Last Saturday my wife's side of the family decided to have a family picnic. This is the first time we've done this, and to make things easier we decided to meet at a local park. It was a wonderful opportunity to enjoy the weather.  I mean, why not celebrate summer? Summers are way too short in Canada.

Everybody lives busy lives these days, so it was good that we all were able to make time for each other and for family and friends. I think that sometimes we let life get away from us and forget what's really important. So when we found each other at the park, it was great to sit and connect. We had lunch, played games, and really just had time for each other. It was great to shut out the rest of the world, if only for an afternoon.

Not worrying about your blackberry or checking your messages, but really being present and connected, is a priceless gift. We spent the day really creating memories that we sometimes forget to be present for. The day was beautiful and warm, and we learned a few lessons, like next time we'll remember to bring a canopy rather than chasing the shade with our picnic table. 

I also took away a few simple, but important things to remember in our daily lives:

1. Make Time for What is Important in Your Life - Whatever that may be - family, friends, your health. Make the time and make what's important to you your number one priority. I have certainly been guilty of letting things get away from me from time to time, and it's easy to do. But, if you have a business meeting, you schedule it. Sometimes we don't schedule the most important people in our lives. Identify what's really important in your life and make the time.

2. Play - I slept so well after playing with my two nieces. They have so much energy, and they play and they laugh and they come up with new games. It is amazing how very creative they are. As adults, sometimes we forget to play, while kids, they play all the time. I think that we need to play a little bit more. We need to experience the creativity, the vision and the dreaming that come from simply playing. You don't have to follow any rules; you can be whoever you want to when you let go and enjoy the act of playing.

3. Try to Look at the World through Kids Eyes - One of the things I have learned from working with children is that kids are so curious. They are always asking questions, and are always asking "why." I've done a lot of presentations with both adults and kids and the kids groups are always a lot more challenging because they will question everything, whereas adults usually just go with the flow.

At the picnic my 3 year old niece, Sophia, discovered the digital camera. She was so thrilled to take her first pictures. Then she shared them with her 6 year old sister, Alysia. Shortly after, off they went together to take more pictures. Some of their pictures were quite avant-garde, but they had so much fun because it was new and was something wonderful to explore.

Alysia loves playing games and sometimes she may be a bit creative with the rules, but we could all take a few tips from her and children like her. We need to look at things with a fresh set of eyes. We need to look with kids eyes and see the world as full of possibility. We need to be curious instead of jaded and judgmental. In one afternoon of family, and laughter and happy children discovering their world, I remembered three very important habits, that like many, I have sometimes forgotten.

Make a habit to make the time for what's important to you. Make the habit to play and play regularly. Make the habit to look at your world through the eyes of a child and remember how much you love doing the things that you do.

Recently, I have been doing some work with an international group called, Right to Play. They’re a fantastic group that teaches life lessons and leadership in ‘third world’ nations through sports. I was part of a team that went to two remote “first nations” communities in Northern Ontario as a part of Right to Play. 

We trained high school and college youth leaders. They, in turn, would eventually lead our summer children’s program. So we spent a couple days in each community and did a variety of training exercises. What was really interesting during the visits was that I found myself becoming a student rather than a trainer!

One of my favorite games during the training, is something called “Beyond the Comfort Zone.” This is where we put the students in a gym and mark off three distinct areas. The first area was called the ‘comfort zone’, the second area was called the ‘stretch zone’, and the third area was called the ‘scared zone’. And so, with three distinct areas in place, Jules, a training guru,  would then ask a question and allow the participants to analyze their position and feelings. The participants would then move about the gym into their zone.

So, for example, a question would be, “If you had to give a speech in front of 500 people, where would you go?” Some people might go to the comfort zone, but probably not many because public speaking is something that always rates higher than death when it comes to the things that people fear most!

Some people would go the “scared zone.” They might say, “Oh my God, public speaking is the worst thing in the world!”  On the other hand, some people would go to the stretch zone and so forth.  I have to say, it was quite interesting to see where each of us landed with some of these questions!  Jules went through a variety of different questions during the exercise – each one very telling and enlightening for the participant.  If you were in the scared zone, she would ask people, ‘what would it take for you to get into the stretch zone?’  She would get all sorts of answers: “Well, maybe if I did it with a friend” or, referring to public speaking, “Maybe if it was a topic on what I love,” and so on. We always came up with answers that would move us from the scared zone to the stretch zone or the stretch to the comfort zone.

