I’ve always believed that the smallest gestures with the purest intention can make the biggest difference. That is why I continue to participate in the TriAdventure and to support the Nikibasika program; a small but mighty group committed to a powerful cause. In August, I’ll be joining a team of athletes to swim 3km, run 15km, canoe 15km and cycle 140km to fund an orphanage in Uganda. For the first many years the event provided these 51 vulnerable kids with food…
A country tune came on. I threw my hat on and danced across the kitchen. I imagined what it would be like to be a country singer in a huge stadium with adoring fans singing along. Women would swoon and men would want to be like me. “Wow!” I screamed out loud, “in my next life I am coming back as a country singer!” And then I recalled an innocent time in my life that I thought that would be…
My EDGE3 Experience by Dr. Naresh Vempala, Research Scientist In life and career, we all come to a point where we take a pause to evaluate our journey that has been, to determine the journey that lies ahead. Having arrived at that point, I found I am not quite the leader that I envisioned myself to be. I felt that there was a key ingredient missing from my professional life. While I knew something was missing, I couldn’t put my…
May I fill your cup? by Devon Domanski. Recently I had occasion to visit one of my favourite youngsters while he was on the mend at Sick Kids Hospital in Toronto. I wanted him to know ‘Auntie Devon’ was cheering for him, and do whatever I could to make his parents more comfortable over the weekend. While those were my primary intentions, I almost feel guilty admitting how inspiring the experience was. The staff at the hospital was wonderful –…
Imagine a senior level executive. She has a difficult challenge ahead of her. She’s been stuck in a messy company reorganization that’s left her smack dab in the middle of the ‘mess’ without any real position. She has been tasked with helping others to get settled into their new roles, but she hasn’t been assigned any inspiring duties of her own – nothing yet to settle into. For a goal-orientated, achievement driven professional, this can be a paralyzing place to…
My computer broke: An exercise in patience by Devon Domanski. For so many of us, we rely heavily on technology to keep us connected. Whether it’s a laptop for work, a tablet for personal use, email accounts to communicate, or just having WiFi access, some of us may think, “What the H-E-double hockey sticks would I do if my (insert favourite tech functionality or device) broke?” After having to part with my laptop for 2 weeks while it underwent repairs,…
Recently, at an EDGE 3 retreat, David Graham had us plot our lifelines. It became obvious that all our lifelines had one thing in common – we all had major dips countered by an equally large upward swing. There were times we were winning, and times we felt we had lost. Our lifelines resembled a rollercoaster rather than the smooth, balanced line we had all hoped for. Over the years, I have worked tirelessly hoping that someday I would have…
Nature’s Reset by Devon Domanski. For many of us, September serves as a reset in both our personal and professional lives. The don of the fall season is a significant marker for a lot of things: back-to-school, closing the cottage, end of camp, the Vogue September issue (sorry – we’ve all got our things!), and new routines. I personally celebrate a birthday in September and use this time to really evaluate things in my life. What am I doing really…
Body Intelligence by Devon Domanski. Have you heard that our bodies ‘just know’? Our bodies like to TELL us stuff; sometimes it’s obvious like when we get knots in our stomachs or goosebumps as an emotional reaction to something, or when we display symptoms that pertain to an illness we’re fighting. Other times it’s less physical, and more subtle. Last week I attended my favourite class at the yoga studio, and my teacher put together an inspiring sequence that related…
In preparation for our upcoming EDGE 3 retreats this September, I thought I’d explore some ideas about nature from my most trusted source…my family! While recently enjoying a ridiculously lazy day at the cottage, I asked them why nature is important to each of them. I wanted to discuss “How nature moves us forward in our day-to-day, and how can it change the way we show up at work?” What fascinated me was that from 10 to 80 years old,…