The Tonic Lifestyle

Missed me? I've been so terrible at updating this blog. Life's been busy hectic - no surprise there.

Plenty of changes these past few months. To endings and new beginnings. A chance to start anew and to take this much needed opportunity to focus inward and on my personal development.  Where do I want to go? What do I want to do? What's next? Questions like these to be answered and reflected on in greater depth and with a more thoughtful approach in the coming weeks.  I have already taken a leap of faith, abandoning the comforts of "the known" and am willingly opening myself to the universe; learning what it takes to define what it means to know me, my strengths and what I can contribute to this life, inside and out.

In the meantime, here are a few shots from the Tonic Lifestyle Apparel's Fall/Holiday Collection I modelled for earlier this year. A brand whose testament to enabling your love for active lifestyles aligns true with my passion for physical activity and its impact on my health, happiness and vitality.

The Taste of Freedom

TOP: Wilfred, SHORTS: Zara, SHOES: Loeffler Randall, WATCH: Michael Kors, NECKLACE: Club Monaco

The long weekend is finally here and for the first time in what seems like months, I feel free.  No longer beguiled by some haze preventing better judgment, nor pressured by some lingering burden awaiting resolution. I've learned to say "no", set my boundaries and it's come at an amazing price: prioritizing me and having more time to focus on the things that really matter.  

See, it's hard for me to back away from things without wanting my hand in all of it. Blame it on my OCD, it's just not in my nature to strictly perform to standards - anything less than exceptional just doesn't cut it. Undoubtedly, this stems from fear of losing control and not wanting to let people down, but as of late, I've been finding that this behaviour is a one way ticket to burn-out and self-resentment.  Danielle LaPorte describes this notion to a T (click here).

Recently, an opportunity slipped through my fingers and I was beating myself up over why I couldn't overcome this wall that was set before me.  Something was blocking my ability to complete the task at hand, and while I justified the delay, I knew excuses weren't going to get me anywhere. So you were busy, you couldn't find the time, etc. - the work isn't going to get done while you sit on your ass and watch the world go by.  

What's done is done, and all I can do now is learn from this experience and hope it doesn't happen again.  Can this be guaranteed? Probably not. But I sure as hell won't go down without a fight, knowing that I did everything in my power to not let another good opportunity pass me by.

Comeback Kid

KIMONO: H&M, PANTS: Wilfred, BELT: Club Monaco, CALF SKIN SHOES: Yosi Samra, NECKLACE: Forever 21, WATCH: Movado

It's been a rough past few months. Expectations and opportunities gone in the blink of an eye. You find yourself dwelling on what went wrong and all the reasons why things didn't work out as expected.  You're in a funk and can't seem to shake it. While part of you knows that this shall pass, you desperately seek the answers or some opportunity to escape the haze surrounding you. We've all been there: the semi-conscious state of mind that allows you to function day to day, but dulls your senses and fizzles your inner fire.  

Now that I'm on vacation, my mind has essentially reset itself. I've been able to better prioritize, spend time with friends, eat clean, exercise and clear my head.  I've also been diving into The Fire Starter Series by Danielle La Porte, which has contributed greatly to my new outlook on life.  Finally, I'm beginning to feel my head emerging above the clouds and inspiration is spreading from head to toe. Admittedly, I still have a ways to go in my pursuit of defining life on my own terms, but my instinct is telling me that things are about to get real good, real soon.

Resolutions Pt 2

Jan·u·ar·y (jan-yoo-er-ee) n - 1. the first month of the year, having 31 days. 2. a time for renewal by setting intentions and conceptualizing goals to be accomplished within a predetermined time frame. 3. occasionally characterized by frantic work overload in response to foregone productivity during the holidays.

Feb·ru·ar·y (feb-roo-er-ee) n - 1. the second month of the year, ordinarily containing 28 days, but containing 29 days in leap years. 2. a lull period where activity and enthusiasm declines due to abandoned new year's resolutions, or 3. the month when one takes action to achieve the resolutions made in the prior month.

Resolutions Pt 1

If there's one thing I've learned with the start of 2013, passing the time by consuming oneself with work and unessential activities, is a double edged sword. While it acts as a welcome distraction from unfavourable situations, I've also found that in doing so can cause you to neglect and disarrange your priorities.  Don't get me wrong, sometimes the only remedy for your troubles is to curl up on the couch, and watch marathons of Downton Abbey and Suits, complete with a pint of Haagen Dazs and a glass of white wine.

When It Rains It Pours

There's always a bit of truth to the saying, "all good things must come to an end". Yet, why is it when the going gets tough, life manages to become a catastrophic shit show?  I find it comical that rather than experiencing sporadic moments of "bad", life manages to send you a whole lot of crap in one (or many) fowl swoop(s).  

Does Destiny Scare You?

It's been a hectic past couple of weeks filled with conferences, networking/mentoring events and the odd day of Background work on the set of Fringe to top it off.  Despite the boyfriend being away, I've managed to find myself as busy as ever; immersed in work projects, making more time for friends and devoting weekends to rehearse for an upcoming Contemporary Dance project.

I was honoured to be asked to participate in the YWIB UBC Sweet Speed Networking event, where I mentored many bright, young women attempting to soak up as much wisdom and advice about their prospective career paths.  As they eagerly listened to my experience and life choices, I couldn't help but reminisce of being in their exact shoes nearly a year prior - on the brink of graduation and feeling utterly lost and anxious; fearful of the unknown and confused as to where my life would take me.  I can't say these feelings ever fully dissipate, but to know that in trusting your abilities and the connections you make, things will seemingly fall into place as they should.

Along this same topic of success, great careers and finding satisfaction in your job and life, I stumbled upon the TedX video above, which neatly explores the concept of how we prevent ourselves from achieving greatness.  I know I've personally made excuses and have shot down opportunities because of whatever reason or excuse I've made, and I won't be the first to confess that it's a hard habit to break.  I'm constantly in the process of goal setting and determining my 5 and 10 year plan, but with a hectic schedule, it's been increasingly difficult to carve out the time to buck up and explore outside my comfort zone (<< catch that excuse right there?).

Overwhelmed by the tug-a-war in my mind, it's hard to know whether what I'm currently doing is where I should really be.  Don't get me wrong, I love what I do and I am beyond passionate abou the brand that I work for, but there are always moments when I ask the what-if's and allow the burning curiosity of the unknown to consume me. Regardless of whether this unexplored industry in question is the appropriate fit, at least pursuing a career in this field will grant the opportunity to cross it off my bucket list and acknowledge that I've explored all my options...without excuse or regret.

Happiness

A very wise mentor by the name of Heather, once told me that we stumble upon happiness through moments in life, rather than an achieved state of being or at journey's end. What she meant truly speaks to the saying, "Happiness is not a destination, it's a way of life", and every now and then I too catch glimpses of pure happiness. Whether it's catching up with old friends, taking a Scott Augustine Contemporary Jazz class or being blessed with a "get-out-of-jail-free" card - your whole being is left radiating with the kind of unwavering optimism and positivity that makes you feel like you're on top of the world.