During the exercise, I thought “This is an incredible game!”

Jules asked, “Where do you think all of your growth happens?” And we all agreed that growth happens in the stretch zone. Now, this was probably something that we already knew, but it was a fun and illuminating exercise to really see visually and physically, where we happen to be, and that we all grow most in the stretch zone.

So my question was, “What do we need to do daily to move from our comfort zone to our stretch zone?”

I have come up with three things that I do and that can really help:

1.   I learn from those who have done what I am trying to do. So, for example, when I was trying to run marathons. I went from not running at all to running three marathons for Team Diabetes. That was probably the scared zone for me at first. But, I moved to the stretch zone when I learned from people who had already done it. You can take the same approach for business or anything you want to do.  Learn from speakers or others that have done what you are trying to do!

2.    Don’t do it alone. It’s kinda like sex. It’s always more fun with a partner! Learn from others. Get your support team together. There are a lot of people out there who would like to help and support you. Using my marathon example, I learned that I was not alone. Going to online communities or running groups really helped me. The socializing helped reaffirm that I was not by myself with these challenges.

Sometimes diabetics tend to think that we are the only ones on insulin; we are the only ones that have to test our blood, that we are the only ones that know what a blood glucose low is. And yet, others are out there too - struggling everyday with our same challenges. Support each other! Small actions like volunteering or opening yourself up will move you from the scared zone to the stretch zone.

3.   Make leaving your comfort zone a habit – daily. We generally are creatures of habit.  We do the same things with the same kind of people.  Instead, try to make it a habit to leave your comfort zone.  I know when I started doing some work in New York City, I was going from my comfort zone of Canada to a scared zone.  There were times that I’d be in New York and I would be walking the streets and I would think to myself, “What am I doing here?” I would feel so uncomfortable and I felt that I was so over my head.

But to grow, we need to go into those stretch zones, we need feel a bit uncomfortable and we need to make that a daily habit. And they don’t have to be big things. Small things matter too. For example, take a different route to work, read some different magazines, hang out with some different people or ask good questions! Kids ask good questions all the time and sometimes we don’t. Leaving our comfort zone will ensure our personal and professional growth!

If you do these three things, I think that you will find that you will be moving not only from the comfort zone to the stretch zone, but also from the scared zone to the stretch zone. And the stretch zone is where all the best learning happens.

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This past June, I had the opportunity to go to a conference in San Diego, California. I gotta say, that it was a wonderful three days of training that reaffirmed the often heard axiom: we reap what we sow.

One of the things that I have learned about entrepreneurs, as well as other people who “Think Big” about moving their dreams forward, is that they tend to invest significant time and effort into their own education and learning. 

No matter how far along you are on your journey, I am a true believer that by opening yourself up - even just a tiny bit - to learning new ideas, can set the stage for upcoming success in your life. Anything from reading a book, taking a class, or in my case, going to a conference can serve to motivate and generate new thoughts, ideas, and even new and exciting professional friendships.

And that’s exactly what happened to me down in sunny San Diego.

Now, for me, going out to the Southern-most edge of California by way of Toronto, Canada, was pretty expensive, but I really felt that I needed to venture off my normal path in search of new winds.

Over the course of the conference, I happened to meet a woman by the name of Janet Goldstein. While making small talk with her, I didn’t realize just what an expert I was actually talking to in the book publishing business. Janet has been in the publishing world in New York City for over 25 years and, I have to say, that I was very humbled to meet her. She is quite a big deal in publishing circles there, though one would really never know it when first meeting her because of her unassumnig, sincere and genuine demeanor. Janet is just one of those people I instantly connected with because of how substantive she is. 

The last night we were in town, a group of us went out to dinner. Among others, Janet was there and she had talked a bit about this exciting event that she had coming up at the end of July called, “Book Breakthrough New York City.” Honestly, at that time, I wasn’t really thinking about writing a book but there was something inside that tugged at me: I needed to spend more time with this person and learn a bit more from her, and that is what I intended to do.

Later that evening, I went online and checked out her event and signed up;  I was one of the first to do so. 

Hosted by Janet Goldstein and Elizabeth Marshall, this event delivered much more than I had imagined. The phenomenal three days were inspiring, filled with real life success stories, had an incredible group of people, some very well-known passionate authors, editors, promoters, and publishing house executives. People from all over the world were in attendance.  It was a truly a rich experience.

