Skip to main content

Find Your Smile: KEEP THINGS IN PERSPECTIVE


#SoManyReasonsToSmile2020
“Sometimes, you need to look at life from a different perspective.”

Back in the summer of 2008, just after I completed my first year teaching, I went on my very first humanitarian trip. Many of the challenges I faced throughout my first year as an educator came as a result of me struggling to understand my students and their families who came from diverse backgrounds. So, in addition to reading books and watching movies to learn about other cultures, I thought a humanitarian trip would be a great opportunity for me to step outside my comfort zone and to gain more insight into the world, outside Canada. 

Building project in the Dominican Republic
As it's to be expected, the 4 humanitarian trips I joined, in the Dominican Republic and in Peru, really did help me develop a broader perspective on life. While travelling to both countries, I had the opportunity to visit several communities, to spend time in orphanages, to work in schools, to collaborate in building projects and to experience sifting through a garbage dump for recyclables, a daily occurrence for several Haitians living in the Dominican Republic at the time. To this day, I still consider myself so incredibly blessed to have experienced those trips and to have connected with various people from all walks of life, because as a result, I was led to be more empathetic, more compassionate and more humble, and to see life so differently from that point on. Amongst all the lessons I took in, I truly realized how privileged I was (and still am) and I learned that “happiness” can be interpreted in so many different ways.


Looking for recyclables at a garbage dump in the Dominican Republic

Over the last few months, as the world has dealt with the COVID-19 pandemic, I have experienced some "tough" days, just like most people I would assume. Then again, I have been well aware that there are people out there that have faced MUCH more challenging moments than me. Every so often, I’ve reminded myself of how lucky I am: to be safe, to be healthy, to have a job, to have a place to live, to have access to food and water...Even more, I've reflected on what I could do to support others who may really be suffering through all of this and I've tried to lend a bit of a helping hand.

Playing soccer on a dirt "pitch" in Peru

Once in a while (not only during the COVID-19 pandemic), when things aren’t quite going the way we would like them to, it’s worth taking a step back and changing the way we look at things. We should always consider the situation from different points of view; put ourselves in others' positions and imagine what they might think and feel about the situation. Furthermore, we should appreciate what we have, rather than dwell on what we don't have (and probably don't need) and remind ourselves that there are much bigger problems in the world.

Young girl playing near a polluted river in the Dominican Republic
“The things you take for granted, someone else is praying for.”

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Living Outside The Box

"I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I believe I’m on the path I’m meant to be." As we get older, it’s easy to get trapped in society’s idea of what life "should" look like. By the time we hit 40, there’s a well-defined picture of success: owning a home, starting a family, climbing the career ladder. But as I approach this milestone, I’m choosing to remind myself that true happiness isn’t found in checking off someone else’s list. It’s found in stepping outside the box, embracing the unexpected, and allowing life to unfold in its own unique way. Sure, my path hasn’t always been conventional, and I’ve often found myself comparing my journey to others, wondering why I’m not where they are. But when I take a step back and reflect, I see how much I’ve gained by stepping off the well-worn road. Life may not have gone according to plan, but I’m proud of the unexpected milestones I’ve reached along the way. I’ve traveled to over 40 countries, lived in three (ye...
Post a Comment
Read more

Locked in.

“ The successful warrior is the average (wo)man , with laser-like focus. ” Life’s been feeling a little dull lately, but there’s one thing keeping me fired up; the experience of a lifetime is just around the corner. In just four weeks, I’ll be heading to Chicago to compete in the Hyrox World Championships, and I’m locked in. For many competitive and athletic kids, the dream is to make it to the Olympics or stand on a world championship stage in their sport. While Hyrox may not be the Olympics, for me, this is kind of that moment. This is my ‘world stage’; I can’t wait to soak it all in and add it to the list of things I’m proud of. This idea sort of started on my 40th birthday this year. While most people celebrate with a party and cake or a getaway, I made a wild choice: I booked my place in the Hyrox World Championships with my doubles partner. Bold? Definitely. Crazy? Probably. Worth it? Without a doubt. The last time I pushed myself this hard was back in 2019 when I trained for a C...
Post a Comment
Read more

Momentum Reset

"Momentum doesn’t just return; you rebuild it, one choice at a time." Before summer began, I was feeling a little low. The tipping point came when I found out my HYROX competition partner’s visa had been denied, meaning we wouldn’t be able to compete at the HYROX World Championships in Chicago. Deep down, I knew it wasn’t the end of the world, but I was still pretty bummed. I thrive when I have a goal, something to work toward, and for nearly two months, I’d been all-in. That training gave me momentum, purpose and energy. When that goal disappeared, so did my drive. Suddenly, my energy shifted in the wrong direction. I slipped into autopilot, stuck in the routine of daily life, work, and thought patterns that were becoming more and more negative. Social media didn’t help. It felt like everyone else was out there doing so much, and I had nothing exciting happening. I would catch myself comparing and as my thoughts spiraled, my body started responding, and not in a good way. Th...
Post a Comment
Read more