Real, authentic second act stories
Finding his own truth
“It’s very rewarding, being able to help someone who comes to you very low and connect them with the opportunity that’s going to change their life. It’s humbling and difficult for people to say, ‘I need help.’ But that’s the first step, and then we work from there.”
Ladies Unite for International Women’s Day
“I just love what I do, and I’m really genuinely touched that I was nominated to be honoured in this way. There are so many incredible women entrepreneurs, and I feel grateful, blessed, and inspired to be part of this. I think with COVID and everything else, now more than ever it is just so important for women to support each other.”
Cooking up a new dream
These two focussed, kind, enthusiastic siblings, who finish each other’s sentences, are a living, breathing embodiment of what it is to support each other through hard times, and shift dramatically from a life that came crashing down, into a new passion full of love, joy, and hope for the future.
A Leap of Faith to Find Her Purpose
My advice to anyone looking to make a life change in their 50’s? It may not be easy, it may be anxiety-inducing, you may have moments where you wish you had stayed on the easy path, but be patient, wait for the right thing, never give up, and you will find your way to the job that is where you were meant to be.
Writing Her Own Path to Success
Anne was 9 years old when she began dreaming of a writing career. She describes herself as a person with a lifelong love of words. She turned that love into a career in journalism, communications, translation, and publishing, but publishing her own work kept getting pushed to the back burner.
Finding My Footing
My plan post-retirement dates back to 1997 when I took a one-year leave without pay to enroll at the School of Natural Therapies to complete a certificate in Foot Reflexology. Not everyone was on board with my newfound interest. My parents thought I joined some sort of crazy cult!
Born for a Life of Purpose
“This year we were able to send thousands of PPE to the islands. We also did a toy drive because we have a lot of orphanages in Grenada. This is just something I feel the need to do, to help my island. Although Montreal is my home, I’ve lived here longer than I lived in Grenada. It’s still is part of me. I still want to help the people there. I want to help the kids.”
Tommy Therapy
“The most important thing, if you’re dealing with something like an illness, or a tragedy, is that you can’t make it disappear, or minimize it, but you can remember that’s not all there is. It’s just one of the blocks in your life.”
Finding balance
“I literally got to the point where I was driving into work every day with this pit in my stomach like: I don't want to go, I don't want to do this.” She just couldn’t take it anymore, so Rose took a massive leap of faith, and resigned from a job she had loved, because it was killing her.
Planning for the Unexpected
Daniela spent the first half of her life as an assistant in the corporate world when she was laid off just before her 40th birthday, she wasn’t sure what she would do next. She felt lost, alone, confused…. and determined that she would make something good come out of her layoff. That’s when fate stepped in.
Speaking with joy
“We have it within ourselves, we have the resources within ourselves. We have to look deeply, sometimes be guided, but we have to go with our gut.”
Joy Gandall-Baily offers this advice at the end of a deep, heartbreaking, revealing conversation. Her journey from corporate HR specialist, to entrepreneur, to critical life skills coach is far from typical, and her reasons for making these uncommon life choices are compelling.
