Create The Ripple Magazine April 2021

Photos by, Kayla Marie of Hidden Salt Studios

APRIL 2021 ~ ISSUE 5

FRESH STARTS...

A new beginning with

Susan Binnie

Featured This Month What’s Your Flavour

Hindrance to

Transcendence

Alopecia Journey

Build Your Toolbox

Letter From the Editor

I

t’s so fitting to me that we would feature our Executive Managing Editor on the cover of our Fresh Starts Edition. Why? Susan was one of the first one’s I called when I was putting together the idea of a team to bring this publication to life.

Susan and I had begun to work together, slowly, so she could support me to finally write my book. I smile now when I think of it. I had a burst of inspiration early into 2020 and had reached out to her to ask, “Susan, are you ready to work with me?” This was well before I had any idea that we would be putting out a full-on magazine publication!

Way leads on to way, as they say, and perhaps that original conversation set the stage for when I shared my idea for the magazine and asked her to play a role.

Thankfully, she said yes.

Since then, the magazine has grown, changed and expanded; just as her role has. She has unwaveringly caught the collaborative vision of the Create the Ripple Magazine; and tirelessly helps to bring it to “print” every month. She brings a balance to my constant forward motion and an attention to the details so we can deliver well edited stories that share the impact with our readers and for our contributors.

Thanks Susan for being part of the ride.

Candice Smiley

Photo by @HouseofCourtesan Makeup by @ambervictoriamakeup

Next Month

issues that matter to women & women’s empowerment em·pow·er /Əmˈpou(Ə)r/ As a verb, to give (someone) the authority or power to do something.

As a noun, to make (someone) stronger and more confident, especially in controlling their life and claiming their rights.

Next month’s issue is all about Issues that Matter to Women and Empowering Women.

‘I raise up my voice—not so I can shout, but so that those without a voice can be heard…we cannot succeed when half of us are held back.

-Malala Yousafzai “Yet many things count against modern day women becoming empowered.

Gender inequality is at the crux of the problem, and is rife in leadership,business, politics and all faets of life. But still we need to try and thrive and rise above the adversity we experience in any way we can. And many women do.”

Except taken from https://www.womensnetwork.com.au/the-characteristics-of-an-empowered-woman/) We want to hear your story of becoming an empowered woman and of helping others to do the same. How are you standing in and speaking your truth? How are you making ripples of change around you? We cannot wait to collaborate with you to increase the reach for your story or mission.

We cannot stay silent, there is so much work to do.

To submit your story, advertorial, or article for May’s issue, please

submit here

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Candice Smiley Editor-In-Chief

Susan Binnie

Executive Managing Editor

Lonnie Gartner

Assistant Editor, Advice

Christina Giese

Social Media Coordinator

Caitlin Banks

Customer Relations Manager Want to learn more about the team?

Check them out here Or email us directly HERE contributors

Caitlin Banks Candice Smiley Carmen Goebel Christina Giese Corey Poirier Dani Axani Dr. Candice Staniek Earl Shindruk Hailey Henituik Heather Scott Jenn Oleksyn Kristen Vaccher Lonnie Gartner Robert Manolson Susan Binnie Tonya Joyce

Team Announcement!

We’d like to welcome our new Customer Relations Manager

Caitlin Banks

We are pleased to welcome to the team Miss Caitlin Banks. Caitlin joins us as our intern, but rather than getting us coffee she is getting us sales and catching typos! We love her for her energy, keen eye for the detail in the story and for the sweet way she builds rapport with our readers, contributors and sponsors.

Caitlin has a flare for the story so if you know someone who would love to contribute but isn’t comfortable writing themselves - she will be the one doing the Q & A write up.

We are looking forward to growing with her skills and passion.

Welcome Caitlin!

Team Updates We want to say a huge thank you to Ryschell Drangunov of ZeSaiphio Marketing for her impeccable design efforts and talent that she applied to the first 4 editions of the Create the Ripple Magazine. She wore many hats during her time with us, stepping up to support as a virtual assistant and support for the whole team. We would have been lost without her time, energy, effort and kindness. Thank you Ryschell for being part of this idea and helping us to bring it to life.

We are expanding our reach and our team to serve you and the stories better.

You may have noticed a “Fresh Take” to this latest edition. That’s all due in thanks to our incoming design team, dynamic duo, Andrew Birch and Jesse Ratson.

Andrew Birch is an engineer by trade, a tech guru, designer, and our go to guy for anything and everything. He has a keen eye for detail and analytics and we look forward to how that will impact our outreach! Trust me when I say, this guy is the stone that creates the ripple.

Jesse Ratson is one of the most generous human beings I have ever met. He is also an artist, graphic designer and supremely talented at taking an idea and bringing it to life on the page.

These two immediately picked up on the powerful tool we have in this online publication and are intending to help us maximize our reach in the coming weeks!

We are extremely excited for the collaboration and the magic we know it will create for you, for us and for the impact that Create the Ripple Magazine and Co. intend to have on the world.

Candice, Susan and the Create the Ripple team

Tell the Truth What’s Your Flavour

Co C

A New Beginning...

A Fresh Start Hindrance to Transcendence Fresh Starts My Mental Health Journey One Year Into The Lockdown

Build Your Toolbox Mental Well Being

ontents Journey to Health

Hello All Fresh Starts Even in a Pandemic

Diving into a New World

Dani Axani Edmonton Artist Advice Crown of Empowerment

Taking the Power Back How About Giving Your Health a Fresh Start?

Alopecia Journey

Letter from the Executive Managing Editor A

year ago if anyone had told me I would be an Executive Managing Editor for a publication with stories that impact others and create a ripple in the world I would have said they were crazy…

It is not something that was ever on my radar. I charted a course to speak and inspire. To help others uncover the best story to tell to make a difference in their lives and those around them. Some would say that I was helping others create their ripple. A legacy to leave behind. I never quite looked at it this way. I was responding to what others needed and trusting I could help them.

Candice Smiley re-entered my world early in 2020. She reached out to say she was ready to write her book and I was the expert she knew to help her. I remember that call so clearly.

She wanted to write her book. There was a higher power at play that told her to tell her stories. I felt honoured that she wanted to put her trust in me. I remember thinking I do not write. I am a storyteller. I could help her speak from the stage but what did I know about writing a book. My heart would skip several beats during that first conversation. I enjoyed our conversation so much. Laughing, conversing and sharing pieces of me that I did not share with just anyone. I knew something was growing. I held space for her as I have for so many to allow her stories to flow through her to help her expand and grow.

The first call led to the next, and the next and she would become a client, but I knew there was so much more. I wasn’t sure what it was but I had learned to trust, be silent and listen. I listened to a higher power. At times it was mine and at times it was hers. We have this way of knowing what each other are thinking without even being together or saying a word.

The words I will never forget. Are you ready… to be honest the rest is a bit of a blur. It was a powerful question. My response Yes!?

I knew that everything I was recently opening myself up to and everything that had

happened in my entrepreneurial world had prepared me for what was about to begin…

A friendship was beginning, a relationship, a collaborative partnership. In December the first publication of Create the Ripple Magazine was born. I was helping guide the words submitted into stories that would create impact, uplift and support all who were eager to be a part of it. Over the next couple months my role would change and shift as we all did. I went from helping others speak their stories to helping them write and edit their stories. The magazine was evolving and I knew I needed to stretch and grow with it… we all did. I began to clearly see the vision of where the magazine was headed. I was over the moon when Candice asked me to do the cover this month. There are many reasons for my excitement. Secretly the one that I have not shared is that I always wanted to be a model growing up. I didn’t think that was very likely based on my body type. However, as you can see, I am the cover model in this Edition full of fresh starts. I believe the journey has just begun.

I am excited to bring you many different stories pertaining to “Fresh Starts.” They all follow the same theme but are uniquely different. It reminds me of the ability we each have to stand in our own stories. I hope you enjoy reading them as much as I did.

Thank you Candice for your unending trust. ~Susan Binnie

Align your story with your purpose!

Whether it be the purpose of your life, or the purpose for telling your story, learn what story to share when, and how you can have impact with your story.

We are fortunate to have our very own story coach in house…

Susan Binnie, our Executive Managing Editor, will guide you through a process to have the power to share the best possible story. Susan is offering a complimentary 60 minute Story Call to discuss how you can best position your story to create value and impact in the lives of others.

Once you have a story, you will be able to submit it to Create the Ripple magazine. It also opens you up to be a guest on Create the Ripple podcast or to speak at Powerful Women Unite events as the keynote or panel speaker.

Book your call today

A New Beginning... a Fresh Start When I think of fresh starts, so many things come to mind.

A new year, new perspective, new opportunity.

I also think about spring, renewed growth, changing pace, starting again.

A

new beginning, a fresh start. There is an inference that if something is beginning then something else needs to end. If something is starting does that mean there was a finishing. Perhaps it is easier to look at it as a renewal of growth. Spring is in the air with newness all around us. The trees have a fresh start as they bud, and new growth emerges. A time of hibernation is over, it is time for growing to begin again. An opportunity for new leaves to grow, new branches to form and new heights to be reached. The thought of it all brings a comfort that I never quite considered before. Every year since the day we were born, we learn new things. We expand to new heights and are stretched out of our comfort zone. New thoughts are born, and the growth begins to happen. A thought that perhaps things are not ending, perhaps they are in a constant state of renewal to get us to that place of fulfilment, that place of contentment, the place we always wanted to grow to, and we are getting closer and closer every time we try something new or allow new things to enter our world.

Many memories fly through my mind and the stories begin to form. The tree analogy above brings light to a new way of thinking. Many times, in my life the leaves needed to fall and when the challenging things happened that seemed to say life is over or it will not be like it was, these are the times that life was not ending but merely changing so that I too could shift and grow.

Shed my old beliefs, lose my old doubts, and worries and grow strong and tall into a new state of being. Standing in my Power...

2020 brought to light a whole new way of living. A fresh start for me is one way I like to look at it. It was the year that started with a photo shoot. The first time I emerged from my cocoon of concern. Concern that people were judging me. They would look at my new pictures and see something that I never saw. They would see a confident loving individual and see all the greatness that lies within. I realized that those who really mattered in my life were not judging me in the picture they saw, and instead it was me who was judging me. It was me that would see the confidence and strength that I did not look hard enough to see before. I started to love myself and the pictures before I even saw them developed. I was beginning to love me and what I was growing into. I had this grand idea in my head of what the year would look like. A new year had started and so many things were turning into the vision I had for my life.

