwhelmed and get motivated again

You’re confused. 

Life is pretty good. There’s nothing obviously wrong. 

And yet you’re exhausted. You feel a little lost. 

You’re working so hard… but you’re not sure what you’re working towards and why it’s not paying off. 

Girl, I get it. Something is off. Something is missing. 

You have big dreams and you know you’re destined for more.  

You know the answers are out there, somewhere.  

I mean, everything you want to know is on Google or Youtube these days, right?

It can’t be that hard. 

Or can it? 

Let’s paint a picture here and you tell me if I’m the only one that’s been there.

It’s the end of the day. 

You just sent off that last piece of work to your client. The dishes are done.  

The kids finally fall asleep and you commit to find the answers and get the clarity and motivation you’re looking for.

So, you decide to follow a few people on social media for inspiration.  

Suddenly, your inbox is packed with options. 

Memberships, podcasts, journals, conferences, webinars, courses, and workshops. 

All this, and your bookshelf filled with bestsellers is still collecting dust. 

Where do you even begin? 

Overwhelmed with options and unsure of what direction you should take, you decide to hop back on Instagram and proceed to dive into the scroll hole, only to come out an hour later and no further ahead. 

Can you relate? 

In the days to follow, your to-do and to-research list gets even longer. 

You subscribe to more podcasts. 

You sign up for another freebie and receive ten more emails. 

You’re watching inspiring videos and TedTalks, and yet you’re still not making progress. 

Now, you’re even more confused, and wondering how everyone else seems to be doing it and start comparing yourself (even though you know you shouldn’t). 

Soon, you start to ignore the emails, the videos, the podcast notifications just like the books on your shelf since they remind you that you don’t have enough time or money and you aren’t even sure what it is that you want. 

And yet, every time you open Instagram and see others’ success, you wonder why that’s not you.  And deep down, you know that you TOO are smart, capable and oh-so-worthy of success.

I mean, what do they have that you don’t?  

(Besides an obviously better camera, Instagram husband and thousands of followers). 

Well, I don’t know the answer to that, but I do know this:  

It’s time to do things differently and wake up to get the success you want, on your terms. 

If you can relate to feeling overwhelmed, confused, and like everyone is ahead of you, you’re not the only one. 

I can help.

Women like you are why I created Goalden Girls Community.

Goalden Girls Community has been designed for you so you can stop feeling confused and overwhelmed, and START getting clarity, inspiration and strategies that work for you. 

It’s a safe-haven to block out the noise from social media, your nosy coworkers, and your judgy cousin Tracey. (Amen to that!)

You’re ready. 

You’ve had enough of trying to do it on your own. 

It’s time to get the support, inspiration, and training to turn your dreams into reality.  And get a community that connects you with other goal-driven, like-minded women. 

Instead of comparing yourself to others and being stuck in overwhelm and inaction, join a space that lifts you up and simplifies the goal-getting process by giving you only what you need most. 

Goalden Girls Community is a group of women ready to level up, connect and support you as you go for your big dreams.

Led by me, Success Coach Lisa Michaud, this goal-getting community provides the space to stay focused, reduce distractions, and shift your mindset so you create success and go after your dreams.

Are you ready to feel confident?  Get clarity? And find connection?

Are you ready to step into the best version of yourself?  

If the answer is a “heck yes”, it’s your time. 

In Goalden Girls Community, we focus on ONE thing a month. 

That’s it.  One thing.  

Not time management, and positive thinking, and health, and values, and goals, and focus, and and and…… 

One. Thing. At. A. Time. 

And that’s how we eliminate the noise, the overwhelm and the confusion. 

This is how you get clarity and start getting results, immediately. 

Because taking action and being focused gets results. 

And nothing is more motivating (or exciting!) than actually making progress. 

Imagine finally prioritizing your health and getting consistent with your workouts like you keep saying you will.

Imagine finally signing yourself up for a 5km run or triathlon after all these years, and the pride you feel as you cross the finish line. 

Imagine feeling confident in your decision to go back to work, or back to school, and leaving behind all the excuses or lies you’re telling yourself about being too old or not a good mom.

Girl, this is all possible for you. And it’s available for only $37/month (no, that’s not a mistake, and yes, it’s less than you’re spending on coffee or diapers, or even avocado and toast in a month). 

Success starts with you but doing it alone just plain sucks. 

