Welcome to February! Woohoo we finally made it! 🎉 January can feel so long so reaching February is enough to feel like an achievement for me!

I thought I would reflect a bit on this first month of 2019 and how I was making out with my goals from the beginning of the year. Obviously so fresh into a new year, they won't all be ticked off but I thought it would be great to check in on the ongoing items.

1. Walk at least 10,000 steps a day for 100 days. I'm thrilled to say, that even with temperatures that plummeted down to -44 with the windchill at its worst, and average daily temperatures around the minus teens, I still made it out everyday for a walk. Even with our record breaking snowfall in Ottawa of 97cm in January alone (yes, in one month!), I still managed to put on about 15 layers (for both myself and the dog!) and get a daily dose of fresh air, sunshine, and daily step count. Although we battle the cold winters, we are blessed with quite a bit of sunshine, which makes for beautiful photos, even if there is a risk of frostbite!

2. Learn to play guitar. I've had two lessons so far - should have been three but there was a terrible snowstorm followed by freezing rain which caused classes to be cancelled! And I'm loving learning something new! I also love the way my teacher has structured the classes - we jump right into well-known songs that use minimum chords, which means I can almost sound like I know what I'm doing already! You'll be able to find me by the bonfire this summer leading the sing-along 🤩

3. Meditate daily. Ok so I'll admit I've missed three days this month 😕 While not ideal, I figure 3 out of 31 isn't a terrible average and it's become more of a routine than in the past. Apps are so helpful for trying to stick to something new. I've been using the free version of the "Calm" app which I've really enjoyed. I mostly use the timed meditation, but there's always a little quote at the end which I like reading as well. 

4. Finish my novel. I've been experimenting with different writing methods - X amount of minutes a day/week, or X amount of words in each sitting. I'm still working out a way to make this a daily habit and while I'm not there yet, I've managed about 5,000 words this month with a very busy schedule.

Which leads me to another update...

I did stand here a month ago, vowing to write a weekly blog post for you all. And I've really enjoyed having this extra bit of commitment to get me into my chair and write. However, I've been thrilled to add some new clients to my roster this year and have really enjoyed working with new people in different niches. I have found the work to be creatively inspiring and have loved being able to bounce new ideas off of people that are coming to this mutual space with different strengths and experiences. But this also means time is more and more limited. With point 4 becoming more and more important, I need spare creative space to work on that novel! 

So my weekly blog post will change to a monthly post. I'm still committing to a regular check-in with y'all and I don't see this as a failure. I think we all need to put our hand up and admit when it all just gets to be a bit much. There is no weakness in asking for help or admitting you've overbooked yourself. I think it takes strength to be able to do that (and no, I'm not just saying that because I'm doing it now!) So have an excellent February dear followers - we're off to the Bahamas mid-month for some much needed sunshine and heat! I look forward to updating you all on my return and in the meantime, feel free to follow along on instagram here! 

As some of you may know, I moved back to Canada after spending nearly 10 years (off and on) in London, UK. While it's absolutely amazing to be back surrounded by all of my fellow maple syrup loving, overly friendly, beautiful Canucks, I kind of forgot about one major issue:

Canadian winters.

And I'm not talking about the dusting of snow that Londoners would get here and there (and yes, the entire city would shut down). I'm talking about 40cm of snowfall in an afternoon; temperatures of up (down?) to -45 degrees celsius (yes you read that right. Celsius. Go ahead, read that sentence again) with the windchill. Don't know what a windchill is? Count yourself lucky.

I'm talking about winters that stretch from November to April. The kind that, by March it's a slushy grey mess and the "fun" parts of winter begin to dissipate. Skiing is on its way out, the trails for snowshoeing or hiking with the dog are sloppy and the bright sunshine that once reflected off that powdery white stuff is melting into the grey skies of spring.

Now don't get me wrong. I'll take the above versus winters in London (or any weather in London really, because let's be honest, their seasons are a little less apparent than ours). The dampness doesn't sink into your bones here, the snow is generally quite pretty and fluffy, the sun usually shines bright and it comes with a number of amazing winter sports. 

But, I have realized that there are a few ways to survive winter now that I'm back. The fact I have a South African born, British boyfriend means I'm seeing winter through his eyes now too - eyes that are usually seen only through the slit of his scarf in these really cold days! So in no particular order, here's my survival list:

1. Take up winter hobbies. Yes, this is easier said than done when the wind is blowing, you need to dig your car out of the driveway, put on 15 layers and wait for your car to warm up. BUT, you can find local trails for a hike (with the dog is our fave!) and find a pub/cafe/restaurant nearby; slap on some snowshoes (surprisingly not very expensive) and head into the forest; hit the ski slopes for some downhill, or borrow a pair of cross country skis to tour around. Also on my list this year? Rent a fat bike - I've been wanting to do this since they first came out and have yet to do! Also fun? Get chummy with friends that have some (or all of the above) like our neighbour who has three snowmobiles that he leaves the keys in so anytime we want to go for a ride, we're good to go!