Covid hit and so much changed. The way I did business changed, the way I interacted with people changed. All that I had come to know would look different. Looking back now I realize that like so many things in life, it did not happen to me, it happened for me. It really is about the story we tell ourselves and how we allow things to play out or change us. I saw many people cocoon into themselves as did I at first. It took me a long moment of pause to realize it was time for new growth to begin. A new adventure of spiritual growth. I referred to it on several occasions as my Nexus cracking wide open. I didn’t even know what that meant, the words came to me and I allowed my world to expand and grow. Opening to new possibilities and allowing change can be hard. When we see new potentials for growth and focus on what we can do instead of what we can’t, things around us turn into opportunity. Typically, I am a planner. I plan things to happen a certain way and if they don’t, I am disappointed

and upset. When I gave up the need to hang on to the outcome, life shifted. I explored new ways, to allow that which I can not control, into my life. The more I allowed myself to open to the new, more new came. New clients, new teaching methods, new awakenings.

A deeper state of clarity came over me and I knew the year was about to bring change that I had needed for a long time. I always wanted to extend my growth within my business beyond my community. Doing live events for two years had me thinking about how that would look to expand. I couldn’t quite wrap my brain around the logistics. In a time of lockdown, I realized the obvious choice was online. Speaking, events, networking, everything could be online. The new world had me open to expansion in ways I never quite looked at. Before I could expand, I had to stop and step back and decide the direction I wanted to head. It has been a year of shedding and releasing the heaviness of the past of all that went wrong. New stories came out, things that never came out before. I spoke about experiences I had forgotten. Tears were plenty and the growth of newness came out of me blooming bigger and brighter than anything I anticipated. In the shedding of grief and the past came renewed blooming for the future.

The overwhelming sense of pride. Shedding and blooming.

Releasing the old and shedding my cocoon. The blooming and the growth of the butterfly that has emerged. Increasing the trust in the unfolding. Allowing the release of my tears to help me grow. I have recognized the

powerful creator that I am and the pride I have for the work I get to do in the world. I’ve spoken my truth… good and bad. The truth is present and I am allowing it to come out and as I speak, allowing myself to hear. I am taking the time to process and understand all that I say, allowing it all to go deep in my core in a way I never have before.. This process has been so very powerful and I realize this is the work I get to do in the world. This is how I help others. I hold space and allow them to process what they need, so they too can rise.

In life, it is when the storms come that tend to knock us down, tear off our branches, create our leaves to fall that make us still. It is in this stillness we must trust that life is happening for us, change is inevitable and a new stage of growth is emerging. On this stage we stand strong and see the power all around us. Step into the fear that we often see and allow the new story to begin to take shape. Trust there is another Fresh Start about to begin…

I would love to hold space for you and help you step into the new story of your life to achieve all you want and deserve.

Contact me today for your free 60 min 1 - 1 call where I will help you uncover what is holding you back from a life you truly want.

Text me 780-904-7893 Author - Susan Binnie

Fresh Starts Author - Jenn Oleksyn

I’ve been making fresh starts my whole life.

I was born into a RCMP family and so from the time I was 4 years old until I moved out on my own I had to move every 3-5 years.

I started Kindergarten in one town, Grade 3 in another, Grade 8 in another and then moved away to go to college.

At the time I hated those moves. We moved when I was 12 years old and that one hit me the hardest.

I was leaving behind friends and sports and a school that I was familiar with. We were changing provinces, but in my pre-teen mind we might as well have been moving to the moon.

We were on the ferry that night doing a night crossing as part of the move and I cried all night in the boat cabin, no one got any sleep that night and what a drive my Dad had the next day after listening to me sob all night.

What I didn’t know then, that I’m so grateful for now, is that all those moves and fresh

starts were teaching me lessons that would help me later in life.

I learned to be resilient. I learned to make new friends. I learned to adapt to new situations. I learned to read the room. I learned to make connections.

I’ve used these skills on countless occasions throughout my life but most recently in my current fresh start.

My husband and I decided 3 years ago that we wanted to open a business. 12 months to the day after we decided and signed the incorporation papers we opened the doors to our very own cafe. I have no formal business training, just a collection of life experiences and a determination that I can do anything I set my mind to.

It was a bumpy road getting there.

We built in a new space and met many roadblocks on the path to opening day. We had construction delays, inspection delays, incorrect permits issued, delays due to an incorrect gas meter

“Our mission is to be your third place”

From left to right: Sarah Hoffman installed, and then we had a death in the family (minister of health at the time) Allen Oleksyn, on what was supposed to be opening day.

Jenn Oleksyn, MLA Thomas Dang We changed the opening date 3 times due to various delays, and I was so close to breaking, but the resiliency that I learned many years ago helped me overcome the obstacles. Now 2 years later we’re still in business and overcoming obstacles every day.

We received a key piece of advice from a friend when we first decided to open the cafe and I’d like to pass it on to anyone that is thinking of a fresh start in any area of your life.

Every day during the year of business planning and build out we looked at this quote, written on a sticky note and stuck to the front of our fridge.

All the note said was “go all in”. It would unknowingly become the best piece of advice we could have been given. Go.All.In. If you truly want to make a fresh start in any area of your life you have to decide to go all in. Give it your best. Be flexible and adaptable because nothing ever goes 100% according to plan. Know the final result you want and then do whatever it takes to get there. Never give up on yourself and go all in!

Tucked away in the shoppes of Jagare Ridge in SW Edmonton lies Caffiend Coffee. A vision brought to life by Jennifer and Allen Oleksyn.

Our mission is to be your third place. Sociologist Ray Oldenberg first pioneered the concept in his 1989 tome “The Great Good Place”, in which he explains that your third place is a hangout spot, community center or “home away from home” that provides an essential zone outside of home and work. One of our top values and priorities is supporting other local businesses.

Inside Caffiend you will find many other local independent businesses to support. Our coffee, tea, beer, pressed juice & kombucha all come from local Edmonton suppliers. You’ll also find an array of local art for sale and items from local artisans.

Come visit Caffiend today.

Say “hi” and you’ll soon find yourself a regular.

TAKING THE POWER BA W

Author Corey Poirier

hen I was growing up in a small town, in a small part of Canada, we actually thought we were busy.

From a family perspective, between grocery shopping, working, traveling locally, regular shopping, and visiting with friends, we felt there was really no time left in the day.

I say we ‘thought’ we were busy, because we had no idea what busy was.

Today, between spending time on social media for business and personal use, checking our phones, making time for exercise, yoga or meditating, reading books (if that’s your thing) and listening to podcasts, watching YouTube videos, Netflix (or your chosen platform), in our case raising two kids and driving them to daycare, keeping them busy in the evening, supper, grocery shopping and in my case, working at the office 5 days a week, picking up stuff needed for filming, always seeming to need something new for video storage, and everything else; I feel like we now know what busy truly is.

I may be wrong though – perhaps it will somehow be twice as busy in ten years’ time.

Is that even possible?

The bigger question is, is this healthy?

I’m certain if my Grandfather was told how busy it would be in 2021 when he was a teenager in the 1940’s, he would have shaken his head and likely said aloud, “that is insane, how can they live like that?”

The interesting part though is, for my

“It truly doesn’t matter if you’re male or female, we are all busier than ever right now”

generation, it, this busyness, has built up over enough time that it simply feels like everyday life now.

It truly doesn’t matter whether you’re a male or female, we are all busier than ever right now.

When I ask people how things are going, the most common answer now is … busy.

At one time the answer was good, bad, okay, etc. but now it’s typically … busy.

So we are all busier, but are we getting more done?

Maybe, but it seems more like we’re often busy simply to be busy.

ACK

COREY POIRIER The reason I wanted to write about this was not to say we can make the world less busy, or change our lifestyles completely around the idea of busyness (although many would argue we can), but to simply offer some simple strategy for surviving the busy while also keeping your sanity.

With that, here are some strategies and habits that have worked wonders for me over the years.

A columnist with Entrepreneur and Forbes magazine, and one of the few leaders featured twice on the popular

Entrepreneur on Fire show.

Turn your phone on silent

Block Your Time

This one won’t be easy if you’re used to having your phone ringer on at all times BUT it can truly change the way you view your life when you take the power back and become more proactive rather than reactive when it comes to your phone use. I’m not saying to shut your phone off as I’m sure that may give you heart palpitations, and instead just suggesting turning the ringer (and notifications) off so that the phone isn’t always in charge.

Even though many people tell you that you should never multi-task, I’m admittedly, at times, a multi-tasker. That said, I get much more done when I’m single tasking and blocking certain times to do certain things.

A few years back I was aiming to start a movement to try to make Single-Tasking the new sexy, because I truly understand the power of doing specific things at specific times rather than chasing every shiny new object or task.

Give yourself a minute If you’re raising children, and juggling everything else I noted above, getting an hour to meditate may not be realistic for you. Instead, I’m suggesting that you take just a minute, or 5 minutes, to yourself.

In an interview years ago, I was speaking with meditation guru davidji about meditating and how much time we truly need. He demonstrated that even 17 seconds of meditation can be powerful and yield results.

Exercise Again, you might not be able to get to the gym for hours at a time but with the advance of fitness apps and online video, you can access workouts that can deliver everything you need in 20 minutes or less. Even doing so 3 times a week can make a massive difference.

And even though you may not feel you have time to exercise, the act of exercising will make you more productive and actually give you back more time than it takes.

If you can simply dedicate certain times to certain tasks, and not let other ones interfere, at least until you complete the current task, I think you’ll find that you actually accomplish much more.

Prioritize Along with setting aside specific time for certain tasks, another thing you can do in an effort to take back more control over your day and take some of the power back is to set priorities around certain tasks.

Rather than tackling everything equally, assign a number to the most important tasks that need to be done (i.e. a 1), a number to the things that would be good to get done (i.e. a 2) and then a number to the things that don’t need to be done or could be delegated or just ignored all together (i.e. a 3) and tackle all the 1’s first, the 2’s second and the 3’s if you can get around to them.

