Sharp Women | October 2020 by SharpWomen

welcome

letter from the editor

OCTOBER 2020 November is such an interesting month. One never knows what the weather will do, so layers is still the daily dress code. We’re starting to eyeball our holiday plans and gift-giving lists, but first, we must pause and remember. I recently read a book, a true story, about a young American fellow, Louie Zamperini, who was an Olympic runner, but ended up serving in WWII. His plane was shot down and he and two colleagues floated on rafts or something close to 40 days (can you imagine!). When they finally made it to land, it turned out to be Japanese-held territory and they immediately became POWs, suffering for almost 2 years under excruciating conditions of detention, forced labour, starvation and torture. It was beyond understanding how any of them survived.

Stories like this give me great pause, as it is so, so far from my experience. I find it hard to wrap my head around the notion that right now, today, there are Canadian soldiers engaged in combat, risking their lives for our freedom and the freedom of people around the world. Whatever our thoughts and beliefs are on war, I think it behooves us all to breathe a prayer or send positive energy and thoughts to those who have served and currently serve in our military. As with so many things in the social media age, Remembrance Day is unable to escape controversy. White poppy… red poppy… no poppy… what’s the right thing? For me, the big issue is how to get those puppies to stay on my coat or shirt! And then, with all the aforementioned layers, to make sure I have enough poppies for each! The truth is that you should follow your own convictions and do what you think best. Sharp Women do that, and we support each other to each follow our personal stances. I hope, that whatever your perspective is, you’ll take some time on November 11th to remember and honour those who serve and have served.

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Guest Contributors

JUEY ANN MACLEOD Spirituality Column

MICHELLE SUESS Relationships Column

SONJA SKAGE Finance Column

TABL E

CARLA HOWATT Health & Wellness

TARA OGG-CHAPUT Food Column

O F

C ON T EN T S

04 RANCHELLE IN THE RAW WHAT ARE YOU RESISTING? 06 LIVING THE DREAM PLANNING, PICNICS, PROGRESS 10 BUSINESS WHAT ARE YOU?

12 SPIRITUALITY ARE YOU PUTTING GOD OUT OF A JOB? 14 RELATIONSHIPS BENNIE AND THE JETS

18 PERSONAL GROWTH A PLAN FOR HAPPINESS

20 HEALTH + WELLNESS A HEALTH WAKE UP CALL

24 PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT GOALS WITH SOUL 26 FINANCE LUCKY HORSESHOES

28 FOOD FOOD IS MY LOVE LANGUAGE

36 YOUNG ENTREPENEUR CREATIVELY LOVINâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; ON PEOPLE

Our Contributors

38 SHARP WOMAN FEATURE SELF LOVE REQUIRES COURAGE

DANIELLE KLOOSTER editor in chief

RANCHELLE VAN BRYCE chief executive officer

KELSEY EVANS administrative coordinator

STEVEN SCHWARTZ director of design

CARLA HOWATT assistant editor

RACHELLE SCRASE director of photography

LINDSAY BEAULIEU sales coordinator

f ro m t h e CEO

Ranchelle in the Raw

WHAT ARE YOU RESISTING?

by Ranchelle Van Bryce The first time I was asked that was by my coach, I had hit a wall. Some people call it a glass ceiling, but for me, it was a wall - A HUGE BRICK WALL. I had come as far as I could in my business and I could NOT, for the life of me, figure out why things were not going the way I wanted them to. I was frustrated, angry, sad, hurt, and felt like I was failing over and over again. I couldn’t see over the obstacle of ‘I don’t have enough clients’’ B.S. that I was telling myself.

Can you relate? I looked around my office day in and day out and thought to myself, why can’t I figure this sh*t out? What’s happening? I felt hopeless. I hadn’t felt this way since Curves had done their re-brand in the early 2000’s

and then I felt like I was at the whim of the Franchise and there was nothing I could do. As I was staring into space, I was asked again… Ranchelle, what are you resisting doing, being, or having? It is THAT belief that is keeping you stuck. It is the THING you are resisting that is preventing you from living your purpose. In silence, I pondered. Then a flood of answers came to me. I am resisting being judged. I am resisting being heard. I am resisting standing up for what I believe in. I am resisting being called too woo-hoo. I am resisting being seen. I am resisting doing what’s necessary to make this work. I am resisting love. I am resisting being the woman I know I can be - because what if I fail? I am resisting boundaries. I am resisting so much

What we Resist Persists You see, what we resist persists. PERIOD. For example, if I am resisting being heard, I will create more of ‘not being heard’. Why is that?

There are simple answers, and they have to do with the following Universal Laws. 1. Universal Law of Cause and Effect. 2. Universal Law of Vibration. In the simplest forms, The Universal Law of Cause and Effect states that your thoughts, behaviours, and actions create specific effects that manifest and create your life as you know it. In my coaching practice, I teach that the first cause is thought. It is not instantaneous results but rather a Desire, a thought, an emotion tied to it, inspired action AND THEN results (manifestation).

The Law of Vibration A lot of people have heard about The Law of Attraction (thanks to a book and movie called The Secret) but most people don’t know that the Law of Attraction is a subsidiary law to The Law of Vibration which states that everything has energy to it and everything moves; nothing rests. Our thoughts move toward something and if our thoughts are fear based or resistance based, we ATTRACT more of what we fear and resist. We are always in creative energy. Staring at my coach, I realized that all the things I am resisting are utter BS. At the core of it all is my fear of not being good enough and fear of judgment. I decided then and there that enough is enough. I have a purpose (just like all of us) and it is time for me to STOP resisting and surrender.