2. Make plans to get OUT. Another one that is very easy to let slide. Hibernation mode is a real thing and it can be so tempting when you're looking at another snowstorm rolling in. But as long as you've got a good set of winter tires, and the roads are clear, make plans to get out! I make plans to go to yoga, meet a friend or client for coffee or glass of wine, head for a guitar lesson (ok mine was cancelled this week due to a snowstorm followed by freezing rain but shit happens), my boyfriend and I went to a dance lesson last week then had margaritas - change up the routine! Whatever you have to do to stay motivated when the days are short and the weather isn't kind. Hit the gym on your way home from work, meet a friend for a drink or work from the coffee shop for a bit. You know the saying, 'misery loves company'? Never has this been truer when talking to a fellow Canadian about shovelling your way out of the driveway to get your caffeine fix at Starbees.

3. Get good at hygge (hoo-gah). Ok I know this contradicts the above, but there's a time and a place. After a long day skiing? Enjoy your après ski at home next to the fireplace. Pour a glass of wine (or two, or three - you're not driving anywhere else today!) and embrace the cozy side of winter. Our pup is a Rhodesian Ridgeback and while he loves running around in the snow, anything too chilly and he's out. I can put him in the warmest coats I've bought him, but at a certain point, it's time to head inside. So slip into those yoga pants, thick reading socks, park it on the sofa and get your snuggle on.

4. Plan a trip (or at least daydream!). Statistics show even looking at images of exotic locations or daydreaming about your next vacation can do wonders for your mental health. We have a trip coming up to Bahamas in February and I cannot wait to feel some sun on my (pasty) skin. When the snow is coming down? I can sit smugly knowing I'll soon be on a white sand beach, sipping a cold cocktail, with the snow a million miles away. Equally, when you arrive back from said vacation, you'll need to still look at those photos, because that warm vacation feeling you were rocking only days ago? Ya, that will be long gone.

5. Supplements help. This may not be for everyone but seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a real thing and a daily dose of Vitamin D has certainly helped me stave this off! I could have used it as well in London due to its lack of sunny days but better late than never!  

6. Embrace the seasons. I feel so lucky to be back in Ottawa. This part of Canada has such distinctive seasons and I've loved embracing each one. Without our cold, snowy winters, we wouldn't have our hot and sunny summers, or our colourful falls and refreshing springs. I also think it's what makes us Canadians so unique - we bond through the tough times and celebrate the good ones. When I see snowstorms covered on the news here, you know what's often shown? The guy that skated down to his local Tims after freezing rain last week. The community that helped each other dig out their cars after a huge snowstorm. The many winter festivals on offer with large turnouts, or the sheer number of people skating on the Rideau Canal daily. You see, winter isn't something to dread, but I think it's something to lean into. Even when this is my current backyard: 

How about you? How do you embrace / enjoy / get through the winter months? I'd love to hear from you! Until then...stay warm! ❄️ ​

At some point, I really started to live by this motto. 

I think it was around the time I was going through a divorce in my twenties. I had all of these big dreams and goals of what I wanted to achieve with my life and sadly, that relationship wasn't very conducive to that (amongst other things).

Starting life anew, alone for the first time as an adult, in a foreign country was damn hard - and freaking scary. But I knew in order to become the best version of me,  I was going to have to put myself out there and soar.

Traveling around the world networking with some very important people, my first real interview, being filmed for live reporting, taking street dance and ballet classes, enrolling in a writing course, taking up yoga, joining a cycle club, my first race, getting my own place, going freelance and needing to be responsible for my own pay cheque each week, moving to a new city and having to make new friends, learning guitar. 

All are things that I had to step outside of my comfort zone and try something new. Of course I was nervous. Of course my anxiety was riding high. On my way to some of the above, my stomach was often flip-flopping.

But, I also just said to myself, "fake it til ya make it" and it immediately put my mind at ease. Plus, worst case scenario, I could use it in my memoirs right? 😅

The latest undertaking is the guitar lessons. I bought a cheap guitar when I was in London and it has sat in a corner for the last three years. I tried to do the online courses and just couldn't wrap my head around it. So, this week I went to my first lesson and had all those same feelings. I was worried I would look stupid or have no idea what I was doing. Which, having never played a guitar in my life, of course I would have no idea what I was doing!

But I left that class on such a high - the pride, accomplishment, and excitement with starting something new reassured me it was all worth it. And I guarantee you, all of the other people you see when scrolling through instagram doing something exciting, transforming their lives, travelling somewhere exotic - all of them had similar fears and feelings of doubt before they started too. 