Join Goalden Girls Community today to say goodbye to wondering IF you can achieve your dreams and say HELLO to the confident woman who faces her fears!

Now, jump on in - take action now because Goalden Girls Community enrollment opens only three times a year.

Join us before the doors close Thursday, August 1st at 11:59pm PST.

I can’t wait to welcome you into our Community!

See you soon  <3

Xo Lisa 

PS. Here’s a video I recorded last night with 4 steps to get you motivated again and get you unstuck no matter how long you’ve been stuck for.

If you like this type of training, you’ll LOVE Goalden Girls Community.

Here's how to change career paths. Even if you're afraid.

Is the career path you want to take unexpected?  Unique? Unchartered? Or unconventional?

Do you feel scared to take the first step?  Worried you’ll disappoint someone?  Afraid to take a risk?  Or nervous you’ll end up broke eating ramen for dinner every night? 

I truly believe you deserve to love your work and your life.

I believe it’s possible to enjoy what you do in your career. 

And when you love your 9-5, it spills awesomeness and joy into the rest of your life.

You’ve heard it from me. Now I want to share a story about the journey Kimiko Stella has taken to get to a place of real life career love.

A few months ago, I was getting my hair styled by the lovely Kimiko.  Mid-shampoo, I casually asked her “do you like your job?”  (It’s a habit – I can’t turn the coach off.)

Her eyes lit up. She grinned, threw her head back and said “YES! I love my job”. 

From that moment, I knew I needed to know more.  So I got the chance to sit down with her for some lunch (and bottomless mimosas) to get deeper into her story.

Kimiko has inspired me and I know she will inspire you.

Kimiko is a 30-something Japanese Italian woman who is feminine, strong and beautiful inside and out.   Growing up, she was surrounded by amazing women.  She has a very strong mother, a sweet and gentle aunt, and a Nona you don’t want to mess with (let’s be honest, is there any Nona you would mess with?!).
 
 
Life wasn’t always easy for Kimiko.  She struggled with depression.   She has been married and divorced.  She’s a survivor of sexual assault.  She took the unconventional path in her career and it put a strain on her relationship with her family.   At the age of 26, she came out to her family as a lesbian.
 

But all the steps in her journey have led her to become a seriously inspiring badass, and a force to be reckoned with!
 

Today, she’s a hairstylist in one of the top salons in Vancouver, Brush Salon (check them out!).  She gets to do hair for all sorts of glamorous events like Vancouver Fashion Week, and several TV shows filmed in Vancouver.  Somewhere in there, she does regular people hair like mine.
 

Every day, she goes to work and LOVES her job.  And she’s fiercely confident. She’s uniquely herself. 
 
 

Here’s Kimiko’s journey to becoming a top stylist in the city.
 
 
Growing up, Kimiko was encouraged to take a traditional path.  Go to school, they told her.  We’ll pay for your education.  Do something that will make you money and be stable.  Needless to say, Kimiko’s family did not support her being a hair stylist. 
 
 
Their vision for her was one of an academic path.  So, she dabbled in kinesiology, counseling, nutrition, customer service and radio broadcasting – things she was interested in but not passionate about. 
 
 
Her family was supportive of her education, even going so far as to paying for her education as long as it was on their terms. 
 
 
Have you ever worried what your family might think if you quit your job?  Or if you changed your major?  Or went back to school?
 
 
Kimiko knew she wanted to be a hair stylist.  But she also knew they wouldn’t be happy with her decision. 
 
 
She needed to overcome this huge roadblock. For Kimiko, she came to the realization that she had to be ok with - and accept - that she was going to let people down.  This was not an easy journey. 
 
 
But she knew she wasn’t going to be able to follow the path others set out for her.  
 

She knew the journey she was on, easy or not, would be her own.
 
 
 
And she knew it would be worth the challenge.   


 
She took out her own student loan.
 
Made the decision to say goodbye to academics. 
 
And faced many difficult conversations. 
 
 

She shared with her family that as much as she loved them, she was going to follow her dream and passion to be a hair stylist.
 

 
Lesson #1 – Sometimes you have to walk the path alone.  Sometimes the path gets darker and more challenging, before it gets easy.  It will be worth it.  
 

 


Kimiko’s story is painful and strikingly honest.  It’s also one that I know isn’t only Kimiko’s.
 
 
Many of the men and women I know have grown up with similar messages.  Well-intentioned families, teachers and even friends tell us “you can be whatever you want to be”.   
 