I can choose love or fear. I can choose faith or fear. I can choose to be a victim of my circumstances or victorious. I can choose resistance or surrender. I can choose to be in resistance, or I can ask myself, what else is possible? Over and over again, I hear in our community that our lives and businesses are being affected by ‘the economy’, ‘the pandemic’, or ‘the government’. But what if you didn’t buy into this BS? What IF something else was possible? Remember the Universal Laws above? What are you ‘vibrating’ to? A higher resonance energy or a lower energy of fear? What are the thoughts that you are thinking? Do you believe that someone is doing something TO you, or do you accept responsibility for all of your thoughts, actions, and outcomes? Our beliefs are a funny thing. Insidious as hell and meant to keep us safe. But, you see, all of that is a lie you are telling yourself SO THAT you can stay safe and secure in your beliefs. You are in resistance. On the other side of the ‘reasons’ that we give as to why we aren’t making the money we want, attracting the clients we want, or manifesting we want, is resistance. So, my question to you is, what are you resisting doing? Being? Or having? The question is simple, the answer might be complex. Stay sharp! Ranchelle

The Power of Choice I am reminded again that one of the greatest gifts we have been given is our intellect (it is also one of the reasons why we create resistance). Our intellect gives us the power of choice.

liv i n g t h e drea m

There's something about Autumn. The colours are vibrant. The air is crisp and warm. The farmers are pulling in their harvests, and the time September and Christmas is ripe with possibility. Though 2020 has been a year full of change and uncertainty, for Ranchelle and me, it is a time of dreaming about “what else is possible”. And the possibilities are many!

A Seed was Planted A year and a half ago, Ranchelle approached me about doing an event for women together. Though I have always had a heart to support and elevate women,

and I thought the event was a good idea, I didn’t see how I fit into the vision Ranchelle cast, so I declined. Not one to take “no” for an answer, she came back to me a few more times. As the vision morphed and we talked about our differing strengths and skillsets and how to offer both of these perspectives at the event, I was finally able to see how I could contribute, and I said an apprehensive yes. I was worried about the time commitment, knowing all that goes into planning and executing an event, and wondered if this “side” project was a distraction, pulling me off-course from my main mandate. Well. As the event planning went on, Ranchelle came into meetings with more and more ideas (she seems to have six by breakfast every day). I was in resistance, focused on my need to take things slowly, plan carefully and do things “properly” (a wee touch of perfectionism there, hmmm?).

She presented the idea of publishing a magazine. The event was risky enough, but a magazine? Scary stuff! Nonetheless, I have always been a writer and the notion of publishing a magazine – and having a mechanism through which to write to my heart’s desire – was a pretty big carrot. So, with even more fear and trepidation, I said yes to this, too.

The Sharp Women Garden Blooms The relationship between me and Ranchelle blossomed as we worked and planned together. She inspires me to take risks, have faith, and helps me see how to work differently. On the day of The Sharp Event, in February of 2020, I was taken by surprise. The women who attended were hungry for our message, hungry for connection, and ready to be part of the Sharp Women movement. Wow! I was – still am, daily - overcome with gratitude at how women caught the vision and got on board. We had volunteers who stepped up to help with the event, amazing speakers who delivered valuable learning vand insights, an opulent, elegant atmosphere, and a strong show of support for a local charity, the Central Alberta Sexual Assault Support Centre. What a day! Little did we know that Covid-19 would impact us all just a few short weeks later and that the challenges it brought would lead us into new opportunities. What we did know was that a brand was born, and we needed to formalize our partnership. We pivoted the magazine idea, and you are, of course, reading the result right now. We’re so proud of this magazine and all that it means to those who write for it and those who read it. It’s growing each month and becoming a leading part of the movement. The next idea was a podcast. This was actually mine (Ranchelle is rubbing off on me in the best possible ways!)! What seems to happen is that we put an idea out into the atmosphere and, soon enough, all we need to make it happen comes to us. We found an amazing producer with the skill and equipment, and voila! We have now put up three episodes and are having a ball with it.

Of course, we’re also eyeballs deep in planning the 2021 Sharp Event – it’s gonna be so good! And that’s not all – we see nothing but wide open fields of opportunity all over the place, and we are stepping into possibility each day.

How Does your Garden Grow? Our garden has grown with grace. Grace is our foundation. Grace is our framework. Grace is our culture. Each day, we have opportunities to step into it, cultivate it and watch it grow. Ranchelle and I are so different, but so aligned in purpose and spirit, and knit together in both business and friendship. Now, we both dream. We both plan. We give space to each other to “get there” when new concepts and directions come up. We have created a set of values statements by which we conduct ourselves in all aspects of our business.

It's Harvest Time! Each of us has our own thriving coaching practice and business, but Sharp Women is a force that has captured our hearts and imaginations. Over the coming months, you will hear many announcements of new directions for the Sharp Women brand as well as our new parent company, Your Life on Point (you heard it here, folks!). People need and want training, support, and inspiration now more than ever, and we are ready, willing and able to pour into that. Unconventional gardeners, as always, we are all at once tilling the soil, planting, growing and harvesting. Amidst it all, we are overflowing with gratitude to all the amazing women who are part of our movement and community – you. Thank you. And stay tuned!

ADVERTORIAL

THE POWER OF BEING UNDERSTOOD: MEET KRIS POULSEN People stay at their jobs for a long time for a number of reasons, but, for Kris Poulsen, it’s all about the people. A wife to Mike and a busy mom of two “hockey boys”, Kris came to the Red Deer office of RSM Canada straight out of university in 2000, and she’s never left. In addition to being a partner in the firm, Kris works with clients – businesses, individuals and not-for-profits – on taxes, audit and assurance, and any other support they require from a financial knowledge and empowerment perspective. Though she enjoys numbers and math, and has an aptitude for solving problems, Kris says, “It’s really all about the people. I love working with my clients, and I really love the team here. I know it’s cliché to say that we’re like a family, but we really are.” One of the reasons for Kris’s enthusiasm about her coworkers is the powerful culture that RSM Canada has infused into its way of doing business. This culture is founded on something called The Five Cs: · Courageous · Curious · Collaborative · Caring · Critical Thinkers These principles are active in every decision, client interaction and coworker communication. For the team at the Red Deer office, it is important that both clients and team members are inspired and encouraged to view their activities through this lens. CARING Although she feels all of the Cs are important, Kris’s personal favourite is Caring. The Red Deer RSM Canada office shows its care for clients and community in a number of ways.

