Arianna Merritt, MEd | Health Educator & Digital Creator

What I Learned From Holiday Season Traffic

The holiday season brings congestion everywhere - at shopping malls, on the roads, even at the grocery stores. People are out trying to find the perfect present for their loved ones. This means, though, that the parking lots and routes to these major centres are packed with holiday season traffic. It may seem like the whole city is out shopping!

During this festive season, I usually try to plan to go shopping for my gifts at off hours or to order things online to avoid the crowds and congestion. However, this past weekend I found myself in a jammed traffic lineup while merging onto the highway.

Rise & Shine Interview: Scott Vannatter

Scott L Vannatter is the oldest of two children, having one sister. He was born in New Castle, Indiana and lives in Middletown, IN in his grandmother's home with his cat, Tamika. Scott is a published author of 7 short horror stories, 4 of which are currently in print and on sale with Amazon in both anthologies (paperback) and on Kindle. Scott has 2 Master's degrees, worked in computers for nearly 23 years and nearly 6 years as a special education teacher. A massive hemorrhagic stroke in May of 2010 made him stop teaching and start writing. He is, currently, an Independent Marketing Director for Team National. He has been divorced twice and has two wonderful children, one male and one female both 30 years or older. He is happy with life and believes that "all things work together in the end; if it hasn't worked out, it isn't the end."

Rise & Shine Interview: Robyn Hussa Farrell about Writing

I'm really excited that today, Robyn Hussa Farrell is “Speaking From the Heart” and sharing her experiences with all of us. Robyn is the Founder and CEO of Mental Fitness, Inc. (formerly NORMAL), an award-winning arts and education organization that teaches about eating disorders, mental health, and healthy coping through arts and media programs. When Robyn approached me in early August to tell me about her exciting news, I had to spread the message; I invited her to be part of this series. I have known Robyn for a couple of years now, and I am a strong supporter of her work. Even though we live in different countries, we have similar passions. You can read her full bio here or see her "Profile of Perseverance" interview.

Rise & Shine Interview: Reece Sims

Reece Sims is a passionate advocate for the professional development of Generation Y women. I'm a Personal Branding Strategist, Host of The Lovenoteworthy Show (listed as the #1 Business podcast in the New & Noteworthy on iTunes Canada) and Host for Behind the Brand which airs on Novus Television's Community Channel. I had the pleasure of being interviewed on The Gold Zebra and had to ask Reece to be involved in this series. Reece has really inspired me on my journey. I connected with her earlier this year as we both live on the West Coast. I look forward to meeting her in person one day. Reece speaks from her heart and empowers others on their journey!

Rise & Shine Interview: Jesse Ruben about Writing

Ever wondered how a singer/songwriter develops the courage to speak from their heart? I'm excited that today, Jesse Ruben, is “Speaking From the Heart” and sharing his experiences with all of us.

I had to ask Jesse to be part of this series after reading an article in a local paper about his visit to Vancouver Island to encourage children to persevere. As an educator, I know how much of an impact he made by connecting with these young people in person. Read an article about his visit here or check out his blog post about the visit. I was so touched by his generosity that I had to reach out to Jesse as I wanted to help spread his message further.

Happy Anniversary Arianna's Random Thoughts!

That is how Arianna’s Random Thoughts emerged. It is how I try to make our world a kinder place to live – by helping others Stand Tall & Speak from the Heart one random thought at a time.

Will you join me? Looking forward to many years to come :)

Leaving Your Mark in the Sand

This past weekend, while looking at some photos, I realized there are common activities my sisters and I tend to engage in when we travel anywhere. Usually at the beach, after dipping our feet in the water, we make a mark in the sand and take a picture of it. I have a tendency to write the name of the city I am in followed by the year visited. Have a look at a few examples of imprints I have made over the years:

Rise & Shine Interview: Kevin Breel

“I suffer from depression” are not the four words that you would have expected to come out of a teenager's mouth on a global stage. Yet, some are breaking the stigma and talking about mental health issues by expressing themselves. The teenager who spoke up on the TEDXKids@Ambleside stage in May 2013 is Kevin Breel. Kevin is a teenager, a stand-up comic, a writer, and an activist for mental health from Victoria, British Columbia. We both have ties to this beautiful city.

Sharing is Caring

During my undergraduate degree, I learned an important life lesson about caring for others. While studying for the final exam with my fellow classmates, a few of the students legitimately obtained a copy of the previous year’s final exam through a friend. These students didn’t let anyone else have access to the previous exam, or its answers; rather, they kept it for themselves. They thought that by not sharing this special information with other classmates, they would do better on the exam. They were focusing on their individual success, at the exclusion of their fellow classmates’.

Rise & Shine Interview: Gabriello Pitman

Ever wondered how writing can inspire the journey of a professional performer? I'm excited that today my friend, Gabriello Pitman, is “Speaking From the Heart” and sharing his experiences with all of us.

Gabriello is a performer, an entrepreneur, and a professional coach based in Toronto, Canada. I met Gabriello before he became an entrepreneur and was pursuing his PhD in Physics at the University of Toronto. We met and became friends as we were both residents of Wycliffe College's graduate residence. You can check out the story in his own words on how he discovered his calling here. Gab used to come in the television room at the residence and perform card tricks for us. I had to ask Gabriello to be involved in this series as he continually inspires and encourages me on my journey. Plus, he is a fun guy to be around, and has quite the range of facial expressions (as do I :)).

Relationships Start With Hello

How do you connect with people who seem out of reach?

After writing the post last week, I have gotten inquiries about how a person can begin being seen and making their presence known. I get asked this question regularly, as I have connected with beautiful people from around the world. With all of them, we started as strangers; through developing the courage to express our thoughts, we built a connection.

My "Aha!" Moment: Realizing "I AM ENOUGH"

I saw the "I am not afraid ... I was born to do this" necklace that Tina Steinberg designed, and it made me think of a message that has been on my heart and mind for quite a while. I started thinking about this topic when I first wrote about it in one of my earliest posts, "Am I Really Free to Be Me? " For me, when I see this necklace, I think: " I am not afraid ... I was born to be me."

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