Family

Why #IWD2018 is Different This Year

March 8, 2018 • Career, Lifestyle, Making a Difference

Empowered. Powerful. Unstoppable. Unique. Confident. Brave. Motivated. Creative. Inspired. Different. Honest. These words on my shirt in the picture above couldn’t sum up more perfectly, what today is all about.

This year’s International Women’s Day feels different for me.

Its probably because since last year when we celebrated #IWD2017, I have since become a mom and am now raising a boy. Some days, the task of motherhood can seem daunting. To know I am raising a child that will go out in the world, makes me want to do more than I know is possible – to help foster a world that when Blake grows up, he is proud of. A positive place that will leave him with endless possibilities and limited barriers.

Why do I talk about Blake on a day like International Women’s Day?

Its because today in particular, I am so grateful for being a woman, becoming a mom, and in particular, being a mom to a boy in hopes that one day when he’s old enough, he too will empower women.

Today, I am celebrating what we collectively have done as women, including the powerful women before us that blazed the trail. Today, I am celebrating everything we CAN do as women and ARE doing and what the men around us CAN do to help and ARE doing to help. I’m choosing to not look at the obstacles ahead, and instead, today I celebrate why I am able to reach my goals as a woman. And how, through living that reality, it will help to teach Blake the utmost respect and equality for the women in his life.

I have 7 things in particular that I want to acknowledge and be grateful for on a day like today. These things allow me to be able to do this new thing called parenthood while also being a working woman:

A strong partner who is firm in who he is, believes in everything I do and is strong in his conviction as seeing us as equal partners and parents. Andrew’s commitment in wanting me to be the best version of myself and pursue my dreams is why I continue to push boundaries and do what I love. Thank you Andrew for loving me for who I am #WontheHusbandLottery
We never know what type of baby we’ll get (after all that planning, come on! ha) but I am so thankful that Blake has allowed me to do what I have done since he arrived 9 months ago (and yes I admit, some days, it has seemed a bit crazy). I’m thankful that Blake travels well, is a happy baby and has allowed me to get back on my feet quickly. He has been there through the ‘happy’ and also the days of tears as I’ve learned just what it meant to figure this crazy new ‘mom world’ out. He thankfully can’t judge me (yet!) but he’s never cared if I’ve put on mismatching socks on him, sang off tune way too loud or sounded weird when I talk to him. He just loves me. There is nothing better than that and boy, am I grateful for his affection and warm smiles when I’ve needed them most.
A supportive family has provided me with the love and help when I’ve needed it or when I’ve asked for it. They’ve allowed me to fit into my “new mom shoes” on my own terms and at my own pace. I am so fortunate that these are my ‘peeps’ who just get me and who have shown Blake, in a short time, just what true family is all about.
Something I would have never thought of before a child, but quality, affordable childcare (aka. our babysitter Brooke, thank you Brooke!) has been something I have never taken for granted. Finding that person who just ‘gets’ your child and is always there when you need them is a true treasure.
My friends, colleagues, industry associates, my network, groups, boards, sponsors and mentors who, whether female or male, have engaged in the gender parity conversation and are always looking for solutions. I’ve never felt like since becoming a mom, I’ve had to sacrifice who I am because of gender expectations and my new found role with a child. These people have never made me feel bad for a being a mom, they’ve allowed me to embrace it and love it while I follow my passions. Thank you to these people for helping me continue to be me 🙂
Small things that I may not have appreciated before a baby but now, I treasure. Things like accessible coffee shops and stores for baby strollers (right, Lyns?!), random strangers that stop and ask about the baby or hold open a door, salespeople who offer to hold your baby (yes I know, they’re complete strangers!), flexible work schedules, support through social media, or emails and calls from friends – these small gestures have meant the world.
And most importantly, self care. Its something over the past year that I’ve learned to take way more seriously. I realize now, it was definitely something I neglected in the past. I’ve embraced the oxygen mask analogy of “put your mask on first before you take care of others.” There is something so healthy about taking care of yourself first so you can give your BEST self to the world. Coffee dates by yourself, reading a book outside, getting a pedicure or massage, making a tasty homemade smoothie, taking a walk or hitting the gym – self care is truly the best medicine of all.

To say I have a full heart on this International Women’s Day is an understatement. I am grateful for the opportunities I’ve been afforded; the paths I’ve been able to venture down; what I’ve been able to say and contribute; and the people I’ve been profoundly impacted by. I hope I am doing the same for my fellow women (and men).

To my fellow women who are out there pushing boundaries, doing your thing, and just enjoying being yourself (you bada$$ women!!), YOU ROCK. And to all the men out there helping us women #pressforprogress, THANK YOU for being equal partners.