“Taking time with clients, to help them understand and feel understood, is really important to me,” she says. “I think everyone likes to get good results, and sometimes that means an extra investment of time. I want my clients to know that I really care.”

ADVERTORIAL

The Red Deer RSM Canada office is actively involved in charitable fundraising in the community, too. Birdies Fore Love is their annual gold event at which they raise funds for a local charity. RSM Foundation graciously matches their efforts (in USD!) to maximize the community impact. This past year, they raised money for the Boys and Girls Club of Red Deer & District, and also spent time out at Camp Alexo, putting their backs into some camp improvements. Additionally, the Red Deer team raised over $31,000 last year for Central Alberta Women’s Outreach Society: Tools for Schools.

GOING THE EXTRA MILE IN CHALLENGING TIMES Covid-19 has made life and work challenging for everyone this year. For Kris, it is very important that clients and team members alike feel safe, but also still feel connected. “We work really hard to make sure our team members can navigate the current realities,” she says. “It can be hard for working moms or dads who might now be working from home while maybe trying to home school their kids. Whatever the scenario is, we try to be as flexible as possible to help each other out and show that we care.”

long run.

This is the culture that has kept Kris going for the last twenty years, and the opportunity to make caring a priority in the way she works will keep her engaged at RSM Canada’s Red Deer and Sylvan Lake offices for the

RSM’s purpose is to deliver the power of being understood to our clients, colleagues and communities through worldclass audit, tax and consulting services focused on middle market businesses. The clients we serve are the engine of

bu s i n e s s

WHAT ARE YOU? by Danielle Klooster

If you are an entrepreneur, you may have been motivated to start that business for a number of reasons. Some folks want to “buy themselves a job”, meaning that they have a craft (such as carpentry, massage therapy, esthetics, etc.) that they want to practice, so they start a business in order to give themselves an opportunity to practice that craft and make money at it. While this is a great way to start out, and it feels really good to earn a living doing what you love, there are a number of limitations that are inherent in this approach to business.

Time is not Elastic Problem number one with buying yourself a job is that time is not elastic. You literally cannot make more time. Therefore, since you will be using your business to practice your craft, you can only make as much money as you have time to do the work.

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And you will struggle to find time to work ON your business, or even do basic business administration, because you have to be practicing your craft in order to make any money.

Growth Ceiling I know one gal who bought herself a job to practice her craft, and she got to the point where she was working 8:00 AM to 11:00 PM SIX DAYS A WEEK. She’d grown her business as much as she possibly could and was running herself into the ground physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually just so she could do her job. Buying yourself a job means a limit on your ability to grow because, again, you can’t make more time.

Stuck in Fulfillment Buying yourself a job means that you are the one who has to do the work. You cannot grow, you cannot scale, and it’s all up to you to keep the cash flowing. Your body might wear out, depending on the type of work, but regardless, eventually, your spirit is likely to wear out.

Your passion to get up and keep doing that work, day after day, could wane. Then what?

A Different Way Well, then, what’s the solution? Here are a few steps you can start taking today that can radically change your business and your earning potential:

• Change how you see yourself. Are you a business owner or are you a nail technician (or massage therapist or wedding planner or photographer or whatever)? If you will choose to see yourself as a business owner, an entrepreneur, your whole outlook will change. Your primary lens will move from how you can practice your craft and meet demands, to how you can grow and scale. You will begin working on your business. •

Create a scalable funnel of your offerings. Start at the top with an “In” level, and give it a value of, let’s say, $0 - $200. Write in this level all of your business offerings that fall within this price point. Then, create more levels, at higher price points (could be $201 - $400, $401 - $600, etc.). Put in there all the offerings you have that bring you those higher levels of revenues. The key point is that you do the same amount (not necessarily type) of work but make more money. This will likely mean restructuring how you work, but doing this exercise will help you, at the very least, begin to see the options and opportunities.

•

Stop acting like the COE (Chief of Everything) and begin acting like the CEO. What do CEOs spend their time doing? Generating ideas, casting vision for their team, mentoring, and problem solving. That’s it. If you want to grow a strong business that can stand on its own, with or without you, this is the job you want to work yourself into.

If you are happy and satisfied with having a business built on buying yourself a job, great! Carry on. But, if you want a business that grows and has an independent value, consider restructuring your mindset and business based on these ideas. Stay Sharp!

spi r i t u a l i ty

ARE YOU PUTTING GOD OUT OF A JOB? Juey Ann MacLeod is an intuitive, engaging, experienced Spiritual Mentor and Life Coach who successfully supports and guides others so they can find their voice, own personal power, establish boundaries, create safety and increase energy. Juey Ann personally knows what it is like to have no permission to voice personal needs. Over the last 20 years, Juey Ann has enriched the lives of countless people as they seek to remove painful patterns/ blocks and replace them with Power, Peace and Joy. Find her at jueyann.com

As a spiritual being having a human experience, we incarnate to resolve our family contracts and karma and to learn and grow, discover and play in this human form. Each being’s journey is completely unique to what they agreed to take on this lifetime, as is their relationship with Spirit.

ABANDONED BY GOD? As a child, I prayed wholeheartedly for God to help me, and when God did not take my father away to keep us all safe from his abuse and incest, I figured that God loved all little children except me. I decided it was all up to me. It was up to me to protect my siblings. It was up to me to keep my mom safe by not telling anyone my father’s dirty secret. I had to take charge and be in control somehow for everyone’s sake. To be safe, I learned to sense what others were thinking and know where others were going.