But as soon as we step away from the classic “acceptable”and “stable” jobs, fearful comments and ominous warnings instantly begin. 
 
 

This is incredibly difficult.  As children, we want our parent's approval. As we grow up, we want our family and friends to support us.  To go against their cautions and wishes is counter to most of what we’ve been brought up doing. 
 
 
She persisted despite their growing fears for her.  One family member even told her “you’re going to be living in the gutter if you have that job.”  
 
 
For Kimiko, she knew her family’s worries and anxieties existed because they didn’t understand the business.  But she DID understand the business.  Kimiko knew her passion and creativity meant she would be successful!  She wasn’t worried about not making it.  Instead, she focused on following her dreams and has become a mega-successful hair stylist.  
 
 

Lesson #2 – People will project their fears onto you.  While they might mean well, know yourself enough to know if your fears are your own… or someone else’s. 
 

 
Kimiko wanted to be a hairstylist enough that she was willing to go through the challenges, the financial struggle, and family turmoil because it would be worth it.
 
 
For Kimiko, hair styling is about art. It’s about growing a business. It’s about connecting with people and genuinely making them happy.   It’s about relationships. 
 

And that is what she wanted deeply for herself – to have fun and make others happy.  
 
 

Lesson #3 – Your desire for your dreams has to be greater than your fear of taking a risk.
 

 
As you’re probably realizing, Kimiko is a deeply insightful, strong and intelligent woman (on top of being an amazing stylist).  Her wisdom is inspiring and beautiful. 
 
 
What Kimiko knows for sure:

• Our choices are ultimately what define our personality. What we choose to do and our actions, are our soul being bare to the world.   Your words and what you say is one thing, but your actions are ultimately a reflection of your true colors.  So take action to create the live you want and need!

• Societal pressures and expectations will shape us, without us even realizing it.   But your life belongs to you.  Get clear on what you want and be true to that.

• Careers are an important part of our lives.  It’s what we do for 30 - 50 hours a week.  And the right career is nourishing. It feeds you (pay check, stomach, and soul).

• Historically, femininity has too often been about being docile, submissive, gentle, quiet and small.  But now, there’s a chance (a need!) for women to be present, have a voice, and stand up.  It’s time for women to show the world who we are. 

• “Strength is having no regrets and no shame in what you believe in.”  Kimiko strongly believes that there are times that the situations we are in are uncomfortable. The setting hits a prickly nerve.  With friends or family, this is even harder - it’s icky, gross, nitty and gritty. And necessary.  Stick with what you believe in – it is the definition of strength.

 
 
Are you wondering how you could possibly create a career you love?
 
 
Here’s Kimiko’s advice for getting success on your terms:

• Have a constant pursuit of happiness.  Happiness doesn’t come to you automatically.  Make it a mindful effort to chase and explore what brings you joy and delight.  It’s why we’re here on this planet.

• Always be reflecting and growing.    There are so many people who live life on autopilot and end up drifting wherever life takes them.  Don’t do that. Be consciously living and critically making choices to take advantage of this short, beautiful life you have been given.

• Learn. All the time.  Every part of your journey is building you to get you where you need to go.  It all happens for a reason and it will pay off. 

• Take risks and make mistakes. Sometimes you get hurt. Sometimes you fall down pretty bad.  No risk, no glory. 

• It’s not too late.  Even if you have no idea what it is you want.  If you know you’re not loving what you’re doing, take the first step. Be ok without knowing and get curious about yourself and what’s next for you.

 
 




I’m so honoured to share Kimiko’s story.  I am deeply grateful to her for opening up her soul and sharing her story with all of us.
 

 
I am humbled by her authenticity.  But most of all, I KNOW her story is going to resonate for so many of you.  

 

Her courage is palpable. 

 
She's courageous for standing her ground.
 
She's courageous for taking a risk.
 
She's courageous for following her passion.
 
She's courageous for sharing her story with us.
 
She's courageous for opening up to help you.
 
 
 

My hope is that you will also be inspired by Kimiko’s courage. 
 
 
My biggest wish for you is that if you are in a place in your career that you aren't happy, you start taking the steps to find joy in what you do. Today.  
 
My longing is that you explore your deepest desires and give yourself permission to want more. 
 

My dream for you is that you find the courage within yourself to create the life that you want. 
 
 
Because your life DOES belong to you.  To you and you alone. 
 
