Moved!

Dare to Live has evolved to the Dare to Go travel blog! With this site as my foundation, I've decided to take my writing in the direction of travel, sharing stories of inspiration from the places I've visited. So.. will you follow me over to my new site? Just click here.

Dare to do Something a Little Different

When the email arriving in my inbox last August announcing a travel blogger's conference in Toronto the following May, I thought "what the heck, I have no idea where I'll be next May, so I'm signing up!"

Between the day I signed up and the day of the conference, I had made some major changes in my life. In short, I decided to leave my job in corporate communications to go back to school full-time and finish up a degree in communications I started many years ago.  I needed a change - a change of pace and a change of direction and this decision just felt right.

So back to TBEX, " the world's largest gathering of travel bloggers, writers, and new media content creators."  As a very part-time travel blogger, I didn't know what to expect. I went as an observer - I wanted to take in the sessions and the travel blogger's vibe.  Here is what I learned from the weekend:

1. I need a website.  A real one.  I currently blog using blogger, but if I want to get serious about blogging, I need to get clear about and organize what I want my blog to accomplish and create a website with my own domain name.
2. I'm not sure I am a travel blogger, per se. I love blogging about my experiences in Mexico for example, but I do it because I am passionate about it, not because I'm being paid to do it. I don't think I am comfortable blogging about a destination that has compensated me to say nice things. How can my readers trust that what I am writing about is true if I am being paid to write about a place or experience? Maybe a travel blogger out there can help me make sense of this.
3. This ties in to my previous point, but when I was focused on how I was going to make money blogging (this topic came up a lot with others too), I felt uninspired to be a part of this. But when I reflected on some of my favourite blog posts and the inspiration behind writing them, I remembered why I write. I write to share stories that will inspire others to live the life they really want to live. I'm not sure how this fits into the travel blogging business.
4. I was inspired by Trey Ratcliffe's keynote presentation and his passion for travel photography. I now realize money can be made in other ways around travel blogging - we just need to get creative! I appreciated his photographic process as his art. His photos rock!
5. I was also inspired by Bruce Poon Tip's presentation. He talked about the noble purpose of blogging - inspiring others to travel by bringing them our stories, and opening up the world of different cultures and countries to promote understanding and peace. He stressed the importance of experiencing a country for what it is instead of confining ourselves to all-inclusive travel compounds. What I most enjoyed was his stories about his company, g Adventures and the good they do. I realized that I want to be a part of a company like g Adventures - one that has a noble purpose, when I am finished school - either through something I create on my own, or as part of a company such as g Adventures, or some kind of combination of both.
6. The social interactions are a big part of TBEX. I was so happy to finally meet Craig from StayAdventurous after knowing him online for about three years. Lunch at the St. Lawrence Market was the perfect place to catch up. Unfortunately I didn't have the opportunity to partake in the parties, but a couple of the other people I met at the sessions were lovely and inspiring. If I decide to attend the next conference in Dublin, I will take advantage of the social opportunities for sure.

So that was my experience. A different outcome than I expected, but really inspiring just the same. I also want to add that it was awesome to be surrounded by a group of people (1300!) who were passionate about what they do. I'm not yet sure exactly where this all fits with me, but I have a feeling travel is going to have a part.  How about you? Did you attend TBEX? I'd love to hear your comments.

A Week and a Half In

Well, I'm a week and an half into full-time school and I must say, it feels pretty good.  For May and June I'm taking two courses - Non-Verbal Communication and Visual Communication.  Each course is twice a week, so that means I'm driving out to Waterloo three days a week.  Not too shabby.

At the same time, my condo rental is shaping up nicely.  My daughter's bed is up so now we just have to go out and buy the mattress. An Ikea box lays open with the contents staring back at me.  One day it will turn into a shoe rack, I promise.  And the new printer.. well, my daughter will help me get that up and running too. I'm blessed to have a child who enjoys putting things together and figuring out how they work.