These 5 strategies changed my life completely. They didn’t make life any less busy BUT they did remove a lot of stress AND I accomplish more now in days than I used to in weeks.

In the end, life will likely continue to be busy for you unless you make massive changes, BUT you don’t have to let it control you.

And perhaps it’s time for you too, to take the power back?

Yours In Success, Corey Poirier

Corey Poirier is a multiple-time TEDx, MoMondays and PMx, Speaker. He is also the host of the top rated ‘Let’s Do Influencing’ Radio Show, founder of The Speaking Program, founder of bLU Talks, and he has been featured in multiple television specials and he is a Barnes and Noble, Amazon, Apple Books and Kobo Bestselling Author.

A columnist with Entrepreneur and Forbes magazine, and one of the few leaders featured twice on the popular Entrepreneur on Fire show.

He has also interviewed over 6,500 of the world’s top leaders and he has spoken on-site at Harvard.

What’s your Flavour?

F

or me it’s usually the little things. The cup of coffee, the sunny day and blue sky. Fresh raspberries in late July. It’s different for everyone. What makes a difference for you and makes your heart sing is as unique as you.

So many things have come to light during the past year including what works in this new world and what needs to be released. So much thought goes into one choice to arrange an outdoor get together for a holiday or birthday or helping a friend get groceries.

With spring upon us all the bursting energy is present. All the “what’s something I can create for my life” energy makes me curious about fresh starts, how they look and feel and benefit each of us.

I take stock first. This default has served well during the event planning years. Assess what happened, what worked and what didn’t. Find out where you are and move forward with a newly adjusted plan that will hit the mark and deliver. Mine the gold and move on.

What areas of your life would benefit from a fresh start? In 2019 I began a journey into selfcare. I looked at what I’d done, what I’d forgotten to do and got really clear on the cost of dropping off the radar. I knew it was beneficial and important. I also learned that just knowing something doesn’t make the difference. Unless I actually care for myself, unless I ask the question “What do I need right now?” quite regularly I don’t benefit from the fact that it’s a good idea.

I also learned that self-care isn’t temporary, I don’t stop once I feel better and resume attacking my to-do list. It’s something I’ll do and choose and implement every day from now on, like brushing my teeth and drinking water. I’ll do my very best to ask myself what I need every day.

What’s your flavour of self-care? What activity or pastime makes you pleased and filled up and content? Not productive and sensible, more along the lines of happy and fulfilled. What would happen if you did it more often? How would you feel? What would cause a change that those who love you would notice? Whichever flavour you pick, I challenge you to put that one thing in your life for a few days a week, once a week or a few times and see how you feel. Make a fresh start for you and for those you love. Are you ready to find your flavour?

When you’re ready to explore more about what a fresh start looks like for you, call or text 780-619-5882 or email heather@greenorchid8.com to claim your 20 minute Self-Care Consult. Working through a short assessment exercise will help you shine light on what makes a difference in your world and learn practical tips to put into action. Choose a fresh start this spring, connect for a consultation and find out about the benefits of voting for you!

Author -Heather Scott

H

Heather Scott Erickson Certified Professional Coach, B. Ed.

eather Scott values clarity, self-care and families that work well, with connection, communication and a caring presence. With a background in education (degree from the University of Alberta), and certified as a life coach specializing in Parent as Coach training through Erickson International, she is someone who enjoys contributing to the conversation, letting parents know that they are enough. Committed to co-creating rich and deep relationships through reflection and action she is thrilled when people nurture themselves so they can show up for themselves and their children at any age.

As a single mother for many years, currently raising her two sons, she acknowledges that they have provided practical and ongoing experiences that challenge, stretch and sometimes even reinforce her knowledge and beliefs about parenting. An educator, presenter, author and coach, she is pleased to show up, to listen, and to contribute some awareness tools and techniques. Plan to connect when you want practical support and a thinking partner as you begin to explore what you will create for your fulfilled future.

My Mental Health Journey One Year Into The Lockdown

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Author - Robert Manolson

ne year into the pandemic, there’s no denying the fact that I have had to adapt.

At the very beginning of these uncertain times when businesses were thrown into a most chaotic situation, I didn’t see a lot of choices nor a lot of options for Powerful Play Experiences, Positive Workplace Mental Health...

For Teams. The pandemic completely changed my 14 year business journey and everything that I was doing as a workshop facilitator came to a grinding halt. Any and all forward momentum was snuffed out, just like that.

Confusion, concern, frustration, and even anger. The pandemic changed everything for Powerful Play Experiences, Positive Workplace Mental Health...For Teams. 14 years of business success was shut down. As a result, my anxiety levels began to rise in ways that did

not sit well with me. Through it all, I found myself saying “Goodbye” to a business journey that has given me great times and not so great times. My passion for facilitating “in person” workshops with workplace teams suddenly became something that I no longer had in my life. This was a tough pill to swallow. Sometimes it still is.

Over time, I confronted the truth that I needed to make some very big adjustments.

After all, I needed money and I needed it now. Was high anxiety still present? Absolutely. When high anxiety is present every day, thinking things through carefully and with clarity is no easy task. Nor is it an easy task to find a way to land on your feet and feel good about yourself when high anxiety is mixed with a history of living with and managing depression.

While sorting through all of this stuff, I did wonder if I could pivot a 14 year team building, fun at work, positive mental health, workshop experience business to the online platform - completely.

Some people called this the “Pandemic Pivot.” This tagline was not reassuring at all. Trust me on this one.

Adapting to existing technology that I was not skilled at, all while needing to learn new technology, had to be the way to go. There was no other immediate fix. And again, not a lot of choices.

Knowing that I would experience many challenges with this new way of working was, needless to say, not fun. I had zero skills, zero experience, and insufficient

tech tools in my home office.

It has taken months of practice and slogging away to actually find my way. I’ve been asking friends and colleagues and experts to help me replace something that I lost with something that I could re-create online. Re-inventing one’s business is a big task. It is, it really is! And even much more challenging with our current pandemic economic conditions. The goal of returning to some sort of certainty with my business knowing that I was in “Revenue Recovery Mode” ( Thank You EBA member for this term ) meant that I had to be very attentive to my daily mental health. After all, I have experienced many episodes of depression and high anxiety during the full 14 years of delivering “in person” workshops and I was determined to not go to that dark place this time around.

The best thing that I did for myself was seek out the virtual services of a psychologist. Thankfully, my physiotherapist recommended someone who works in the same rehab clinic that he does and I was able to get started right away. It’s been a positive experience for about seven months now.

Be it that my “in person” workshops with workplace teams was shut down one year ago, coupled with the looming uncertainty of starting up again in the foreseeable future, I’ve now set in motion Powerful Play Experiences Online Services: “Help Is Still Here During Covid- 19.”

One of my most powerful beliefs hasn’t changed: people need a happy mental place to go in order to feel mentally well especially during these crazy times.

I want to acknowledge and thank the many friends, colleagues, and experts who have propped me up over the past year. Each and everyone of you continues to encourage me to move forward. And for this, I appreciate you over and over again. Smiles over here!

R

How About Giving Your Health a Fresh Start?

ecently, I had the opportunity to interview patients for a special project. The conversation uncovered some very interesting insights about what thoughts stream through patients’ minds and perceptions of ‘health practitioners’

So what do you think? Are you willing to open your mind to a new perspective on healthcare and your personal wellbeing? After all, health is wealth. I have a few questions for you before we get started and I’d like to make a little guess that many of your health practitioners have not asked you these before.

What expectations do you have of your health practitioners?

Have you clearly communicated your expectations?

Do you take full responsibility for your health or do you fully abdicate responsibility?

Ok, I’ve got you thinking. Great! Let’s consider the definition of ‘health practitioner’.

I have found that when we better understand what words exactly mean we’re better able to evaluate how it relates to our specific situation.

HEALTH • The World Health Organization states (1), “Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.”

• Paracelsus (2) – one of my favorites in medicine, “He believed that health arose from the harmony between the microcosm (man) and the macrocosm (Nature). Man and the universe were essentially one in nature, and there was a profound relationship between every part of nature and its corresponding part in man. In order to truly understand the causes of disease, a doctor must first be a philosopher.”

PRACTITIONER • “Person actively engaged in an art, discipline, or profession, especially medicine.”

So lets be really clear. The term practitioner includes the following: medical doctor, naturopathic doctor, nurse practitioner, dentist and medical specialists. Have you ever noticed that the term ‘practitioner’ gets applied to the following groups of people even though they do not practice medicine? Dietician, holistic nutritionist, health practitioner, wellness practitioner or any other ‘practitioner’ that I have not mentioned. I know, I’m treading on thin ice at this point, however, I think it’s extremely important to emphasize terminology because it speaks to levels of training, education and expertise.

Furthermore, it speaks to the level of expectation that can be requested in regards to better understanding your health. Bear with me as I’m developing a point.

Now circling back to the beginning and re-introducing the concept of ‘health practitioner’.

Have you ever thought about the types of professionals that you’d like to have on your

healthcare team and how you’d like them to work together? Notice, I used the term ‘professional’ to distinguish between those practicing medicine and those in roles that support health. Let me be very clear. I have nothing against other wellness advocates (as a

What expectations do you have of health practitioners that you’re working with? general term) and I deeply feel we all have a role, however, I’m developing a point.

Why am I asking these questions? It’s because in the conversation with Suzie Smith (name is protected), I discovered that part of the reason patients shop around for different professionals in regards to their health is because their needs, their health care goals and desired results are not being met nor achieved.

HAVE YOU EVER BEEN IN THE SITUATION REGARDING YOUR HEALTH WHERE YOU HAD THE FOLLOWING THOUGHTS? 1. My supplements are not working so the program is not working • Perhaps you were not following the instruction • Perhaps the dose needed to be changed but you didn’t follow-up with the doctor • Perhaps the doctor’s schedule got busy, they didn’t have systems in place and they didn’t follow-up with you 2. I don’t understand why practitioner A is telling me to add a supplement and practitioner B is telling me to stop it • This is very confusing. Not only for the patient but for the practitioner because use of supplements often is based upon familiarity and experience.

3. I don’t understand what is going on with my body and I just need someone, not Dr. Google, to actually take the time to explain it to me.