While I had wondered whether I would actually fit in at this event, I wound up feeling inspired, making new friendships and on my way to writing a book about diabetes that publishers want.

Lessons Learned:

1.   Everything is about relationships and making choices through connections. I really like using the word “connections” because when you truly connect with someone, it isn’t forced. I personally don’t like going to “networking” events that are less about making connections than about making a sale or have something to do with a “quid pro quo” action on your part – you know, ‘you scratch my back and I scratch yours?’ Sometimes, getting to know people and just listening is what matters most. Building relationships that are authentic and developing substantive connections are most important in every area of our lives.

2.   Answering the ultimate question of “Why?” Why are you writing this book? What brought you to this event? Why do you want to do this and why does this go beyond the ego of wanting to get on a ‘Best Seller’s List?’ Maybe it’s to help other people or to serve other people. I know that my book - which will be coming out next year – was an extension of my desire to serve more people. My book on diabetes will hopefully help people realize they can lead healthy, long, productive lives.

3.   Be humble. There were so many incredibly powerful people at these conferences but they were all humble. They didn’t let their ego control them or dictate their future. It kind of reminds me of the ‘Anchorman’ movie, where Will Ferrell says, “I’m a kinda of a big deal.” And there were rooms filled with people who were all ‘big deals’, but they were all humble. It makes me wonder if their humility and quiet confidence was responsible for their success. I can’t thank Janet and Elizabeth enough! 

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To find out more about Shawn's exciting new telecourse please visit www.born2bealive.com

A former boss told me, “You’re the average of the five people you spend the most time with, so be really selective.”  I often think about this.

Where you choose to invest your time and who you invest your time with is tremendously important.  If you spend your time with a complainer who is never happy, it’s going to rub off on your own state of mind.  It may even affect your ability to complete your goals, as you’ll find yourself joining in with the chorus of complaints.  Instead of wasting time with negativity, it’s better to invest your time with people who are making things happen.  These are people who are trying to make a difference.  When you surround yourself with positive, productive people, you can’t help but become a part of what they are accomplishing.  Thus, the decisions we make everyday—where we spend our time and who we spend our time with—are vital to our own success. 

This brings to mind Chloe Steepe, a woman who I’ve had the pleasure to meet and know through her not-for-profit group called, Connected in Motion. Chloe is someone I want to spend a lot of time with; she makes conscious life choices to be positive and productive while living with diabetes. 

Chloe’s organization connects people who have Type I or insulin-dependent diabetes with sports, recreation, and healthy living.  Chloe inspires me and others with her positive approach to life.  She shares her personal experiences living with diabetes, enabling her to make a true connection to other people who are also living with diabetes.  Her determination to make the world a better place and her commitment to living well with diabetes is infectious to those around her.  

The connections people make with each other through organizations like Chloe’s are tremendous.  It’s kind of like going to a party and instantly connecting with someone who you’ve just met but s/he happens to be from your hometown, or you share something in common.  You instantly click and have a great time talking, feeling completely comfortable with each other, as if you didn’t just meet but instead have known each other for years.  Times that feeling by a hundred and you would know what it’s like to connect to other people who choose to live well with diabetes; the connection is really that strong. 

Words alone do not articulate and convey the uniqueness of this community. Here is a video clip to watch to get a taste of what it's like to surround yourself with great people who share common experiences. In my case, it was a weekend in January of playing sports and sharing time with new friends who have diabetes. You can hear the passion and see the special community with your own eyes in this video clip.  The people in the organization truly make the experience wonderful. 

Here are three lessons I learned (and they really apply to everyone):

• We are the average of the five people we spend our time with.  Be very selective.  Look at your life and what you want for yourself, and then figure out who are the people who will have a positive influence and the ability to inspire you.  These will be the people with whom you will want to spend your time. 
• Your physical environment matters.  It is important to change your environment from time to time.  If you stay in the same place, it is hard to change your thinking and go beyond the parameters of where you currently reside in your life.  New environments introduce new ways of thinking.                                                                       I’m lucky enough that I get to travel a lot for my work.  Being on the road for my work and changing environments so frequently enables me to constantly shift my way of thinking.  I get out of my comfort zone and encounter new experiences that have an impact on the way I look at things.  You do not have to travel or even spend money to experience a new physical environment.  In fact, it could be as simple as going on a walk, working in the library instead of your usual office, going to the park, or anywhere that is different from your ordinary work place.  In other words, a simple change of scenery can be powerful.
• Action is essential.  Everyone can talk about their great ideas, but talk is cheap.  Having the ability to act is what will make you successful.  You need to move toward your goal and what you want.  This requires you to also carefully choose the people you want to surround yourself with, because these people will have an impact on your ability to act.  Pick up the phone, send that e-mail, do whatever you need to do to make something happen.  The key is to act.