The best part of my courses so far is that for Visual Communication, one of my assignments has been to create a blog on Tumblr.  I'm actually going to get graded on creating a blog - how great is that?! If you want to check it out, it's here. I tend to update that blog more regularly than this one at the moment. And the other great thing about all of this is that I feel as though my day-to-day life now has meaning and purpose. It's how I'm 'daring to live' my life right now. And it feels wonderful.

One Week Left!

In five days I will end my tenure at my present job.  It's been seven and a half years of joy, frustration and growth, all rolled up into a ball. I started in a dual role - as both the President and CEO's Executive Assistant and a new role in employee communications.  It was a position I took on with excitement and motivation and which eventually led to me becoming the Manager, Communications & Social Media. As I moved along in my career I found I loved the communications field on the employee side - I wanted employees to be happy in their jobs, and I knew that keeping them in the loop was all part of it. The need for better communications between the various offices across Canada was lacking and I was happy to find some solutions. With no budget but gusto, I created an employee newsletter that consisted of an interview with one employee per issue, and a mixture of corporate and fun articles. It involved pulling information from various areas of the company, and last month I created the 55th issue, my last. I also created a book club for the CEO and employees to share together, a quarterly CEO newsletter and regular town hall meetings where the CEO would address the company on progress to date.

A couple of years into the job and social media was getting big. It was something that interested me and I looked for ways in which our company could utilize the tools. It is one of the great things about working here - I was able to create my job to large extent. As one of the first companies in financial services to start using social media to connect to clients and prospects, with the hope of increasing brand awareness, it has been both fun and challenging incorprating the new digital world into a traditional business.

Last summer I was aware that it was time to leave. I had been struggling off and on for a while, but by last August I just knew. Time to say "bye-bye" and move on to my next adventure. And so by January I was working out how I was going to quit my job, sell my house and go back to school full-time to finish up my communications degree by the end of the year. And here I am, 5 days to go until this part is done.

It has been a great ride, and one I will never forget.

Nine Years

The past couple of months have been a whirlwind - giving my notice at work, selling my house and moving to a neighbouring city, into the 23rd floor of a gorgeous condo (the views are awesome). What I look forward to most is sitting on my balcony on a summer's night, watching the sunset, glass of wine in hand.

Of course that is just part of this story.  Almost immediately after I finish up at my job I will be headed to school, to finish up a communications degree I started NINE years ago. Going through all of my stuff lately as I pack for the move, I came across that very first university course I took at the University of Toronto. It was an Academic Bridging Course for people who had not continued their education beyond high school. There we all were in that classroom a couple of nights a week, learning how to write essays (which will forever be etched in my mind) and studying the myraid of topics that made up that course on contemporary Canada. My favourites topics were Canada's role in World War 1, Leonard Cohen (I now totally understand his appeal to women), and Quebec's unique perspective on being Canadian. It was such a positive experience that laid the foundation for the next several years of study. I remember at the time being a little discouraged at the long road ahead, but then realized that the nine years would pass anyway, so why not spend the time working towards a goal?

Unfortunately I was unable to continue my studies with the University of Toronto.  I had a young child at the time and I needed to option of studying online.  I found a general degree program at Wildrid Laurier University in Waterloo that could be completed entirely online.  My hope was that by the time I got far enough into the program, I would be able to complete a degree in communications completely online. That didn't happen but I have been able to complete many of the courses online as I pursue the communications degree. I have been able to attend a couple of in-class classes over the past couple of years and in May I will continue that trend as I finish up the degree. 

With two weeks left at my job, the excitement within me is definitely growing.  I can hardly believe that in two weeks I will be unemployed and I can't wait! I'm looking forward to diving into the rest of my courses and feeling my way towards the brand new chapter that will follow.

Finding the Courage to Act

It's been about a month now since I walked into the CEO's office and gave him my notice. Since then, I've sold my house, found a condo to rent, and am on my way towards starting full-time university in May.