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When I was introduced to ThetaHealing, I was shown my karmic path through a past life and understood that I had courageously volunteered to bring forgiveness and resolution to my family’s history of abuse and incest that was brought upon the McLeod family from a Viking invasion on my ancestral Scottish clan. It brought a new meaning to why things played out in my life the way they did, and my purpose moving forward. As I have healed, my capacity to help others heal and see new perspectives has been the gift that I now give others, like that mystical spiritual mentor did for me. Hypervigilance and being entirely independent was my saviour as a child and my downfall as an adult. I accessed a deep well of strength in my character to handle everything on my own to a fault. I had to be in control of every little detail of my life. Everyone around me always assumed I was okay, even when I was not, and I never knew how to ask for help. I felt abandoned, isolated and unsupported. I had given up on God as I climbed the corporate ladder unfulfilled and on my own.

God works in mysterious ways with a plan of Love far beyond our human comprehension. I would have never imagined that I could ‘Let Go and Let God,’ and yet here I am, trusting, in flow of his plan, and helping others to do the same.

God shows up. I learned that God shows up in many ways. Of course, it was at this time of my life that a mystical spiritual mentor appeared in my life who introduced me to the idea that I had guardian angels and God would help me in a partnership! There it was - the G-word - and it brought up all my angst as a child abandoned. She wrapped her loving energy around me, helped me to soothe the angry part of me that felt so victimized. She introduced new words that felt I could embrace: Love/Universal Power/Creator. Under her patient guidance, I started to grow personally and professionally. Her guidance was “Are you putting God out of job? Make a Decision. Let Go, and Let God.” I struggled with the letting go part, since I was used to being in charge of every little detail. Until I fully understood “of my own small self what do I know” and that I was asking the best team, my Angels and God, to do the job.

Forgiving God I knew I could not learn to do this without forgiving God, my parents, and myself. That is where I had to start. As I let go of my anger and pain, I opened up to the possibility of being supported in more ways than I could have ever imagined. I needed to let go of the control of being totally independent and become more intimate with Creator.

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re l at i on shi ps

I live with PTSD from childhood trauma and my time as a First Responder. At 18, I became a 911 Emergency Medical Dispatcher and then completed my EMR-Emergency Medical Responder and EMT-Emergency Medical Technician courses, as well as becoming a volunteer firefighter. I worked in northern Alberta at Slave Lake Air/Ground Ambulance. Though the work was high-pressure and often high stress, I found the work meaningful and gratifying. Unfortunately, part of the job involves seeing things that no one should ever have to see. Witnessing and being part of some very traumatic scenes took their toll, and I began experiencing night-terrors and showing signs of extreme anxiety some very traumatic scenes took their toll, and I began experiencing night-terrors and showing signs of extreme anxiety.

PTSD SETS IN Unfortunately, in 2009, along with the night-terrors and anxiety, I started having seizures, which still continue to this day. I became constantly hyperaware of my surroundings and often struggled to even leave the house. After a couple years of trying to find answers, my family and I found out that my seizures are from PTSD. They happen when my body or mind are too stressed, that can be from physical pain or emotional pain like flashbacks and night terrors. After years of medication trials, different treatments and continuing therapy, I have a better handle now on when things are going to happen. My seizures only happen a couple times a year, but I still have a very difficult time out in public and completing day to day tasks. Unfortunately, not everything can be helped by these methods.

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COURAGEOUS COMPANIONS In my journey toward healing, I became aware of an organization based in Alberta and Manitoba that offers service dogs. Courageous Companions is a registered charity that provides quality trained certified Service Dogs to Military Veterans and First Responders. Their mission is to provide top quality service dogs to help military veterans and First Responders live full and meaningful lives if they have been impacted by physical, sensory and/or psychological injuries from their service. A group of dedicated volunteers run this program, which is why every dollar donated goes directly to funding the programs for participants that have helped folks like me regain independence. These K9s cost a minimum of $20,000. The challenge is that, with the pandemic, Courageous Companions has not been able to hold their fundraisers that help to off-set this cost. I made the decision to apply in spring of 2020 for a Courageous Companion and was approved by the board in June to be partnered with a k9, and so I began fundraising to bring my K9 home.

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re l at i on shi ps

THEN EVERYTHING CHANGED My husband and I had been trying to conceive our second child for over a year, but it just wasn’t happening. I began to lose hope that it would. I was focused on our daughter, Marlee, and on raising money to get my Courageous Companion. I was stunned but excited when I found out that I am expecting. Wow! But I was not sure at all how this was going to work with getting the service dog. The thing to know is that getting a service dog is not the same as getting any other dog. Very specific training has to happen; focus and attention to building a strong trust bond would require a substantial commitment of time and energy on my part. Worried that my dream of getting a Courageous Companion might not materialize now, at least for the foreseeable future, I called the organization and shared my news. Things kicked into high gear. The leaders of the organization had dialogue behind the scenes, carefully considering all options. I had my second shocking bit of news in a matter of two days when John, the chairman of the board, called me to say I could go to Manitoba in a few weeks and get my dog. What?! I was just trying to process the news of the pregnancy, and now this? I was profoundly moved at how much had changed in my life in a few short days. So blessed!

IN COMES BENNIE People told me that a service dog would change my life. I mean, I did believe it, yes, but it wasn’t until I met Bennie and started working with him that I realized the truth of this. Even during the week I spent in Manitoba training with Bennie showed me just how different life will be going forward. With the PTSD, I find it very difficult to go out in public. I feel stressed, anxious and even angry, just trying to navigate my way through a store. I fight the urge to panic. Bennie’s job is to alert me and redirect me when I am struggling. The trainers had me practice going into stores with Bennie. As I walked the aisles, Bennie suddenly nudged me, and then stood in front of me, blocking my path. I hadn’t even realized

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I was getting anxious – but he did! As soon as he alerted me, I paid attention to my breathing, relaxed my shoulders, and focused on him until the feelings passed or I was calm enough to continue. What a difference!

