I know that the cows come first. I was raised on a beautiful, busy dairy farm. Everyone had an important role to play, whether it was milking cows or cooking supper or simply waiting for a load of hay to arrive at the barn so that we could quickly unload before the rain. We had lots of time to play but we clearly understood, the cows came first. Putting cows first is understandable when they are needed for the financial … Read More
One photo has the power to spark very different reactions in people. My reactions are based on my experiences and my beliefs, which are part of the family and the community in which I live. One photo can feel fun and playful to one person and yet trigger very raw feelings of distress in another. My work is to resolve the perceptions that trigger my reactions so that I can have a higher level of compassion to support others to … Read More
Growth comes from being able to resolve two conflicting truths. Our reactions provide us with information that allows us to resolve our frozen perceptions, also known as our beliefs. Redefining Truth. Our simple definition for ‘truth’ as a fact or reality is closed, exclusive and reactive. It does not support growth, inclusiveness or creativity. According to Merriam-Webster, an additional definition is a judgment or idea that is true or accepted as true. Judgment is defined as a formal utterance of … Read More
“Real power is, I don’t even want to use the word: ‘Fear.’” Presidential Candidate Donald J. Trump in an interview with Bill Woodward and Robert Costa, March 31, 2016 Fear is a derailer ‘Is fear real power?’ Certainly many will respond with a ‘Yes’ because it triggers a response and it drives action. But fear simply implies ‘power over others’. Fear relies on position and authority to trigger reactions in others. Fear does not allow space for others to generate … Read More
We like to fix things, take action and solve problems. Logosynthesis can support us to challenge these beliefs. We live in a culture where we are praised for having passion to do things right and to do the right things. The more demanding the situation, the harder we work. It can take a great deal of energy and yet we continue to be faced with the same repetitive issues. What if we do nothing and avoid the situation. That doesn’t feel … Read More
Traditions are more than memories: Diversity and inclusion are important. We may know this yet we often feel discomfort. As I scrolled through Facebook this morning, I was greeted with a post of group photos from past Terry Fox Runs. This was a tradition in our office. Sometimes I went on my own, sometimes with my family. But we did this annual 5 km run, rain or shine. I was blessed with a boss who valued tradition and made time … Read More
Do men have to lose power to make room for women? This morning I reflected on Justin Trudeau’s talk to the Women in the World convention held earlier this week in Toronto. I applaud his efforts towards fairness! It feels invigorating to have a proud feminist fight for the rights of women! But there is a watch out. I got stuck on the reference to the notion that men will have to lose power to make room for women. I … Read More
The world should be fair. Justin Trudeau was asked about his number one priority for the next two years at a recent Women in the World convention. He acknowledged that there was a lot to be done but the big one was around fairness, stating a desire that ‘everyone has a fair chance to succeed in Canada. … Everything I can do, everything we can do, to shift the world in the right direction continues to be something that I … Read More
An interesting debate is heating up in Canada between the government and the self-employed. The Liberal platform states ‘We’ll ask the wealthiest 1% to pay a bit more so middle class families can pay less’. It goes on to say: ‘Our plan to help middle class Canadians: Create jobs. Strengthen the economy. Grow the middle class.’ When Bill Morneau introduced the proposed changes to make this happen, they proposed that they would close three ‘loopholes’ that allowed wealthy Canadians to … Read More
We strive to create a world where we can all enjoy life more fully. We rally behind causes such as gender equality, racial acceptance and religious accommodation yet these are the topics whereby unrest continues to create news headlines. We send our children to school and our employees on courses to reinforce our commitment to change. We publish books, produce shows and host conferences to discuss the importance of these humanitarian topics. So why is it that in 2017 where … Read More