What has been so interesting to me is people's reactions to my plans.  Most people have been supportive and are really happy for me, calling me things like "courageous" and "brave." One person even said that I was his hero. All of this feels really great and makes me think I'm on to something really good ahead.

A couple of people have nervously expressed that they hope I know what I'm doing and that I'm making the right decision. I understand where they're coming from.  In fact, I expected more reactions like that than what I got.  I think it we naturally assume the worst outcome of a scary decision and so I expected people would think I was nuts.  I mean, who quits their job with no job to go to, sells their house and plans to go back to school full-time (with people young enough to be my children, I might add)? Believe me, I asked myself the same questions before I really decided I was going to do this.

What has been sad for me is that I am finding that many people want to make their own changes - change a job, a relationship, a living situation - whatever, but too often allow fear to stop them.  "Not everyone is like you" a couple of people have said, meaning that not everyone can act on a decision to change.  Well, I know nobody is like me but that doesn't mean I am so unique in wanting to change something and then doing it. Or am I? One friend told me, "Wow, you just make a decision and then you do it." Again, I'm not getting why that is a novel concept. And I know I may sound unempathetic, but if you are stuck, meaning you know what you want to do, but can't for whatever reason do it, please don't give up. Talk to people, keep looking for answers, do what you need to do to muster the courage to act.

I wonder what the world would be like if everyone acted on their decisions?  Not on every whim or emotional urge, but once something is thought out and decided, what if everyone just went for it?

How great would that be.  

A Little Shop with Heart - and Tequila!

Wandering down Calle Corazon just off 5th Avenue one night after dinner in Playa del Carmen, my sister and I walked to the end of the little street, and crossed over calle 14 to Maya Notes. I think it may have been the beautiful handmade journals that first grabbed my attention, and I knew that one would make the perfect gift to take home to my daughter.

What i loved about this cute little store was that everything inside had been lovingly handmade by members of one family. The woman who greeted us, ARI, pointed out the various gifts her family had made, such as the bottle cap necklaces crafted by her 14 year old son.

Everything heart-shaped was made by her grandfather (I thought there must be a story there), including the glass-blown heart mobiles.

I'm not usually a fan of things heart shaped, but perhaps because I was feeling a little sad with a broken heart myself, there was something about being surrounded by all those happy hearts that felt good. I purchased a beautiful heart bracelet with upcoming Valentines day in mind, and I have worn it many times (pictured below, next to the journal I also purchased).

Maya Notes made me think of my family and how all of us are creative in our own way - my mother is a talented watercolour artist, my brother paints in oils, I make soap, my daughter is experimenting with painting, sketching and sewing and her Nana is an amazing cook and seamstress. I dreamed a little bit about how cool it would be to have a store filled with each family member's creations. ARI has turned her dreams into reality.

I chose a journal for my daughter, handmade by ARI herself using mostly recycled papers. The cover was embellished with a wooden Mayan symbol that she told me represented love and family. So fitting.

After looking around some more and chit-chatting with ARI, she pulled out a bottle from behind the counter and offered us some tequila, a big smile on her face (when's the last time you've been offered a shot of tequila while shopping?). My sister hesitated, but thank god she had me there to say "yes please!" And together the three of us shared some cheer.

You can see more of ARI and Maya Notes here.

A New Chapter

Today was the day. On the train into work this morning my tummy was in knots, because today was going to be the day I would tell my boss that I was resigning, after seven years of being with the company.

The conversation was difficult, but it had to be done, and now it's over and this is all become so much more real! No more keeping this secret, the whole world can know now that I am leaving!

The past seven years have been a rollercoaster ride - on both a personal and professional level. Such highs and a few lows, with lots of learning in between.

The day came when I knew it was time to leave, to jump ship, to move on. I figured out a plan, and now the plan is unfolding before my eyes. A friend recently said to me, "Wow, you just decide you're going to do something and then you do it!" Yup.

