I've been through my fair share of painful experiences throughout these first years on this earth. I know there are people out there who have experienced many worse things than I have but I also know my experiences could be considered worse than others by some.

One of the reasons I continue to experience pain is because I'm not afraid to put myself into situations where pain is a possibility. Most people spend their life trying to avoid pain but I have come to realize that pain is inevitable. Trying to avoid it is almost more painful than the pain itself.

There will never be a day in history where pain is not experienced somewhere. Pain is not a bad thing unless you label it that way. Pain can create massive change. Unfortunately it often takes massive pain for somebody to make that change or realize there's a problem.

The question becomes, what are you going to do with that pain? Are you going to let it ruin your relationship? Your business? Your life? Or are you going to learn from it and take yourself to the next level?

As Bill Gates says, "Success is a lousy teacher. It seduces smart people into thinking they can't lose."


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Last year, I started an adult gymnastics course and I’m still loving it. Alex MacInnis does a fantastic job teaching and explaining the purpose for everything.

One of the things that Alex talks about is the importance of strength. Yes, we want to be flexible but flexibility without strength can cause injuries. One without the other is also a lack of control.

This is true for life. The person who is most flexible is in control however that person also needs to be strong when it counts.

Life is unpredictable. We may think that we're in control but the truth is that the only thing we really have control over is how we act or react in any given situation (and most of us have trouble controlling ourselves).

We may think we have control over external things or people but that is an illusion...


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This episode starts with SabriNa Lemay as she presents to a few hundred students at the Royal Ottawa Hospital for an event organized by Do It for Darren.  DIFD is an organization focused on support, education and research initiatives for Mental Health. They encourage young people to talk openly about mental health and to ask for help when needed, without fear or shame.

Sabrina shares her story from her first experience with mental health to where she is today and her aspirations to help teenagers in need. It is a story of what is possible when you are committed NO MATTER WHAT. SabriNa has turned her pain into empowerment and used it to propel her forward every single day. She is a force for good that is here to spread the love.

​You can reach out to Sabrina directly at: [email protected] or follow her on instagram at @Mindbodysoul.work.

Show Links:
Mental Health Fundraising Gala May 1st 2020
Life in Red Podcast Episode #34 with Ryan Forsyth 
Do It for Darren 

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Work and fun are interesting words. What is considered work to one person could be fun to another. Work can also carry some negative feelings around it as a good portion of the population does not like what they do for "work".

I find myself "working" a lot but it's not work to me in the typical way you may think of work. I love what I do. It's all fun for me. Yes, there are times, especially as an entrepreneur, when I need to focus on things that are not fun however those times usually set me up for even more fun down the road. Those are the times that I grow the most.
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Our environment has a huge impact on who we are and what we do. Our environments will force us to create habits whether we're aware of them or not. Habits can make us or break us. They're either serving us or hurting us.

One of the things I like to do is design my environment to win.

If I want to start flossing, I will put the floss beside my toothbrush or in a location where it catches my eye. If I want to eat healthy, I will purchase healthy food and keep all the junk food out of the house. If I want to stay consistent with my workout, I will join a club where people pull me to be better. If I want to stay off social media then I will install a program on my computer which prevents me from going on social media. If I want to stop watching TV, I will get rid of my TV. If I want to read more, I will put books in places I will see them or listen to audiobooks while I drive.

You get the point…

I believe a big part of habits is self awareness. If you know what triggers your bad habits, you can avoid those triggers. On the flip side, if you know what triggers your empowering habits, you can put yourself in those situations more often.

How can you improve your environment today?

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Trying... What a useless word.

I admit, I'm guilty of using this word. I'm trying to remove this from my vocabulary... Wait... I WILL remove this from my vocabulary.

I don't see any use for it. I'm either going to do the task I have set out to do or I'm not. I'm committed or I'm not. I'm strong enough or I'm not. There's no in between. Do it or don't do it.

If I think back to when I use this word, it's either when I don't really want to do something or I'm not confident I'm able to do it. In either case, it's usually just a mind shift that's required or a commitment.

Let's work together to remove this word-that-shall-not-be-said from our lives. Let's replace it with something that empowers us!


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I'm baffled when people tell me they CAN'T do something.

I can't lose weight. I can't quit my job. I can't start a business. I can't go on vacation. I can't quit smoking. I can't quit eating meat. I can't buy a new car. I can’t control my kid.

I can't. I can't. I can't.

The truth is that people do these things every single day. People who say they can't are CHOOSING not to do these things. They are choosing to prioritize something else. Which is totally fine if that's what they want to do! Just stop saying that you can't, because you can.

Our brain is a powerful tool that, if used properly, can propel us. If used improperly, it will keep us stuck. The thing about our brain is that it does not want to be wrong. If you tell it you can't do something, it will say, "you're right! Let me tell you all the reasons you can't do that."

BUT…

The same thing is true when you say, "I can and I will." Your brain will say, "Alright! Let's figure out how to do this!"

Just like going to the gym you need to exercise the brain. You need to train it. You need to start with the 5 pound dumbbells and work yourself up to the 100 pound dumbbells. Increase that weight every day.

Remove CAN'T from your vocabulary and watch the magic that happens in your life.

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One of the things I enjoy doing with my son is watching animated movies. It's the little kid in me I guess. What I love most about these animated movies is the message in them. Every once in a while there's a really good one that truly stands out.

The Little Prince (Le Petit Prince) is one that stood out!

There are so many amazing messages throughout the movie and it was truly captivating. The one that stood out for me was, "Growing up is not the problem. Forgetting is."

It's a reminder to focus on what is most important. To focus on the people whose lives I can have a positive impact on as opposed to the number of followers I have on instagram. To have fun, be a kid, smile, laugh and cry. To be present with the person in front of me. To write and talk about what inspires me. To approach everyday with a sense of excitement, curiosity and willingness to serve. And a willingness to have fun.

Remember what it was like to be a kid. Remember how magical the world was. Remember how big the world was. Remember how easy it was to have fun. Remember the power of the imagination.

Remember that you’re never too old to be a kid.


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Have you ever learned from somebody who you thought you were suppose to teach?

As parents, society talks about how we are supposed to protect and teach our children. To make sure we raise the next generation "right". Give them the opportunities that we did not have. Put them in better schools, sports and other extracurricular activities. Be the best! You want to win but don't worry if you lose because you still get a medal.

Alright that last comment may be for another episode...

What if we forgot about all this?

What if, instead, we tried to learn from our children instead of feeling like we need to teach them everything?


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Do you remember the excitement you would feel as a kid when you were anticipating something fun? Do you remember having to wait for just one more sleep?

Now, as an adult, it’s sad to say but I rarely lose sleep because of excitement. It’s usually because of anxiety, worry or stress.

But what if we trained the mind to think like a kid again? What if we reconnected with that childlike imagination when anything was possible? When a fat man in a red suit could slide down a chimney and leave you exactly what you wanted under a tree covered in decorations?

What would that do for you life?


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