4. I need more support but I don’t know how to ask my doctor for what I need.

I could share many more thoughts yet I believe you’re beginning to understand the context and situation. When it comes to a health practitioner i.e. a professional in medicine who is working to support your physical, mental, emotional and spiritual well-being, there are many factors to consider in an individual’s health history due to the multitude of variables that precede the chief concerns. As a practitioner, it is not always easy to identify the level of support each person needs and honestly, I certainly don’t want to guess.

What expectations do you have of health practitioners that you’re working with? Do you expect medical doctors, naturopathic doctors and nurse practitioners to work together? If so, have you communicated that to each of them?

I believe the take away from this experience is to consider creating a fresh start with your existing health professionals. Are they able to meet your expectations and do they fit with your values? At the end of the day your health is literally everything because without it, not much else is possible.

Source

Dr. Candice Staniek

Author - Dr. Candice Staniek

https://www.who.int/about/who-we-are/frequently-asked-questions https://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Paracelsus

Mental Well Being Entire companies and the men and women within them can be adversely affected when things around them appear to be falling apart and do not make any sense.

This includes the situation the world is in with Covid-19, which has amplified many of these emotions. Some of the emotions are touched on in this article.

Anxiety Burnout

This is the top mental health concern for Canadians in 2020 and 2021. Have you ever heard someone say their nerves are shot? Anxiety is a state of extreme nervousness. A person can be seen as jumpy or highly excitable. Many people are expressing some of these symptoms during the pandemic and they are often heightened by everything that is going on around them. An extreme expression of anxiety would be a panic attack, where your heart starts racing and pounding in your chest and you feel short of breath. It often feels like you are having a heart attack. Anti-anxiety medications can help a lot to lessen the anxiety.

Perhaps you have been burned out at one time or another in your life. Certainly, we all know someone who has. They feel exhausted, mentally drained and have no energy left to give to anyone. Today a lot of this fatigue can come in the form of too many online meetings.I have heard many say that they are “Zoomed Out”, because our minds often are highly activated when we have to do an online presentation.

Even being in online meetings, showing our smiling faces many hours a day, can take a lot out of us. Too many of my friends and others have not learned how to take breaks. Instead, they jam in hour after hour of continuous video conferencing every day, some times for 6-8 hours or more.

That is not healthy and will result in burnout.

Depression Stress

Depression is now ranked as the #1 cause of disability in Canada. Those who are depressed have feelings of heavy sadness and deep darkness. They lose interest in being with people and they don’t want to take part in events or activities. Their energy levels are extremely low. It is a very serious concern and many women and men in Canada have progressed to having Major Depressive Disorder. Another name for this is Clinical Depression. Any form of depression is serious and medical treatment should be sought out.

Stress is the result of a change that causes physical, mental or emotional strain. With the pandemic, stress is increasing all over the world. Some of us are more able to cope and deal with stress in our lives, while some cannot do so and need to seek the counsel of friends and family. And if the stress just becomes too much, professional counselling is required.Sometimes the stress progresses to the point of feeling totally overwhelmed.

Intense emotions overcome the person, like ocean waves washing over the shore. We can feel exhausted, defeated and unable to cope. We feel overpowered by the strength of the forces around us. Stress can make us feel irritable and on edge most of the time. We

just want to lash out or yell at someone. Relationships at work and at home can be negatively affected.

Where is the Help?

A lot of men and women need help, but often not much comes their way. A recent study by Lululemon indicated that only 15% of employees felt that their employer was doing enough to provide the right resources for them to cope.

Employers do share a portion of the responsibility for making sure the mental health of their employees is looked after.

Many other people do not even reach out for assistance. According to a recent Sun Life survey, 54% of Canadians experiencing mental health issues have not gone for medical support. 31% of those said they felt they did not need any assistance and 25% said they could not afford it. 23% were embarrassed or afraid to ask.

What can be done? How can we make sure that people get help when they are going through tough times?

Employers need to inform their employees about the counselling and psychological services available through their group benefits programs. If there is an Employee Assistance Program, let them know how to access it. Many companies have added virtual health care to their offering to help workers cope. Some employers do have quiet rooms at work for reflection and meditation. If you are working from home, find that quiet place inside or outside your premises that can be your quiet place.

“Depression is now ranked as the #1 cause of disability in Canada”

Here are some of the steps we can take personally: Check in regularly with your family, friends and work associates. Use the phone to call them or FaceTime them. Others respond better to emails or texts. Make it a weekly or bi-weekly occurrence. Do not leave them alone too long when you know someone is suffering.

Acknowledge what they are feeling.

Let them know it is real and that they are not merely imagining the stress and trouble that is going on around them.

And the turmoil within can be simply unbearable.

Gratitude. Suggest that they often give thanks and write down what they are grateful for. Help them focus on what is going well in their lives.

Encourage them. Lift them up and be with them. Do not put them down or discount what they are going through.

Share your own stories. Speak with them about the difficulties you have had with mental health you have gone through.

If you know someone is experiencing emotional pain and agony, do not run away from them and think you have no idea what to do. Just run towards them and help them along their healing journey. Provide them with hope.

Author - Earl Shindruk

Hindrance to

Transcendence

Hindrances are all around us, they can show up as obstacles, frustrating emotions & thoughts that we can’t seem to get control of. Hindrances even show up in things that we want to do or are passionate about, but sometimes when they come up we push them off to the side, or we tell ourselves we are too tired. We often tell ourselves lies like “oh that’s not for me” or “I could do that if I wanted to when I have a free moment then I will” or “I’m just too busy and have other responsibilities”.

The new beginning, the old story.

One of the old stories I had is supported by my old beliefs: who are you to speak?

You are stupid! You are dumb! You don’t have the right to be anyone! I can remember sitting in class and wondering about everyone else. What marks did they get?

They don’t have trouble learning, why do I? What do they think of me? Maybe they don’t like me because I’m dumb!

I also had a hard time with friends and started to not feel accepted for myself.

Anytime I tried to be myself, for the most part, I got shut down hard. They wouldn’t talk to me or they would make fun of the things I liked. As a result, I would become defensive and mean.

Early in elementary days I remember my friends making fun of me for loving the Spice Girls and the Backstreet Boys. A couple of years later the same group of girls were talking about how much they loved that music. When I brought up

that I thought they hated that music they gave me a weird look, said “no” and then turned away. In junior high I remember sitting on a friend’s bed listening to music and saying “Oh I like this song”, she literally turned to me and said “No you don’t”.

These two stories and many others began the feelings of shame around myself and the thoughts of non-acceptance. I remember thinking: I am not and never will be smart. I would constantly have the belief that it’s not safe to be me, anytime I am myself I am going to get shut down.

These stories were the catalyst into training and creating the pathways of anxiety.

As soon as a trigger would hit the pathway, instant replay took over. I would either lash out or retreat, I would become super defensive and mean, become frustrated, angry or sad. By the time I hit junior high I started to numb with drugs and alcohol. I would shove my emotions back down deep into my subconscious

body, where as soon as a trigger would happen it would become instant replay over and over again in my body. I could feel my body screaming on the inside, with no tools to shut this screaming off. The only thing that helped was drugs.

One of the biggest hindrances I put on myself, is truly never allowing myself to see the real me. Let’s say that I lost who I was at a young age. I learned to look outside myself for permission to be me but the permission never came. I can’t remember a time in my younger years where I truly felt safe. Even as I write these words, I feel the instant reaction, the anxiety springs up just thinking of showing myself to the world, or showing myself who I truly am.

The old stories, old beliefs, are all entwined together almost like balls of yarn all mixed together and you have to untangle them, sometimes there’s a knot that gets so stuck that it takes months to get it loose, months to work and unravel. For me, it was years of burying and numbing, massive denial, and awakening that needed to happen.

That’s exactly what happened. I laugh as I think back to my awakening, I believe it took close to 3 years to even get close to the first mask that I put up because I was still in so much denial, but also because I thought I could do this alone, that I didn’t need help; boy was I wrong. The universe needed me to heal, learn, grow and transcend. Not by myself, but with others and that’s when I started to ask for help.

That awakening led me to uncover some of my deepest desires. One of them was to speak in front of women, using the power of my voice to help other women transcend their pain. To find connection, courage and strength to stand in the power of my being,

of who I am being loud and proud.

I took action on my deepest desire, the universe guiding me to push past all my fears, I gained knowledge and tools over the years that allowed me to go after my dreams, my purpose, my mission. I once feared talking out loud to others, I wouldn’t dare want to get up on stage, the anxiety would be too much. You know what I did? I did get on a stage and speak my truth in front of 30 plus women. It didn’t go the way I wanted. As soon as I got on that stage and touched that microphone, my body, and mind instantly had anxiety triggering and taking me back to grade 5, standing in front of my whole class.

As I started to talk to all these women sitting in front of me, I could feel the anxiety all over me.

My thoughts: What are they thinking? Are you speaking clear enough? They don’t like you.

You are not saying the right stuff. They think you’re dumb! I ran off that stage so fast, mostly because my mouth was so dry! All I could feel is the terror in my body, and my higher self yelling BATH, BATH, BATH. That’s what I

did. I grabbed some bath salts, went home, and had a bath. I was so mad at the universe and my spiritual guides. Why did I do this, why didn’t I take my notes with me onstage? Why did I fail? All I heard was: You wouldn’t be doing the next thing that you are. You wouldn’t have any idea that this fear, this memory was stuck within you and was causing you so much pain, stopping you from showing up as your true authentic self.

By seeing that fear, reliving that anxiety through my body, I took the steps forward to transcend the old story of hinderance into inspiration, into deeper self-love, deeper acceptance for my journey that I have taken on. By asking for help and getting guidance from others I’m turning the stories that once only caused pain and sadness, into stories of inspiration, healing, learning, growing, and transcending into the woman I meant to be. Taking my power back, the power that I gave away a long time ago, to help other women move past their hindrances and transcend and unfold into their true authentic self.

Place your hands over the heart, feel the heart beating, listen to your breath, ask yourself how do I feel in this moment, how do I want to feel, and breath that in.

Is there something in your life that is stopping you from creating the world that you’re madly in love with. Reach out for guidance, for support, and I would be honoured to sit with you to help move you from a place of hindrance to a place where you are going after your deepest desires: transcendence.