Next week I will list my house for sale, over the next month or so I will be looking for a condo to rent, and on May 6th I will become a full-time student at university.  At the end of December I will finally have my communications degree.

Following that, who knows? I'm comfortable in the uncertainty of it all. I'm a little scared but a lot excited. I plan to attend one, maybe two, travel blogging conferences throughout the summer, and I've been thinking that I may want to finish up my life coach training too. I'm not sure how it's all going to work out, but I do know that I will be doing things that are meaningful to me.

The possibilities are endless!

Dare to Move on

As I look at my blog, I realize I've neglected writing for a few months. What also occurs to me is the design I chose for my background - a paint roller and paint. You see, I have been busy painting my townhouse - first the living room, then the basement and now I am finishing up the former "baby room" which, by the way, has taken three coats to cover the murals I had previously painted when we moved in.
I have lived in this place for over six years, and now I am making it all pretty to sell. I've been cleaning and clearing out clutter every weekend this month and I can finally see the progress.  Almost done.

Moving on can be scary - whether it be from house to house or from love to love lost, but I believe we know within ourselves when the moving on is necessary. Preparing to move from my house to another has been exciting, as it speaks of starting over and of new beginnings and for me it is part of a much bigger plan for my life. Moving on from love to love lost however, has not been as exciting but rather painful and even when it is the right decision, it can be difficult to go through.

Not all decisions to move on feel good, but I believe that within all of us is the sense of whether the decision is a good one or not.. apart from the emotion. The key is to listen to that voice within, that deeper part of yourself that knows what's best.

Trust your heart and dare to move on.

Dare to Live Your Life Today

Today I attended a birthday party and had the privilege of sitting beside 70 year old Peter, a friend of the birthday "boy." Peter is a real conversationalist, a former teacher and full of life.  He lives north of Montreal on a tree farm and taps maple trees in the spring for maple syrup. We talked about work and travel and a shared love for Mexico. I asked him where he was still hoping to visit, and he said he would like to go back to Bali and would also love to take a couple of cruises (to Alaska being one of them) with a group of friends.

Peter said that in past few years he had not travelled, as his wife had been diagnosed with a form of dementia.  I asked him how old his wife was, and he replied that she was 69 years old.  "So young," I said and he nodded in agreement.  He went on to tell me that she was diagnosed on the very day she retired from her job. "We had so many plans," he said.  So sad.

My conversation with Peter was brief, but he made an impression on me.  We ended our talk with him telling me two things.  First, "don't ever settle for second best," referring to the work we choose to do (although this could be applied to many different areas of life).  And second, "live your life today, because you never know what is going to happen." He knew this too well.

This seems to be a reoccurring message for me over the past few months and I am listening. I have been making the changes I need to make to ensure I am living the life I want.  His message was yet another reminder.

Dare to be a Butterfly

As we got into the car this morning, my daughter was telling me about all the caterpillars she saw while camping with her dad, and how when they took the tent down, they were all over the tent.

I asked her if she knew if all caterpillars turned into butterflies and she said that she didn't know, but suspected that not all did.

Which got me thinking - how many of us transform into something else, and how many of us don't?  Of course, even caterpillars who stay caterpillars would have their place in the world, but if they had the opportunity to turn into a beautiful butterfly, to transform and grow wings to fly, why wouldn't they?  I've been thinking lately about what holds me back from moving forward and transforming into that butterfly.

I can look back at times when I surpassed fear and changed my life, but I think it is an ongoing process.  We can find ourselves in the caterpillar stage again and again.  It's never finished.

I realized that I don't want to stay a caterpillar.. I want to keep going, progressing and becoming the person I am meant to be.  I want to be a butterfly. 

Dare to Explore: Bruce County, Part Two

Continuing from part one, my daughter and I used our destination of Summer House Park at Miller Lake as a base to explore the Bruce County area. After kayaking on Miller Lake after breakfast one morning, we took the drive up highway #6 to Litle Cove Adventures where I had read about a ropes course we could do. Well, it turns out we couldn't do it after all, because I had only packed flip flops and they require you wear running shoes.  We put it on our list to do next year.

