I’m not meaning the kind of organizational, task-oriented Mission that many businesses follow, but rather one based on your deep personal values and principles: your own constitution, manifesto, commandment, or motto. Applying your Mission like a filter, you can then pass all major ideas, decisions, planning, etc. through a lens of your highest serving values, supporting you to focus on what is most important and reducing sparkly distractions.

If you are like many people I chat with, clarity and balance often get lost when you’re overwhelmed with so much information, heavy decisions, diverse agendas, inter-personal politics, urgent timelines, multiple demands, and the like. Empowering a Mission Statement can serve as your guiding compass, and in turn assist you to honour yourself when overwhelm lands with a thud.

The super bonus to a personal Mission Statement is its help in moments when you feel you’re drowning in heavy emotions. As a wave of emotions rises, a Mission can diminish the push and pull action that can fill your heart and overflow into consuming your life. Your Mission can ease the flow and weight of challenging emotions, and more so the potential negative affects they take in your life. A Mission can be a ‘pause button,’ creating breathing space for heart-felt, conscious decisions.

What would your personal Mission be? As you consider possibilities, here are a few tips:

• Identify Overarching Principles: What values do you want to guide your activities of the coming year?
• Pay Attention to Words: What words make your heart sing? What inspirational quotes have special meaning to you? What words repeat in your ear?
• KISS (Keep It Simple, Star!): Which principles are most vital to you? Which ones do you prioritize? Which ones are in your Top 5 or 10? To help review your Mission Statements easily daily, keep your list short and snappy – let them roll of your tongue!
• Personalize Them Without Judgment: What are you about – your strengths, your interests, your goals, your joys…? Be true to you, free of comparisons to others and self-judgment.
• Vision Broadly: What do you value as your focus in your ‘daily living of life?’ What bigger dreams expand you? Balance both small and big opportunities for your growth.

As you venture into creating your own personal Mission, please play until the ideal wording hums off your lips – do not compromise: your Mission is your heart’s guide.

If you wish some ideas as a foundation to hone your own magical Mission: There is only love. Embrace process. Let ‘it’ go. Do ‘it’ now. Be authentic. Follow my heart. Trust my intuition. Live in the moment. Forgive. Be grateful….

KISS!

I’d love to hear your Mission insights. Please email or Facebook your wordsmithing brilliance and/or your sticking points. Share your mission wisdom!

How come? I believe it’s because of the giant ‘should’ attached to most resolutions. Often we select a resolution based on what we think we ‘need to’ do, or what we’ve been told will be good for us. We pick resolutions with our heads, more than our hearts. Where’s the passion in that? No wonder we drop them!

Add to this…very often resolutions focus on bringing greater happiness into our world – it’s what we each ‘want’ above all else: Happiness. Whether we think it’ll come with better diet, more exercise, closer friendships, new hobbies or the like, we somehow lack contentment, so we seek a bigger sense of joy. Only what we’re aiming for is a magic potion to unlock our inner joy overnight. When we realize it takes consistent dedication, we slowly (or haltingly) resolve ourselves to our current level of (un)happiness. We turtle!

Stuck with neither ‘need’ nor ‘want’ sparking fabulous results, let’s reframe resolutions with a fresh hook of inspiration: the Word-of-the-Year…or more appropriately YOUR Word-of-the-Year. Yup, with a single word, you can shift your life!

Why a single word? By having a single concise word at the ready, you can easily and effortlessly remind yourself of your intention in any given moment. The theme becomes so top-of-mind that it lives on the tip-of-your-tongue. With a single thought or utterance, you re-align with the intention the word holds for you: it re-ignites you.

Plus, you can let go of a long list of resolutions – a.k.a. nagging ‘shoulds’ – which could be the biggest blessing of all! With resolutions its about you coming up with what you ‘think’ you need to do. But with your Word-of-the-Year, you simply invite a theme into your life generally. You aren’t in charge of the ‘how’!

Can it be that easy? Well, your intentional word expresses a heart-based sense of your big ‘why’ of life. It challenges you to dig deep and discern your heart’s desire. It calls on you to check-in with your alignment and observe the blocks to your life lessons. It provides amazing clarity to your best version of yourself. It reminds you that greater happiness is closer than a dream.

But what word?? Well, my examples may help inspire you.

In 2010, my word-of-the-year was ‘Blossoming’: I expanded my practice with several key new tools/techniques, reframed my business, travelled tons for courses and for pleasure, began writing articles, refocused my biz networking, facilitated more workshops at diverse locations, uttered the words: “One day I’ll write a book,” etc.