Author - Hailey Henituik

Hailey Henituik

Hailey is the CEO and founder of Go Within Guidance. She is a psychic intuitive medium and intuition coach. Her passion is to help women like you receive the guidance and inspiration that you need in the present moment to navigate what you are experiencing and what you want to manifest. She guides you through seeing different parts of your path and how they all come together. She empowers you to turn inwards and tap into your internal guidance to find awareness, healing, and transformation. For over 5 years she has been working with crystals to strengthen her psychic abilities, heal from within, and shift her energetic frequency. She has a passion for crystals and loves to pass along knowledge that she has integrated into her life.

Hailey guides others in learning how to connect and integrate the energy of crystals.

Caitlin’s Journey to Health

G

etting a fresh start in life comes in many ways.

For me, my fresh start begins with my health. My name is Caitlin Banks, I’m 20 years old and I suffer from chronic pain every day. However, my life didn’t used to be this way. To get a better understanding of how my fresh start will look I want to take you on a journey of how it all started.

In my younger years I remember being the girl of picture-perfect health. I would rarely get sick and when I did, I would just get sick and then ask for a buffet of food. Nothing ever lasted long, just the occasional flu and cold. As far as my mental health goes, I probably had it a little tougher than most girls at a young age, but I can’t say for sure. I always had depression that stemmed from being bullied almost everyday since grade three, not to mention some things at home were tough.

My dad and sister suffer from chronic illnesses and I am the youngest of 4 children in a blended family since I was 6 months old, so as you can imagine the drama that comes with all of that. The medical system has always played a role in our household, but nothing ever to do with me. Until grade 6, when a school field trip to Space Camp would change everything.

Here I am on this amazing trip getting an experience of a lifetime and then my whole life falls apart. I wake up one day at the beginning of the trip and start violently getting sick. I couldn’t keep any food or water down and to top it all off, I couldn’t go home. The rest of the trip would be filled with hot/cold flashes, exhaustion, dizziness, and getting

sick repeatedly. When I got home, we went to doctor after doctor to get some answers with everyone just saying it was the flu. Weeks of this went by until doctors started telling my parents it was anxiety, or others saying I was faking it to get out of school. For the following months I would be dragged to school as my parents didn’t know what else to do. After seven months of this I ended up in the emergency room, they ran tests, and the doctor asked “did you know you had mono?”. That’s right. I was misdiagnosed for 7 months with doctors telling me I was faking it! I knew there was something wrong (key word: WAS wrong). Now here I am with an anxiety disorder created by the medical system. The following months would be the most difficult to get back to my happy spirited self.

the intense bullying everyday. Then in grade 9 I would suffer from a headache that hasn’t stopped since. I went to the hospital for ten days and had every test known to man. Once again absolutely no answers. The following years would be filled with several different medications, treatments, homeopathic remedies, etc., everything in an effort to find something to make all the pain stop. On top of that, those years were also filled with more doctors telling me I was faking it to get out to get out of school, or it was all in my head and my anxiety was creating it.

From 2012-2019 I have been diagnosed with anxiety, depression, mono, mixed headache condition, fibromyalgia, and functional dyspepsia. These titles were given to me as descriptions of the pain I suffer from everyday, although I believe none are perfectly accurate.

Junior high had a rocky start but was seemingly getting better aside from

Now here we are in 2021 and I’m trying to get out of the bad thoughts that

this pain will be my forever. Until one day I started learning about Lyme disease. A few people I know reached out to me and asked if I had ever been tested, which I had not. I started doing a bunch of research to find out exactly what Lyme disease is and what it can do to your body when undiagnosed for years. To my surprise I checked off every box. When Lyme disease is misdiagnosed here’s what happens: First you often receive a misdiagnosis of mono. Next, swollen lymph nodes/tonsils and after 2 to 3 years neurological problems develop (headaches can become constant). Once it gets to this point there normally isn’t hope of even considering Lyme as you are misdiagnosed with chronic pain.

Following this there is constant body pain and after 6 years of Lyme disease going undiagnosed it progresses to several food sensitivities. I also found out that getting tested for Lyme disease is complex and 50% of tests are false positives or false negatives. In my research process I found out that Canada does not have adequate testing for Lyme disease and every year 400,000 cases are missed!

In fact Lyme disease and mono diagnoses are often confused as each other as the standard tests run in Canada are not very accurate for these diseases. In some cases you may even have both.

I have led my fresh start by finding a clinic in Calgary called Neurovana who have already done a brain map

and confirmed that in fact they are 99% sure I have Lyme disease along with some other suspicions. I received several tests and am awaiting results that should be back by the beginning of April. I am so excited to get back to feeling healthy and being myself again. There’s just one problem... all of these tests are private, as Canada does not run them, so they have to be sent to the United States and Germany. Not to mention treatment will not be fully covered. As I have not been able to hold a job, due to all my medical issues, I am sitting with just over $10,000 of debt to have the tests, receive a diagnosis and treatment that I should have received years ago. I know paying for all of this is not going to be easy, but I’m not going to give up

Caitlin could not have survived this journey without the support of her mother Susan Binnie and her boyfriend Peter Rychlik.

one would donate items. It was a long shot, but if this could work not only would I be raising money for my health, I would also be helping promote local businesses during these hard times. This is how the Journey to Health silent auction was created.

I need your help to get back to the healthy girl I once was. You can help by donating a piece to my silent auction, bidding on silent auction items, following/ sharing my group, or by simply making a donation to my GoFundMe/Facebook Fundraiser. Please help me get my auction seen as not only is it helping me but also helping local businesses. Look at the next few pages to see just a few highlighted items in my silent auction.

Thank you for the help in getting my fresh start at a happy and healthy life!

as I am so close to the hope I’ve been waiting for almost half of my life!

I started a GoFundMe which brought in a few hundred dollars from friends and family, but nowhere close enough to what I needed. I got to thinking, what if I started a silent auction and reached out to local businesses on Facebook marketplace, and see if any-

Facebook Fundraiser Silent Auction link Go fund me link

Caitlin’s Silent Auction Ashley is a belief re-patterning practitioner who supports her clients in transforming their thought patterns.

She is uplifting individuals to create visible change in their lives which will help change the world. Ashley has donated three individual belief repatterning sessions.

Check out more about belief repatterning and Ashley here

Daphne is a rehabilitation and wellness practitioner who helps animals and people find the sparkle in their eyes again. As an energy coach she specializes in balancing, restoring and rejuvenating energies using vibrations, crystals, and cold laser therapies. Daphne has donated a healing lava chakra bracelet valued at $25. Check out more about Daphne here

Kimberly is a self-taught artist who loves creating and playing with color. She uses acrylics, alcohol inks and resin as her mediums to create her artwork. Her art is a huge passion for her and brings absolute joy to her life. Kimberly has donated 2 beautiful prints valued over $100. Check out more about Kimberly here

Kayla Marie is a self-love/confidence coach for women. Her story of triumph over bullying, death, divorce, and poor body image has inspired many people around the world. She combines her unique skill set to empower women to get out of self-doubt and judgement.

Kayla has donated a ticket to her 3-Day Self Love event valued at $77. Check out more about Kayla here

Ruby is a resin artist who creates home décor. Resin is her favorite because it’s so versatile and gives a beautiful glossy, shiny and luxury look! Resin art brings her endless joy and relaxation. Ruby has donated a 2-piece canvas set with a current bid of $100.

Check out more about Ruby here

Jennifer and Allen are owners of Caffiend, a local café in Jagare Ridge Southwest Edmonton. Caffiend is a beautiful café that feels like home and they support many local businesses as well. They have amazing food, and you can even find art for sale from local artisans.

Caffiend has donated a $25 gift card and a coffee mug.

Check out more about Caffiend here

M

ichelle is so much more than a licensed mortgage broker, she is also a consultant, advisor, and trusted professional. She helps her clients realize their dreams of having a place of their own and guides them through the complex process of home ownership.

She values her clients by listening and truly understanding their needs.

Michelle has 7 years experience as a real estate paralegal and has been a mortgage consultant for over 13 years. With the knowledge she has in this industry she is able to obtain the best mortgages possible for her clients. Working with Regional Mortgage Group - Mortgage Alliance, she also has access to an abundance of resources including Canada’s largest banks, credit unions, trust companies, and other financial institutions.

What this all means to you is exceptional rates, fast turnaround times, and considerable flexibility with approvals.

If you are dreaming about purchasing a home, or you’re in the market for a mortgage, Michelle will have your back every step of the way. She will make sure she thoroughly explains the process, answers all your questions, and offers sound professional advice.

You can confidently put your trust in her to advocate on your behalf to obtain the best mortgage you need to enter the next phase of your life.

Contact her today.

Michelle is donating $100 for every mortgage she closes who reference this silent auction.

Learn more about Michelle on Facebook

780-782-5261

michelle@mortgageyoudeserve.ca FaceBook

Trust the Niggle, Tell the Truth What you are about to watch has helped me rise; by finally telling the truth, by being truly honest with myself I realize that my life has split open.

The lessons I have learned are

Setting boundaries - work is exceptionally important and must be taught, talked about and encouraged in our children and teens so they can be empowered for the when/if these circumstances happen. Good safe boundary setting must be normalized. (Check out a great podcast I did with Self Defence and Boundary Advocate Randy King on my Podcast. https://candicesmiley.com/podcast) Narrative - We must change the narrative around these conversations. Currently the narrative language is weighted to blame the victim/survivor. For example, we talk about how many women were raped or assaulted this year, not how many men/boys assaulted them.

Communication - We must find the courage to keep talking about these challenging topics, circumstances and situations in a way that removes the blame and the shame and can become so counterproductive; but rather have the courage to have conversations that matter. The kind where the truth is told, heard, acknowledged and healing begins.

Courage - It takes monumental courage to speak these he said/she said conversations. But if we don’t, then it only continues. Different people. Different places. This kind of thing happens all the time, but we cannot normalize the silencing and shame. So we must find the courage to speak up, speak out and stand up for ourselves - so the behaviour is recognized immediately and can be stopped.

When one woman tells the truth about her life, the world splits wide open.

-Muriel Rukeyser

Diving Into A New World If you told me 15 years ago that I’d find myself changing careers and diving into the world of fitness, I would have thought you were crazy. Never in my wildest dreams did I think I’d be finding a new passion unlike any other I’ve discovered.

I

am a mom of 3 boys who keep me on my toes.