So on to Tobermory we went. Tobermory is a town at the northern peak of the Bruce Peninsula.  From there you have your choice of cruises to see the area, or to get over to Manitoulin Island, on the Chi-Cheemaun ferry, vehicle and all.  The little town itself has many little shops, cafes and restaurants that sit along a road that bends around a marina.

One of our favourite places to eat was Sharky's Grill, located just outside the main tourist marina area.

We loved the homemade veggie burgers and the whitefish sandwiches. 

The Grille is connected to store that covers different levels, full of eclectic and bohemian-inspired clothes, jewellry and garden items, while Bob Marley music plays in the background. A really special place. We would place our order with the friendly owner at what looks like a take-out window located on the second level, spend some time looking around and them come back to a table to eat.

One night we took the sunset cruise from Tobermory, a two hour boat ride along the coast of Georgian Bay. The boat left the dock at 7:40pm, with a sunset scheduled for 8:10pm.  I took so many photos, here are a few of them.

We saw some people here, jumping off the rocks into the water below.  I'm told that it's possible to hike to this spot (the "Grotto") from Highway 6.  Another thing to add to our list of things to do next time.

Do you see the Inukshuk?

And then, as the name of the cruise suggests, the sunset.

Other cruises are available, the most popular being the one to Flower Pot Island.  This too we added to our list of things to do next year (we're going to be busy!). We spent our last night back in Port Elgin, and took in the annual Bruce Nuclear Beach Party the next day before heading home.

I would have to say, the best part of our vacation was: the time we spent together having fun without a schedule, the nice local people we met, the new road signs (thank you!), the perfect beach weather, daring to explore new areas and leaving with some great memories.

Dare to Press "Play"

Last night I was reading an exerpt from Roger Ebert's autobiography on his 20 year marriage to Chaz Hammelsmith Ebert.  It is a really a great love story and I enjoyed reading about their vacations to Venice in the winter, as well as her continued love and support towards him during his cancer treatment. But something else he said stuck with me: meeting his wife gave him the ability to move forward, as he had been in a state of "pause" for too long.

Wow.

It got me thinking - how many of us are living in a state of "pause?" Maybe we were moving forward at one time, and then for whatever reason, we have stopped and have been standing still for far too long.  Maybe we feel stuck, and bound by circumstances or other's opinions of where we should be. Maybe it's a fear of change. Whatever the reason, we are in this state of "pause" with a need to press "play" and keep moving forward.

I know for myself, there have been times when I have pressed the "pause" button and sat.  I have done it in relationships and in jobs. I have found myself stuck, knowing I wanted to go, needed a change, but something has kept me in the same spot. Sometimes it is simply a matter of figuring out how to press the "play" button that keeps us from moving on.

As I contemplate today where I am sitting in "pause," I would encourage you to do the same.  And then, visualize what life would look like if you dared to press "play."  Think about it, daydream about it, fantasize about it. That's a start. Because really, there is nothing good about living in a state of "pause" except to finally dare to press "play" and take off towards what is next.  That's when things get exciting.

Dare to Explore: Bruce County, Ontario, Part One

One of the great things about having an eleven-year-old is that they love adventure.  As a parent, you can at times find yourself doing things outside of what you would normally do alone.  Last week my daughter and I embarked on an adventure through Bruce County, an area of Ontario, Canada, located about three hours northwest of Toronto.  Summer is the season we look forward to and every year we spend a week in Port Elgin, on the shores of Lake Huron, but this year, my girl was wanting something a little different and adventurous. She wanted to explore some new terrain.We decided to leave Port Elgin, our first stop, after enjoying three days of pretty much living on the beach.  After packing up the car, we visited the beach one last time, to take in Port Elgin's weekly beach flea market.  With a 25 cent entry fee, there are always interesting things to look at.