So why not try something new yourself this year? I promise you won't regret it! 

I get a lot of questions about what it's like working for myself from home. They usually fit into one of two categories: "Oh did you post your photo to Facebook today? All done for the day then?" (my dad) to "How the hell do you find the time to juggle so many different clients and types of work?" (usually every other person who has ever worked for themselves in freelance). 

Obviously we tend to lean toward the latter - working for yourself brings a certain hunger that I have to admit, makes me sometimes miss the steady income and monotonous office life. It brought stability even though it lacked a few things: mainly passion and challenge. As a writer and marketer, we crave a little bit more. We tend to feel things differently, crave emotion in a different way and want to help others do the same for their brand/magazine/company/whatever it may be. We're also a new generation up against the old ways of doing things. I recently tried to explain what I do to my boyfriend's mother while on a safari in South Africa and I realized this is not only a job that didn't exist 10, 15 even 5 years ago, it's also having to explain how people engage with the world now.

And while it definitely has its perks (I wrote about this in my last blog post): work wherever you want, while you travel, while you sit in pjs, while you drink your second or third cup of coffee with your pup - guess which one is me? (Oh wait, are all of them me? 🧐?) What I have discovered is a few life-saving things to help create a routine. So if you also work from home, maybe some of these items will help inspire you? And please comment for other tips that work for you! Let's lift each other up!

1. Create an inspiring work space. This can change and evolve day to day. Sometimes it's Starbucks, sometimes it's your couch, sometimes it's the kitchen table. My biggest change recently? I FINALLY ordered a desktop - iMac (yes I am 100% an Apple yuppy with every product I can get my hands on). Having a set "office" has created such a creative outlet for me - I brew a cup of tea or make a coffee, head to the office and just switch into office mode. I find hours can go by and I'm so much more inspired here lately!

I wanted to wish a very happy 2019 to you all and let you know that yes, I am still here! This blog part of my website has always been close to my heart, but sadly it is often the first thing to fall to the wayside when the days and weeks start to get busy!

But I wanted to sign on today to let you know, that moving forward, one of my goals is a weekly blog post for 2019! I don't love public vows for new year's resolutions (for the obvious fact that majority of them end up being a bust which leads me to not updating on them, which leads to less blog posts, which leads to where we are right now!).

I'm going to be honest - 2018 was a bit of a tough one as well. I moved back to Canada at the end of 2017 after almost a decade in London UK. The adjustment to a slower life out in the country has been a little trying at times. It's temporary and we're looking to move this spring (yay adulting!) but throw in a relationship (with a foreigner I uprooted to come with me!), friendships old and new, family commitments, career growth and a puppy (freaking adorable puppy but still) made this year one of the most trying in a long time. I found I let things pile up on me more than I have in the past - my motivation and drive to work on myself took a nosedive in the latter half of the year. 

2018 was also the first year I worked full time start to finish for myself as a freelancer. The freedom it provides is obviously the top attraction for many people - no sole boss, no stuffy office, no annoying team building days. But it can also be very isolating and taxing. There is no "off" time when you work for yourself. I find I constantly blur the lines between "working day" and "off the clock". These are constantly shifting. Work is also usually a constant on vacation which makes it hard to switch my brain off. Setting boundaries is something I'm working on to make sure I'm giving 100% of myself (and still have 100% to give).

Now I'm going into 2019 a little more organized and aware of what this process entails. It's scary but it's also exciting! Along with continuing to work in the luxury yachting world as a marketer and freelance writer, I'm proud to include two new clients in my portfolio for the future - both are part of the local community in different fields, and that was a wee goal of mine for 2018 - grow that sense of community that I found lacking in a big city like London.

And I'm not writing today to say that the clock changed to 12:01 on January 1 and suddenly my perspective shifted. I'm saying it's ok to not have all the plans work out; it's ok to not have 10 resolutions to become the best you; it's ok to have them and not reach them too. Because of this overload, I didn't even have a bright idea of what I wanted to accomplish or create in my 2019 until halfway through the Christmas break when I locked myself in my office and wrote a few things down. I always have plenty of little goals flitting around my head - I have become that person that normally has three or four different books on the go - but I wanted them to be tangible and smart about how I wanted my year to unfold. 

So with a new year beginning with new promises for the year ahead, I thought I'd share just a few of the items I jotted down (perhaps these are the ones I'm most sure about but who can say!)

