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The Passionate Voice

26 Things to be Grateful for this Holiday

December 26, 2017 • Lifestyle

I am writing this as I watch the World Junior Hockey Game, in my Roots track pants, on Boxing day. You can’t get anymore Canadian than that! I hope you had a fun holiday yesterday with your loved ones and took in the special day of the year. I’ve been so overwhelmed (in a good way) for all the small details that I thought I would share some here on Boxing Day – 26 things I’m grateful for this holiday. Maybe some of these small moments will resonate with you as well 🙂

  1. Waking up without an alarm clock
  2. The smell of coffee as it begins to brew (and knowing its acceptable to put Baileys in it because heck, its the holidays!)
  3. Volunteering before Christmas and seeing how you’re helping to make a difference
  4. Getting your emails done to a 0 inbox!
  5. Crossing off all of your to-do’s for the day
  6. Finishing a big project at work and then celebrating with colleagues
  7. Saying Merry Christmas to a random stranger on an elevator
  8. Holding the door open at the local coffee shop for someone… and then getting your coffee bought by the person in line ahead of you
  9. The feeling you get as soon as you walk into Chapters #HappilyOverwhelmed
  10. Finding the best deal at Winners for a Christmas gift #StarttheCar
  11. That feeling of success after finishing a baking recipe that took way too long but you’re hoping is oh so yummy
  12. Cracking a new bottle of wine.. yum!
  13. Biting into the freshest, squeakiest piece of cheese… and knowing there is an entire plate left to eat
  14. Singing Christmas carols at the top of your lungs as if you’re the best singer… for some reason Blake loves the ‘I Want a Hippopotamus’ song.
  15. Seeing friends after so long and catching up like nothing ever changed
  16. The smell of wood burning as you walk outdoors in the nighttime cold air
  17. Sitting down to the best homemade meal you helped to make
  18. Eating a salad you made for lunch and feeling so good about yourself afterwards for (finally) eating healthy!
  19.  Starting to watch a series on Netflix you’ve heard people rave about #TheCrown
  20. Watching the World Junior Hockey games.. its a national Canadian pastime at Christmas
  21. Sitting around with family on Christmas Eve and watching Christmas Vacation, so many good laughs (even though we’ve already seen the movie like a thousand times!)
  22. Playing games with your siblings and laughing so hard
  23. Knowing its acceptable to wear track pants the entire holiday season
  24. Sitting in the darkness with only candles flickering while you dive into a new read or magazine
  25. Watching your son open up his first Christmas present and knowing he has no idea what all of it means
  26. Knowing you can chase your dreams, following your passions, raise a family, love hard… and feel so damn good about it all.
[Photo Source]

Leave a Comment Lifestyle 2017, Baking, Blog452, Books, Boxing Day, Canadian, Career, Chapters, Cheese, Christina Crowley-Arklie, Christmas, Christmas Carols, Christmas Vacation, Christmas17, Coffee, Cooking, December, December 26, Emails, Food for Thought, Gratitude, Hastings, Hockey, Holidays, Inbox, Inspiration, Life, Motherhood, Netflix, Passion, Passionate Voice, Reading, Rural Ontario, Side Business, Side Hustle, The Crown, The Passionate Voice, Wine, Winners, Winter, Winter Wonderland, World Juniors

#2017 Check In – Q1 (Jan-Mar)

April 2, 2017 • Agriculture, Career, Communication, Food for Thought, Inspiration, Leadership, Lifestyle, Making a Difference, Public Speaking, Social Media, Travel

A majority of companies and businesses measure annual performance, broken down in 3 month increments in terms of Q 1/2/3/4. By setting goals for the year and reviewing them every 3 months, it allows for a consistent check-in to ensure things are on track to meet annual goals, sales figures, performance measures, etc.

Goal-setting and check-ins are part of corporate culture, but we don’t look at ‘check-ins’ the same way we do with our own personal goals we’ve set for ourselves.

Most often times, holding ourselves accountable can be the main reason whether we achieve our goals (or not).

We all start with the best of intentions at the beginning of a new year – or for some, in the springtime or in September with the start of a new school year –  but if we don’t have mechanisms to hold ourselves accountable, another year can pass like the one before and that passion project can be shelved for another year.

Unlike the work world where you know your performance is going to be measured, your boss will check in, performance reviews take place and/or your salary may be impacted, if your serious about the intentions you’ve set for #2017, you’ll be serious about holding yourself accountable to achieve these goals.