In 2011, my word was ‘Connection’: I ventured forward into the techi-age with a new website and blog, started my social media adventure, met amazing fellow biz gals, started teaching and focused on biz coaching, wrote and published a book, etc.

In 2012, my word was ‘Focus’: After years of expanding forward, I found my current calling – the voice of overwhelm freedom! My aim was to regroup and stay balanced, free of distractions and diversions. My awareness filtered and zeroed in on serving my vision, my clients, and my community. My attention was dedicated to freeing YOUR overwhelm!

In 2013, my word was ‘Healing’: Interestingly, I didn’t start with that theme, but early in the year I was in a car accident, which quickly had me on my knees – well, my back actually! – and switching my focus. Launching into a big growth time, instead I stumbled. Yet, it was just what I needed (without knowing it): the opportunity to heal, on many levels.

In 2014, my word is ‘Compassion’: With many years of dedicated growth and service, I welcome some softening. Now’s time to walk my talk of self-care more fully! Mind you, not at anyone else’s expense, so it’ll require a delicate balance of decision-making that supports me and those I love…including you!

Just like for me, your word will manifest amazing opportunities in your life. May I suggest using your journal to help you get clear and to narrow your words to the prize winner:

• What are you dedicated to this year?
• What do you want to move toward?
• What can you let go of in order to make your word your priority?
• How will you serve the world in 2014?
• How will your word serve you?
• What one word inspires you for 2014?

Need some support in visioning your Word-of-the-Year and your best 2014? Feel free to get in touch. I’d be honoured to support you in magically manifesting your rockin’ theme!

And please share your Word-of-the-Year with others in our community. Inspire us!

If you could chose ONLY eight – yes, 8 – people to dine with you, who would they be? Who are the most awe inspiring, wise and/or humorous peeps you’d like to join you for yummy food, sparkling conversation and rounds of laughter?

You may consider possible political leaders, sports figures, ‘creatives’ (actors, singers, artists, writers), humanitarians, TV personalities…gurus of any sort. They may be personal teachers of yours, or role models you look up to. Or they may be people you know personally, including family members, friends, neighbours, community members, pets and the like.

In some way, each one you consider will have touched your heart. You likely feel great gratitude toward them for some reason. You respect them in some way. They reflect your values of daily life and/or your vision for the world. Only which ones hold an honoured seat at your dinner table?

Try this tip for narrowing your list: Who would you ask to share in this blessing?

Today may there be peace within. May you trust that you are exactly where you are meant to be. May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith in yourself and others. May you use the gifts that you have received and pass on the love that has been given to you. May you be content with yourself just the way you are. Let this knowledge settle into your bones, and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise and love. It is there for each and every one of us.

For all the people you consider inviting, hold a special place of gratitude in your heart. For those you do not know, send a little wish-filled prayer. For those you do know, find ways to authentically connect with each one in the coming weeks, letting them feel your gratitude.

One final vital question: What dessert will you serve?  ; )

Wishing you a friend-filled, family-fun, hassle-free, no ‘shoulds’ attached holiday season with all the peeps who you invite!

P.S. Why am I suggesting you invite ONLY 8 people? Because an arbitrary number is needed for narrowing your list…and because there are 8 place settings in the image above!

Recently, several peeps close to me have gone through some wicked hard times. Relationships breakdowns, unexpected career shifts, and health issues seem to be an overwhelming theme for many. Add to this the endless TV news of huge disasters impacting millions of people we don’t know personally.

Dare to tell anyone of these peeps to ‘count your blessing’, and the evil eye may target you! So often ‘count your blessings’ can be easily, off-handedly, and even flippantly said that it lacks the sincere message of support and concern you may deeply share. Sometimes it obvious when we’re stuck in a tough situation, and other times we silently keep our hard place to ourselves. We may stand stoically or melt with a whisper. At all times, we are doing the best we can with where we are and what we know. But can we always be grateful?

One of the greatest tools at our disposal when we find ourselves in hard times – expectedly or unexpectedly – is gratitude. Only where do you find blessings under a hay stack from hell? Sure, for some it may be easy to ‘see the bright side of life’…humming a tune of gratitude no matter the situation. Maybe you’ve grown your gratitude muscle from a regular gratitude practice. For others, gratitude may be visited rarely, if ever. Wherever you’re at, you’ll respond as you choose to in the midst of a tough situation.

