After 8 weeks of anticipation, Friday was the big day. We walked into Seth’s stunning office with huge smiles and slight intimidation, naturally. It is Seth Godin, after all.
The walls covered in beautiful art, Obama’s big sign of Hope, McLeod’s comics, Purple Cow parafanalia…oh what a site to see! It was in fact so perfectly Seth – the King of personal branding. We spent 3 hours chatting as a group – to each other – being pulled into a side room to chat with Seth 1:1…while sipping delicious tea and Seth-made gluten free banana bread among other jewish pastries. The conversations were inspiring, the people remarkable and the Seth-experience: mind blowing!
Sadly, only 9 of us were chosen. I felt like I was on a live screening of Survivor or perhaps The Apprentice. Folks had flown in from Europe and across the US for this experience. Proudly, I was the lone Canadian, eh. …and the rest of the week shall not be blogged nor tweeted about…
So for now, I will leave you the picture of the crew (in a not-so-flattering-Steph-look):
And send out huge gratitude to this lil guy for watching our lil’bear while we are way:
Adorable!
Signing off from NYC…where we run in Central Park, shop in SoHo and live in the Upper West Side….life is but a dream!
Tonight I was reminded that I live in the best place on earth… the calm ocean, the sun setting, dinner on the beach with Willy chasing anything with a heart beat and girl chatter at it’s finest. Bliss baby, Bliss.
Among the girl chatter came up…feelings. I realized that I live my life with my wee lil heart as my compass – when it feels right, I move ahead (fast); when it feels wrong, I reverse and when feeling unsure, i usually procrastinate. Every decision I make accompanies my quest to feel totally blissed out! I will do *almost* anything in the name of bliss. I crave it, I yearn for it, I’m addicted to it, I just love it….utter elation. Nothing beats it.
Sometimes I feel like I’m on a War Canoe – I’m at the back, bangin’ the drum – telling the people who matter the most to me to “go find Happy”. I used to worry that it didn’t sound very credible and surely good leaders believe in more than Happy. I was concerned I would appear flakey – lacking in substance – ya know, too fluffy. And then one day, i just stopped caring about the worry and concern, and amp’d the happiness quota…
Two years later, almost to the day that this blog post was written (Thank you Google – what a treat to find it!)…I’ve gone thru 2 job changes, increased my earnings by nearly 30%, landed my dream job at lululemon, crossed some finish lines I’ve been proud of, created my first company (bumps + grinds included!) to start a Happiness Movement around the world and will be meeting Seth Godin in NYC in less than 48hrs! … all in the name of chasing (relentlessly!) BLiSS. While these may be selfish pursuits, I can look back to say I’m still chasing the dream of one day being a CHO and hope that the lives I get to interact with along the way will benefit from seeing a heart on fire.
Inspired by Bro (and his list), this felt like a perfect Rainy Weekend blog entry…but took longer than one rainy day weekend to complete. And was then furthermore inspired by the AwesomeAppleton and her post on gratitude.
What I’m Thankful for right now…in no particular order, only with heaps of gratitude for being smile generators in my life right now (remarkable human beings not included!):
1. Farmer’s Markets – they are right around the spring corner… i can smell the tomatoes
2. Agatha my Argon – she takes me on fun adventures, rain or shine!
3. Soy Candles
4. Well organized spaces – shelving + labels included with only wooden hangers, obviously.
5. Bottles of Bubbles – usually popped to celebrate something great!
6. A fresh pedi by my wee Vietnamese lady
7. lululemon anything – life is mo’bettah in luon all day!
