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So many people are chameleons in this world. Trying to fit in, getting people to like them, with a fear of judgement if they don’t. Scared of what people might think. There is a gift in being real- authentic. Authenticity is not about showing up as you are with an attitude of “this is who I am so like it or leave it”. It’s about knowing who you are, leading your life with values, remaining true to who you are, remaining curious about self and thought patterns, and how you sho

Lately I’ve been feeling an identity shift coming. I finished the first draft of my book and feeling so inspired to share my story with the rest of the world. With that has come a shift. I’ve healed parts of myself I didn’t know needed healing, and I’ve unearthed pieces of me I didn’t know existed. I’ve come to know myself deeper, even when I didn’t think that was possible. I am so proud, and it feels like it’s just the beginning. With that came something else- closing chapte

I was asked the other day “how are you this resilient, despite all of the shit you’ve gone through? I had to sit with it for a bit because of you asked me what contributed to my resiliency, I would say the amount of times I’ve had to keep bouncing forward because of everything I’ve gone through. Our experiences shape us. But then I got to thinking- maybe I’m resilient because I’ve also healed. I took responsibility for my healing, even when I didn’t ask to the experiences or

Words are powerful and our Messages carry so much meaning. This is one of my favorite places to walk, gathering my thoughts and engaging in deep periods of reflection. As I walk this path, I can’t help but to notice the pain expressed through these words. I often wonder “what led someone to this point”. It leads me to reflect back on my own journey. Once upon a time, these words were similar to my own that I would write in journal entries, and this was a place and an object I

It's not about roles, titles, or playing nice. It's about something bigger — and most teams miss it. Myth 1: Teamwork is about what you can get out of it. Real teamwork means setting your individual needs aside to move toward a shared goal. The team comes first — full stop. Myth 2: Accountability is a leadership thing. Every team member is accountable — for outcomes and for how they show up. It doesn't live at the top. It lives everywhere. Myth 3: Leaders build trust. Everyon

When I first stepped into leadership, I had no idea what I was doing. No roadmap. No manual. Just trial, error, and eventually — a mentor who changed everything. That mentorship cracked open my world, and inspired me to pursue my Masters of Arts in Leadership. Looking back, here are 5 things I wish someone had told me from the start: 1️⃣ Leadership is deeply personal. If you haven’t led yourself first, leading others is an uphill battle. Self-awareness isn’t a soft skill — it

This approach is widely used in drug treatment courts, but in my experience, it’s often misunderstood and misapplied. So let’s break it down. Sanctions are not punishment. Their purpose is to correct or modify behavior — and that distinction matters enormously. Take something as common as missed appointments. Time management is a skill, and it’s one that many people genuinely don’t have. So before any consequence is applied, the first question should be: do they actually have

This can be a sensitive topic to talk about, but it’s worth the discussion — or in this case, the read. Many of us have experienced hardship in life. It’s rare that any of us come out completely unscathed. The fortunate thing is that many have embarked on a healing journey, one that was likely deeply personal. So personal, in fact, that some people come to believe wholeheartedly that their path is the only path — and begin, often with the best of intentions, to encourage othe

If you believe “good enough” is acceptable leadership, you’re not just mistaken—you’re actively hindering your team’s potential. Let’s talk about the subtle yet devastating ways complacency stifles innovation and prevents breakthroughs. This isn’t about being perfect. It’s about refusing to settle for mediocrity. The GEMO Exception You may have heard me use the term GEMO before—Good Enough, Move On. I still believe in this principle when we’re overthinking, stuck in perfectio

I was born and raised in Southern Alberta. My dad was born in the same city I grew up in. My mom was born and raised in Manitoba. My maternal grandma, the baby of her family, was also born in Manitoba. But her oldest brother? He was born on a ship—somewhere between Ukraine and Canada—as their family sailed toward a new life. On my paternal side, my grandpa was born in Holland. My paternal grandma was born in Canada, but my great-grandparents on that side were also Dutch immig

We have all been here. Likely it’s because we made a mistake. Did or said something we wish we could take back or say differently. We are humans. And yes, sometimes these mistakes can have consequences. But you know what else does? Ruminating. Zooming so far into ourselves we create such a limited view. We beat ourselves up. We talk trash to ourselves. We replay the situation a million times over in our head. We look for ways to further validate our convictions. Each time we

I’m sure we can all identify at least one person who stepped into a leadership position and completely changed—and not for the better. Maybe they became someone unrecognizable. Or maybe they seemed lost, confused about this new identity and how they were supposed to act. I’m not sure where this shift comes from. Perhaps it’s what we see in movies or what’s been modeled to us through experience. But so often, leaders think that because their position changed, they have to beco

I was at the gym the other day and was approached by a fellow gym member. He says to me “you’re really consistent hey. I don’t think there has been a time I’ve been here and you haven’t been”. I responded “yeah, I’m pretty consistent. I’m here about five days a week around the same time. I found that getting my workout done first thing in the morning helps me be more productive the rest of the day”. It got me thinking about how important consistency is in leadership, especial

Values are such an important piece in workplaces, organizations and individuals, but they are not talked about near enough. When I say this, I’m sure many people could respond “what do you mean, our values are posted on our wall as soon as you walk into our office!” When I say they are not talked about, I mean truly talked about. Let’s look at this further. What are values? They are deeply held core beliefs that we carry. The things that we hold very close to us, and shape o

What do you think of when you hear the word “community?” It can carry different meanings for different people. Some people refer to their neighbourhood or the area of the city they live in to be their community; others may refer to their religious group their community, or maybe even it’s the online presence and the groups that you belong to on social media. While those can all be definitions of community, let’s explore what community means at its core, and where some of the

If you’re working in a drug treatment court, this post is for you. This is something I am super passionate about and something that is often missed in Drug Treatment Courts, despite all of the evidence and research that backs this information. Many leaders operating Drug Treatment Courts would rather operate based on what they think is best, what they like vs. don’t like, rather than what the evidence tells us. This can be a dangerous approach, not only to the program, but th

“Honest mirrors show us what we look like right now. When we are not at our best and our bedhead is bad. It’s a true reflection about what others saw today, when we are stressed, distracted, and leaking with frustration. Yes, you really did come across that way. It’s not a good thing”. “Supportive mirrors show us as our best self. In the perfect lighting, and well rested. We go to a supportive mirror for re-assurance. Yes, that’s how you acted in the moment, it wasn’t a prett

Inner leadership is about continuously clarifying what is important to us. Often times, we spend so much time coping with the problems, we forget why we are on this path in the first place. This is where the real work begins. As I always say, we can only lead others to the depths in which we have led ourselves. We can’t expect others to be more open and willing to improve than we are. We can’t expect others to engage in feedback loops if we as leaders can’t engage or acce

Our minds move at lightening speed, and while while that may protect us from danger, there is also something dangerous about this. Let's explore further. Leaps of abstractions are essentially the generalizations or assumptions that we have about people, places and things. They actually slow down our thinking, especially our abstract thinking, because we think so quickly, while forming assumptions, we lose the ability to challenge those assumptions. Lets use this as an example

I had new doors installed the other day. That sounds like nothing, right? It took months—from ordering to installation—and when the installers finally arrived, they were two men. At first, I didn’t think much of it. They were here to do a job. Then my mind shifted. I am outnumbered. I am home alone. What if they hurt me? I went to the bathroom and, before I could stop it, intrusive images flooded in—visions of them coming in, of things being done to me. My body reacted before