May 24, 2019
Reciprocity is a powerful force. When it comes to influencers, it can create biases that can lead to some misleading statements. My favourite is the ubiquitous "all opinions expressed are my own." ...Are they though?
May 16, 2019
Hearing about all of the amazing work that St John Ambulance volunteers are doing in the community, it's hard not to get fired up about giving yourself.
May 10, 2019
I have historically had a hard time forgiving others. It’s not like holding a grudge was part of my personal brand or anything like that, I just grew up having trouble letting go of some things. Then something happened that changed that. I’m going to be honest with you: today’s post was a tough one to write. It was one I needed to think through and grind out, and backspace and redo. I think of this as my final step in a situation I’m dealing with right now, and I hope that my story inspires you to let go of any long-standing grudges you might be holding as well.
May 3, 2019
I know this blog is about happiness and positivity… but I’m human, and sometimes it’s just hard, okay? As a rider of public transit on my commute to and from work, I see a lot of things that make me shake my head. So today, I hope you’ll indulge me in a post about 5 of my public transit pet peeves that drive me up the wall.
April 26, 2019
When we hear the term networking, we often conjure up this image in our minds of a slimy businessman working a room to collect as many business cards as possible before signing all of them up for his mailing list against their will. The very thought makes you feel like you need a shower. Networking doesn't have to be a dirty word, though.
April 19, 2019
Personal finance is a funny subject. It’s something that every full-functioning adult needs to deal with throughout their life… and yet, we find it harder to talk about than religion and politics. It's taboo. Well, enough of that, alright?
April 12, 2019
My sensei was teaching us a lesson on mastery the other day, during which he argued that the people who achieve mastery are the ones who have the courage to be unknown. In other words, true masters focus on their teachings, not on trying to become famous. As I reflected on this perspective, I realized that I agreed… mostly.
April 5, 2019
We are making our world sick. We have been for a long time now. Climate change is affecting our planet, leading to more intense heat waves, droughts, wildfires, hurricanes and blizzards. We’re polluting our oceans, our land, and our air. And we’re destroying the habitats of animals that are crucial to our own survival.
March 29, 2019
As I walk into the dojo, I hear unfamiliar voices. There are students from other dojos here to attend today’s seminar on Iaido and Aikido. Exciting stuff; this seminar is one we’ve been anticipating for a while now, and I’m pumped it’s finally here. I set my bag down in the change room and start changing into my gi.
March 22, 2019
After the conclusion of last night’s karate class, my sensei gave us a basic primer on Iaido and Aikido in preparation for an upcoming seminar some of us black belts would be attending. In doing so, he opened our eyes to a fact that I think often gets neglected in many other schools: that Japanese martial arts don’t exist in a vacuum. They were created to work with, against, and in response to other arts that were practiced at the time of their creation, and understanding these relationships can help you understand your own art more deeply.