8. My Birks – chubby feet appreciate the width
9. Trader Joe’s – the bulk goodness and peppermint shampoo still make my day
10. My wedding ring – a simple reminder of Forever
11. Pangea Organics Facial Toner – “lifts your skin & your spirits!”
12. Running shoes – road or trail – they are guaranteed to end up exploring new territory.
13. Picnics – dinner tastes better by the beach
14. Snail Mail
15. Silk Concept (king size) Duvet…for the new King – Heck Yes!
16. Room6 – it’s the best lil shop there ever was, period.
17. Hot sweaty yoga
18. Fabulous stationery
19. Ridiculous Possibilities….i used to call ‘em dreams, but now I know better.
20. My MacBook + her travel case (mine’s the one with the bike on it, obviously!)
21. Skype – makes loved ones far feel closer
22. Sunshine…no such thing as too much vitaminD.
23. The perfect handful (read: combination) of trail mix.
24. Laughing!
25. New adventures…new places…taking the long way ’round.
26. Danielle LaPorte’s e-book teaser - full of TRUTH BOMBS + White Hot Inspiration…launching TOMORROW!
27. Gratitude – nothing beats a “Thank You”! Giving or receiving, it makes my day, every time.
So 4 years later, we’ve decided to upgrade the Queen to a King…it feels Mo’Bettah! Willy just may get to join us in slumber more often and something tells me 5AM might not always be so bad.
Mid-Day Test! The Man and Willy approve!
Not only are we now sleeping on a King, but we are also covered in Silk — fit for a King I tell ya! Silk Concept is near and dear to my heart because thechics behind this company frankly rock. And beyond cool cats, I won’t tell you how your goose duvet is made, but I would highly suggest giving up the bird-filled and swapping over to the silk.
Something tells me, my new AMAZING nights rest will add for some killer energy all day long! Here’s to the King!
May 6th, 2010 marks the 1,460th day of wedded bliss!
Every May 6th, my heart beats a wee bit faster, I smile a wee bit bigger and I walk with more spring in my step. It was the day I become not just Steph Corker any longer, but Steph Corker Irwin….forever. It was the start of my journey to learn how just how much of a basket case I really am and how grateful I am that Mr. Irwin chose to marry me!
Once a Firefightah; Forever My Firefightah!
He reminds me that I’m crazy, and that’s okay. He stands by my wacky ideas and entrepreneurial pursuits, and believes in the dream with me. He doesn’t sweat the petty stuff and stands for the good stuff. He knows it’s not always easy, but he makes me always feel worth it. I love this guy!
What I also love is that we were surrounded by our amazing families and killer friends on May 6th, 2006. Family members that might be spread across the country, but are forever near and dear to us both. And Friends who now have new babies and bigger houses and amazing degrees/professions…but who still remain our most cherished circle of friends. We love these peeps!
Best Wedding Party, ever. (L-R: Mr.Amazing, Nurse, Doctor, TeamFab, New Dad, Martha Stewart, Recruiter - WOOT!)
And ohhh-soo-appropriately, we were at a wonderful wedding on Saturday night (the night before the Vancouver Marathon), and saw OUR wedding photographers shooting the beautiful bride and groom! 4 years later, their part-time hobbie is now their full-time livin’ dream…they are blissed out, full of all kinds of killer energy and truly rockin’ their new career! Talk about the perfect reminder of following your heart.
My Mama rocked out her first marathon on the weekend …6hr16min later, this smiling face crossed the finish line! It was truly remarkable considering her longest walk before this was 23km and she has had 9 knee operations (a replacement included!). For anyone looking for motivation to WALK 42.2km, may she inspire YOU! A full fabulous report can be found over at That’s A Corker!
SO Proud of YOU, Mom!
However, what That’s A Corker failed to mention is his unwavering, insanely dedicated, over the top positive AND committed cheering for endurance events! This guy (along with My Man) have showed up for an ultra marathon, an Ironman weekend, and countless other “multi-hour” races. It has been a long time since I was on the sidelines with him and I couldn’t have been more proud. To be following him around in frigid temperatures, on our bikes, in the pouring rain while he cheered for every single runner/walker by name…he really does have something special.
He believes in you, more than you believe in you. He’ll go the distance to see you finish. He’ll give you a high five, a squirt of water or heaps of salt pills in the name of seeing you keep moving. But best of all….he’ll proclaim all day long: “You’ve Got This!” …because he truly believes in the bottom of his heart, that YOU DO! What a guy!
Just another awesome weekend – bursting with pride for Mama + Bro!
I have the pleasure of speaking to heaps of people every day – some want a job, some want hope, some want security, some want big hairy dreams. For the most part, they are all really crazy cool human beings living the best life they can, with what they’ve got, where they are.
This morning’s conversation was especially cool.
I asked (one of my favorites): What are you most passionate about in life?