Next stop was Wiarton for lunch and then on to Lion's Head, to spend the afternoon by the water. After passing through Wiarton, we made a stop at a handicraft store I remember loving to visit as a child.  I was excited to share it with my little girl and she loved it just as I had all those years ago.  We decided we would stop again on our way back to purchase a few things.

Arriving at Lion's Head, I don't remember seeing a freshwater bay as clear as Georgian Bay was that day.  Forgoing the beach, we decided to walk over to the lighthouse on the other side of the marina and lay out our towels on the large rocks below.  A couple of dips in the cold water were refreshing (and brrrrr!).

From Lion's Head, we were on on way again, travelling north on Highway #6 to Miller Lake, where we were stay at Summer House Park, 84 acres of camping, cottaging and a bed and breakfast house. The weather looked promising for the next few days.

We used as a base, and spent the next day at Singing Sands Beach on Lake Huron, a really interesting beach.  Lake Huron has receded so much in this area, I realized as I was taking the long walk from the car to the lake that I was actually walking on what was once the bottom of the lake.  Once we got to the water, it was another ten minute walk or so to get into the water past our waists.  This beach is perfect for families with small children, since such a huge area of the lake is really shallow.  But walking across the sand felt a bit like what I imagine walking through a desert would be like.

In the second part of this blog, we'll look at Tobermory, and then it's back to Port Elgin.

Having Courage

It's a word I have been thinking about a lot lately.  Tony Robbins says that courage is not the absence of fear.  I get what he means - fear is natural and necessary in certain situations.  Fear catapults us to action in the event of an emergency.  It gets the heart pumping and the adrenaline flowing and is the fuel we need at times to make things happen.

Sometimes though, fear works overtime and keeps us from doing the things we want to do.  It can be such a block that it causes us to become frozen and we can even become convinced we no longer want what we once thought we did.  Courage on the other hand, is what we use to accomplish a goal in spite of the fear.  Courage and fear are never really far apart - i think of them as feuding brothers.  Fear says, "you can't do that, you will fail, you're not good enough, you don't have enough experience, what will people think?"  Courage says, "you can do it, you are awesome, you know what you want, trust yourself, go for it!"  Being courageous is when we are so scared to do something.. but do it anyway because it is the right thing to do.  Courage kicks in when the pain of not doing what we want becomes greater than the fear of doing it.  Courage is not the absence of fear, but works in spite of fear, pushing it to the background.

I've often thought I'd like a tattoo similar to the one pictured above, but mine would start with a capital "C" because for me, the things that matter often start with courage.  I remember being asked, "will you let fear decide for you?" and that question comes up in my mind time and time again.  I have let fear make many of my decisions in the past - too many really.  But I have also found the courage to push ahead and face fear, going for what I wanted in spite of it.  Courage is always there.

If our purpose in this life is to just be ourselves without fear, than finding courage in spite of fear will reveal us at our best.  To me, a life filled with courage is a life lived on purpose, a life of freedom and of choice and a life filled with doing exactly what I want to do.  I often wonder how different my life would be today if I had never pushed fear aside and mustered the courage to say or do what was needed.

What about you?  What would having more courage mean in your life?  Tell me in the comments below, I'd love to know.

Finding Inspiration

Flipping through the channels on the tv last night, I saw someone that caught my eye. Wayne Dyer. Have you heard of him? I thought he might be a preacher at first, but as I listened I realized he was an author and an inspirational speaker. I've discovered quite a few of these types lately, and feel as though there is a reason for it. Each time I hear an inspirational talk, I'm able to take something from it that helps me along my path. I think I have mentioned before how it's funny how the universe sends us what we need when we need it. This was no exception.

Lately I have not been feeling very inspired. Circumstances have changed for me over the past couple of weeks and it would appear, not for the better. I say "it would appear" because I do believe that although I'm feeling a little blue (okay, well, alot blue, miserable, exhausted, waaaa!), I need to trust the process and believe that this too is all part of the bigger picture for me and where I am supposed to be. And I'm trying to trust the process, but I've not been doing a good job at it at times, to be honest.