 
And you deserve to design your beautiful life into the one that you really, truly, madly, courageously and deeply want.

Thank you Kimiko, for your huge gift - reminding all of us that courage and strength pay off with huge bonuses of joy, purpose, and passion.
 
 
 - Lisa
Success Coach
www.lisamichaud.com
 


 

PS.  My hair is also eternally grateful that you, Kimiko, a) followed your heart and b) I found you.  
 
 
PPS.   If you're not on my mailing list, you're seriously missing out.  If you are reading this on the internet (my blog, Linkedin, etc), you're not getting exclusive tips, products, contests, and gifts.  It's time to change that. Don't miss out anymore -  Sign up for my newsletter today!

The only thing you can count on... and it's not taxes or death

"The only thing that is constant is change"

Heraclitus. 

See, there isn’t always a next time.

I learned this, luckily, not through heartbreaking tragedy.

I learned it over some late-night sushi, karaoke and a few too many sake bombs.

There was a group of girls – Jessica, Nicole and I - that would hang out as often as possible. We’d go for sushi, have some wine, chat and laugh until our stomachs hurt.  

That summer, I went to Europe and I was gone for almost a month.  The night I got home, my girlfriends planned a night out to catch up.  

I was exhausted.

Troy and I had been traveling for over 42 hours.  We trained from Berlin to Frankfurt.  Flew from Frankfurt to Vancouver.  We sky-trained, sea-bused, drove, and then flew again from Vancouver to Calgary.  And then Calgary to Fort McMurray. And drove home.

The last thing I wanted to do was go out.  I just wanted to crawl into bed and sleep because I had to work the next morning (needless to say, I like to maximize my vacation time).

Can you relate? 

But a little part of me just felt like I should go.  I should at least say hello to the girls.  So as Troy went to bed, I went out.

It was the best thing I did.

Being around fun people, I woke up. 

I laughed until my stomach hurt. 

I karaoke-ed  until I lost my voice.

I forgot about being tired.

I told them about my trip.  I shared stories of boating with my family in Croatia.  About how delicious the food in Italy was and what an original Bellini from Harry’s Bar in Venice actually was (spoiler alert – it’s not from a slushy machine and it IS life-changing).   I heard about Jessica and Nicole’s summer,  full of camping, working, and taking in the long Northern summer nights.

Nothing made this dinner a special occasion. 

It would have been so easy to stay in bed.

There was nothing monumental about this dinner.

There was no one unusual there or from out of town visiting.

There was no special food on the menu that night.

No happy hour deals.  No “restaurant-closing” events.

I had every reason to avoid going.  

It would have been easy to say “I’ll go next time.”  

I cringe to think about what would have happened if I had said that. 

There’s 2 things I learned that night:

• I felt so much better as soon as I got to my dinner plans.  The hardest thing is often getting off the couch and out of the house.  I always feel great once I’ve gotten out of my house and I’m on my way!

• Things change.  Always.  In hindsight, I learned that this was our last dinner together as a sushi girl-gang.  And every moment matters.

Now I promised you this wasn’t tragic and it’s not. 

BUT….

All of my friends moved away within 6 weeks of that dinner.  None of us knew it at the time.  But within 2 months, we were all in different cities.

That had been our last chance.

I learned that...

There isn’t always a “next time.”   

I’ve had the pleasure of continuing my friendship with both of these incredible women. 

If it’s something that is important,  I need to make time for it. 

We’ve danced in Hawaii for Nicole’s wedding. 

We sipped wine together in Kelowna for my wedding. 

We cooked a gourmet meal in Canmore for Jessica’s stagette.

But we have never again had sushi and sake bombs at our watering hole. 

That simple dinner taught me to embrace the moment because things always change.

So, is there something you have been waiting for the perfect moment to do?  

Are you choosing too often to stay in instead of have fun because you’re too tired?

Do you only make exceptions when you expect things to be unique?  Do you only make the effort when it’s a weekend? A special occasion?  An out-of-town guest?

What are you saying no to because “it’s a school night?”  (Even though you and I know perfectly well you’re not in school.  And it’s just an excuse).  

Take my story and learn from it too.  It’s not incredibly dramatic.  It doesn’t involve heartbreak, or tragedy.

But it is truth.

I want you to seize the moment.  

Because this moment is the only one like it.

And it’s yours for the taking.

Go get it.