• Learn to play guitar - this has been a goal for as long as I can remember. I finally bought a guitar in 2017 but it has sat and collected dust in a corner since then (the closest it gets to being played is when our pup, Kingsley's tail hits the strings passing by 😅) BUT this year, I was smart. In our (very large and growing family!) we draw names and with a $50 limit only buy for that person. I asked for guitar lessons offered locally and have the gift certificate to get my butt in gear!
• Run at least one 10km race - I finished 2017 completing one but a few niggly injuries this past year caused me to slow way down. I know one is feasible so I'm putting that down but I'd love to make it more!
• Meditate daily - anyone else constantly have this as their new year goal then by January 16 just can't be bothered? I want to break that chain!
• 10,000 steps a day for 100 days. Having a 6 month old puppy means I have to get my butt up and out (even when it is -30 here in the winter) so I'm hoping this one is a challenge yet achievable! I was getting annoyed that working from home meant plenty less movement. Coupled with living in North America where car is life, I am moving way less than I did in London. I cycled to and from work, used my bike to get around on weekends or had to walk to a bus/tube stop. Making it part of my life is doing wonders for my mood. And oddly, I think I enjoy being outside in winter more and more! ❄️ 
• Finish my novel - this one makes me feel a little vulnerable as I'm not entirely sure I'll be able to tick it off but I started it around this time last year and sit at about 35,000 words so nearly halfway there!

How about you? Have you set any goals for 2019?

*Not forgetting to show gratitude for all the amazing things that also happened in 2018, a small highlight reel:

Overlooking Raja Ampat 2015

If you follow this blog or any of my social media accounts, it's no surprise I love to travel. I've been incredibly lucky to visit some fantastic locations, travel quite regularly and even explore off the beaten path.

But today, I wanted to get some feedback from you guys! I'm looking into our big trip for this year - we'll return to South Africa and hopefully get to explore one of the neighbouring countries, and of course - spend time in the game reserves. However, this year, I'd love to be able to give back a bit on vacation - does anyone know of a reputable company that allows volunteers for a couple of days? Most I have found are for minimum 1-2 weeks and with family commitments we just can't spring that this time around!

So please comment or write and let me know if you have any recommendations!

Cheers guys :)

Hi dear followers,

I'm sitting all cozied up inside on this Friday night after my mini-yoga retreat was cancelled (freezing rain has stalled play on that!) with a lovely glass of South African red and thought it was time I shared a bit about myself with all of you. So in no particular order, here are 10 things that you might not know about yours truly.

Why not comment some little known facts about yourself?

1. I was born in Riverview, New Brunswick on the East Coast of Canada (as of writing the population still hasn't surpassed 20,000).
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2. I'm the third of four kids and share the "middle child" moniker with my older sister (although I have classic middle child syndrome).

3. We moved around A LOT growing up - Before graduating high school (twice since I graduated in Quebec where they finish in grade 11 and then again in Ontario where they complete in grade 12), I had lived in nine different houses, four different provinces and five cities. 

4. I had never flown on an airplane until I was 18 - I went on my first Eurotrip and took a budget plane to Glasgow before backpacking around the continent.

5. I have three degrees - a B.A Honours in Criminology and Concentration in Law; a Montessori Primary Teaching Certificate; and a Post Graduate Diploma in English Literature.

6. I grew up sailing with my family, sometimes wedged like sardines all together on the lakes of Canada. Little did I know I'd end up in yachting for a career (who knew moaning about being dragged around boat shows by my dad would one day be my meal ticket?)

7. I lived in London UK twice - once for six months in 2008 and again in 2010 for seven years. London has been the longest I've ever remained in one city (even if I also lived in seven different flats during that time!)

8. I bought a rusted old commuter bike when I moved to London which created a love for cycling - I raced successfully in London for a couple of seasons, did a number of European amateur races, and cycled twice London to Paris - once solo in 16 hours riding time.

9. I've had a few stays in hospital - a) broken collarbone at birth b) bronchitis at 4 months c) I had to get stitches on my left ankle at two years old since I cut my foot on an unassembled dishwasher d) I broke my wrist in grade three e) spent time in a Parisian hospital after being hit by a car during a race (proud to say I still finished...even if my knee still gives me issues!) f) I got badly bruised after a car hit me on my bike in London g) a few stays in London for anxiety related heart issues
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10. I (like so many others) struggled with an eating disorder throughout my teens and twenties. I've worked with young girls struggling and think we need to break the stigma around mental health and body issues.

Hello world!

I am thrilled to be back online, reconnecting with all of my dear readers and followers. The last year has been a hectic one to say the least! I left my city job in London, moved out of one flat, into another, started a new job, moved across the Atlantic (back to the homeland - Canada!), brought my boyfriend with me (5 months long distance waiting on visas was no joke!) and am now starting to get back into somewhat of a routine.

I've missed my ramblings online to all of you (thank you for listening!) but was also amazed when re-reading my previous posts. You may notice a whole new website and look over here now. And with that, comes major growth (given the past couple of years - it's inevitable for us all)! As a result, as I was importing old content, I truly realized how far I have come and you may notice some missing articles. Fear not as I hope to be bringing you fresh new outlooks and perspectives.

​I look forward to going on this journey together!