So Wayne Dyer - one thing I liked about his is that he quoted some Bible verses but he had a different way of interpreting them than what I was accustomed to. Having a Christian background, I've often suspected the Bible is full of amazing wisdom, if we could just separate it from how we are told to interpret it by the church. So this piqued my interest. He talked about using our imagination to create our future, and how this is an area that we should not let anyone tamper with. I found this encouraging. Decide what I want and where I want to be and don't let anyone tell me I can't do it.

Wayne Dyer spoke about beginning from the end, which is really similar to Stephen Covey's message of beginning with the end in mind, and worth repeating. He said that when he feels inspired to write a new book, he decides on the title, has the art department create the jacket, places the completed jacket over any book, and keeps it in front of him as he begins writing. He sees the book sitting in front of him and asks himself what the book is about. Then he writes the book. Again, this goes back to using your imagination to create the finished product and then work towards it. It puts the intention out there, and gives the universe something to bring to you. It may only be in your imagination, but you will be drawn towards that end if it is there.

This reminded me to consider again, and I will ask you - where do you want to be? What does you living your life on purpose look like? It's a good question to ask yourself every once in a while. Because when you know what you want and where you want to be, you can take that picture (either a literal picture or an imagined one) and hold it up high and proud. And then you have something to work towards.

A final great message I got from last night's talk was from a woman on the show who had had a near-death experience. Her message at the end of her story was that her life purpose was to be herself and live fearlessly. She was not to continually search for a life purpose out there, but to just be herself, and in doing so, she would be exactly what the world needed. That for me, was one of those "a-ha" moments Oprah talks about. We are all creative, resourceful and whole, just as we are. And our divine purpose is to show the world by just being ourself.

Sign Posts

While in Mexico, I often look for new photo opportunities. But this last trip being my eleventh time visiting Playa del Carmen and Tulum, I thought finding original photos would be a bit of a challenge. On this particular trip, my sister and I came across various quotes and sayings. A lover of inspirational quotes, I found it interesting I had never noticed these before. Were these sign posts new or had they always been there? As I took a photo of one, and then another, I realized this was what this trip was going to be about - inspiration. Here are a few I captured.

I spotted this first sign as my sister and I left La Azotea's rooftop bar, located on Playa del Carmen's busy 5th Avenue. It speaks of love, laughter, fun and freedom. I had taken my sister to this fabulous bar and we spent the warm night talking, laughing and sharing as we enjoyed our newfound discovery of flavoured vodka with Sprite cocktails. The words of this sign made me smile, as God is portrayed as something at our level that we can relate to. The message reminded me to get into the rhythm of love and fun more often. I often need this reminder!

This sign was also from the same bar. It's the words below La Azotea that caught my attention- "It's not about the cards, it's about how you play with them." We are all dealt certain cards throughout our lives- some good; some bad. What we do with our circumstances and opportunities is how we create the life we want to live. It's a reminder to me to continually be in a state of creating the life that is best for me. It's a work in progress for sure.

We came across this sign during a walk on the beach at Tulum. That was our day of ultimate relaxation as we lounged on beds at El Bistro (Ziggy's Beach), on the beautiful white-sand beach, beneath a coconut tree for shade. This sign reminds me of the power of our thoughts in creating the life we want. Feel thoughts of love, joy and hope more often and watch how your path is shaped into something magnificent. I see this played out in my life every day.

Footprints in the Sand

As we walked along the beach in Tulum, Mexico one warm and sunny afternoon, my sister said how she liked it when the waves would come in and wash away any footprints left in the sand. She said it was if the ocean was saying "your life is temporary; but i will be here forever."