THE JETS I am so accustomed to being guarded. I am also, because of that guardedness and fear, used to showing up a certain way – I guess one could say closed or cold. But Bennie, a Golden Retriever, is what they call a “soft” dog. He’s gentle and mild. He just won’t have raised voices and distanced people. I have to lean down, or even sit on the floor with him, talking softly and sweetly until he knows I am okay. This life-changing animal is helping me learn how to let my guards down and show tender emotions; to be vulnerable. This is a completely unexpected thing for me. So, when I say Bennie is changing my life, I mean it, in all respects. Sometimes it feels like my life is changing at jet-speed – and, well, it is! But, as blessed as I already was with my supportive husband and adorable daughter, things just keep getting better and better. In just a few short weeks, Bennie has brought freedom, sweetness, openness and possibility into into my life. I don’t have to fight the world alone to keep myself safe – I am safe. I still have a lot of money to raise to pay for Bennie, but I feel confident that it will come. My relationship with him is just too precious and important for it to be any other way. my life. I don’t have to fight the world alone to keep myself safe – I am safe. I still have a lot of money to raise to pay for Bennie, but I feel confident that it will come. My relationship with him is just too precious and important for it to be any other way. Michelle Suess is a mom and wife, living in Penhold, AB, with her husband, daughter, father-in-law, Cinder the Dog and, of course, Bennie. For more information on Courageous Companions, visit courageouscompanions.ca.

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pe r s on a l growth

When you meet her, it’s hard to believe that Dana Mann sometimes feels unworthy. In fact, you wouldn’t be blamed for assuming she has it all together and then some. After all, over the last 13 years, she has risen the ranks in Scotiabank from processing in the back office to teller to branch manager and every position in between. When Dana first began in banking, it was a time when there were more people coming into a branch. She enjoyed meeting people and had an insatiable curiosity to uncover and find out little details about her clients. This curiosity enabled her to get past the transactional nature of banking and foster the relational. It is this desire to know people better that made Dana such a good fit when she began coaching and teaching financial

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Positively Positive Another thing that made her such a good fit for such a people-focused position was her positivity. Dana often had a sign hanging in her office that said, “One positive thought can change your entire day.” This is a mantra that she lives by in both her professional, and personal life. Early in her career, Dana learned another saying that has stuck with her: “Everything is fixable”, and she has used it to deal with her perfectionism when it arose. While there are many wonderful traits that go with being a perfectionist, especially when dealing with money, it has a downside.

to be truly present in that moment. Another tool Dana has found invaluable is her mentors. “My mentors inspire me, hold me accountable, and keep me motivated,” she explains. She really leaned into them when doubt about her worthiness arose as she applied for the promotion to Red Deer. It was those mentors who helped her understand the value of her own opinion “in the end, if I don’t believe that I deserve something, then why would anyone else?” Dana explains. Dana has carried her positive energy, life lessons, and self-awareness into her new position. Her pride in the company she works for and the people on her team is evident when she talks and when she speaks of her continued growth.

“In the past, I didn’t apply for jobs because I didn’t think I was the perfect candidate,” Dana explains. The fear of rejection, of not being good enough was something she agrees absolutely held her back.

“I work with an amazing group of people who I’m honoured to coach, guide and teach,” Dana says with a big smile. “It’s my job to make sure they’re empowered with knowledge to make the decisions they need to make.” This statement makes it obvious that Dana is able to push past her negative self-doubts and feelings of unworthiness and thrive in an environment where her positivity can shine.

Unique Personality

Dana Mann is the newest addition to the Scotiabank Red Deer It was only when Dana realized that everyone brings a Management Team, unique personality, skillset and way of doing things to moving from Edmonany job. If she wasn’t offered a job she applied for, she ton in March to take realized it was probably because it wasn’t a good fit for on her current role as her, or she was already where she needed to be. She Branch Manager, also learned to look at the person who did get the job Gaetz and 67th. Dana to see what job skills and experience they had so she is a 13 year Scotiacould see where she could improve. “Once I knew what banker working in I was lacking,” Dana explains, “I was able to add it to my various locations development plan and execute.” throughout the Prairies, including experience as a Financial Advisor in Rural SK where she was able to learn about agriculture and farming. Dana truly feels that one of the reasons why she is able Prior to moving to Red Deer, Dana was most recently to move past her self-doubts is due to yoga. It is somean Investment Coach to Financial Advisors throughout thing that helps her to connect and calm her inner self. Edmonton and Northern Alberta for two years, and manIn fact, when she was going through a separation and aged a Branch in Edmonton Prior to that role. Dana is divorce two years ago, she started doing yoga daily passionate about engagement and community involveand found the practice completely stopped her anxiety ment, leading the Scotia Young Professionals group for attacks. the Prairie Region. Since moving to Red Deer from Edmonton to take on the role of branch manager of the 67th street Scotiabank branch, Dana has taken advantage of the proximity to the mountains to go hiking. Spending time on the mountain trails with friends has been another way of centering herself and nurturing her relationships. When she isn’t in a yoga class or on a hiking trail, you can find her on the golf course. These sports help her take care of herself and focus on her body and what it can do;

Happiness Tools

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h e a l t h & wel l ness

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It’s Dec. 23, 2018 and the Christmas dinner preparations were complete. I’ve always found it much easier to do the prep work a day or two before Christmas than run around doing it on Christmas day. The carrots were peeled and cut into spears, I’d prepared my special whipped ‘do-ahead’ potatoes, the broccoli salad was in its Tupperware ® container and now my feet were sore. I sat down at my laptop to get caught up on Facebook. Suddenly, my head seemed heavy. I closed my laptop and then my eyes. Something was wrong, I wasn’t sure what was happening, but I just knew it was bad. I yelled to my husband. He must have heard the panic in my voice as he was in my office and beside me within seconds.