If you believe someone would enjoy and benefit from this post, please share it. Just click on the + Share button and you will see lots of options for sharing it with friends including email, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. Thanks!

To find out more about Shawn's exciting new telecourse please visit www.born2bealive.com

There’s a fantastic worldwide organization called Right to Play that was founded after the Lillehammer Olympics in 1994.  It's an organization that uses sport to teach life lessons to children in underdeveloped or developing nations. 

I’m very new to the organization and I’ve been asked to help out with the first program that has ever been done in Canada.  Whenever there is an Olympics, or your country hosts the Olympics, you get to run what they call a legacy program and actually do some of the great Right to Play work in your own country. So this opportunity came to me a few months ago. 

One of the two programs that we’ll be running here in Canada is a hockey program which will be starting in the Fall.  The second program is a summer play program for children between the ages of 4 and 14.   Both of the communities that benefit from the summer sun program and the hockey program are remote First Nation communities in the northern part of Ontario, called Moose Factory. 

A few days ago, myself and the Right to Play Team left Toronto bound for Moose Factory.  After two plane trips and a boat trip we arrived.  Our plan was to spend two days with our youth councilors training them on Right to Play games and activities so they would be ready to lead groups of children starting next Monday.  The camp will offer a variety of sporting activities, plus other activities such as cooking, karate, science (building a rocket), and even a class where the kids will get a chance to be a reporter going around taking pictures and writing articles for a weekly newspaper.  The program will run from Monday to Friday, with a big community celebration being planned for the Friday afternoon.

When we started the training we were made aware of some of the differences between the First Nation community and the urban culture where we’re from in Toronto. We had three main messages that we really wanted to stress with the youth councilors.  In no particular order these messages were:

1. To be safe.  We wanted to stress that with the youth councilors needed to be safe not only with themselves, but also physically and emotionally with the kids.
2. To have fun.  In everything that I do I believe that if it’s fun, it gets done!  So we wanted to let them know that they should have fun and make sure that the kids have fun too.
3. Learn something new every day.   How the power of learning something new whether that’s a new skill or making a new friend or whatever that was.

So that was our three big points:

-To be safe.

-Have fun.

-Learn something new every day.

The irony of our two day visit with the First Nation in Moose Factory was that although it was our goal to leave these points with the youth, they taught these same things back to us!  The first one of being safe; from first arriving by boat we were welcomed the entire time by everybody in the community.  Everywhere we walked we were greeted with happy, smiling welcoming faces and had so many great conversations with people, including the youth.  They made us feel not only safe, but they also made us feel extremely welcomed.  We really appreciated that.

The second one was having fun.  Well, to say that we had fun while we were there is an understatement!  We went out and were welcomed to their twice-a-week softball game.  We experienced lots of laughs throughout the two days, lots of genuine sharing, and most definitely we had a lot of fun!

The last one, learn something new every day.. well the ironic thing was that we probably learned a lot about the community and the people by being there, and observing.   I think the biggest lesson I learned is that sometimes you need to listen more and talk less.  I learned this from the people in Moose Factory.  I learned of the strength of community, the power of community, the power of helping each other, and the power of just being really genuine, honest and trusting.  That’s something that didn’t leave me when I returned to Toronto. 

So the three main points and lessons that I learned from Moose Factory are:

1.       To be safe.

2.       To have fun.

3.       To learn something new every day.

And I think it was a little ironic that that was something we were trying to teach, and leave with them– and yet it’s what they left with us!

To find out more about Shawn's exciting new telecourse please visit www.born2bealive.com

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I have a little exercise to challenge you with today. Who have you recently talked to? Think about your daily conversations—at work, in an elevator, at the store, on the phone. If you think about all the people you talk to in a day, you can then divide these people into two groups: the "yeah, but…" people and the "creators."