But, like many moms out there, we develop a sense of comfort, maybe too comfortable.

And then one day, it hits us. We let ourselves go in lieu of letting everyone else live. We put others ahead of us and our bodies, our health, and our overall well-being. When I had my third baby, I was happy, complete knowing that our family of 5 was whole. Jump ahead 8 months on a trip to Disney World and I soon realized I was unhappy.

I looked at every photo in memory and refused to share or post any photos of myself. Why? I felt awful. I had zero confidence left. I had gained a lot of weight, and I no longer had the energy I always dreamt I would have when I had kids. I never wanted to run around outside and although I tried to spend quality time with them, I likely wasn’t fully there mentally. I always thought my

motherly duty was to put everyone ahead of me when in reality I should have been putting myself first. It was then, right at that moment, I decided to make a change. I’ve come to realize that in putting myself first meant that I could then put more into my family.

I started by becoming more aware of what I was putting into my body. I stopped all fast food and ensured that my cooking skills were put to use more. I signed up with a personal trainer and soon I was finding myself going from 2 workouts a week to 4, then 5, and now 6. I feel whole when I am able to put myself first. I’m able to show my young boys what it’s like to feed your body with what it needs, and to make it work for the outcomes you wish to strive for.

When I realized I needed to combine my passion for fitness and my lifelong career, I became a certified personal fitness trainer. As I started my new career it became clear to me that many did not know the value or the “why” of hiring a personal fitness trainer. It made me ponder about what I would want in a trainer. So I put this out to you readers: what is your idea of a fitness trainer? Is it a couple of workout sessions a week and you can forget about it until the following week? Is it some basic knowledge and understanding for fitness to shift from trainee to strutting on your own in the gym?

Maybe it’s someone who can push you to strive for more or to be better? Someone to hold yourself accountable?

Now, my answer? All of it. My idea of a

“I always thought my motherly duty was to put everyone ahead of me when in reality I should have been putting myself first”

personal trainer is to include every aspect, the whole package.

I hope that my passion, desire, drive, and love for life, falls from my cup into my clients’ cup. I want to be able to fill their cup with excitement, motivation, inspiration, confidence, passion, and self-love.

My goal as a personal trainer: to help as many people reach their goals as possible. I want to build relationships and friendships with my clients, someone they can trust, someone they can turn to, to push them harder, motivate, inspire, and strengthen their bodies and minds. I want to help them achieve their goals and see their full potential.

I will show my clients how to safely perform exercises that work effectively for their

individual body type. How to build their own self confidence in and out of the gym. I want to be accountable to them, and in turn want them to be accountable to themselves. And above all else, I want them to enjoy what they’re doing. When they see me they’re ready, excited; and when they leave, they want more.

This is what I have to offer. Everything that I am is put into this passion, and I want to share it with you, men and women.

Let me show you that what I can offer to you is something you shouldn’t... no can’t pass up. Together let’s set and achieve your goals, motivate you to become the person I know you’re capable of, inspire you to do more for yourself, enjoy the process, and see the change in yourself.

Contact me today to get your fresh start!

- Christina

Author - Christina Giese, Owner LIFStyle Fitness Certified Personal Fitness Trainer

Have a question for Lonnie?

Click here to get in touch!

Ask Lonnie

Hey Lonnie,

My last child just moved out a few months ago. For the first little while I helped her get settled into her new place. I’m so proud as I watch her spread her wings!

However, now that the dust has settled and she doesn’t need me as much, I find I don’t know what to do with myself. Her dad isn’t taking it as hard as I am. Where do I begin with this new way of life I find myself in now?

Signed, Empty Nest

Dear Empty Nest, Congratulations on raising such an independent and strong young woman!

It will get easier over time. It sounds like you and your daughter have a special bond.

Good news is that will not change just because she lives on her own now.

This new way of life you find yourself in is an opportunity to rediscover yourself. To spend some more quality time with your husband. Having children changes the dynamic in a relationship. When the child moves on with their own lives, the dynamic for your marriage changes again.

Take some time to assess what you want to do or accomplish with this newfound freedom. Start with something easy. Something you’ve always wanted to do, travel, or to learn. This is a perfect time to invest in yourself after years of putting your daughter first.

Have some meaningful conversations with your husband and see if he has some ideas for what he wants to do. Lean on each other. Give your love a freshen up.

Pour into each others’ cups. Having someone there with you that understands what you’re feeling can make all the difference. I encourage you to talk. Speak about her often, and your feelings when they come up. You just may find that your husband is feeling a loss as well with her gone. You can also reach out to other empty nest parents through social media groups. Perhaps you have some friends who are going though or have gone through this as well.

Surround yourself with people that love you and bring you joy. Daily laughter can lift the soul. If you’re worried you might call your daughter too often, try texting.

Send her short messages or memes to let her know you’re thinking of her. It will help reassure you that she’s still reachable for you. Secretly she will love it. My daughter moved out last year and the little texting between us sometimes made all the difference.

Figuring out and doing the things you love will help you get into a new groove. You’ll still feel sad that your daughter moved out, but the days won’t feel quite so long when they’re filled with enjoyable events.

Wishing you all the best on your new adventure,

Lonnie

“Lean on each other.

Give your love a freshen up.

Pour into each others’ cups”

Hey Lonnie, I’ve just moved to Edmonton from my hometown.

It’s the first time I’ve been completely on my own.

Can you suggest ways that I can connect with support and maybe a couple of tips on how and where I could meet new people and start building towards some friendships?

Signed, My First Step Dear My First Step, First let me say congratulations! It takes courage to take such a big step on your own.

You can type in “new to Edmonton groups” on Facebook and groups will pop up that are usually by section of the city. You should be able to find the side of the city you moved into. You can also look into “Meetup Edmonton” in your browser, and you will get links to groups like this: https://www.meetup.com/topics/social/ca/ab/edmonton/ You can find just about anything you’re looking for by typing it in your browser. From single groups, couples groups, to groups specific to your interests. You can check the website for your local library as well. As bonus information, with your library card you are able to take free online courses through them as well. It’s limited to a certain number per year, but it’s a great resource.

You can also contact your community league, they will be able to provide you with various events happening in your community. They will be able to assist you with support outlets as well. Dialing 311 from your phone will connect you to a live person who you can ask a range of city related questions such as support you may be looking for.

With current restrictions, actual group gatherings are a bit harder but when they are allowed again the MeetUp group offers a wide variety of options.

Welcome to Edmonton! I think you’re going to love it here.

Thank you for writing in,

Lonnie

Alopecia Journey author

M

-

Kristen Vaccher

y story begins 19 years ago when I lost my hair. I remember the first time

I noticed the shedding. I was taking a bath and after soaking for a bit I sat up and all around me there was hair. It was a gut wrenching feeling to see all this hair floating around me and knowing something was very wrong.

The next couple of weeks and months were a blur, full of going to the doctors, getting referred to a specialist and switching to a silk pillowcase. I remember picking up the hair that lay all around me at the end of class and getting special permission to wear a bandana in school. There were always kids who whispered and looked at me with pity.

Not knowing anyone else who had this issue made it hard to deal with as I had no one to talk to about it. I hoped that my hair would come back one day and I wondered how to find options to help. People around me didn’t know what to say other than “everything will be ok” and “I am sure it will grow back someday.” I was left asking myself, “What if it doesn’t?”.

Eventually I saw a dermatologist who explained there are three different types of Alopecia: 1. “Alopecia Areata” - losing patches of head hair. 2. “Alopecia Totalis” - complete loss of head hair. 3. “Alopecia Universalis” no hair anywhere on your body. Throughout my life, I have experienced all three. I now have an undefined type of Alopecia (I like to call it Alopecia Weirdalis), as I don’t fully fit into any of the 3 types. To this day, I cannot tell you why I started losing my hair and continue to experience hair loss.

The dermatologist told me we could start a regime that would grow my hair back. Of course I got my hopes up thinking, “Yes, ok there is a solution!”. I tried her suggested medications (prednisone pills, steroid shots and Rogaine cream), but it didn’t end up working due to unhealthy side effects.

Next, I investigated different treatment options, like laser therapy, special shampoos, naturopathy, and even contemplated another specialist’s idea to actually cultivate

eczema onto my head. Finally, after years of trying almost everything and feeling like a guinea pig, I decided I am done trying to get my hair back, as I would get a little bit of hope and then BAM it would fall out again! I couldn’t take the rollercoaster of emotions. The constant battle to cure an incurable disease is not one that I wanted to face any longer.

I retreated inside myself never wanting to talk about my hair loss with anyone. If someone from my family would ask about it, I would give a short answer and change the subject. New friends didn’t know because I hid it so well.

Even though I had given up treatments I still didn’t want to admit I was never going to get my hair back.

If you haven’t already; click here to check out the podcast between myself and the beautiful Candice Smiley. We talk about so many important topics and that is what I would like to continue to do today with writing an article for Create The Ripple magazine.

“I can style my hair and put it on a stand and the style lasts for days.

I can easily change my hairstyle whenever I want.

I neverhave to shave my legs” I have heard, “it’s just hair” and “at least it isn’t cancer”. While these things are true, there is a reality of feeling so alone not knowing how to navigate a path forward in a world that is all about appearances.

It has taken me so long to feel ok with not having hair and accepting that my hair may never grow back.

Throughout my experience with hair loss, I have learned a lot about myself and life, like confidence, strength, and the ability to keep going no matter what. My focus now is to help other people who may be losing their hair. I wish someone, who had a similar experience, would have been there for me telling me it’s going to be okay and that having hair doesn’t define you. YOU define you!

I’m sharing a little piece of my story so anyone out there who is experiencing hair loss and reads this article will know that they are not alone. To varying degrees, we all struggle. It is about finding the positives in life and loving yourself.

For me, there are pros to having no hair.

I can be ready in way less time in the morning, because I can style my hair and put it on a stand and the style lasts for days. I can easily change my hairstyle whenever I want. I never have to shave my legs.

Honestly, in life without hair, I have been able to truly experience relationships on a deep level for the people that I let close to me.

My family was there for me throughout all of it and continue to be today, they are always rooting for me no matter what. A special shout out to my mom who is super strong and through her encouragement and brave face pushed me to be the confident person I am today.