 - Lisa

Success Coach 

www.lisamichaud.com

PS.  The only thing that is constant is change and one of the things that is changing is price.  I’m almost sold-out of “The Spark” package at the introductory price of $500.  I have 1 package left and after that, the price increases to $650.  If you’ve been wondering if this package is for you, get in touch with me today!  Consider this your message to seize the moment (and this great price!) before it disappears.  We’ll schedule a free discovery session and see how coaching can change your life – starting now! 

Why your job title doesn't matter and you can throw away your degree

Ok so don’t throw away your degree.  It was probably a lot of work, pretty expensive and you likely had some fun times which you may (or may not) remember from buck-a-beer nights.

But a job title and a degree aren’t the end-all, be-all to your career.

There’s a lot more to a brilliant career. 

A few years into my career, I worked on a project where I helped relocate people from Fort McMurray to Calgary.  Ironically, through the project, it was decided that my job would also be moving. Troy (my boyfriend at the time) and I chatted about it. It was right at the 2-year mark of my time in Fort McMurray.  However, I still loved living in the city.   We were making great friends. We'd just bought our dream house. I wasn't ready to leave. 

But I couldn't stay in my current job AND stay in our community.

I needed to find a new job.  Within my current company. 

At the time, most of my work experience had been in HR.  And I really liked HR.  My degrees were in Accounting and Finance and I had zero interest working in either of those.  I wanted to stay in HR.  Unfortunately, there were only two options for me.  Recruiting or Advising.  And neither appealed to me. 

I was stuck.

What was I going to do?

I loved the company and didn't want to leave.

I didn't want to move.

I just wanted to work in HR.  

Why did things have to change? 

Completely lost, I sat down with my mentor. I explained my predicament and while I felt like my life was spinning out of control, he didn't seem so concerned.

"Why don't you look outside of HR?"

For a minute, I was confused.  Had he not just heard everything I said?  I wanted to stay in HR.  But I couldn't stay in HR.  But I wanted to stay in it.

Spin. Spin. Spin.

The advice that followed changed the trajectory of my career and life.  And now I want to share it with you.

My mentor asked me what kind of work I liked doing.  And I wasn’t allowed to answer “HR”. 

Needless to say I was stumped at first.  But then the genius came through.

He challenged me to think about what I enjoyed doing.  Not the subject, but the WORK itself.  What kind of WORK did I enjoy?

My career, he explained (and literally drew for me), wasn't linear.  He was (and still is) a mining engineer.  You'd think something like "mine engineer" would be pretty specific and a straight line to the top. 

But he drew out a map of his career for me regardless. I saw that even as a mining engineer, he'd worked in a lot of different areas of the business.  Some that had nothing to do with mining. Some that certainly didn't focus on engineering.  

And here he was loving his work.  In a very senior role.  At a young age.  Being a great leader.  And he was having fun doing it!

I had nothing to lose, so I took his advice.

Over the following few weeks, I started paying attention. I paid attention to what I enjoyed doing.  

(Side note:  You might remember me giving you this advice a few months ago.  I told you to start writing down what you enjoy doing.  If you haven't done it yet, do it now.  I swear it's extremely valuable!)

So back to my career crisis.  Here’s what my reflection came up with:

•   Presenting at meetings - enjoyed

•   Sitting at the computer analyzing spreadsheets - wanted to gouge eyes out

•   Explaining HR metrics to senior leadership - wanted to gouge their eyes out

•   Developing content and material for emails, presentations, stewardship reports – enjoyed

•   Facilitating awkward, messy conversations to find awesome outcomes – made me forget to eat, drink, and pee (I figured that was a fantastic sign!)

I came back to our next mentorship session proud of my list. From there, he encouraged me to start looking at job postings through this new lens.  To start looking at job descriptions with the criteria I created, instead of only the jobs in the HR department, or that had HR in the title. 

Suddenly a world of job opportunities and possibilities opened up.

Soon after this critical mindset shift, I found an opening for a Learning Coordinator role.  I applied, and I got it.  And I got a sweet 20% raise and extra bonuses on top of it!

A year later, I had gained more insight into what I liked and didn't like in my work. I didn't like repetition.  I loved project work.  I didn't like fire-fighting crises every day.

I was ready for another change.  Looking at job descriptions through this new lens, I wasn't stuck on just HR or Learning jobs.  I changed completely and went to job in the "Engineering" category (can you imagine?!).   I was offered a job as a Continuous Improvement Specialist and it fit all my new criteria.  And I got another raise (YES!).

