A big hello from Vancouver, BC. In this blog I complete challenges related to fitness, self-improvement and fear (testing their legitimacy) as I work towards my goals… primarily of being an actor and writer.

So far I have completed the Artist’s Way, ran a half marathon and survived 30 days of cold showers. I am currently working my way through Pam Grout’s 9 energy experiments for proving your thoughts create your reality. 

I started this blog in April 2012 at a time when I felt as though I had hit rock bottom. The sink leaked, our (my boyfriend and I’s) apartment was hopelessly dark, and (although I had a university degree) I was being run off my feet making minimum wage as a hostess at a busy family restaurant. Quite a bit has changed since then. I’m not sure exactly what has been the cause of this growth – maybe it’s the journaling, the writing, my gluten-free mostly vegan diet, the running, the artist’s way… I mean it could be any number of things. What I know for sure  is that there has been growth.

What does success look like to me?

For me, success involves living a financially free lifestyle – one where I am excited to wake up every single day and never catch myself twiddling my fingers in anticipation of the end of the work day. I don’t ever want to live for the weekend. I want to love and appreciate every moment of my life.

Who am I?

I’m a writer of short stories, poetry, plays, and novels. I first started writing when I was in grade 3, and would carry around a little notebook and write whenever I had a spare moment. I’m also an actor, and have been addicted to the sensation of truly falling into the world of a character ever since I first experienced it in grade 7. At first acting was a way for me to combat my shyness, but it has since evolved into something much more. Now, I am intent on turning acting and writing into a career.

I love to dance in my living room when no one is watching, and as a child I used to create labyrinths out of chalk on my driveway. I have an overactive imagination, and an unyielding ambition. I also have a very annoying voice that likes to sit on my shoulder and whisper “you can’t.” I like to ignore that little voice.

My favourite food is a tie between sushi (salmon and mango roll with brown rice) and all natural peanut butter… although I’ve never tried them together. I am extremely afraid of heights. I live on the 21st floor of an apartment building in Vancouver BC (Canada), and have been on the balcony maybe 4 times in the year and a half that I’ve lived there.

I love to learn, and if I could spend the rest of my life in school… I probably would. There’s a quote about mastery by Malcolm Gladwell:

“… ten thousand hours of practice is required to achieve the level of mastery associated with being a world-class expert — in anything. In study after study, of composers, basketball players, fiction writers, ice skaters, concert pianists, chess players, master criminals, and what have you, this number comes up again and again. Ten thousand hours is the equivalent to roughly three hours per day, or twenty hours per week, of practice over ten years. Of course, this doesn’t address why some people don’t seem to get anywhere when they practice, and why some people get more out of their practice sessions than others. But no one has yet found a case in which true world-class expertise was accomplished in less time. It seems that it takes the brain this long to assimilate all that it needs to know to achieve true mastery.“

I think the secret is incorporating true mindfulness into your practice and starting each week with the question:

“How will I move forward this week?”

That’s my philosophy anyway. I’m on a quest to achieve mastery as a writer and as an actor, and my workaholic tendencies definitely have me committing at least this much time ach day to the mastery of these crafts.

How to use this site:

This site has really grown over time, and I’m constantly experimenting by adding new things/components and taking others away. I would love your feedback on what you like and what you think doesn’t really work. As it stands now, here are some of places you should check out as long as you’re here.

Weekly Planner

If you look to the right, you will see a side bar icon with the title “Plan your Week, Plan your Life.” Every week I fill out a detailed weekly planner to help me to prioritize my time as I work towards my goal. This is classic workaholism here.

I’ve also included a template that you can use. My goal is to make success a little less scary, and a little more accessible. If we could understand the kind of work that our role models have put into getting them to where they are, maybe we would idolize them a little less, and acknowledge the possibility of success in ourselves.

My Milestone List

Taking inspiration from countless blogs that have used this same format, I have created a list of things that I want/ am going to accomplish in my life. Instead of referring to this as a bucket list, I am instead referring to them as milestones – that way I can maybe trick my brain into thinking that all of these things have already happened. It’s not as crazy as it sounds.

My Book Shelf

I love to read, so I couldn’t have a blog without sharing with you, and writing about, the books that I am reading. What do I read? I read books on acting, writing, health and wellness, and personal growth. I also enjoy reading fiction books with strong characters – male or female. It is my goal this year to read through all of the Pulitzer Prize winning plays.

Also Written by Me

I also write/ have written for several other publications. Most of my work is focused on health and wellness. Check out some of my work.

Well, thank you for stopping by. I hope to see you back, and PLEASE comment. I love hearing from you.
Cheers