I shared these 2017 goals/habits at the beginning of the new year. Using this as my ‘Q1 check in’, I’m happy to report I’ve committed whole-heartedly to two of my goals – blogging once a week using #Blog452 and doing #365DaysofGratitude (which I realize I need to share more about!). In terms of the other 3 goals I’ve set, I already have the personal development course in mind I want to attend later this fall which I will be registering for this month; I have tons of ideas (and the equipment ready!) to get the podcast up and going (slowly but surely!) and travel plans are in place (hopefully, if all goes well with the arrival of Baby A!) to explore new destinations later this summer.

What I’m most proud of in the first 3 months is the 5 habits I’ve really tried to stick too – getting up early to enjoy the outdoors; weekly meal planning; consuming less TV; being more strategic about social media consumption; and so far, I’ve loved the weekly coffee dates I’ve been able to fit in to help stick to my #Blog452 goal and client work.

One concept that has really stuck out for me recently, as I’m almost through Neil Pasricha’s The Happiness Equation, is how we all have 168 hours available to us in a week. If you sleep on average 8 hours a night x 7 days a week, that’s 56 hours gone right off the top, known as the first ’56 bucket’ (and the most important of course!). If we work on average, a 40 hour work week, plus factor in commute time, extra hours worked, prep time, etc, a second ’56 bucket’ can be established. Its the third and final ’56 hour bucket’ that is ours to do with it what we want. THAT is where working on your #2017 goals/habits kicks in.

Yes, goal chasing can be overwhelming and daunting. Yes, some days are more productive than others. Yes, some days you’re ahead feeling great, and other days you just need to watch Netflix to let yourself have a break. Yes, some days you hear great feedback and other days there are crickets. With only 3 months off the top of 2017, I’ve been able to learn to take small, actionable steps each day/week to work towards the goals I’ve set.

If you make this type of commitment (it really isn’t rocket science, just sheer willpower), you can and will see your goals through to fruition.  And just think, we still have 9 more months to go, what an awesome feeling!

As I get ready for my biggest life-changing moment yet, in May (motherhood!), I already can’t wait to report back on Q2 progress…. I suspect its going to be the BEST life experience. How are you making out with your #2017 goals, I’d love to hear from YOU!

[Photo Source]

Leave a Comment Agriculture, Career, Communication, Food for Thought, Inspiration, Leadership, Lifestyle, Making a Difference, Public Speaking, Social Media, Travel 168 Hour Week, 2017, 40 Hour Work Week, Blog452, Branding, Business, Career, Change, Christina Crowley-Arklie, Communication, Corporate Culture, Discover Ontario, Food for Thought, Gen Y, Goal Setting, Goals, Habits, Inspiration, Job, Leadership, Life, Life Lessons, Making a Difference, Millennials, Neil Pasricha, Netflix, New Year, Passion Project, Passionate Voice, Public Speaking, School Year, September, Side Business, Side Hustle, Sleep, Social Media, Spring, Springtime, The Happiness Equation, The Passionate Voice, Travel, Travelling, Work Week

… With the End in Sight

November 26, 2016 • Career, Inspiration, Lifestyle, Travel

with-the-end-in-sight

What a beautiful #fall2016 it was.

I had so much to say and share from this fall. Stories to share from travelling, events, conferences and ideas/thoughts of inspiration.

But the truth was, life got in the way this fall, both personally and at work….  in a good way. 

And I let it take over.

I wanted to take it all in and experience it all without feeling the need to overshare on social media or on the blog.

So I took a break…. since October…. and I’m happy I took the time to take it all in.

I love seeing how transformative fall is and how it is a time of change for so many people. A lot of my friends and colleagues began this fall by changing jobs, moving and starting fresh.

Fall can do that too you. It breathes new life into you with the change in air.

With the end of year in sight (how is it December next week?!), fall provokes people to take action before the end of the calendar year.

I’ve always loved fall. But as each year passes, I think I enjoy the Christmas/holiday/winter season even more. I love it because of the ‘hibernation’ that we all get to deservedly take without feeling guilty. Its a time to relax, watch as much Netflix in our PJs as possible with those we love and recharge for the year ahead.

There are no shortage of posts to share. I just decided to write them after the fact than in the moment. Look forward to seeing more in coming weeks as we begin to unwind, relax and take in the holidays.

30 days until Christmas folks, I can’t contain my excitement! 

Leave a Comment Career, Inspiration, Lifestyle, Travel 2016, 2017, Blog, Change, Christina Crowley-Arklie, Christmas, Conference, Events, Fall, Fall 2016, Fall16, Holidays, Ideas, Inspiration, Netflix, Passionate Voice, Social Media, The Passionate Voice, Thoughts, Travelling, Winter





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