The first group are the "yeah, but…" people. These people are the victims of the world. The kind of people who focus on the negative and will tell you "yeah, but if I only had better health" or whatever it is they think would have made a difference in their ability to take action. They are full of excuses and everything is always someone else’s fault. They spend their time focusing on the reasons why they can’t do something and do not look at themselves and what they can do. Consequently, the "yeah, but…" people do not tend to accomplish their goals, but instead get stuck dwelling on what they don’t have and anything that is "bad" in their lives.

The second group is the "creators." These people look at what they want to accomplish and they focus on making it happen, always looking for opportunities that will help them reach their goals. They do not dwell on the negative, but instead focus on what they are grateful for and what they can do. Of course these people have their ups and downs; it’s not about sticking your head in the sand and ignoring the realities of life. Their lives aren’t perfect, but the creators know how to direct their energy and where to focus, which prevents them from getting stuck on the negative. In the end, what you focus on is what you will get. The creators know and understand the power of focusing on the positive.

Now, the first group (the "yeah, buts…") will usually be in bad moods. Interestingly, they attract other people in bad moods, so you have people who are negative associating with other negative people. This is the group you want to stay away from. In fact, I consider this group contagious. Complaining doesn’t serve anyone’s interest and it certainly doesn’t accomplish anything. Anyone can complain, but to actually do something about your complaints and find solutions is a lot rarer to find in a person.

The second group of "creators" is always looking for connections that they can make with other like-minded individuals. They are constantly celebrating the good things in their lives. The creators find things to be thankful for, and these are the people that I want to spend my time with because of their positive influence on my own life.

The bottom line is that we all have choices in life. Every single day we are making a ton of choices. By mid-morning we have already made dozens of choices: what time to wake-up, what to eat for breakfast, what to wear, what time to leave for work, what route to take, etc. But the most important choice we make is how we think and what we believe. They say that you are what you repeatedly do, and I believe this is so true. If you complain, that’s what you are. If you are a go-getter and make things happen, that’s what you are.

So that brings me to the lessons I’ve learned about making choices.

Put yourself first. Think about what is important to you. Make choices that serve your interests first. The more you can serve yourself, the more you can serve the world. When you are on an airplane, they teach you to put the oxygen mask on yourself before putting it on a child in the case of an emergency. If you don’t help yourself first, you won’t be able to help the child. This is true about anything in life.

Catch yourself. Make it really simple. Choose three things that you want to work on and do each day that will make a positive difference in your life. They can be really simple things like eating healthier or joining an association and volunteering. Make a list of those three things, post it somewhere visible (like on a mirror), and then just do it.

Choose to take action.

We are all going to have good and bad days. When you find yourself going down the road of negativity, learn how to shift your energy back into a positive direction. Shift your focus with something as simple as a thought, picture, or even a song. Find something to help you shift gears so you are not getting stuck in a rut of negativity.

If you believe someone would enjoy and benefit from this post, please share it. Just click on the + Share button and you will see lots of options for sharing it with friends including email, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. Thanks!

Shawn Shepheard has worked extensively in the career development field, including recruitment, customer service, career management and leadership training. He is also a celebrated inspirational speaker and was named the 2008 Volunteer of the year from the Canadian Diabetes Association.

graphic: brianbatchelder.com

A few days ago I had an amazing opportunity to give a speech at the Canadian Diabetes Symposium in Brantford, Ontario.  The turnout was impressive:  a ballroom bursting at its seams with over 600 people, many of them standing.  The positive energy was truly contagious.  People ranged in age from a newborn to senior citizens, but we were all there because we shared something in common:  we are choosing to live our lives well with diabetes. 

The symposium was filled with people who were passionate about wanting to a make a positive difference in their lives and in the lives of others who are living with diabetes.  We swapped our personal stories and shared life lessons, finding refuge in the similarities of our experiences with diabetes.  We all had so much in common, yet so much to learn from each other.  There was lots of crying and lots of laughing, the kind of emotional reactions that I strongly believe can fuel change in a person’s life.  I left the event 45 minutes after it was over because I was having such a wonderful time talking and connecting with other people.    

Watch highlights from the evening.

When I was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes twelve years ago, it changed my life forever.  I made a decision that I wasn’t going to just settle with having diabetes.  I decided that I was going to live well with diabetes, and today I am always looking for passionate people who live well with their diabetes, and I try to learn how they do it. 

