Finding purpose through writing
For as long as I can remember, I asked myself “What’s my purpose?"
“Why am I here?” I could never really nail my answer down. For the longest time, I thought it was to help people live healthier lives (teaching yoga), help people live up to their potential (sports psychology), inspire people to go after their goals (Mindset on Mobility, a previous business endeavour), make the world a better place (charity work and time spent in Africa). And while all of those things ring true in many ways, they all felt superficial. Like I was missing the mark. One day, I stumbled upon a video with Sara Blakely, the founder of Spanx and Sneex; she said that your purpose lives at the intersection of three questions: What brings you joy? What are you good at? How do you want to serve the world? The answers to the first two questions come pretty easy to me; I've always been passionate about writing and creating. However, the third question was more challenging. I found clarity when I asked myself: What truly breaks my heart? Or, what makes me cry? I remember learning about Henry Harlow and his experiments in a first-year psychology class. Harlow's work with monkeys significantly shaped our understanding of affection and emotional bonds' crucial role in psychological development. The experiments themselves are highly controversial, so I'll spare you the details, but they highlighted an essential truth: we need comfort, connection, and affection from our caregivers to thrive. I remember volunteering in an orphanage in South Africa and literally grabbing every kid within reach to make sure he or she had some sort of affection from me. I wanted to show them that someone was there for them and that they were cared for. So, here are my unsolicited thoughts. Let’s put down the devices for a few minutes, pick up a book, sit and read together, and really connect with the children in our lives. When caregivers can actively engage and be attentive with their kids, they're helping to nurture the child's emotional well-being, cognitive skills and setting a foundation for future learning and resilience. Investing in their present will help shape their future. And that, my friends, will change the world.
The Person Behind the Passion
After University and (temporarily) hanging up my basketball shoes, I embarked on my yoga teacher journey, venturing to India in 2009 for the first of many yoga trainings. My life was forever changed. Experiencing the transformative power of yoga, I delved deep into the world of spirituality and self-development. I truly believe that yoga is for anyone and everyone. My first book, Yoga Adventures, is inspired by my love of yoga while utilizing the power of visualization, a skill I learned as a competitive athlete and throughout graduate school.
Visualization is one of the key skills I teach the athletes; it's the ability to imagine oneself in various situations. But visualization isn't just important in sports! It's a valuable skill for everyone — planning your perfect day, dreaming up goals, inventing something new, problem-solving, or preparing for a meeting. My stories are designed to spark this imaginative process, allowing readers to practice and enhance their visualization skills in a fun and engaging way.
I hope to inspire readers to build the muscle of imagination, throw away realistic ideas, and create the world that they want to live in. And no, it doesn’t have to make sense or seem realistic to anyone else. You can achieve anything you can dream up if you set your mind to it. Anything is possible when you dive into the magic of your mind.
And if you're into credentials and demographic info... I've completed my Masters in Human Kinetics, with a Concentration in Consultation and Intervention and a Masters Certificate in Leadership. I work full-time as a Personnel Selection Officer in the Canadian Armed Forces. In my spare time, I'm a Mental Performance Consultant who leverages my education and experience in sports to help athletes overcome mental barriers. I currently live on Vancouver Island with my family :)