After University, my desire to avoid traffic and cubicles kept me far from the corporate world. I’m very grateful that even though I knew nothing about an inner guidance system, my body gave me strong enough signals to steer clear of that lifestyle. Instead of planning for retirement, I worked random jobs to save for plane tickets, hiking shoes, and travel books.

While whitewater rafting on the Zambezi River during a solo trip to Africa, I instantly knew I was going to be a raft guide and kayaker. This led me to the Ottawa River where my ‘real’ life began.

Catch a glimpse of it in my novel Pack Light, Travel Light, Be The Light.

A decade later, I quit my kayaking career even though I was at the top of my game; 3 Canadian Titles, 1 North American Title and a Worlds Medal. During this time I had also proudly been serving as the co-owner of a leading junior development program, which included coaching these young athletes to the top of their game, some resulting in the attainment of world medals.

The external expectation was to keep going but my heart was telling me it was time to pivot. The sensation you get from winning is great but fast fleeting, and I realized it was putting a band aid on my internal struggles - struggles that were too strong a force to deny.

During this time (and to top it all off) my fiancé suddenly abandoned me for another woman. I was devastated and clueless. The rug of my life had been ripped out from under me and the image I had carefully crafted of my ‘Self’ had been instantly shattered. Who was I now?

Following a trail of magic, I left Canada for Hawaii and started a personal adventure centered around re-connecting to and activating my intuition at a retreat centre. Surfing, yoga, Vipassana meditation, A Course In Miracles, tarot, mentors galore, and immersing myself in an eclectic community of fabulous misfits were among those beginning adventures.

Inspired by my experience as a pro-athlete along with the thrill of learning a new sport, I wrote another novel. Check out Surfacing.

Eventually I took on the role of Human Resources manager for the over 100 volunteers residing at the retreat centre. Living and working together in this environment as a manager was a gigantic eye-opener. Not only did I have to manage the logistics and basic tasks of my job in an ever-evolving environment, it also required learning how to wear a variety of different hats depending on the situation: boss, mother, coach, teacher, mentor, guide, counselor.

Volunteers came to my office with a whirlwind of issues, and I soon came to realize what was really happening: most challenges weren’t about the issue itself, but about deeply rooted patterns, beliefs, and habits formed long ago. Childhood wounds were quietly replaying themselves in real time.

We had all come to this magical place as students of life, seeking purpose and healing. And combined with my new role, I wondered how I could do a better job of helping to cultivate peace in a setting that often resembled high school drama.

Coincidentally (haha jk. Alignment baby!), there happened to be a 10-day silent Vipassana Meditation retreat just down the road. I took the opportunity and wow…an absolute game changer.

After the retreat I did my best to maintain my practice, and it absolutely made a positive impact in how I approached my work as well as everyone in the community.

By no means do I have it ‘all figured out’ (and trust me when I say I’ve tried countless forms of healing). But Vipassana Meditation continues to be the best answer for me personally.

And that’s how it all began. THE END.