I have a truly amazing husband who has been with me for 16 years cheering me on, supporting me in everything I want to do and letting me be me. I am one of the lucky ones to have found my person very early on.

I have also developed greater inner strength and confidence.

There is no one way to get through to the other side and it took me years of shame and hiding but I finally got here, and I am stronger for it. You must find the way that works for you. For me, it was the people I surrounded myself with, trying to learn something from each bad experience, and learning to laugh through the pain.

For more information on me you can follow me on Instagram @alo.peaches or check out my new podcast called Those Bald Chicks - 3 girls talking about our daily lives with Alopecia!

Love to All, Kristen Vaccher

Hello All! It’s Carmen Goebel here this month with another story. A rebirth or shedding as you will.

T

his month’s article is dedicated to dreams and goals. My hubby (Lynn) and I have decided to go with our dream of living free. We have said, practically since we were a serious couple (1999), that we would love to sell everything and buy a Class A motorhome and cruise the open road. It’s happening. Yahoo!

It’s been a discussion for so long that sometimes I tend to think that a dream like this is so far-fetched, how could it be possible? It was this past February, I sat Lynn down for one of our talks that I like to call “same page” talks. It’s meant to readjust our thinking and be on the same page.

I started out by saying I’d like to fulfill this dream. Lynn said “Yes, me too. I just thought we’d do it later when we got older.” Ha ha! “How old do you want me to be?”, I replied since I’m already 55 and I certainly don’t want to do this when I’m pushing 70. I made my case, stating how old I am and that my body is tired and since my foot injury at work a year ago I felt it was a struggle.

Last month I discussed my anger and how it had impacted me in the last few months and especially at work. I then discussed that our house is big and I feel like all our money is going to the maintenance of this property and at the end of the day it’s not supplying me happiness. Lynn is such a dear gentle man that sometimes I think I bulldoze him with my personality. Lynn then said ”You know how I am with change.” Then he agreed. My soul leapt. I felt it. Lynn does not do well with change and at the same time will follow me to the end of time because he is that guy. He’s my guy!

These past six weeks have been a blur. We

contacted a realtor and proceeded to list our house. It was such an easy experience as people are wanting to buy and upgrade etc. It’s a sellers market right now. Yay for us. For the last few years I’ve sold stuff and thrown away stuff and decluttered lots. I felt good about what I had left. But now that we are totally downsizing and going to the minimum it’s been a frenzied mess. I just have to chuckle at the layers this minimalism is taking us through.

For instance, I’ve gone into my closet a number of times already and each time I’ve taken some clothes, shoes and other things out. I still haven’t been able to empty it all.

“Don’t get me wrong, there were times that I let it soar and everytime I did, good things happened” Yet with other closets, especially storage rooms, I could empty them and completely wipe them out with no problem.

It feels like I’m emerging from a cocoon I’ve lived in for the last almost 25 years. You see in 1997, when my first husband left to pursue a relationship with another woman, I moved back home to the same area as my parents. It was great, but in that transition I lived a bit under their belief systems. I chose to stay quiet and heal and cocoon my sense of individuality. I have a pretty huge sense of self and it occurred to me that I’ve hid it so much to appease family.

Don’t get me wrong, there were times that I let it soar and everytime I did, good things happened. Dating and marrying Lynn and starting a few businesses for example.

Especially right now with this next chapter of our lives.

In conclusion, I would like to express the idea of “your dream”. Whatever that means to you. Pursue that experience. Life is made up of one experience after another. Be happy with the thought that it’s enough. Live in the present of now and love that thought.

Till next time. Love you lots Carmen.

BUILD YOUR TOOLBOX Author Tonya Joyce of Guided Path Wellness

W

hen an illness or

injury impacts your life, your world is turned upside down and everything changes in an instant.

This was my reality in 2012 when I was struck by a drunk driver just five minutes from home; I died instantly and came back to life with a message that there was more to do! It has been a long journey to discover what that “more to do” exactly is. Through my journey of being in a wheelchair to walking in heels, I discovered several techniques that helped me to understand how the mind communicates with the body, and how to manage pain, stress, and PTSD. I built my own toolbox of modalities and I invite you to build your own toolbox of healing as well.

Initially, during the acute phase of my accident recovery, I was on several medications to treat my injuries. I had incurred a broken neck in two places, had broken transverse process in my back, a

deep head laceration which required stitches and staples to close, two broken ribs, a pseudoaneurysm on my left carotid artery, a blood clot in my throat, a punctured left lung, severe damage to my right wrist (later requiring a tendon graft to repair) and several steroid injections to gain mobility.

Furthermore, I had deep contusions to both of my legs, post concussion syndrome, and a severe staph infection on my lower lumbar spine (later diagnosed as methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) - difficult to treat as it requires long term more potent antibiotics). When I returned home to my

family, after 18 days in hospital, I was in a wheelchair and could not function independently.

I had an entire team of people making decisions for me. I was required to wear an Aspen Collar twenty-four hours a day, medications were administered every two hours (which consisted of sedating opioids – among others) and I was cared for by a nurse at home. I had an ort hope dic s pecialist and a spine surgeon, a team of trauma

doctors (seen on an outpatient basis bi-weekly), a dermatologist, a neurologist, an occupational therapist(my case manager), a hand-physiotherapist, and my family physician. As time went on, I had a neuropsychologist, a psychologist, a physiotherapist, and a kinesiologist. I felt like I was a walking experiment; there were some treatments that worked and many that did not. I was in constant pain. I began having seizures. I would stutter, I could not read without losing my words, I had severe migraines requiring frequent hospital visits for treatment. Additionally, I had constant nerve pain, it hurt to walk, sit, stand, sleep, breath and be alive.

At one point I wanted to end it all. The doctor’s prognosis; permanently disabled for life. I was working full time for the provincial government prior to the accident. I had completed my bachelor’s degree in Social Sciences, concentrating in Criminology and Psychology.

I was about to write my LSAT to become a lawyer through the University of British Columbia, I was also volunteering as a crisis line worker, and I was a professional singer and songwriter. I felt hopeless when the doctor’s told me that

I could no longer pursue my goals because of a drunk driver. To me, life was not fair.

I had children to care for and they needed their mother. I was married; however, my husband was not participating in my care or the care of the children. It broke my heart to see that my children became my caregiver. I went from being a parent to being their patient. At the time of my accident, my children were twenty-six, twenty-three, fifteen, eleven, and eight. My eldest son moved back home, my twenty-three-year-old son left university in his third year to care for the younger siblings, my fifteen-year-old was staying with his father in Virginia, and the two younger girls grew up very quickly. I became more determined than ever to find a way to heal and this is when I began building my toolbox.

“I went from being a parent to being their patient”

I started reading anything I could get my hands on to be able to build my cognitive skills. With the help of my eight-year-old reading books to me daily, I could start reading and understanding and memorizing material independently again. My occupational therapist started giving me daily tasks such as word searches which developed new neural pathways in my brain and helped with my memory. I attended Change Pain, a pain management clinic that facilitated removing opioids from my pharmaceutical regiment.

At this clinic I also received trigger point injections and pain education. This was very beneficial and assisted me with being able to walk with a four wheeled walker independently. I began reading educational books on health to facilitate further healing. I learned about neuroplasticity by reading The Brain That Changes Itself by Norman Doidge.

“Now I walk proudly in heels”

Books by Jon Kabat Zinn taught me about Mindfulness. Donna Eden wrote a book called Energy Medicine: Balancing your Body’s Energies for Optimal Health, Joy and Vitality, this taught me about changing the position of your body to improve your energy and balance. Dr. Wayne Dyer gave me Inspiration. Mel Robbins showed me the 5 Second Rule. Louise L. Hay showed me that I Can Heal My Life. So many wonderful authors stacked all around me in my prison of a bed for years lifted me with inspiration out of my bed and gave me my life back.

In January 2018, I hired a life coach named Jessica Coulthard of Just a Girl Like Me Coaching. This single act was one of the best things I could have added to my tool-

box as it spring boarded my success to healing. Hiring a life coach allowed me to have a person to share my goals with, keep me on track and accountable as well as set me up for success. After hiring Jessica, I started my own company entitled: Guided Path Wellness. I attended two of Tony Robbins’ events, where I walked on fire and learned that anything is possible if you are determined and motivated to take the leading step. In the summer of 2018, I returned to Kwantlen Polytechnic University and took a fourth-year course in Indigenous Criminology and achieved a 4.0 GPA. I went on to become a public speaker by telling my story at the Women Who Inspire Conference 2019 in Vancouver, BC. I returned to work with the Province of BC, married the man

of my dreams, and now I walk proudly in heels.

I do not want to disillusion anyone by saying that building my toolbox or my journey to recovery has been an easy one; quite the contrary. There is no magic wand to heal from any illness or injury. Everyone is on their own path to healing.

Applied knowledge is power. I recommend you research everything you can, for we can only do as much as we know. Once you know, you engage. I started my company, Guided Path Wellness, to educate others about becoming their own healer. During my recovery, I utilized pain education through Pain BC, and I earned a Pain Management certificate to teach pain management strategies.

During my time at Change Pain in Vancouver, BC I took three classes to understand how the mind communicates with the body when chronic pain is present. I became a board-certified coach through Robbins-Madanes Life Coaching. I became an Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) specialist through 5th Ray Academy and am currently becoming a certified practitioner in this field.

This modality is recognized by the American Psychological Association for treatment of PTSD. I am a Mindfulness Base Stress Reduction (MBSR)

instructor and an energy healer to balance the body’s energy for stress management. My toolbox is built from experience in managing my own chronic pain and PTSD. With all I have learned in this field, I can help guide you to building your toolbox as well. Thank you for taking the time to read about my journey of recovery. For more information, please visit my website at www.guidedpathwellness.com or email me at tonya@guidedpathwellness.

Tonya Joyce I am a mother of 5 beautiful children. They are my world, and I am so grateful to be here with them and for them, as I have experienced not one, but two horrendous car crashes. Getting through the pain and hardship these accidents caused myself and my family has taught me how truly powerful the mind is. The journey of recovery has given me extensive knowledge and experience practicing in the healing arts benefiting the body and the soul. Today is a gift, and I am here to help guide you on the path to wellness in your life.