As you can see, opening my eyes to the careers I could do allowed me to:

•   Gain incredible experience in diverse fields

•   Rapidly increase my income

•   Learn a new skill set

•   Be continuously challenged

•   Never get bored

•   Network with people across the company and get sh*t done through great relationships

•   Blow people's minds with how much I knew about other parts of our company and our business

•   Successfully avoid ever being an accountant (Amen!)

Here’s what you need to know about your career:

•   Most careers are not linear anymore

•   The more experience you have in different departments, the more value you bring

•   If you have experience in multiple areas, you can qualify for leadership opportunities in all of them

•   Your career doesn't have to focus on what you went to school for

•   Your career aspirations should not be about any title or department

Here’s what your career SHOULD focus on:

•   What fires you up

•   What engages you

•   What you find interesting

•   What you love doing

•   What you are good at

•   What keeps you doing what you want. Here are some examples.

◦       Learning

◦       Focusing on efficiency

◦       Project-work

◦       Specializing

◦       Being challenged

◦       Working on the fly (fire-fighting, as I call it!)

So, if you are contemplating a change but you're stuck, like I was, consider a mindset shift. Maybe you need to re-think your career like I did. 

Track what you love.  Take notes of the work you've really enjoyed doing. All the times you forget to eat lunch, or you don't even want to get up to pee -- star those things.  And go find more opportunities to do those things!

This shift has made all the difference.  Each day, I focus on the type of work I enjoy doing.  I structure my business to do what I love doing.  Heck, maybe you even need to go rogue and become an entrepreneur like me! 

 Think about your career in terms of the TYPE of WORK you do, instead of the subject.  

And watch the options in front of your eyes expand  -- and your career to grow into what YOU want it to be!

Expand your horizon and watch the world of opportunities open up!

Time to go eat and pee (because yes, writing is on my list of loves!)

-Lisa

Success Coach

PS. It’s my mission to help women (and men!) like you from around the world OWN and LOVE your career.  If you know a friend who’s unhappy and feels stuck in her career, share this post!  If you have a friend who’s looking for another job because she isn’t satisfied, forward her the link.  And make sure you sign up on my homepage www.lisamichaud.com so you never misses my career tips, insights and tools.  

Here's my alphabet. What's yours?

Welcome to my blog and my website. Thanks for joining!  I'm on a mission for women like you to LOVE your career and love your life.  So who am I? Here's a little more about this curly blonde's life and favourite things:

The A-Z's of Lisa

Adventurist.  I LOVE trying new things and exploring the world.  Anything from meeting new people, to white water rafting, to sky-diving, I love it.  I will try anything once... and I have never regretted anything I have tried. 

Beach.  Is there anything better than sand, waves, and beautiful water?  Not in my world. I love the ocean, and lakes and rivers.  Whether it's a tropical beach in Southeast Asia or the beaches in Vancouver (not so tropical but still beautiful), beaches are so good for my soul. I'm lucky to be only a few blocks away from a beach most days of my life.

Croatia.  Where my family is from. Croatian was my first language and to this day, most of my family still lives there. I love spending summers swimming in the Adriatic sea, and eating delicious Croatian truffles and cevupcici (deliciously spiced sausages!)

Dancing. I started at the age of 3 in ballet, and continued through tap, modern, jazz, hip-hop, song & dance, and point. My love with dance has extended to salsa, belly, tango and burlesque. And let's not forget the occasional twerking to some top 40 (even if it's just in my kitchen)!

Extreme Extrovert.  I'm a 30/30 on the extravert scale. Every time I do a Meyers-Briggs assessment, my other traits change. Not extravert though. I absolutely love being around others and soak up energy from those I'm surrounded by.

Food. Delicious! I used to be a ridiculously picky eater (I didn't like steak or seafood). Let's just say a 2 month trip to China fixed that! Now, I adore trying new food and cuisines. I also generally dislike cooking and being in a foodie-centric city like Vancouver suits me well!

Goals.  I love them!  I'm all about making sure that I'm living life on my terms and goals help me do that.  There's nothing better than doing some deep soul-searching, reflecting and brainstorming with amazing friends to determine what my BEST life is. And then setting some awesome, inspiring goals and habits to match. 