A Stroke

“Sumtin wong,” I managed to get out. My mouth and lips didn’t seem able to listen to the message my brain was sending it and my speech was mumbled. My husband immediately grabbed his cell phone and dialed 911. I turned to my cell phone and managed to hit redial on a friend’s number. I wanted to let her know what was going on because I was worried about my husband. Would he know where to go, what to do? The paramedics were at my house within minutes. They were calm, and took my blood pressure, and asked me questions. Suddenly, I shouted “Again! happin again!” They moved. Fast. I was put into the ambulance where I could hear the sirens blaring and feel the sway of the vehicle. In the hospital, I had an MRI, CT scan, blood work and a myriad of assessments. I’d had a stroke. It had affected three parts of my brain including the part that dealt with vision. I couldn’t focus properly, and my head felt like someone was playing the drums inside it. I remember laying in the bed with two stroke specialists asking me question after question. They were confused because they couldn’t figure out why this happened. While I was overweight, I had no family history of strokes, never had high blood pressure, I didn’t smoke or have heart disease. And I was only 53.

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Finally, I asked if stress could be the cause. They shrugged and looked skeptical. “What kind of stress are we talking about?” one of them asked. I told them about the three years prior. While I was an elected official, my middle child took his life. I found him. My husband was diagnosed with a second brain tumor and underwent brain surgery. I have a dependent, disabled daughter. Oh, and I was now unemployed with no reliable source of income. They just looked at each other, looked at me and said, “Yeah, that could do it.” I returned to my home at 7:30 pm on Christmas Eve. I had left on a stretcher and returned with a patch over one eye, difficulty standing and walking, and having to choose my words very carefully. Today, I have a couple of reminders of the stroke; my memory is much worse and sometimes when I am talking, I lose words. But overall, I have recovered very well. And I consider myself very lucky for having received this wake-up call.

The Sobering Truth

I knew I needed to deal with my stress, but I didn’t know how. To be honest, I gave selfcare lip service. I talked about it, but deep down I had a belief that the people in my life couldn’t do without me. For heaven’s sake, even while having a stroke, I had phoned my friend to come and take care of my husband. The stroke taught me that I’m no good for my family if I’m dead. I owe it to them and to myself to stay healthy.

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So, what has changed since the stroke? I’ve made time away a priority. Before COVID struck, I got away with girlfriends for a weekend and also went to Costa Rica for two weeks. I started listening to relaxation tracks when I went to sleep at night and took up floating in earnest. I looked to people in my life to take over things I had previously thought no one else could do. My situation didn’t change, but my attitude did.

Putting Myself First

As women, it’s too easy to fall into the trap of putting ourselves and our health at the bottom of the list, but this experience taught me to put it at the top. Our bodies will only take so much before they start fighting back. Whether it is a stroke, or whether it is insomnia, headaches, heartburn, or fatigue, your body is telling you something. The question is whether or not you will listen. Please do. Carla Howatt has raised three kids, two husbands and a dog. She is the owner of a small publishing company “By the Book Publishing.” She is the author of five books and likes to spend her time writing for herself and others.

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pro f e s s i o na l growth

GOALS

by Ranchelle Van Bryce

WITH

SOUL

Authentic. Magical. Courageous. Nourished. Inspired. Those are my “Core Desired Feelings.” Those are my goals with soul. Doesn’t that sound delicious? To increase my revenue by 30% by February 2021 or what about to release 10 pounds by December 15, 2020? Doesn’t that sound painful? How many of you have been taught to set SMART goals? For some of you, this resonates, but for others…. It doesn’t. Do you avoid setting goals because it doesn’t feel good or attainable? Or, if you are setting a goal, and it’s based on what you did last year and it feels…. Desolate or boring?

What if you were taught the wrong way? Each one of us, as a human being, has what is referred to as both masculine energy and feminine energy running through us. We are both. Yin and Yang. Masculine and feminine. We are a WHOLE human being. Everything in nature is a whole, including us. Masculine energy is the ‘go for it’ energy, the achievement, the thrust, the do, do, do. Think of the male anatomy, seeking outward. Our feminine energy is one of receiving, creating, flow, surrender. Think of the female anatomy. As a woman, if you have accessed more of your masculine energy to set goals, it just won’t feel ‘right’. It just won’t resonate with you.

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What if there was another way? Let me introduce you to Goals WITH Soul. When you set a goal with the feeling at the end -- it changes the way you show up -- in life! Let me share with you something very quickly. In March of 2019 I was in session with my therapist and we were talking about how angry I was. Anger was a new emotion for me, and I was experiencing going from 1 - 10 in escalation in seconds. It wasn’t something I was proud of and I knew I needed help. She asked me about my other emotions, and I shared with her that I certainly felt peace, calm, serenity, and happiness. She then went to explain that there were actually over 100 emotions that I COULD feel. I looked at her with this WTF expression and realized I had totally cut off feelings from my life, other than what was comfortable. She recommended a book, The Desire Map by Danielle LaPorte. The moment I read that book I

knew I had to become a facilitator. Once I married Goals with Soul (The Desire Map principles) with my favourite strategy book, I felt complete.

1. What do you believe is stopping you from moving towards (dare I say the word…) manifesting one of your goals?

You see, if I desire to FEEL magical -- in my body, my business, in my relationships. I need to show up differently in my BEINGness.

2. What are you doing or BEING right now that is not supportive?

If I desire to FEEL magical, what I ‘do’ will be different. If I desire to FEEL magical, I start to ask myself what I want to experience. This, my dear friends, are some of the questions that lead you to setting Goals with Soul

3. Who or what are you resisting, doing, being or having? Questions like this will lead you to your core desired feelings. You have the power of choice: Whether it’s to release 20 lbs by February, 2021, to increase my revenues by 30% OR whatever! You can create it.

Authentic. Magical. Courageous. Nourished. Inspired.

“Shouting your goals at yourself deafens your Truth” - Danielle LaPorte

Some of us believe that ‘thoughts become things’; whether we call it the Law of Attraction or entering the vortex or the Law of Perpetual Transmutation of energy -- it all starts with a FEELING. Then visualization, then action. So, let’s play: 1. Pick one word of how you want to FEEL - in one area of your life.

