Hi everyone! Geordie here from Love Your Life to Death.
I wanted to take a moment and share with you something tonight.
I do not want anyone to feel like they have regrets or to feel guilty if
something happens in their life.

Recently Yvonne and I were at a presentation in Saugeen Shores near
Lake Huron (Port Elgin and Southampton) and we have family there and
also have family buried there. I made a promise that I would go visit the
cemetery because I was not able to make it to the funeral.

However, after our presentations were done, the sun was shining, it was a
beautiful day and Yvonne and I packed up all of our stuff, hopped in the car
and we left. It wasn’t until a little while later that we realized that we did not do the thing we said we were going to do. I was sad about this and I felt guilty.
I then made a promise to myself that this has happened, there is nothing I can
do about it at this point and I promise to do better next time.

What I can do is remember all the good memories that we have had
with my family and I will always remember that. The other thing I can do
because I do not want to continue to feel guilty is keep Just Showing Up for
other people. What I have promised is that I will go out and do something good and Just Show Up for somebody else to help me move through and feel less guilty.

That’s it! Bye for now.

Thank you for being part of our community. 
 To learn more about our new
Get Ready for Grief
online program
click here

Purchase your copy of Love Your Life to Death here,
    our Audio, From Avoidance to Resilience or your
          #IJustShowedUp bracelet. 

    Click here to see Yvonne's TEDx Talk ​

Hi everyone, I am back in the Hunters Bay studio with my new friend
Kelly Jones who is absolutely inspiring and amazing! You have touched
my heart and you are stuck with me forever! We talked about your journey
which has been very challenging to say the least. I encourage everyone to
listen to this radio show (link below and also available as a podcast).

We spoke about Circles Muskoka.
Can you share a little more about what Circles Muskoka is?

Circles Muskoka is an intentional friendship program that helps people
to get out of poverty. Doing with and not doing for is the mentality.
Just Showing Up seems to be the common theme. They connect people who
are struggling and want to change their lives and offer programs.

The first is called getting ahead. This is a 12-15 week program for individuals
in poverty or near poverty, learning new ways to speak and be a part of the community and are invited into circles and matched with allies.
A circle “leader” will be matched with up to 3-4 allies. It is life changing!

Who are allies? Allies are community members. Your Dr. could potentially
become your alley. There are a couple of others here in the studio that we
would love to join us. People in the community that just want to make a
difference but do not know how.

The first step is to walk through the doors, sit down, have a meal and
become friends with someone. You have just changes someone’s life.
 
“You can also learn so much from each other”
It is when you give is when you get so much more back.

I encourage every community member to learn more about Circles Muskoka.
It is an incredible organization. You can learn more through the
YWCA Muskoka website.

November 8th there will be an event called Bridges Out of Poverty
at Faith Baptist Church where you can learn so much more about Circles
and the impact on the community.
 
We can all make a difference, more than writing a cheque.
It is about connection, friendships and making a difference.
I encourage you to attend this event and if not, learn about circles
in your community. There are locations everywhere.

Kelly, thank you so much for all you do and thank you to Circles Muskoka
for Just Showing Up and making a difference!

Listen here to the full radio show with Kelly


Thank you for being part of our community. 
 To learn more about our new
Get Ready for Grief
online program
click here

Purchase your copy of Love Your Life to Death here,
    our Audio, From Avoidance to Resilience or your
          #IJustShowedUp bracelet. 

    Click here to see Yvonne's TEDx Talk 

I have realized that in speaking to the thousands of people that I
have met with, had conversations, podcasts, radio and television shows with, just how much I have learned in the last few years. 

So I have decided that I would like to share my life lessons along the way.
The first one I would like to share is that we do not recognize grief. We as a
society are very ill prepared for grief, and of course my whole mission is for
people to talk about and plan and prepare for grief before it arrives-
but if we do not know what it is… how can we do that?

As I shared in my TEDx talk and in my messaging and presentations,
grief is whatever makes your heart ache. It is our mental, physical emotional response to loss transitions or change. Often that presents itself as someone
that seems confused, distracted, angry or irritable. It isn’t always so obvious
as someone sitting in a corner crying or being very sad.

The next time you see someone who going off on their own and not engaging or angry and not able to focus try and take a step back and  think to yourself…
​ I wonder if they are grieving? Sometimes people just need for you to say

It looks like you are having a hard time right now.
I am here to listen, or just sit here with you

We don’t recognize grief and it can be messy, it can be different for everyone.
That is something that I have learned along the way and wanted to share with you. Something to think about! 




Thank you for being part of our community. 
 To learn more about our new
Get Ready for Grief
online program
click here

Purchase your copy of Love Your Life to Death here,
    our Audio, From Avoidance to Resilience or your
          #IJustShowedUp bracelet. 

    Click here to see Yvonne's TEDx Talk 

​The day's overall objective is to raise awareness of mental health issues around
the world and mobilize efforts in support of mental health. Always remember
that you have value and you matter.  Just Show Up for yourself first.
When someone is struggling and you don't know what to do or say;

Just Show Up!

Yvonne was recently interviewed by Agatha Farmer from the Muskoka Post.
Please take a moment to read and reflect on this important message.

Muskoka Post Article



Thank you for being part of our community. 
 To learn more about our new
Get Ready for Grief
online program
click here

Purchase your copy of Love Your Life to Death here,
    our Audio, From Avoidance to Resilience or your
          #IJustShowedUp bracelet. 

    Click here to see Yvonne's TEDx Talk 

Small acts of kindness can change the world.
I have shared this video with you and have hugged a lot of people today.
What did you do to try and change the world today?

​I love this song and video's powerful message Johnny Reid shares.