​As many of you know I have left my nursing career to help create
a culture of change so we can do better, live well, grieve well and die well.
And I am so excited to say that, I have truly met my tribe!! From September 21st
to the 23rd, 2018, I attended the inaugural Death Symposium in Toronto, Ontario.

It was one of the most incredible experiences of my life!
Over 300 people attended and speakers from all around the world, who have
the same passion and purpose. And the incredible founders, Sun and Ramona’s vision for this symposium was:

It's a movement to explore and
change how we reconcile life & death.

An innovative gathering of some of the most influential, stimulating and inspirational minds and change-makers; from teachers and authors, to
end of life care providers on the ground, to traditional healers from
North America and beyond. We gather to learn, experience and reconcile
our relationship and understanding of life and death.
 
And truly, that is exactly what this incredible experience was. We learned,
we gathered, we supported each other, we laughed we cried; it was
life-changing. They also said: We have brought together some of the most
sought after speakers and visionaries.

They certainly did. I cannot even name them all but here are a few:
BJ Miller—you must see his Ted Talk,  Caitlin Doughty, who shared her experience of observing funerals from around the world and how we need
to create change, Kenn Pitawanakwat; author, cultural grief specialist and
he shared his blessing and his book on his journey of when his son died--
beautiful, wonderful soul. Stephen Jenkinson spoke and also entertained
us with his musical band (along with others) Saturday evening, and so many
more. There was also Dr. Naheed Dosani, who co-founded PEACH;
Palliative Education And Care for the Homeless.

We talked about natural burial, home funerals and how we can create a
culture of change. So I encourage you to learn about the speakers, look at
the Death Symposium page. Together we can do this! I am more excited
about than ever. I am so grateful to the founders, to all who attended
and to everyone who is out there being a change-maker. This takes many
voices and action, but we can do it. We can do much better to live well, grieve
​ well and die well. Thank you so much, everyone. See you next year!!!

Learn more about the speakers here 


Thank you for being part of our community!
Purchase your copy of Love Your Life to Death here,
 our Audio, From Avoidance to Resilience or your
#IJustShowedUp bracelet.
​

Back in the Hunter’s Bay Radio studio, I had the honour of interviewing
Ciara Thompson and her mom Heather. Ciara shared her wonderful
and difficult journey; from anxiety, depression and being bullied to being
crowned Miss Canada 2017! She truly shows us how far you can come!

I asked Ciara to share her most important message:
My most important message is to follow through with your goals, little goals,
and make a game plan as to how you can accomplish them. It will help you
grow as a person. I think  that’s pretty much what life is about—becoming the best version of yourself. Ultimately you will create a chain reaction and you’ll
be able to create a brighter future.

I feel compelled to add: You are often capable of so much more than
you ever dreamed! You didn’t, for one minute, dream of being Miss Canada?
Not even for a second! You struggled and you had a hard time, but at age 24
you started entering pageants and… When at 25, You won! It's an Incredible
story, seriously! I am just so proud of Ciara. And sometimes I’m sure people
havean impression of beauty pageant contestants and their goals of
“World Peace”like in the movie, “Miss Congeniality".
I asked Ciara what she is passionate about and she shared her goals:

I am so passionate about helping people, specifically those who
are homeless. I think they are kind of looked over and that’s where I’d like
to hone in and really make a change.

This young woman is so lovely (and so is her supportive mom!)
and I will support her in any way I can.

Ciara is amazing, inspiring and shows that you can accomplish almost anything.

From bullied to Miss Canada 2017.

Click here to see more about Ciara!

​Wow! I don’t think I could pull that off,
but if that is your goal… GO FOR IT!
​
What do you dream of?


Thank you for being part of our community!
Purchase your copy of Love Your Life to Death here,
 our Audio, From Avoidance to Resilience or your
#IJustShowedUp bracelet.
​

​As you know, I aspire to help people to live life to the fullest, learn to grieve
and support others and have “The Talk” about end of life, long before it
arrives and diffuse the fear. And every now and again I connect with someone
very special and they share something that has a profound impact.

Matthew Ruttan is one of those people. I connected with the Ruttan Family
a few years ago. Sadly Eric Ruttan, father and husband, died of cancer.
But at his service, Matthew did something very special. He handed out cards
to those in attendance. The words on the card stayed with me. In fact I
have the card in my wallet, have printed it out in many places and it is even
part of my presentations.

When we are grieving, when someone we love has died, it is a difficult journey
to navigate. People often ask me, “How do I get through this? What do I do?” Matthew’s words really helped me offer an answer. Here’s what that card said:

Be the Evidence, that Someone’s Life Made a Difference.

Be the evidence that someone’s life made a difference. Wow! When I read
those words it takes my breath away. It speaks to my heart and to my soul.
It makes me feel hopeful. The best way we can honour people we love who
have died—Big Love, Big Grief—is by moving though our deepest grief, acknowledging and allowing, knowing and accepting that it will impact our
hearts forever. But if we can live our life to the fullest, and we can be the
evidence that their life made a difference… I feel like that is a tremendous
way to honour them.

I would love to hear your stories, of how you are being the evidence…
I hope these words touch your heart as well, and help you to carry on to the
other side where you can feel joy again, and you can…

Be the Evidence, that Someone’s Life Made a Difference.

Thank you for being part of our community!
Purchase your copy of Love Your Life to Death here,
 our Audio, From Avoidance to Resilience or your
#IJustShowedUp bracelet.

I am sitting in a beautiful park in Boston, Massachusetts.
We’ve just spoken at an international hospice/palliative care conference.
We then played tourist and did the trolley and harbour tour.
And now I am having a really wonderful moment.

One of my most favorite movies, for so many reasons, is Good Will Hunting.
Robin Williams who plays in the movie, lives forever in my heart.
And I am in awe of Matt Damon and Ben Affleck and all they overcame and
their determination to create this movie. And the story… amazing.
If you haven’t seen it, I think you should.

I am sitting on a special bench with Geordie, where Matt Damon and Robin Williams—well, the characters they played—had a life-changing heart-to-heart.

When someone believes in you and sees something in you,
that you don’t see yourself, it can really change your life.

And that very talk happened right on this bench, where we are sitting,
and Robin and Matt were staring at the most beautiful scenery I am enjoying. 
So I wanted to share my magical moment with you.

Dreams can come true, if we make them happen.
Coming to Boston and speaking at this conference, sitting on this bench…
dreams coming true.

What do you dream of?

Where will your magical moment happen?


Thank you for being part of our community!
Purchase your copy of Love Your Life to Death here,
 our Audio, From Avoidance to Resilience or your
#IJustShowedUp bracelet.
​