The purpose of living your core desired feelings and setting goals with soul is: •

To help you remember your light, your true nature.

2. What is one thing that you would need to do differently?

•

To guide you in using your feelings as a guidance system for making choices.

3. What would you want to experience then?

I would love to invite you to a free Goals with Soul workshop hosted on Thursday, November 19th. Email me at Ranchelle@SharpWomen.ca to register.

Your feelings are powerful! When you stay anchored to the desired feelings, and open to the way it manifests -- magic happens! Once you have done the above then ask yourself the following questions.

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f in an c e

SONJA SKAGE A dear friend of mine frequently says, “There’s your lucky horseshoe again”, when something

really great shows up for me. I do tend to think of myself as lucky and I vfrequently have things happen that I consider lucky. Whenever he says this to me, it reminds me that how I know myself and how I view myself is key to so much of my life. This is true for me and equally true for you.

You Create your Own Reality In choosing to develop both a wealth mindset as well as actual financial wealth, I think there are two critical components to creating the outcomes I want: • •

The energy I bring to what I am doing The way I make decisions.

The story I tell myself about who I am and what I am capable of accomplishing will provide me unlimited opportunities to have it play out in real life as an exact reflection of what I have been thinking and feeling and saying. How could it be any different? I’ve written the script. It’s both the good news and the bad news. The good news is that I always have the power to write a new script because I am the only one in charge of my thinking.

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Where to Start If your goal is to create wealth for yourself, then knowing yourself and also where you are now is important. What’s the starting place? I ask myself: Who am I, where am I currently and where do I want to get to? These are deeply personal questions that only you can answer for yourself. Each of us has a different story and a unique set of life experiences that made us who we are. We all have abilities and talents and a current set of values and experiences that have brought us to our now.

“Healing From Within ...Unlock Your Potential ” { { { {

Live & Dry Blood Analysis Personalized Health Assessments Customized Meal Plans Step-by-Step Coaching Packages

Think of what you want in terms of wealth and what you envision as the most wonderful way to accomplish it. What’s the ideal path forward for you? Here are some questions to reflect on: 1. What’s the story I tell myself about the wealth I’d like to have?

Janice Hrushka, C.H.N. www.balancedterrain.com 403-952-1920

2. What do I believe is possible for me? 3. When it comes to business or investments, what really catches my interest?

Bring on the Horseshoes

4. Where am I on the risk scale? Do I see myself as low, medium or high risk when it comes to investing?

One really good book that was instrumental in helping me see myself and my own brilliance is “How the World Sees You” by Sally Hogshead. This book will help you understand what I call describe as the place where you shine the brightest. Being able to see yourself more clearly will help you choose the path to wealth that is suited to you. Although the book is not at all about wealth, having an in-depth understanding of yourself and choosing a path to wealth that matches you is hugely beneficial.

5. Is there anything that I am already somewhat knowledgeable about regarding investments? 6. Are there some kind of investments that I prefer over others? As an example, some people really like real estate or bricks and mortar kinds of businesses whereas other people might be keenly interested in new technologies or medical breakthroughs or something leading edge like crypto-currencies or blockchain developments or online ventures.

7. What interests me enough that I am willing to dive in and learn a whole lot more? 8. Am I willing to be incompetent or uncomfortable during this time while I devote myself to learning more? 9. Do I prefer to work with others and be part of a group or do I prefer to work mostly on my own? 10. What are the strengths and advantages I have that are helpful to creating new, additional wealth for myself?

Everyone has an unfair advantage. Something that we do better than anyone else we know. I believe that we each also have an unfair advantage when it comes to wealth. Something that is our own unique knowledge, curiosity or ability. Discovering this for yourself could very well be the one thing that changes everything – your lucky horseshoe. Sonja Skage has a diverse background. After a corporate career in HR, she started a consulting business which encompassed executive coaching, HR and Project Management consulting, real estate investing, raising capital for start-ups, investing in crypto-currencies, and trading stocks. She is currently focused on trading and investments and is dedicated to her own self-improvement and very focused on using her life and her goals as the pathway to develop herself.

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f o od

It’s not officially listed as one of the love languages, but my love language is food. Most of my favourite memories of my childhood involve food; holidays at my grandparents’ house, sick days at my grandparents’ house, stopping at my grandparents’ house after school… The common theme seems to be my grandparents’ house!

GRANDMA’S FOOD, GRANDMA’S LOVE My maternal grandparents raised seven kids and there are two things that there was never a shortage of: food and love! She was a magician of sorts; we often stopped by unexpectedly and she would have a feast ready as if out of nowhere! It didn’t matter if you weren’t hungry because you would eat until you were painfully full and vow to put up a better fight next time. It was always hard to resist, though. It’s not that anything was particularly spectacular, but it was created with love and it was always plentiful. Fall marked the beginning of holiday celebrations at their home where aunts, uncles, and cousins packed into every room, their house bursting at the seams with love! Every flat surface was a resting point for food so you could, quite literally, eat your way through the entire house!

FAMILY LOVE AT THE TABLE It’s no surprise, given how much I enjoyed the large family gatherings as a child, that I would end up having 6 kids of my own! We have spent countless hours at the dining room table; the table gathering scratches and stories as we share meals created with love. The cooler weather brings the return of slow food and sitting shoulder-to-shoulder at the dining room table.

Warm, nurturing, stick-to-your-ribs kind of meals are savoured as we are all able to take more time to reconnect. Supper isn’t the only meal to undergo a makeover; breakfast is all about filling our bellies with warmth, too. Overall, I consider my children to be fortunate that I enjoy cooking as much as I do. Though it’s not optional with 6 kids, cooking is therapeutic and being fearless in the kitchen means my children become a herd of guinea pigs. Most of my cooking turns out great, but sometimes things go wrong, and we have the stories to tell once the smoke clears.