Only the coach in me hopes to inspire some Boy Scout preparedness!

Here’s my tip: Make your list a head of time. In fact, the next time you find yourself humming along in life, take a few minutes to write down what you are grateful for. Don’t just think the grateful thoughts…write them: use a journal, type up a document, creatively design a beautiful note, or add an affirmation to your smartphone.

Because here’s the catch: It can be super overwhelming as you’re drowning in a blinding flow of dread to try to find that needle of sunlight in your life. Opening a journal, clicking on a computer file, scanning your bulletin board, or surfing your smartphone for a list of things you were once grateful for may be the nudge you need to count your blessings once again. Do the work ahead of time, so that when the heaviness hits you have your gratitude ready to respond. All it takes is a few key messages of gratitude to kick start you to count your blessings, even when you’re still living under the hay stack from hell.

Smile with joy when the blessings you pre-prepared shift, lift, or lighten your dark hours. Welcome gratitude for your preparedness – it’s a blessing itself!

Time to get your gratitude on – Count your blessings!

I am grateful for…

My life is blessed by…

Light shines on me because…

To inspire you to consider joining us in the inner growth fest next year (or at other venues internationally), I thought I’d share some of the key moments that shifted my ‘stuff,’ sparked my heart, and opened me up to meeting new aspects of myself. While I am not comfortable sharing other people’s insights, please know there were many within my social circle…too many to count!

Where to start? How about the opening words…

‘Don’t fence me in…’ were the lyrics hummed by Wayne Dyer, as he introduced the idea of ‘can’t’ and ‘shouldn’t’ – two of the most harmful words in the world, in my opinion. Taking it to another level, Wayne (as I call him ‘cause we’re best buds!) shifted us into considering the labels that fence each of us in. He asked: ‘What labels do you live?’ This sparked a landslide of queries for me: Which labels are given to me by others? Which are self-selected? Which ones do I want to release? Which ones do I happily embrace? How do I ‘let’ labels define me? Meaning: How do I choose to be defined?

Greg Braden, the Indian Jones of Self-Growth (as Robert Holden joked), caught my heart when he talked about THE longest journey. It’s not to a place…it’s within. It’s the 10 inch route from your head to your heart. How often do you take that journey to connect your thoughts and emotions? How often to do you witness that route blocked by fears, anger, guilt, etc.? How do you clear the path again and again and again?

Marianne Williamson is one of my all-time faves. Highlights that took my breath away as she appeared to channel her talk began with: ‘Your happiest days have sad moments.’ So true. Then when she got on a roll about feeling defensive, she simply took a step back and to the side, creating a vision of allowing the ‘attack to flow past.’ To not engage and to not defend came to these words: ‘In my defencelessness my safety lays.’ Pure beauty! Where in your life can you step to the side, letting your guard relax?

In the evening, Doreen Virtue shared a loving audience. In speaking about lifestyle and quality of life, she asked us: ‘How much do you live in your head? How much do you live in your heart?’ If you were to guess-timate a percentage, where do you live most often? How’s that working for you? What percentage would you like to shift it to ideally?

The chit chat between Louise Hay and Cheryl Richardson was a great launch for Day 2. A key image I’m now utilizing is to dissolve a habit, rather than break it. To dissolve feels so much more ease-filled to me than to crack and tear to break free. In sharing tips for self-care, I loved their connection between your quality of life and your quality of thinking. To take it further, I upped it to the quality of your self-care reflects your quality of self-love. Where is your deserve-ability of self-loving-care today?

Bruce Lipton, the Master of Biology Thinking, presented the best biology class of my life! Science does not need to be intimidating or out-dated. But be warned: Buckle your seat-belt for a blitz rocket-ride of insightful info. My hand cramped with note taking, until I relaxed into receiving Bruce’s wisdom, releasing my brain and listening with my heart.

Truth be told, I missed Caroline Myss’ presentation, as I ‘peopled’ the Heal Your Life information booth. However, if it’s anything like the many other times I’ve seen Caroline talk, it was likely filled with sage wisdom and some sharp barbs of well-delivered honesty.

