The Gift of Perspective

This past week I was a victim of fraud and it cost Willow a chunk of money. For several days I couldn’t shake how stupid and violated I felt. I had a sick feeling in my gut and lost my appetite for both food and work.  At the same time, there was a lot of…
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The Dance of Self Indulgence, Action and Attention

How much value is there really in the act of self reflection? Aren’t we humans being overly self indulgent if we’re continuously noticing how we’re impacted by whatever it is we’re up to?  These thoughtful questions were posed to us recently by a workshop participant.   If we’re talking about self reflection in isolation, we’re with…
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Grief in the Shadow

I was sitting at the wobbly picnic table at my campsite on beautiful Vancouver Island, at a family French camp we’ve attended for many years. My now teenage daughter is on an overnight trip, leaving me with lots of time on my hands. Instead of the excitement of anticipated “me time”, I feel off. I’m…
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The Paradox of Legacy: Hint, Stop Trying!

Ever since I was little, I’ve been thinking about my legacy. I fantasized about being remembered and acknowledged for doing great things for the world. I projected to the future and wondered what people would remember about me and what difference I will have made for others. In some ways this question has guided my…
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The Magic Combo of Self Awareness and Structure

“Ah-ha, that’s it!” I said to myself this morning, in the sleepy state of barely awake after my early-morning alarm. After struggling to figure out when in the day would work to visit my elder parents, I felt a surge of clarity and happiness. I have two deadlines to meet, a daughter on summer vacation,…
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Diary of a Love Letter

Dear reader, Here’s a peek into Michelle’s recent process of writing an End of Life Love Letter to her mom.  

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Your Past Informs Your Present

Whether you’re aware of it or not, your past informs your present. Previous experiences you’ve had with illness, dying, death, grief, and how someone was cared for after they died, have undoubtedly impacted you in some way, shape or form. Every aspect of a death has likely influenced your sense of what’s possible and what’s…
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The Best Place to Begin Your End-of-Life Planning

A few months ago I was at a social gathering and the conversation moved to my world of work. As if he’d heard the answer many times before, he asked “So, you’re going to tell me that the first thing I need to do is write a will, right?” “Actually, no.” I said, “The first…
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The Desire Map as a Tool for End-of-Life Planning

We love The Desire Map as a tool for end-of-life planning and it’s available for free until May 29th. The Desire Map is an approach that lets you choose how you want to feel in life and actually keep those feelings alive as you go.

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