A Bird’s eye view. We all know what it is but have you put much thought into it before. This simple change in perspective could change your life or your business.

Imagine for a second that you're driving on a freeway and the road is completely empty. The top is down and you're cruising. The sun is shining and you're well on your way to your destination. At this rate you'll be there in a fraction of the time you anticipated. From your point of view there's nothing that can stop you.

Now imagine flying above your car and getting a different perspective. From the air, the picture could be very different. From this view you can see all the possible paths to your destination. From this view the road that you're currently on may not look as attractive. Perhaps there's a bridge ahead and that bridge is out which is going to force you to backtrack and double the length of your trip.

Now take this vantage point for your relationship or your business. Is it possible that there's a bridge out ahead that you don't know about?

Are you only operating from one vantage point in your life? If you are, how can you get more?


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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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I love to give. Whether it's a gift, an experience, advice, a coffee or a lunch, I like to be the person doing the giving. Being the receiver makes me a little uncomfortable and is something I have been working on over the last few years.

What has helped me is knowing what it feels like to be the giver and changing my belief. Now I know that giving is a gift for the other person but only when I receive gracefully.

This takes practice. It takes a conscious effort to receive gracefully. To accept what is being given to you with gratitude instead of gilt. To accept it fully without feeling the need to return the favour.

Remember, learning how to receive is just as important as learning how to give.


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Physically, we are in winter right now. It’s not a surprise. We’re coming towards the end of January and it’s Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. But people still complain and people still aren’t prepared for when it shows up.

But not everybody complains. There are many people who are prepared and who do make the most of the winter. They go skating on the canal. They go snowshoeing in the Gatineau Hills. They plan a ski trip with friends. They go tobogganing with their kids. They make the most out of a season that many run away from.

The economy and life are the same. There are seasons that come and go and they never stop. It’s a continuous cycle.

How would your life change if you planned for the seasons? If you made the most of the season no matter what?

Winter can be the greatest season of all if you plan for it to be.


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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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How would your life change if you made the choice to be happy right now?

As somebody who puts a lot of focus on achievement and accomplishing goals, I have found that I delay myself the privilege of being happy. And when I say happy, I mean to really experience joy and laughter. I say to myself things like;

"I'll be happy when I get this project."

"I'll be happy when I pay off this debt."

"I'll be happy when we clear $3,000,000 in sales."

"I'll be happy when I get a Tesla."

This list goes on…

The truth is that none of that will bring me happiness. Happiness can only be experienced in the moment. Happiness is a choice and we get to choose how we want to feel right now.


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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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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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Have you ever seen a dog owner greet their dog after a day away (or even just a couple hours away)? Perhaps you are this person. The excitement and love that comes from both sides of the interaction is contagious. There's no way to watch this event without smiling.

This can be similar for parents and their kids (or at least younger kids).

I’ve been a part of both of these interactions. Coming home to my dog after a long day or work or picking up my son from school. It’s a fun experience.

This had me thinking...

When I see my wife after a day of work, I don't exude the same excitement as when I see my son or when I used to see my dog. Why? I love her just as much as my son, if not more. I definitely love her more than I loved my dog. Why do I hold back this excitement? What am I afraid of?

When I see my team members at work, I hold back as well. Why not show them I'm happy to see them and proud to have them on the team? I don't need to hug and kiss them like I do with my son or wrestle them like I did with my dog but I can show excitement.

What if I greeted everybody with the same excitement I have when greeting my dog or child? How would that improve my relationships?


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