Last, but possibly my fave, the conference wrapped up with Robert Holden holding space for tears of laughter. His six principles of Shift Happens were marked with a key aspect many of us often overlook: Your daily practice is the opportunity to ‘meet yourself.’ Love the reminder to make this re-introduction with the new me each day with gratitude and a hearty smile. So what can a daily practice include? I loved his description of a God meditation, probing: How much does God love me? And how much do I let God love me? If God is love, God’s love is 100%. How much I let God love me is the difference between where I jump ship. What’s the percentage difference for you? And if that’s a biggie, consider Robert’s affirmation suggestion: ‘Dear God, show me the truth about myself, no matter how beautiful it is.’ Tears of laughter turned to tears of self-love.

May my favourite nuggets of I Can Do It wisdom and love inspire you to take the next step in your self-discovery journey. Be the inspiration in your own life…and you will inspire others!

That’s right, we are now ankle deep into 2012. Where does the time go!?!? Seems like the perfect time to reflect on where you are at for 2012 so far. While the beginning of the year always feels so exciting and full of possibilities, after a few weeks (or months), the energy of possibilities often begins to fade. Interestingly, some studies show that almost 50% of people keep up their resolution for 3 months – perfect timing for a March check-in! But by the end of the year, just in time for your next New Year’s resolution, it’s down to about 10%.

Thinking back to the end of 2011 or early 2012, did you create a resolution for yourself? Maybe even by another title: an intention, an affirmation, or a Word-of-the-Year? What was it? Or is this a true test – do you even remember what it was?

Hoping that you wrote down your resolution (as an inclusive title for all types of New Year’s declarations), take a few minutes to find it. Review what you wrote and the feelings you desired to experience with this resolution. What did you focus on? What words did you use? What did you hope for? What did your heart yearn for? What actions did you participate in towards your resolution? Where are you at with all of these today?

Please consider this as a reflection and reset opportunity. I am not prodding you to inspire guilt or regret. Everyone drops their practice – whether physical, mental, emotional and/or spiritual – from time to time. You are human! Look at it as a dance – its okay to move by taking two steps forward and one step back. It’s not the pain of starting over – it’s the buzz of refreshing your vision!

Here are 3 tips for re-igniting your resolution to create a wonderful 2012:

• Resolve to love and appreciate yourself. Loving and approving of yourself is vital for bringing ease and flow into your resolutions and your whole life. How do you actually do that? A first step is to stop criticizing yourself. Check-in with the language you’re using when you think about your resolution: What words do you use? How do they make you feel about yourself? How could they be more compassionate?  Shift your words to enhance your feelings to manifest your desires.
• Connect with your body. As the grounding for your thoughts, feelings, and in this case resolutions, it’s important to stay in touch with your body. Tune into your body, noticing where you feel any tension. As you do, take some deep breaths.  Breathe in positive thoughts of your resolution, and with each out breath, let go of tension, releasing negative thoughts. Allow your breath to flow.
• Create Affirmations to support your resolution. Focusing on the life you want, write or say positive statements that inspire you to stay with your resolution. These may involve words that visually represent your success with reaching your resolution: What does it look like? What does it feel like? Once you have some affirmations, write them and/or say them every day. ‘Stick-to-it-ness’ is important with resolutions and affirmations!

Ready to re-acquaint yourself with your resolution? Now is the perfect timing to pick-up where you left off with a strong step forward and the ease of music to your ears. Engage these tools to allow your resolution dance to flow from March onwards!

Returning from my techi-free vacation, I figured I’d bounce back into my joy-filled end of year biz rituals, and of course the holiday season. Only upon returning home physically, I discovered I’d left by biz brain back in the tropics – it apparently wanted (or needed?) a longer shift of gears. In hind-sight, the rest of me did too!

The actual moment that I realized my haze was in reaction (yes, reaction, not response) to a comment from my loving aunt. In her usual enthusiastically supportive style, she commented in an email about what an amazing year it had been for me: ‘You wrote and published a book! How are you ever going to top that?’ Ouch! She inadvertent poked the trigger to my haze.

Indeed, how on earth am I EVER going to have such a stunningly magical year again? The pressure turned up 10 notches with one question. So much for my 2012 affirmation list, my updated Bliss List, my Word-of-the-Year, my Vision Map, etc. I went straight to my default overwhelm belief by the time the ‘?’ ended the sentence: I don’t deserve.

My dance for the past 10 days took me through a flogging of negative self-talk…all while sipping egg nog, laughing with loved ones, and attending festive events. I cloaked myself in denial – procrastination, justification, and excuses – as I pretended to actually be ‘working.’ Sure I got my calendar planned, my email inbox cleaned up, met with biz friends, and tied up some loose ends. But what would usually take me a day to do was drawn out over 4 days.

