Courage To Be Vulnerable
When my girls’ father and I were neck deep in the dissolution of our marriage, I remember telling him how weak I felt for having allowed him to take such advantage of my patience, trust and forgiveness over our many years together. I really was struggling with how I had managed to let myself get to a place of feeling so small and unseen. As an intelligent and confident woman, it seemed unbelievable to me that I could have been so blind to what was going on right in front of me, never mind allowing it. To me, it was a sign of weakness that I couldn’t seem to stand up for myself and have my...
Read MoreFirst woman to lead B.C. logging group feels she has the chops.
Jacqui Beban is used to being the only woman in the room. Practically since birth, she has been exposed to the male-dominated and macho logging business. And last month she became the first female president in the 73-year history of the organization that speaks for the B.C. coast’s forestry industry. Nanaimo-born Beban, 40, was vice-president of the Truck Loggers Association for two years before her Jan. 14 election as president, for a two-year volunteer term. The non-profit represents more than 450 companies including independent sawmills, industry suppliers and independent harvesting...
Read MoreThe Power Of Words
My client had just finished describing a situation and I posed the question, ‘How did that strike you?’ That was 30 years ago and I’m grateful my clinical supervisor cautioned me that my choice of the words ‘How did that strike you?’ made it a leading question; ‘strike’ assumes a hit, an offense. It is not an open question. Words can have an aggressive quality and sometimes this is an important, almost desirable, trait. In his book, The Brain’s Way of Healing, Norman Doidges quotes prominent health professional Abraham Fuks on the use of language in medical practice:...
Read MoreOpportunity Knocks
I recently presented on my 7 Pillars of Happiness to a wonderful group of South Cowichan seniors. We all had a great time discussing happiness and why it’s important to think about and practice it (but NOT chase it!) at any age. And I made a new friend at this presentation too. Terry. Great fellow! From the moment I arrived and sat down (beside Terry), he seemed like such an easy person to talk to. It was as if I was supposed to sit next to Terry. We started to connect immediately. Terry shared a couple of stories about his career and how he was drawn to educating and helping others. We all...
Read MoreNanaimo women introduce tokens to help feed homeless.
Nanaimo may not have a subway system, but two women are hoping their token program goes a long way for the community. Cheryl Prince, co-owner of Prince Acres farm and a registered nurse, and Liz Kawahara, a Vancouver Island University student, are the organizers behind a new initiative that focuses on sharing healthy food. It is about to be implemented at one downtown restaurant. Beginning in a matter of days, individuals will be able to purchase a small plastic token from Gabriel’s Cafe, which can then be redeemed at a later date for a bowl of soup. The idea is intended to help out the...
Read MoreReflexology For Winter
Officially the days have become longer, but we are still in the winter months which means that certain parts of our bodies are taxed in different ways. Our habits change as we slow down in winter in order to build ourselves up with new resources for spring. In Chinese medicine, the winter season is ruled by water; this is considered the most Yin (feminine) season. The organs most affected during this time are the kidney and bladder. The Chinese believe that vital life energy – Ch’i – circulates in the body along meridians. In mapping out reflexes along meridian lines and through...
Read MoreB.C. Cancer Agency expands digital mammography service for rural women.
The B.C. Cancer Agency has upgraded two coaches from its mobile fleet to offer digital mammography services for women in rural and remote communities in the province. The agency says the digital upgrade provides more efficient services by using secure, wireless networks to send images for analysis. The coaches have also been upgraded to offer a more comfortable, private service for women. The two coaches were blessed by elders from the Musqueam First Nation on Monday morning. “[The blessing] helps with some of the healing that will occur in these vehicles and will increase the...
Read MoreCat Bathing as a Martial Art
Some people say cats never have to be bathed. They say cats lick themselves clean. But, sometimes kitty does smell or their owner gets an idea that they should be bathed. When that day arrives at your house, here is some advice you might consider as you place your feline friend under your arm and head for the bathtub. Know that although the cat has the advantage of quickness and lack of concern for human life, you have the advantage of strength. Capitalize on that advantage by selecting the battlefield. Don’t try to bathe him in an open area where he can force you to chase him. Pick a...