Husband.  His name is Troy and he's simply amazing. I have found a true partner in life. He's smart, funny and it doesn't hurt that he's extremely handsome. 

Inspiration.  It's all around us so I make sure to soak it in every day.  Each day, I take time to be grateful for the amazing things in my life (my 7pm phone reminder).  I'm always on the lookout for fun, interesting and inspirational events online and in my city that will teach me and inspire me to be a better coach and human being. So far this year, I'm already signed up for The Art of Leadership, and at least 2 TedX Conferences. #inspirationoverload

Juggling. I have a great life, don't get me wrong. But my schedule, commitments and life are a constant juggling act. I'm very deliberate with my time and each week I sit down to plan out the next week. It helps me make sure I have all the right balls in the air and that the important ones are getting the attention they need. If only juggling time would be as cool of a party trick as actual flame juggling or something....

Kelowna.  Where Troy & I got married, on a gorgeous rooftop overlooking the lake. It's where I got to have friends and family from all parts of then world celebrate as I said "I do" to my best friend. It holds a special place in my heart. Plus it has amazing wines ;)

Leadership. I love everything about leadership.  I even started the Vancouver Island Leadership Conference 8 years ago, ran it for 3 years, and it continues to this day. I believe we all need to be leaders, not just at work or school but in our home lives. Each one of us can be a leader in life as we support friends, family and lead ourselves on the path to achieving our goals and dreams. 

Meeting new people.  Genuinely one of my favourite things. Everyone is a friend I just haven't met yet. I love finding similarities and the connections between all humans - I've learned we really are all more the same than we are different.

New York. One of the most amazing places on earth. I absolutely adore every moment I spend here and mostly only watch tv shows if they can offer a glimpse of Manhattan. 

Open-minded.  I believe in being open, honest, and vulnerable.  I'm not perfect and that's ok.  I love learning from others and hearing their perspectives. I will always learn something and continue to grow more as a person when people share their thoughts with me and I deeply appreciate it.

Possibility.  There is nothing that can't be done when we believe it's possible. Nothing is more powerful than people who believe in their own potential.  When we believe in possibility, fear disappears and we just do it.  We create change.  We make a difference. As Henry Ford said, "Whether you believe you can or you believe you can't, you are right."  

Now I want to empower more women to believe they can.

Quad. My husband loves quadding and so do I. That's why we have a quad in our downtown apartment complex. Sure, it's a little quirky but it doesn't take long to get a bit outside the city and hopping on the quad is an exciting way to get deep into nature and explore new territory. And it's a great conversation starter with the neighbours.

Running. Something I always hated and never thought I could do. Until I found wicked-awesome running partners and I've now done 5 half-marathons. I'm signed up for number 6 and love the challenge and friendships that form over sweat and exhaustion.

Sustainability. We're all just visiting on Planet Earth and it's important to me that the world will be a better place because of me. I once heard "leave everything just a little better than you found it" and I apply this philosophy to everything. Whether it's a job, a city, a friendship, and especially, this beautiful planet, I live and work to make everything I touch better.

Travelling. My great love. My current count is 32 countries and I will hit 50, 100, and more in my life!

Umbrella.  You won't catch me on the We(s)t Coast without one. This curly hair frizzes just hearing the word "sprinkle" so I'm always prepared for the rain. 

Vancouver.  The city I live in and adore. My love affair started when I was a child and I'm constantly in awe of its natural beauty and cultural diversity. 

Wine.  My usual drink of choice. I love visiting wineries around the world and meeting super passionate wine makers who put their all into their delicious wine. The only thing better?  Getting to take home a bottle and enjoy it on my patio with my husband and awesome friends. In full disclosure, I also love craft beer and I swoon for original, innovative cocktails. 

Xenodochial.  Wow. Who knew finding an "x" word would be so hard?  Xenodochial means "friendly to stranger" and it's a philosophy I live by. Everywhere I go, I find connections with all ages, backgrounds, languages, and distance.  And now we've learned a new word too!  

Yoga.  What kind of Vancouverite would I be without it?  All kidding aside, I love the mix of mental and physical challenge in yoga and it helps this type-A chick stay grounded, humble and sane. 

Zestful.  How I approach life. Life's an adventure, an exciting gift, a remarkable journey.  I want it to be filled with fun, love, curiosity, wonder, exploration and laughter. 

Who are you?  I love getting to know amazing, driven, passionate women like you.  

Get in touch with me - I love hearing from you!