The best place to find these kinds of people is through volunteer work for organizations like the Canadian Diabetes Association, American Diabetes Association, or the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.  These volunteer organizations and the people who participate in their events inspire me to strive to live a great life and to try to help other people living with diabetes do the same.  Volunteering gives me the opportunity to meet unique, life-inspiring individuals whose invigorating enthusiasm and positive attitudes add value and meaning to my own life.  I am so fortunate that volunteering has brought so many great people into my life and has allowed me the opportunity to form strong connections with so many of them. 

Here are 3 lessons I learned from the symposium and my experiences with volunteering:

1.      People make conscious choices when they want to change their lives.  It was a gorgeous day in Brantford when I attended the symposium.  The 600 attendees could have been doing any number of activities, but they chose to attend the event.  They chose to surround themselves with like-minded people who are focused on living their lives well with diabetes.  These individuals chose to be positive and proactive, and to learn and connect with each other. 

 
2.      Laughter is the best medicine.  Although the event had its share of serious moments and tears, everyone was having a good time talking, celebrating their stories, smiling, and most of all- laughing.  I have been to events that were all doom and gloom.  The symposium was the opposite:  everyone was feeling great and motivated to enjoy life.  It is tremendously uplifting to gather with people who have the passion and the motivation to enjoy their lives to their fullest potential.  

3.       Making connections are important.  When I volunteer and attend events with other people who are diabetic, I have the privilege of making immediate connections with individuals through our similar challenges and passion to make a difference.  I make true connections with people who are passionately seeking to have a good life with diabetes, and this in turn makes my life better.

If you believe someone would enjoy and benefit from this post, please share it. Just click on the + Share button and you will see lots of options for sharing it with friends including email, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. Thanks!

Shawn Shepheard has worked extensively in the career development field, including recruitment, customer service, career management and leadership training. He is also a celebrated inspirational speaker and was named the 2008 Volunteer of the year from the Canadian Diabetes Association.

Eighteen months ago, I started insulin pump therapy that changed my life in so many positive ways.  It gave me the freedom and flexibility to let me live my life well.  I could play sports, travel, and do so many other things with the insulin pump therapy.  It has been the best help I have received to let me live my life to its fullest. 

I’m not the only one who has benefited from the insulin pump.  I met a determined and inspirational woman named Chloe Steepe who is also on the insulin pump.  Chloe was diagnosed with diabetes at the age of nineteen.  She is very active in hiking, biking, and other recreational activities.  The diagnosis was understandably a big blow to her.  Chloe quickly discovered that there were a lot of support groups for kids and adults living with diabetes, but none for young adults.  After some encouragement, she decided to do something about it and started a non-profit organization called “Connected in Motion” (www.connectedinmotion.ca).  Connected in Motion brings together people who are living well with diabetes through sports and recreation. 

Chloe’s organization held a unique event called “Slipstream,” which I attended.  It was an outdoor weekend for people living with insulin dependent diabetes.  Can you imagine going to camp in your forties?  It was great!  We were all connected not only through our diabetes, but also through our interest in physical activities.  Chloe and her group were very welcoming and I felt part of a great, encouraging environment. 

Among the many fantastic people there, was Carlos, at the event this past January.  Carlos is into bike racing and managed to convince me to participate in a 35km bike race.  Now, I’ve done a few marathons, but I wasn’t exactly in top shape to do a bike race.  I signed up anyway, figuring I had time before the April race.  Why not, right? 

As life has a way of doing, I got busy with work and other things, and the race got pushed to the backburner of my priorities.  I realized three weeks out that if I was going to participate in the race, I needed to get myself ready.  At that point, I had done zero training.  Two weeks out I managed to borrow a bike from my friend Chris Jarvis, and I got a few runs in.  I knew I wasn’t going to be prepared the way I should have been. 

Finally, the day of the race came, and people with their spandex and bikes were ready to compete.  Chloe’s group was there.  Boy, was I unprepared!  This wasn’t just a regular 35km bike race; it was an off-roading race, complete with farm fields, mud, gravel, hills, and everything else but nice smooth pavement.  Biker etiquette dictates calling out “on the left” when you want to pass someone.  Let’s just say I heard “on the left” more times than I could count and was getting passed by all day until there wasn’t very many people left to pass me.  In fact, I was struggling to even finish the race.  It was challenging and grueling; I seriously didn’t think I would be able to finish.  That’s when Chloe stepped in and with her kindness helped me get up a big hill and finish the race.    I sure didn’t get first place, but I finished 35 km and enjoyed a great day with everyone, and from that experience I learned a lot. 