Happy #IWD2018 🙂

The Sunday 7

January 14, 2018 • Lifestyle

I spent two days this week in Toronto and I was reminded of how much I love the hustle and bustle of the city. Of course, its easier to say that when I’m not working there full-time but there really is something so intoxicating – the energy, the ideas, the inspiration.
I’m crushing hard on these high back dining room chairs for the cottage.
Adding some Italian Ruscus greenery in the house this week has made so much of a difference, reminding me on the coldest days that spring will one day (soon) be here :S
I devoured this series after seeing all the Golden Globe wins and hype for the show. Let’s just say, its some captivating TV that is hard to stop watching.
Still trying to figure out what your goals are for 2018 or how you’re going to execute on them? I watched this video by the motivating thought leader Robin Sharma, whose message “Until you personally believe that you can achieve a goal, you won’t even start the process of making it happen” so resonated with me.
I am a huge font fan.. I seriously fan girl over beautiful fonts that I stumble upon on blogs and the internet. This ‘Pretty Pen’ font was one I recently found that I am absolutely love.
A few days at home on the farm this past weekend led to a night of some of the best conversation and drinks (rye of course!) with the fam. We joked that at 3am, you can solve a lot of the world’s problems (or at least have fun TRYING to solve them :P). There is truly nothing better than family. They’re your people.. and they just get you.

[Photo Source]

The Sunday 7

December 31, 2017 • Lifestyle

Today, I’m surrounded by some of the best people. Friends. We are ringing in the New Year and welcoming 2018 with open arms. And boy does it feel good. I love all of this inspiration heading into the new year. Happy New Year’s Eve, friends!

This article about love and why we don’t openly express love more often (written by a man I might add!) hit home. It makes me want to hug every person I know.
I can’t WAIT for this little beauty of a cook book to be released in April so I can make every recipe and eat every damn bite.
Downloaded this app to begin expanding my language palette in 2018 (is that even I thing? Yep because I just made it up :P)
Hands down, one of the best books I read last year, Chasing Slow. The powerful message resonated, especially after the year we’ve had, having a baby and wanting the right type of lifestyle for our new family of 3.
Starting off my 2018 reading list by digging in to this little gem.
What I love about all the New Years hype and celebration? All the glitz and glitter!
This article has made me rethink my 2018 goals a bit differently – “Often it’s not what we start doing that makes a difference, but the thing we stop doing that creates the biggest shift.”

Happy (early) 2018 🙂

[Photo Source]

The Necessity (and Uncertainty) of Change

December 8, 2016 • Agriculture, Lifestyle

A lot of change has taken place for me and those around me this fall.

Some would say that change can be for the better and for worse…. but is change EVER really bad?

Change helps us to grow, learn, adapt, expand on new skills and gain new perspectives and experiences.

As I mentioned in my last post, many of my friends and colleagues experienced change this fall. They left jobs, relationships, moved and/or made life decisions that will impact their future.

One of the major changes I’ve been experiencing this fall, is with my family. In July, my family undertook the building of a new dairy barn back at home in Hastings. It is no doubt, an exciting and wonderful time. But as with all change, its comes with bittersweet, mixed and unexpected emotion. We’re leaving our old dairy barn, a barn we loved to milk our cows in. Its the only thing me and my siblings have known.

Everyone is so grateful for this opportunity to build a state-of-the-art dairy barn. But with anything new, the ‘what ifs’ swirling around in your head can feel overwhelming.

And that’s OK.

I keep reminding myself (and my family) that change is necessary and needs to continue to happen. And whether you like it or not, change inevitably happens! I too, sometimes question the pace at which change is happening now a days. And this, coming from a millennial whose generation ONLY knows fast-paced change! Even for me, someone who likes to believe they can adapt (easily?), I too at first, am sometimes apprehensive to change. And that’s because we’re human.

I can only imagine how people who haven’t experienced change as often as others or who are resistant to change can feel totally overwhelmed. Change makes us feel vulnerable and that is why we dread it. It exposes us to the ‘uncertainty’ of ‘not knowing.’ And that is scary to us as humans, a species that always wants to be ‘in the know’ and ‘in control.’

Change is something we’ve seen and experienced especially in the social media movement of the last 10 years. It is moving at such a rapid pace. You try a new social media platform and feel like you’ve finally ‘mastered’ it…. and then there are updates to it, or a ‘new and exciting’ platform is introduced altogether. Applying the saying ‘Adapt or Die’ seems so fitting if you want to keep up with social media these days.

What is exciting though, and something I’ve gotten SO much better at, is being open to the unknown as a way to deal wtih change. Even if you believe you may be Type A – a planner, a person who always knows what’s going on and wants to have things planned – the first step to accepting change is accepting that you won’t be in control all the time.

And once you let go of that notion of control, it can really be an alleviating feeling.

This fall, its been amazing to watch my family grow together through the barn build – experiencing the uncertainty of change – together.

With the right attitude of being open to the change, it is an exciting year ahead to look forward too in 2017 as we move our cows into their new home. Check out some shots of the barn build at the beginning, in July and updated shot taken recently in November.

Crovalley’s New Dairy Barn – July 2016

Crovalley’s New Dairy Barn – November 2016