Thanks to Apolitical, an organization focused on the discovery of knowledge and best practices from the global public service community, I had the pleasure of speaking to an audience of approximately 300 public servants about the importance of emotional intelligence in the workplace. Here’s the link to the full video: https://vimeo.com/566945969

The life of a politician isn’t an easy one. Limited family time, an extensive workload and public scrutiny does not sound like criteria for a job many would want to apply for. And yet, every four years our lawns are littered with signs from people vying for his or her chance at federal leadership. The missed kids’ soccer games, minimal hours of sleep and senseless Twitter jabs from an array of egg Avi’s must all be worth it somehow. I believe that a politician’s drive is just different. While many people simply imagine a better town, province or country, a politician wants to roll up his or her sleeves to physically influence that better to happen.

I was lucky enough to have met the Prime Minister of Canada and his Parliamentary Secretary at a Black History Month event on Parliament Hill. Municipal, provincial and federal government officials and their teams work diligently to ensure that the citizens under their scope of jurisdiction obtain the services they require. If you’re thinking about a change of career and to try your hand at politics, my suggestion would be to do your research. Speak to a few local politicians at various levels of government. Also, speak to their staff members as they provide support and can add great perspective and value to the questions you may have.

Myself with The Honourable MP and Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister, Celina Caesar-Chavannes and myself with The Right Honourable Prime Minister Justin Trudeau

This year marked the 32nd annual Harry Jerome Awards. I am so thankful to the BBPA for its invitation to attend. It was an evening filled with regality and high-esteem and yet, surprisingly, I felt quite at home. I normally opt for sweats and a baseball cap, but the royal atmosphere illuminated my inner upper echelon woman. There was an amazing sense of unity and support throughout the room. My level of intelligence or professional achievement pales to that of the majority of those who filled the hall that night. However, as the program progressed I quickly realized that it wasn’t about who has ‘done more’, but rather who has inspired the community to reach a little further. In fact, “Reaching Beyond the Stars” was the theme of this year’s awards. It was such an inspirational event and I am truly motivated to re-focus my community outreach initiatives and to gain professional momemtum.

Above: Myself pictured with CP24’s Nneka Elliot and Farley Flex at the 2014 Harry Jerome Awards

We’ve come to the realization that the old saying “the sky’s the limit” no longer applies. Yes, it rolls off the tongue and satisfies the need to remove the constraints we place on ourselves. However, the truth is that there are stars and galaxies that reach far beyond our sky and as such are a more accurate measurement of the possibilities resting inside our hearts – limitless.

It can be overwhelming to continuously have your sights set on something seemingly so out of reach. Big dreams don’t come to fruition after the first night’s sleep. As a matter of fact, they can only happen once you’ve opened your eyes and assessed the steps to make them a reality.

Rogers TV is a television network, broadcasting local community content. My experience as a guest on Rogers TV’s Daytime Durham to speak about the importance of donating blood gave me the opportunity to meet amazing local leaders. Local business owners, community groups and fellow not-for-profit group representatives all sharing the same vision – growth. They wanted the world to know about the product or service they offered. With a desire to increase their exposure, they understood the importance of cultivating their roots in their own backyard first. The support from your own community is essential as it demonstrates credibility and loyalty. It’s similar to a sports team. The energy at a home game is amplified ten-fold than that at an away game. It’s vital to remain connected to your initial source as a means of staying focused on the goal and seeing how far you’ve come. Once you’ve reached your highest height, you’ll have the humility and discipline to stay there.

No matter where life takes you and how successful you become, its important to stay connected to your roots. I commend local media outlets who are committed to supporting homegrown organizations and talent.

Lately, I’ve met many people who have decided to start their own business. From larger investments like a family restaurant to an in-home daycare service; entrepreneurship is on the rise. To pursue a new business venture full-time requires a great deal of courage. They choose their new line of work, put a name to it and set out to market their skills. Even when the rest of the world may doubt their ability to be successful, they must remain fixated on the bigger picture. Often times they have left a full-time job or exhausted all of their savings to begin this new chapter. It’s scary.

People are drawn to the concept of being their ‘own boss’ for the freedom. Having the ability to select their own hours, employees and salary seem liberating and a refreshing alternative to fighting traffic to punch a clock; working toward someone else’s dream. However, contrary to what is thought to be a freeing situation, an eight-hour day is an unrealistic desire for the first few years of any new business undertaking. Entrepreneurs become their own marketing team, research and development, pubic relations, accounting, etc. It’s a joggling act of responsibilities, leaving very little time in their day for much else. In the end, the level of success lies solely on the business owner. I feel that other than creative freedom, the entrepreneur isn’t left with very many other liberties.

Having a sole source of income is something of the past. It’s becoming increasingly more important to have a back-up plan as the cost of living continues to rise and the job market becomes less stable. Fostering a passion into a business can be daunting and actually requires a fair bit of ego. A business owner needs to believe that his or her product or service is superior to all others and act accordingly. There is certainly a ‘boss’ or leader mentality that sets an entrepreneur apart. It may not be natural right away, but as time passes and they realize just how much is at stake…it’ll come.

An exciting concept of entrepreneurship is when friends with a varied skill-set come together  to start a business. This can alleviate some of the stress brought on by having to carry the brunt of job responsibilities alone. This can also prove as problematic as friends are great to socialize with, but the added pressure of a professional relationship could ruin the camaraderie.

Be it a lemonade stand or a construction empire, I think we all have a little bossy side ready to be explored.

Many times when it comes to the topic of health and cancer awareness, much of the focus is placed on women. Consequently, much less attention is paid to men’s health issues. As a woman, I can appreciate the amount of attention the media and different social enterprises give towards women’s health issues. I am also a daughter and a niece to men who do not give their own health and wellness the attention it deserves. The government of Ontario has made information pertaining to prostate cancer readily available at the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, however, the men in my life seldom research health information online or seek it elsewhere.

With approximately 4,000 men in Canada dying from prostate cancer each year, I am so grateful for Movember, an annual charity initiative dedicated to bringing awareness to men’s health issues, specifically prostate cancer and mental health. Men are encouraged to grow a moustache throughout the month of November to initiate discussion about this important topic. Last year, this campaign was successful in raising $42 million. For more information about the Movember campaign, please visit www.ca.movember.com.

I believe that the simple act of growing a moustache to create more conversation about a topic directly affecting our grand-fathers, fathers, husbands and uncles is step in the right direction. I will do everything I can to encourage the men I know to visit the doctor for a physical exam. I took the liberty of visiting www.facetache.com to do “a lilttle bit mo” to support this important movement.

Carolyn supporting the Movember movement

According to the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation, 1 in 9 women in Canada will somehow be affected by the disease within her lifetime. A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of lending a hand on behalf of Revlon at the  ‘Think Pink’ event and later for the CBCF CIBC Run for the Cure. Both of these events were aimed at both raising awareness and much needed funds for cancer research. It was truly an honour and inspiration to have been involved.

Revlon Canada Fundraising Committee Members and Sarah Warden, CBCF

Run Day was a blast! The weather cooperated and everyone was out determined to play their role in making cancer a thing of the past. I’ve taken part in the run in previous years to support family and friends who have been touched by this horrible disease. However, this year I had the pleasure of volunteering with Team Revlon. Revlon was on site selling product gift bags valued at $250 for a only $20, with all proceeds going to support the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation. The bags were a hot item and sold out in no time! The entire day was a success and I was so overjoyed to have been apart of it.

CIBC CBCF Run for the Cure

Rallying together in support of such a great cause brings the community even closer together. I believe with ongoing support efforts, I will surely witness the end of cancer within my lifetime!