That brings me to the lessons I learned:

1.       Be prepared.  I was obviously not prepared for the bike race and struggled just to finish it.  You need to do your homework for anything you want to do in life.  Time and energy need to be invested toward a goal if you want to succeed.  I’ve always loved this quote:  we are what we repeatedly do. 

2.       Accept help.  If I was going to finish that race, I knew I would have to accept help.  Chris Jarvis let me borrow his bike which I used to participate in the race.  My wife drove me around that day and was supportive of my participation in the event.  Chloe gave me lots of training tips and helped me finish the race.  Carlos sent out e-mails preparing us for the race.  We all have something to contribute to each other, so accept the help.

3.       Look for the lesson.  Every single day we are confronted with choices.  When I was two weeks away from the race and realized I was not in ideal shape, I could’ve just stayed home.  Instead, I got off the couch and participated in the 35km bike race.  When I was tired, sore, and stuck in the mud, I could have given up right then and there.  But, with Chloe’s help and little determination, I finished the race.  At the end of the day I realized that the race was a learning experience and an opportunity to participate in a great event with fantastic people.  That’s what is important. 

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Shawn Shepheard has worked extensively in the career development field, including recruitment, customer service, career management and leadership training. He is also a celebrated inspirational speaker and was named the 2008 Volunteer of the year from the Canadian Diabetes Association.

I am so blessed.

No really, I am.

I know those are words that we don't hear everyday, but just maybe we should.

Let me explain.

I just spent an hour at one of the best cancer treatment hospitals in the world - The Princess Margaet Hospital here in Toronto, Canada.

I am fine - I was scheduled for a routine CAT scan - as part of a series of medical tests I am going through to participate in an exercise study for people living with insulin dependent diabetes.

I walked into, and out, of the hospital free of any worry about living.

I was one of the lucky ones.

Thousands of people walk through those doors everyday, uncertain about if they will be with us this time next year.

We can talk about living life to the fullest, enjoying everyday, but when you are sitting in a hallway in the hospital (trying to keep your hospital gown closed), sitting with real people, that are not sure what this machine, and the next test ,will tell them about their future, it really hits home.

It makes you think.

What about this gentlemen on the gurney waiting, alone, in the hall? What's his story? Is he a Grandfather, brother, volunteer, someone's best friend? What is he feeeling right now?

Or, the women sitting beside me.  Is she a mom,  a grandmother?  She looks scared.

I want to do something, but I am frozen.  What could I possibly say to make things alright?

I feel guilty that I am even in their presence; after all I'm just taking part in a diabetes study.

My CAT scan went well and I got dressed and left the hospital  with a renewed appreciation of life and feeling truly blessed for the life that I live.

The air outside the hospital felt fresh, alive, and I promise you I will throughly enjoy the sun rising up tomorrow morning!

Greetings from the 2010 Winter Olympics in Beautiful Vancouver.

The energy in the city is unbelievable, walking the streets and seeing the flags and colors of many countries around the world, is something I will never forget.

It's an interesting combination of celebrating your pride in your own country, while at the same time celebrating and experiencing the pride and colors of other countries.  (Soccer could learn a lesson or two from the Olympics).

We decided to watch the Women's Gold Medal Hockey game between Canada and the United States in a packed local sports bar.  Being in Vancouver, the bar was filled with Canadian flags and a sea of red.  However, there were also a number of American fans supporting their team.

The incredible thing was how everyone celebrated the game and enjoyed the atmosphere (Ok, Canadians might have enjoyed it a little more with a 2-0 victory).

My sister in law and I met a nice New Yorker, and watched the game with her with nothing more than a little friendly teasing. We actually invited our new friend to 'hang with us, and we enjoyed dinner together and a fantastic evening.  So much so, that I will be meeting her again in New York in two weeks.

It was a great evening and, on a small scale, showed how great it is when we put our "flags" down and made a great, real connection.

Looking forward to taking in the last few days here and going to the Gold Medal hockey game.  Here's to keeping the Olympic spirit alive well after the games have ended.

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