Read MoreSingles Buying On Gabriola
Should I? Should I? Why not? I did! And here are a few pointers about buying on Gabriola, single or not. I’ll admit I was green about the edges; completely taken with Gabriola; totally unaware of country-life in a rural community, much less an island. I won’t go into the cushioned, city-girl lifestyle, 24/7, but you get my drift. And yet, I knew this was for me, moving from the city to the country. Couldn’t be all that different, I mused to myself. Just a bit more ‘hands-on’. What does it mean to be a steward of your own land? It sounded more ethereal than down to earth or real....
Read MoreIs 2016 the Year You Start Your Business?: The START-UP Issue
Entrepreneurship can be an exciting journey – but it can also be intimidating. Where do you start? How do you know when you’re ready? Do you have the skills to succeed? This month’s issue answers some of the common questions our Business Advisors hear from women who are considering starting a business. FREE Info Session: Starting a Business FREE Resource Guides: Taking the Leap to Entrepreneurship, Starting Your Business Workbook: Creating Your Business Plan Copyright © 2016 Women’s Enterprise Centre, All rights...
Read MoreTime To Think Spring
The seed catalogues have been here for a month. You might be spending evenings in the rocker by the fire, but as you start dreaming and flipping pages, drawing up backyard maps, planning and deciding, checking those boxes of saved or leftover seeds, you may come to the realization that the months of dirty fingernails are not far away. And … “SEEDY SATURDAY” is just around the corner. This year’s “Seedy” in Qualicum Beach will bloom on Saturday, February 6, from 10:00 AM till 3:30 PM at the Qualicum Beach Civic Centre, filling all the halls and overflowing outdoors, as usual. Many...
Read MoreGreat news!!! Clipper plans new Victoria-Vancouver & Nanaimo-Vancouver ferry service
The Victoria Clipper, with a new majority owner behind it, plans to expand its operations to include a new harbour-to-harbour service between Victoria and Vancouver. Clipper founder and chief executive Merideth Tall announced Monday she has sold a majority stake in her 30-year-old company to Germany’s FRS, a global ferry and shipping group, and intends to immediately expand Clipper’s passenger-service options from Victoria. The Clipper already runs a high-speed passenger-only service between Victoria and Seattle. “This is a major expansion — this allows us to execute on our vision for...
Read MoreBullying And Harassment
Managing employee conduct issues is one of the most difficult tasks that managers face. When those issues fall under WorkSafeBC legislation about Bullying and Harassment, the responsibilities on supervisors, managers and business owners is great. Being educated on this relatively new legislation will not only reduce the likelihood you will have to deal with a Bullying and Harassment complaint; it will also enable you to respond to an allegation in the best way possible so that you can mitigate the damage. WorkSafeBC legislation regarding workplace bullying applies to all organizations in BC,...
Read MoreAn Invitation To Being
Ahhh … it’s the new year. Are you like many people who set resolutions? May I ask if that actually works and why you only commit to self-empowerment once a year? Don’t you think you are worth 365 days each year? I had a light bulb moment when I realized I had been living in finite constructs instead of as the infinite being that I am. I started allowing myself to experience every emotion, every memory, every thought that came into my mind, and I became comfortable with the discomfort. After all, we are so used to living with the soundtracks of others in our heads that we have forgotten...
Read MoreKinder Morgan Pipe Line.
What do you think about the Provincial governments recent announcement on the expansion of the Kinder Morgan pipeline into Burnaby?
Read MoreA Brush Full Of Colour
Two remarkably talented women and reputable West coast authors have in common a connection with a very special artist among Canada’s rich culture and history. Both held a unique relationship with an iconic Canadian painter and shared their experience to create a beautiful piece of literature that has recently earned them The Children’s Literature Roundtables of Canada 2015 Information Book Award. Combining their passion for story-telling with their own personal account of the painter, it’s not surprising the result is nothing short of award-winning. The children’s novel is titled ‘A...
Read More