I was so overwhelmed with the thought of what a mountain any similar accomplishment would require that I sent an avalanche of dread on myself. So much so that I got stuck in my overwhelm…yet again! I invited Holiday Haze it in, sat it at my holiday dinner table, and fed it.

Until a crack of light shone through – it only took a possibility. If I could manifest the awesome events of this past year with little to no effort in welcoming the opportunities, what else could I attract? If all it took was opening to possibilities – even the smallest most dreamy item on your Vision Board – then what next? Yes, what NEXT? WHAT EVER! Whatever I dream of…each and every day with each and every thought.

Of course, if I can manifest beauty, you can too.  What is your heart’s desire for this coming New Year? Let’s pool our dreams to support each other’s manifesting – team manifesting, anyone??

Today, just in time for the last sunset of 2011, my Holiday Haze of overwhelm is lifting. Tomorrow a new year starts and I’m ready to get ‘buzzy’ for 2012 biz!

(C) 2012 Whitney McMillan

Want to use this article (in whole or part) in your ezine, website or blog? Please do! Here’s what to include:
Whitney McMillan is a best-selling author, life & business coach, workshop facilitator, & motivational speaker who supports people weighed down by overwhelm to reach Overwhelm Freedom! Check out her book ‘Rock Your Overwhelm: Live in Clarity, Balance and Freedom’ and receive her FREE eWorkbook and eZine tips: www.whitneymcmillan.com

It was like a mini-Monty Python skit between my amazing webguy George Plumley and I on the phone yesterday. Yes, away from…not ‘it’…but ‘IT’ – I…T. Internet Technology!

Here we were chatting about my vacation and the joys of getting away from the hectic pace of life, To Do lists, clock-watching, gray weather, and all the other aspects of a busy life, when the thought struck us both: it’s a well-needed vacation from Technology Overwhelm. Can you relate?

Yes, I am going away without a lick of technology. No cell phones, no smart phones (because they are more than phones!), no computers, no iPads, no iPods, no iGadgets (of any kind), no GPS, no…you name it, it’s staying home. The ONLY consolation is a camera – a plain old regular digital camera with no extra bells or whistles…and it may rarely see the light of tropical beaches. We are going cold-techi-turkey! Yes, we can do it! Just watch us.

Indeed, I’ve already been tested. Coincidentally, my lovely friend Tracy will be staying fairly close by and we are hoping to meet up for a meal or sight-seeing together. She kindly informed me that she will have free wifi at the Starbucks near their hotel – oh yes, no Starbucks either, which may shrivel my hubby into a cranky 4-year old, and in turn, drive me into a cranky gal but it will be worth it, right!? Only she didn’t know about our cold-techi-turkey pledge. Here I am Facebook (FB) messaging her to let her know, and trying to problem-solve how we could possibly connect. What did I come up with: the phone. You know the old fashioned plug in the wall corded phone…available only by phoning the hotel…whose phone number I do not have because everything I know about the hotel is online! Yup, what are the chances Tracy will find us? Will she even bother trying?? Knowing her, she’ll try. I hope our techi-less-ness doesn’t slow her usual tenacity!

Please know I did nearly crack. The thought of us being so close-by and possibly missing each other on vacation is as funny as us living only a 5-minute drive away and not seeing each other for months at a time AT HOME! But even technology contributes to that disconnect. It’s so easy to conveniently FB message, email, or leave a phone message that our friendship has spiralled down the internet cable. What a cry for techi-freedom: technology or truer connection?

So let me ask you: how do you want to connect to your friends…through a wired or wireless device, or face-to-face, in-person? Which option gives better hugs? What one IT ‘device’ could you dump in favour of really connecting? What would you seek to connect more with: yourself, friends, love partners, nature, hobbies, silence…?

For the next 10 days I will be AWOL – Absent WithOut Line! I’ll catch you on the other side, rested, refreshed and rebooted from the IT-world. ‘Like’ you but not enough to take your email address, phone number, Twitter name, Facebook link, etc. on vacation with me!  Be back at IT soon enough.

I celebrate a world of real connections. I release my bond with technology (temporarily). I am refreshed, rejuvenated, and rebooted!

