It takes courage to remove the mask. We all wear masks. Sometimes our masks change depending on the circumstances. We may wear one mask at work and another when we are shopping at the mall in December. But we all need to take that mask off sometimes. Do you have a safe space where you... Continue Reading →

It takes courage to heal. Being alive means experiencing all sorts of things. We experience great joys - the start of a new relationship, the birth or adoption of a child, the anticipation of a new career or beginning a new adventure. And we also experience massive pain - a diagnosis we weren’t expecting, the... Continue Reading →

It takes courage to celebrate your successes. It feels weird to be putting this post out so late today. However, I was at work early today to set up our support team, and then had to make sure I got my son ready for the hospital for surgery later in the morning. For some, it... Continue Reading →

It takes courage to forgive yourself. At different times in our lives, we look back on something we did, something we said, something we missed that we believe could have been different. What do we do when we recognize these moments? I think it is a very human reaction to wonder how a doing something... Continue Reading →

It takes courage to let your heart get broken. I don’t know where this is going today. This is not the post I planned. But it’s the one I need right now. I am sad. The week has brought very sad news to my school community. First was the terrible loss of a young person... Continue Reading →

It takes courage to allow yourself a moment of weakness. For most of my life, I would do anything I had to do to avoid having a “moment of weakness.” I would not, as much as I could, lose any control over my emotions and thoughts. I did not want to be perceived as weak.... Continue Reading →

It takes courage to change your mind. Have you ever made decision about something? Have you ever made a judgement about someone? Have you ever done anything? If so, you may also have changed your mind. Often we make decisions which later we decide were not the best decisions. Sometimes we judge a person based... Continue Reading →

It takes courage to hold space for another. A few days ago I wrote about the courage it takes to listen without judgement. Today I want to shout out to those courageous women and men who hold space for others every day. What does it mean to hold space? How does it differ from listening... Continue Reading →

It takes courage to learn to love your body. I have a confession to make. I do not love my body. I don’t hate it, but when people talk about loving their bodies, I don’t necessarily feel like that is something I connect with. But I am learning. When I began having knee pain, I... Continue Reading →

It takes courage to be kind when others are cruel. Yesterday I went with my family and some friends to see A Beautiful Day in the Neighbourhood, starting Tom Hanks as Mr. Rogers. You should see it. It’s a beautiful film about the relationship between Fred Rogers and a writer named Lloyd Vogel. There are... Continue Reading →

It takes courage to listen without judgement. Every single one of us wants to be heard. We want to speak our truth, to live with authenticity, and to do so without judgement. So often, however, when we are listening to someone share their heart, we do it with judgement. Not every judgement is negative, but... Continue Reading →

It takes courage to accept support. This has been a tough week at work. But not in the same way it is sometime tough when you are a principal. This wasn’t a week filled with violence or really bad behaviour. It has been a tough week for our kids - regulating emotions, dealing with horrific... Continue Reading →