Ideal Life Blog

Facing Fear Can Lead To Amazing Experiences

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When it comes to facing your fear how do you respond? Jump in without thinking or do they paralyze you into avoidance at all costs? Might depend on the specific fear, right? Me too! When Gail and I travelled to Panama we ended up in Boca del Toro. It’s an idyllic little area on the Caribbean coast of Panama. We were going there to stay at a beautiful island getaway where we could unwind and enjoy the island life. But before we headed out to the island we had a few days in the town on the mainland. Sitting at …

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Daddy-Daughter Time

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Since Kindergarten I have been walking my daughter to and from school on most days throughout the school year. Over the years I have come to love this daddy-daughter time.  Sometimes we’d just walk and not say anything, while other times we’d talk the whole way. We’d talk about pretty much everything.  We’d stop and listen to the birds in the spring or take in the colours of the fall. We’d wait for the fountain to come on as we passed by. We’d catch up with classmates and their parents along the way but usually it was just the two …

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Your Ikigai – Know It, Align With It, Succeed

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Do you know your ikigai? It’s a Japanese term meaning “reason for being”. It’s all about having a direction or purpose in life and in business, that makes living it worthwhile. You know, that thing that gets you up every morning. To put it into perspective I’d like to share an excerpt from Neil Pasricha’s book, The Happiness Equation. “You could tell Mr. Wilson loved his job by the way his eyes twinkled as he bounced through the halls, spouting hellos and high-fiving students, calling everybody by name. He was always smiling, and our school was his home. Back when …

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Finding Normalcy In The Uncertainty Of COVID

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After 145 days of uncertainty, adjustment, and acceptance day in and day out… finding normalcy was something I needed and was craving.  To be honest, adjusting to all the changes needed during this pandemic has not been all that hard for me. Unlike some of my colleagues who are making wholesale changes to their businesses out of necessity, mine was already online for the most part and I have actually seen it grow over the past few months. And unlike my extrovert friends who really need a certain level of in person social connection, I’ve been okay quietly being at …

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Edmonton Outdoor Patios – Brents Favourites

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One of the things I love on a hot summer day is to enjoy a cool beverage on one of the wonderful Edmonton outdoor patios. Summer season = patio season in my books. Whether it’s BBQ dinner on the patio in my back yard or finding a restaurant with a great patio, it’s a summer must for me. There are all kinds of amazing options across the city with many situated downtown but living far from downtown I thought I’d share a few that I love away from the core.  If downtown is your thing then check out these two …

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