(C) 2011 Whitney McMillan

Want to use this article (in whole or part) in your ezine, website or blog? Please do! Here’s what to include:
Whitney McMillan is a best-selling author, life & business coach, workshop facilitator, & motivational speaker who supports people weighed down by overwhelm to reach Overwhelm Freedom! Check out her book ‘Rock Your Overwhelm: Live in Clarity, Balance and Freedom’ and receive her FREE eWorkbook and eZine tips: www.whitneymcmillan.com

While we are happier together than ever, the journey across the years has witnessed some bumps along the way. Did I think we’d get through it? Not all the time. In fact, I’m probably the most shocked person to be married…still.

Approaching nearly 20 years together, I was the little girl who never imagined wearing a long white dress (hence my dress was NOT even close to white!), the rebellious feminist art student who mocked commitment to any ‘establishment,’ and the woman who negotiated with her love to let her go if she decided she couldn’t be married any longer. Yet, here I am on my wedding anniversary. It’s the ‘still’ part that rings so strongly, overwhelming my heart. 

Sure, there is my shock factor at staying committed to anyone for this long. The only milestones this beats in my life is being a Social Worker (20 years), a vegetarian (26 years), and a yogini (30 years). But those are careers and lifestyles, this is one person. More so, it’s the relationship role it bares: wife. Thankfully, the ambiguity of ‘partner’ and the monogram of ‘Ms.’ serve me well. They are my anchors of independence – they balance my personal identity with my relationship identity.

However, today my overwhelm more heavily rests with the mere thought of how fast time has sped past. Having previously thought of married life as a ‘ball-and-chain,’ here we are decades later, changed even enhanced…together…over ALL this time. If THAT was decades, how much faster will the next decades pass?

Key moments like birthdays and anniversaries welcome us to celebrate rites of passage across our lifetime. They also mark the passage of time itself. Today, my shock shouts with joy for all we have experienced, loved and laughed together. It also reminds me how precious time is and the true treasure of marking every day…because day upon day eventually results in decades as they flow past. Celebrate each day as your anniversary of something in life!

Today, we are honouring our commitment for as many decades are yet to come!

I celebrate each moment of love with an open heart and a hearty laugh.

(C) 2011 Whitney McMillan

Want to use this article (in whole or part) in your ezine, website or blog? Please do! Here’s what to include:
Whitney McMillan is a best-selling author, life & business coach, workshop facilitator, & motivational speaker who supports people weighed down by overwhelm to reach Overwhelm Freedom! Check out her book ‘Rock Your Overwhelm: Live in Clarity, Balance and Freedom’ and receive her FREE eWorkbook and eZine tips: www.whitneymcmillan.com

Cheering on several different local and international professional sports teams, this query ripples through me from time to time – usually around playoff time when the tension mounts and I am drawn to watching with a heightened passion. Somehow my life is enriched by a connection to the energy of the team, the game and the hype. As a typically non-competitive person, it makes me shake my head in awe at myself! Yet, after 4 decades of being a ‘fan,’ I am still asking: what purpose does it serve?

Maybe the question can be grounded in tangible terms: What meaning does it have for me to wear my jersey on game day?

I feel a part of something – a feeling, a movement, a collective, and a hope. I share my enthusiasm as a walking billboard living in hope of an elusive triumph. Indeed, my ‘fav’ teams tend to be in the lower to middle of the pack usually. When one breaks forward toward success, I hold my breath in amazement: maybe this year!

Yet, winning is not the draw. Being a ‘fan’ of something for me is not based on being at the top of the ranks – if it was my ‘fan-dom’ would have shrunk years ago. Instead it grows!

To talk in Sacred Gifts language, cheering on a team based on their Gifts, their love of the game, their passion and their dedication is what sparks my ‘fan’ vibe. To witness and support people living their Sacred Gifts in action brings me hope for their success. I do not necessarily mean ‘success’ in financial or trophy terms, but in their boundless joy. To see and empathically feel the explosion of joy inside a person as s/he scores a goal, blocks a shot, makes a great play, and ultimately reaches their goal, literally brings tears to my eyes. To hope for players to hold a trophy high – both over their heads and in their hearts – is what it means to be a ‘fan.’

As a ‘fan’, when I put my jersey on I think of each player on my team ignited by being a ‘fan’ of the game themselves. They live their Sacred Gifts, and they inspire ‘fans’ to love watching. In doing so, ‘fans’ feel the energy of each big and small triumph. We hold our hopes for each victory, because they are the hopes of each gifted player – to live our dreams.

My ‘fan’ affirmation for the coming hours, days and weeks: Go Canucks Go!