FOOD GODDESS? It was a cool fall morning when I decided to make a breakfast apple crisp. It was genius and I was certain my children would look at me like the gourmet goddess I am. When the timer went off, the breakfast apple crisp was not ready; It lacked the “crisp” part of apple crisp and the only logical solution was to put the broiler on for a couple of minutes. In the chaos of the morning, however, I forgot about the apple crisp until one of the boys asked why there was smoke coming out of the oven. If you weren’t already aware of what happens when sugar meets direct heat, it’s fire. Sugar will catch on fire. I don’t recall how I put the fire out, but I imagine it was out of sheer panic while the kids looked on in horror.

WILL COOK FOR LOVE I’m often asked how I cook so much food, but I’m not sure I remember how to cook for only 1 or 2 people! We have a small pot in the cupboard that rarely gets used because we never make anything in a small enough quantity to need it. My husband has stopped asking if we really need to prepare as much food as we do after only 3 ½ years together! At the beginning of our relationship, he said I would never have to worry about leftovers, but quickly discovered that he maybe wasn’t as up to the task as he originally thought. I made sweet & sour meatballs for him sometime during our first month together. At the time, I had no idea that sweet & sour meatballs were a form of currency in his home when he was growing up. As it was a well-loved meal by the whole family, each of them was allowed 7 meatballs and Tara is the owner of Grace Alyse Sweets; they would trade meatballs for chores. His eyes lit a gluten free bakery up and he made it halfway through his third plate of specializing in artisanal meatballs before I wondered if I would witness the sweets. When she’s not busy baking, she’s buttons on his shirt pop off! His reason for eating so raising 6 kids, ranging many? Well, he just couldn’t stand to leave leftovers! from 2-19 years old..

Our dining room table is the main gathering place in our room, and it will still witness its share of stories as the kids grow. I hope the kids remember these times fondly and the way food tastes when it’s prepared with love.

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f o od

RECIPE

BREAKFAST APPLE CRISP

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6 Granny Smith apples, peeled and chopped 2 Tbsp coconut sugar 3/4 tsp ground cinnamon 1 1/2 tsp lemon juice 1 1/2 cups sprouted gluten-free rolled oats 1/2 cup light brown sugar 3/4 cup gluten-free flour blend 1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, diced into small cubes 2 tbsp ground flax seeds or hemp seeds 2 tbsp finely chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350 F degrees. Butter a medium sized casserole dish, or spray with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside. In a mixing bowl, add chopped apples, coconut sugar, 3/4 tsp of the cinnamon and lemon juice. Stir to combine, then transfer to prepared baking dish. In a separate mixing bowl, add topping ingredients (brown sugar, oats, flour, 1 tsp cinnamon, salt, and diced cold butter, flax/hemp, and pecans). Use a pastry cutter or forks to cut the butter into the oat mixture until mixture resembled pea-sized crumbs.

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pr i n t a bl e

FEAR FACTOR Many – perhaps most – of us have a fear of failure. But here’s something we don’t often talk about: how many of us are afraid of success? Maybe we think that with success comes responsibility, and who needs more responsibility? Or maybe we think that the whole world will somehow figure out that we’re a giant fraud who doesn’t deserve success (this is known as imposter syndrome). Whatever the reason, it’s worth taking a peek inside our own hearts and minds and determining if we are standing in our own way. You can print off this quiz and score yourself. No one else ever has to know

FEAR OF SUCCESS QUIZ Score yourself on a scale of 0 – 5 for how true each statement is, 0 being not true at all and 5 being completely true. 1. ___ I sometimes hold back on doing things as well as I know I could, so I don’t stand out. 2. ___ I worry that people will think I am an obnoxious know-it-all if I share my knowledge. 3. ___ If I am too good at something, I worry that others will criticize or mock me behind my back. 4. ___ I would rather do a job I know well and can manage than take on a new challenge. 5. ___ I find myself more nervous about doing something exceptionally well than I am about doing a mediocre job of it. 6. ___ I worry that, if I excel, others will expect too much of me. 7. ___ I don’t want others to feel threatened by me, so I often work to blend in. 8. ___ I worry that others will try and take advantage of me if I am too successful. 9. ___ I worry that, if I become too successful, I will no longer fit in with my friends. 10. ___ I often worry about standing out and calling attention to myself. 11. ___ I usually set goals for myself that I know I can easily reach. 12. ___ I just want to be comfortable. 13. ___ It’s more important to me to have friends than to succeed. 14. ___ I often point out the mistakes in my work in case before anyone else can, so they don’t think I don’t see them.

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15. ___ I would find it nerve-wracking to be considered highly accomplished in my field. 16. ___ In a group conversation, I often keep quiet when I have expert knowledge, because I don’t want to appear condescending. 17. ___ I downplay my accomplishments, so others won’t feel bad or be jealous. 18. ___ I fear that, if I became successful, I would lose who I am. 19. ___ I don’t talk about my accomplishments in case people think I am bragging. 20. ___ I often have a thought like “who do I think I am?” when I take a step to move toward success.

SCORING: 0 – 20: You don’t have much fear of success. Little or nothing will stop you from reaching your goals! 21 – 50: There’s some work to do here, but will a little bit of restructuring your mindset, you can break out of your limiting beliefs and start crushing it! 51 – 80: Your limiting beliefs are holding you back from reaching your potential. But never fear! You can change this by doing some mindset work and reaching out for support. 81 – 100: Don’t despair! Your fear of success does not have to hold you back, if you want it to change. Get a coach to help you move through your limiting beliefs and you’ll soon find yourself feeling freer than you ever thought possible. -----------------

This quiz is not meant to make you feel like garbage. No beating yourself up or “shoulding” on yourself. Use these results to help you understand yourself better and make a plan to change your mindset and shed anything that holds you back. You got this!

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Sharp Women | October 2020

Articles inside

Sharp Women | October 2020