Credentials: Kwantlen Polytechnic University - BA Social Sciences – Criminology Kwantlen Polytechnic University - AA Social Sciences – Psychology Currently at Simon Fraser University - completing my Restorative Justice Certification Tony Robbins – Madanes – Board Certified Life Coach Tony Robbins - Unleash The Power Within - Firewalker Pain Management Specialist – Pain BC Certificate Energy Healer Guided Meditation Specialist Mindfulness Coach – MBSR EFT Specialist Vision Board Facilitator Author – “Wheels to Heels” and “Poetic City” Poet, Songwriter, Vocalist, Drummer

Even in a pandemic you can have a fresh start

I

Author Caitlin Banks & Peter Rychlik

n the midst of a pandemic, we face the challenge of getting a fresh

start and doing anything out of the normal.

Many

people stayed inside,

watched tv and became lazy, while others rose to the occasion.

Rychlik

Peter

Caitlin Banks did just that and this is how YEGsanitizer was created. and

When the pandemic started, hand sanitizer became impossible to find. They wanted to help the community and they knew what needed to be done. The following days would be filled with research on how to make it and see if they could get the right ingredients. Peter was adamant about using isopropyl alcohol instead of ethanol as its main purpose was for sanitization and overall a better alcohol for this purpose. It was a very expensive start as ingredients were high in demand, almost impossible to source and costs of alcohol were doubling overnight. They put their heads together and started with $500, but when they were selling out faster than they could keep in stock they knew they were the first local company in Edmonton to start making sanitizer.

Creating a company from scratch wasn’t easy, but with Peter’s graphic design skills and Caitlin’s attention to detail, they were ready to face the challenge.

After doing many online orders and delivering to several locations all around Edmonton, they wanted to find a more efficient way of getting effective and affordable hand sanitizer in the hands of all Edmontonians. Peter called up Safeway to see if they could sit outside and sell the sanitizer at a table in front of the store, but the restrictions of covid would not allow them to. Hope was almost lost until the manager of Safeway Inglewood would say “since you can’t set up a table how would you like your product in the store.” That’s right, you can find YEGsanitizer on the shelves of several Safeway and Sobeys locations in and around the Edmonton area. At this time business was booming and Caitlin and Peter were so thrilled for this amazing opportunity. Thanks to Caitlin’s grandma for loaning the start up money they were able to create an amazing business.

YEGsanitizer is very different from all the other local sanitizers you see around the city for many reasons.

The first reason is because Caitlin and Peter also do custom branded sanitizer to help promote events and

businesses during these tough times. They both got this idea when stores became flooded with sanitizer and production dropped to nothing. They knew they had to create a niche in this now very competitive market, so Peter got the idea to put his graphic designs skills to the test even further. You can now find custom product hand sanitizer in the Medicine Shoppe pharmacies, Quality Inn Hotels, the Nina Haggerty Foundation and more. Another way this company is unique is because they donate 10% of the profits to disease control research. Peter and Caitlin’s goal was to always help the community in any way they could, what better way than donating to an organization that could ultimately end the pandemic. The third reason that YEGsanitizer

is different is because they use very minimal ingredients, and it will not make your hands dry or sticky. The sanitizer is made with 99% isopropyl alcohol, glycerin, hydrogen peroxide and water. Each ingredient plays a very important role. The isopropyl disinfects while the glycerin prevents dry skin. Then the hydrogen peroxide breaks down the glycerin, so your hands aren’t sticky. Finally, the water dilutes the alcohol to the CDC recommended levels of 75%. The last way they are different is that they are also the cheapest on the market and wherever they can they support Canadian suppliers for their ingredients.

Getting a fresh start isn’t always easy, but with determination and drive you will get there. Also, remember Caitlin very easily could have been upset when a Walmart employee told her she was stupid for looking for sanitizer and then given up. Instead, she said she would learn to make it herself with her boyfriend. Sometimes getting a fresh start must come from a negative experience and turning it into a positive one.

Check out Caitlin’s other fresh start story

If you, or someone you know are looking for custom branded hand sanitizer for your company or events, contact us today.

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Crown of Empowerment Author - Lonnie Gartner

As I step outside into the crisp spring air and take a deep breath, I’m reminded of hope. Of how even through dark times, the light always returns.

New beginnings and new opportunities will show themselves. I was reminded of how big our world is and that growth is persistent. Whether you seek new chapters or not, they will begin. Actively seeking and being a part of the creation of the new chapters in our lives, ensures that for the most part, they are filled and formed with our own desires, wants and needs. Filled with our essence.

Springtime is the perfect time for fresh starts and new beginnings. To clean the slate and start again.

As the seasons change and the dreary winter grey fades into sunny days with blue skies, spirits start to lift. Nature is a wonderful reminder that brighter days will return, you just have to keep stepping forward.

I’m in a totally different place in my life than I was this time last year. I wasn’t working and was still dealing with the stubborn pain left over from a surgery. The pandemic had just started and no one could have known just how different life was about to become.

I’ve just turned 47. I’ve been antsy for awhile. Bored and unfulfilled with the way things have been lately. I feel a pull. It’s getting stronger. Relentless.

It takes my breath away. It’s time to pay attention.

You’re never too old to start something new. I’m leaving behind all of my known careers. Health care, childcare, serving, training and retail. I’ve always been a healer, a fixer, a safe place to come when there’s trouble. I hold within me a thousand stories and lifetimes of others. People that felt instantly drawn to me and safe to share pieces of themselves. Some I knew, others were strangers. A person’s energy is a powerful thing.

Life is an adventure that sometimes we get lost in. We find ourselves on a path we don’t remember entering. I’m stepping out of my comfort zone and into the cosmos of the internet.

I’m gathering all of my past knowledge, experiences, trial and error moments and all future lessons. I’m creating an existence I’ve been feeling in my heart for years. I’m embracing a new title: Empowerment Coach.

And so begins a fresh start for an old soul. A new and exciting adventure where I get to encourage women to be seen. To stand up and be heard. I get to straighten their crowns and embed them with the courage to let it all go and embrace the “zero fucks given” and be proud of the space they take up. To step boldly into their power and to create the lives they’ve always dreamed of.

Lift your head, fix your crown and away we go… It’s time to elevate our lives!

If you desire to be heard and make changes within your life, you can connect with me by email trelawnie@hotmail.com or on Facebook

Dani Axani Edmonton Artist Dani is a local Edmonton artist and Illustrator specializing in acrylics, alcohol-based markers and body painting.

WHERE DID IT START? Being raised in a home heavily focused on the needs of my sister’s physical disability and support, art and overall creativity became an outlet for me. As a sibling, I helped out where I could and it was a lot.

Most activities and hobbies needed to be done at home and painting and drawing provided me an escape from the expectations and responsibilities of day-to-day life. As an adult, it would be part of my career, though my grand ideas of earning a living as a painter have evolved into something a little more pragmatic.

HOW DO YOU DEFINE YOUR NEED FOR A CREATIVE DRIVE? I have always been goal oriented – always wanting to better myself. Like athletics, art is no different when it comes to achieving a personal best, you always have something to work on and improve. Stopping makes you rusty. I like the feeling of knowing I’m getting better, seeing progress and receiving feedback and recognition from people who appreciate what I do. Whether I have been commissioned to paint someone’s face or a pet portrait, it brings me much joy to have someone fall in love with a painting I have completed. I love getting lost in a painting or drawing, focusing on each line or colour blend; on which tones I should work on next and on what colours will make the piece more visually appealing. It’s like working on a complex puzzle, problem solving one small segment at a time until you have something you are really proud of and happy to show.

WHAT MADE YOU START FACE AND BODY PAINTING? Regardless of my housebound childhood, I have always been a very social person. A neighbour once asked if I could paint his niece’s face for a football game, and after doing this, my brain kind of exploded. I love kids. I had spent a few years working in a daycare and then worked as a graphic designer.

As much as I loved my job, I missed the kids and it occurred to me that I could have both! I could have a creative outlet while interacting with my child or adult canvas. My favourite part is showing them what I have created and watching their facial expression as I hold up a mirror for the reveal. It gives people confidence and I love being able to give that to them.

EFFECTS OF THE COVID PANDEMIC Before COVID, I painted often, finishing an acrylic painting every few months and had worked on a “princess steampunk” series with alcohol-based markers. My main focus was face and body painting. I would go to different events like farmers markets, birthday parties and annual barbeques. This plus my full-time job kept me busy. Then COVID happened and suddenly life slowed down. I got laid off from my job, events stopped, and face and body painting was put on hold. This forced me to slow down, take a break and remember why I loved art and what it meant to me. What do I do when I have nothing to do? When I have to stay home? I create art! One day a friend sent me the cutest picture of her cat and I needed to draw it, so I picked up my markers again – something I hadn’t done in a long time. Once finished, I realized I needed to do more.

I made a Facebook post, showing this latest creation and asked if anyone had pet pictures to share. Needless to say, I got a bunch of pictures in my comments of friends pets which kept me busy and happy during my COVID lay-off.

“It gives people confidence and I love being able to give that to them”

PET PORTRAITS DURING COVID My new routine was waking up, having coffee, spending the day in my studio drawing, and taking breaks to get outside for a bike ride or two (another new love in my life). Each time I posted a new piece of artwork on social media more and more artwork requests were made. So much so, I am now known for being the “pet portrait” woman and I love that I can do this for people. Our pets become such a big part of our lives. They are our family and they keep us sane when we have to stay at home. They make us take them on walks and make us wake up in the morning.

Our pets love us unconditionally when we need them. I capture the happy memories of them as something you can always cherish, even after they are gone.

My hopes now are to continue doing pet portraits and to expand my work into illustrations for children’s books and articles. I would also love to eventually be able to do more body painting again, once COVID restrictions are lifted and it is safe to do so. The future feels promising and I’m excited to see where my path will take me.

Enjoy this video and see how my art comes to life. To have a portrait done of you or your pets, please connect with me on social media

Author - Dani Axani

Dr. Candice Staniek

Dani Axani

Robert Manolson

Kristen Vaccher

Contrib

Hailey Henituik

Heather Scott

Corey Poirier

Tonya Joyce

butors

Earl Shindruk

Jenn Oleksyn

Carmen Goebel

Candice Smiley

Contrib

Susan Binnie

Lonnie Gartner

Christina Giese

Caitlin Banks

butors

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APRIL 2021 ~ ISSUE 5