Her response: “Creating a life I love. Every morning I wake up and chose to love my life. I kinda see it like a soccer game – I’m playing forward, I can see the net, I’m in the right corner – I can shoot a goal every day. If I miss, I know to get up and get right back in the game. Back to my corner, where I can see the net. I chose to be there.
I used to think that when I missed a shot, I had to go back to doing more crunches, more drills, more crunches and then get ready to be back in the corner.
Now, I just play the game. Every day. I show up ready to score a goal. And the coolest part – is I think I’m scoring more goals in life!”
TRUTH BOMB!…dedicated to JoJo + lil’Appleton, my two favorite soccer/football playah’s!
Saturday morning’s weather in Vancouver was far-from-fabulous: chilly, pouring rain, dark, with no sign of the rain slowing down. Rain coats quickly become part of my religion when there is a (special) race 6 weeks away. I left the house with tinted sunglasses on, determined to find sunshine along the way and ride for as long as my dear friend Suz needed to go. (After all, she is the sunshine seeker like none other!)
The big group quickly faded hour 2 of the ride and it was Suz & I against the wind, rain and road splash. We ended up catching up with another IM dude from North Van. His beautiful calves pedaled so easily ahead of me while I sucked on the grit and dirt his rear tire spat in my face. Who knew hangin’ on would be such a wonderful thing? But once we’d made it off busy roads, I was able to ride beside him (into a head wind nonetheless!) and the typical tri-geek convo began… What are you training for? How is it going? Have you been to Kona?
I told him I was training for Honu70.3, to determine what the rest of my year would look like. He quickly called my bluff and said “no you aren’t – you are training to qualify for the Big Show”. While that was true, I didn’t quite have it in me to admit it – especially not to a talented man like himself. His response: “You’ve totally got this. You’ve just gotta believe”. I nodded and dropped back behind him for his Honu/IM tattoo to stare me straight in the retinas! BOOM.
While I didn’t find sunshine, I found a new sense of belief that the outcome of Honu is within reach. It was worth the ride in the rain!
Check out that road spray...and of course, the sunglasses!
white socks no more!
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As I laid curled up in a ball trying to get warm post this dirty wet ride, I checked my email to learn some very exciting news: I’ve made Seth Godin’s short list for his nanoMBA program in NY May 17-21. I am one of 22 human beings who have been invited for a 90min in-person interview on May 14th. By the end of that day, I will learn if I am one of the very lucky 11 who have been (hand chosen) to spend a week with Seth! I am stunned. My chances were less than 0.5% when I applied and my odds have now been increased to 50%! Regardless of the outcome, one brief moment in time with Mr. Godin is one moment I never thought I’d have.
In February I published My Bucket List and #59 reads: Have dinner with Seth Godin in NYC. On May 14th I am going to cross that off! (#60: Complete an Executive MBA – I wonder if a Nano will count? I guess I will find that out on May 14th as well!)
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I started this blog post on that rainy ride… to share with you that starting/doing/being with no expectations of the outcome is the best. And to think that the outcome of bliss – beyond my wildest dreams – came true before I had a chance to tell you, really makes me smile:) Go ahead, dream real big…believe in the impossible…ask unreasonable requests. YOU MIGHT JUST GET ‘EM!
Aww geeez…I’m slightly embarrassed and feel slightly empowered. The first crack at a stage in a room of 1200 people. You might want to turn the volume down – I think I got a wee bit too excited at times. Shocking, i know.
The most beautiful woman I know has just started an online fire of the White Hot Truth variety…
I rave about her all the time. I retweet her tweets, I comment on her blogs, I suck up her Truth Bombs like oxygen. She is a stunning soul who I so perfectly coined to be my White Oprah. I’ve just pre-ordered my digital-Danielle-Experience and the count down to May 12th is on! From a small spark might burst a huge flame…this is her flame – Watch Out World!
Aside: tomorrow night is Pecha Kucha. The only reason I’m rockin’ the stage is because of Her. Heaps of Gratitude will be flowin’, I promise.
Every morning you make a choice: will it be a good day or a great day? You've reached my daily dose of gratitude where I celebrate all things fabulous! Welcome.
