There are very few good things that come with being diagnosed with Breast Cancer, but one of the few bright spots over this entire journey was being included in a television spot to promote the CIBC Run for the Cure, Canada’s largest single-day event to raise funds for the Canadian Cancer Society. The entire cast was made up of ‘real’ people who’ve been personally impacted by BC. I ‘play’ the woman who gets emotional realizing the weight of her situation, but then finds quickly finds her strength to soldier on. Not a stretch, obvs. I’ve been in this situation countless times.
Regardless, I’m incredibly proud, humbled and honoured to have been asked to take part. You can check the spot above.
āThe only reason for time is so that everything doesnāt happen at once.ā āAlbert Einstein
I normally donāt write about topics beyond fashion and style on this blog but felt somewhat compelled this time around. Over the past few months Iāve been thinking a lot about regrets ā my own, othersā, how they can positively or negatively affect you, and even whether you should carry them in the first place.
Let me put this in context: I was having lunch with a friend/colleague the other day, someone Iāve known for a few years now and had hired for various jobs in the past. Sheās smart, stylish, talented and an all-round lovely person so I was rather looking forward to sitting down together, especially after we had said we would so many times before and just never found the time to make it happen.
And so it was that I went to meet said friend who unfortunately, managed to show up almost 15 minutes late (something this perennially-late person would never begrudge). But as we were catching up I could see how distracted she seemed. There was a lot of checking her phone for messages, rushing through the meal, requesting the bill before dishes were cleared, asking questions whose responses were heard but not listened.
I guess that was the part that bothered me the most. You can tell when someoneās not really listening or attentive to what you have to say, and not seeing the person you are. Itās subtle and somewhat indescribable, but you know itās there. And itās awful.
Listen, I completely appreciate how frantic, rushed, and overscheduled people. These days everything seems to happen at once and everything is urgent All. The. Time. That said, thereās a fine line between being ācrazy busyā and embracing it as your identity. The oft-uttered phrase, āIām so busy,ā is delivered as a simultaneous lament and bragāone to be interpreted as both āI wish I could cut backā and āIām in such high demand.ā
Perhaps due to Instagramās FOMO-inducing feed, smart phones making us available to everyone around the clock, and the Internetās ever-looming #ICYMI culture, the feeling of having too much to do and not enough time to do it is epidemic. But with it an unspoken competition has arisen: Whoever does the most stuff wins. Itās obnoxious and nauseating and itās why I made the decision last year not to utter it anymore.
Iām trying to get in the habit of being mindful of moments. Iām learning to slow down, to put 100% focus on whatever it is that Iām doing, to not multitask as much and, when Iām with someone, to truly be engaged with them.
If Iām being honest with myself, Iām less annoyed by the fact that this friend acted in this manner as much as I could see and recall how often I did it to others. Itās a regret I have (one of many I would add to the list) and I wish I could get her to see and understand it in her own right. Not to get too Oprah on you but all people really want is to be seen. Itās not a lot to ask. And regardless of whether youāre friends, acquaintances or colleagues, as a person ā as a human being that is wired for connection ā it seems to me is the very least you can give.
Afiya Francisco of The Style House is an editor whom I’ve had the good fortune to know for several years now. She’s smart and stylish but more importantly, she’s one of those people that radiates love and light and a real authentic warmth. She’s also drop dead gorgeous. So I was stoked to hear she was launching an online magazine and wanted to include yours trulyĀ in it. The whole issue is themed on minimalism so I went forĀ looks that whispered (think Theory and Club Monaco) whilst maintaining my love of shine and glitter in the form of accessories and bijoux.
I kinda loved this portrait shot that photographer Anna Lisa Sang snapped of me, which is saying somethingĀ since I generally loathe having my photo. As for the other pics, a note to self though: Ā wearing suede culottes one size too big will actually make me look like a blimp. Alas… you can check out the full guide here.
“Theyāve done studies where theyāve written āhateā on water and the molecules in the water have changed. But if you write āloveā on the jar that the water is in, the molecules change [differently]. Donāt ask me how or what, but itās just a reality. Thereās power in that word.Ā I think that we put on clothes every single day to express ourselves and I just want people to be able to express themselves in a very stylish yet comfortable and unique way. And whether they know it or not, theyāre expressing love.ā – Ellen DeGeneres via Women’s Wear Daily
“…weāre people. We buy with our heads, but most of the time we buy with our hearts. We need more beauty. We need more emotion. We need more collaborations. ⦠And lastly, we need maybe to love each other a little more.ā –Alber Elbaz via The Cut