Back to School - Part 1

It has been over a month since my last blog post, so I am happy to be back here, writing. The last month has been a busy one, especially with school, but things are winding down for this term and soon I will be taking off to Mexico for a break before my summer term begins. One more year of school and I will be done! I hope to come back from Mexico rested and inspired and overflowing with posts for my Mexico blog.

The path to continue my education has been a long, winding one. Definitely not a straight line. It began about eight years ago, when a friend encouraged me to take an "Academic Bridging Program" at the University of Toronto - an amazing course that introduced me to the world of university and one that I can't speak highly enough about. It was at that course I learned how to craft a proper essay, as it was hammered into our heads at every class until we knew it (and an invaluable tool I have used over and over in subsequent courses). I was terrified at the thought of that course, but it proved to be the beginning of what would be many more years of learning. I'm no longer terrified.

For about six years following that first course, I took one course per term. My challenge as a single parent was that I wanted to study communications, but I needed to do it through distance learning. Because of the parenting schedule I share with my daughter's father, I don't have a consistent free night each week, so online learning was my only option. Plus, I had a full-time job, so attending classes during the day was out of the question. I finally found a different university that could somewhat accommodate my needs - I could pursue a general degree through distance education. I figured that eventually the university might start offering more communications courses online, and I would be able to obtain a communications degree after all. All in all, it would take me about 10 years - I would be nearly 50 years old.

I will stop my story here and continue with a second part soon - there is much more to this story I'd like to share. I know there are people who consider continuing their education, but because of obstacles - very real obstacles, give up on their dream. I am hoping my story will inspire you to pursue it anyway, if it is something you want to do.

Don't confuse what you want to do with what you think is possible.

There are usually more options than what we first think there are. The first step is deciding what you want, and holding on to that thought - feeling it and believing it. Don't dismiss what you want because you can't immediately see a way to accomplish it. That will come later. I can't really explain it scientifically, but life has a way of bringing us what we want when we focus on it and muster up enough faith to believe it will happen. It doesn't always happen on our timetable, or in the way we imagine. That's the fascinating part. Don't become attached to how it will happen, just focus on it happening. Start with knowing what you want and believing.

To be continued..

Legacy

The other day I read an article about the five top regrets of the dying. Worth a read if you haven't seen it yet. It got me thinking about how I wanted to be remembered and what living without regrets would mean for me.

For the world

I want to world to remember me as someone who surpassed what was expected. Raised by a single mom with no help from my father, my childhood was not exactly filled with the finer things in life. My brother and I had what we needed, and as a mom I am amazed how good my mom did and how well she coped with our circumstances which were hard at times. Considering my start in life, I'm quite proud of where I am. Both my brother and I own houses, have travelled, and I will be the first person in my family (that I'm aware of) to get a degree - I'll be 44 years old when I do. As parents, we want our children to have a better time of growing up and more opportunities than we ever did, and I know that this has been true for me. I've had some really good opportunities to do well, and I am proud to have embraced them. One of the best compliments my mom ever gave me was that she said I was ambitious. I want the world to see that.

For me

I would like to think that at the end of my life, I have lived an existence that was all mine. Hand-crafted and specifically to my liking. I know my decisions have not always been popular, but I can say they have been what I thought at the time was best for me. I am drawn to people who dare to live, who are different and who live the life they were meant to live and want to live! I want to know at the end that I did the very same.

For my girl

I want my girl to remember me as someone who loved her "more than all the sand on the beach." Watching her grow up has been the highlight of my life and I have enjoyed every moment. I want my girl to see me as someone who was an individual, with my own thoughts and ideas and who offered an alternate opinion that gave her something to think about. I want her to remember me as the person who supported who she was and always encouraged her to listen to that still, small, voice inside when faced with decisions. And a mom who was happy to "just be" with her whenever possible.

So that's it! I must say, this was one weird post to write. It's not often I think about not being here, but then I thought of it like writing an eulogy.. it's not a bad idea.

So what about you? What impression would you like to leave behind - to the world and for yourself?