Ever been on a canoe trip? Did you just start paddling, going with the flow and discovering new places along the way? Or, did you map out the whole journey ahead of time, then followed it?

Growing up near rivers and lakes in Ontario, I was always in or on the water. Family canoe trips were endlessly exciting. The plan was never specific about where to stop.  We’d just say, “Let’s go for a paddle.” And we did.

As I often mention on Arianna’s Random Thoughts, life lessons can be learned from anyone, and any situation, at random times. While watching television recently, I was taught a valuable lesson about loving the skin you are in.

The show was a recording of Live with Kelly and Michael.  The co-hosts had made an on-air bet about the SuperBowl. If the team Kelly chose (Denver Broncos) lost, she would appear makeup-free for the upcoming episode with superstar George Clooney. If the team Michael chose (Seattle Seahawks) lost, he wouldn’t cut his hair until after Oscar week, meaning he would have long hair for his Oscar appearance as he has twice-weekly haircuts to maintain his clean-shaven look. The makeup and hair cut are shields for personal insecurities, no different than a mask or a uniform.

In past years, I have been silent about important issues because I lacked the belief that my point of view mattered or was valid. Even though I knew deep down that I was of value, I was too insecure around others to tell them my honest thoughts and opinions.

What helped me speak was the presence of a supportive community who lifted me up. I truly encourage you to find positive role models in your life as social learning is such a valuable tool for your personal growth. When you surround yourself with individuals who model healthy behaviours, you observe them and want to apply their behaviours yourself.

Merry Christmas! I can't believe tomorrow is Christmas Eve day! It is already that time of year again.  As I love to give Christmas cards, I thought I would turn this week's post into a note of gratitude and support to all of my readers.

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.

When talking to people over the past few months, many have independently mentioned how years ago I was “floundering” in terms of transitioning from recent graduate to established professional; now, they love how I have found my balance.  Each has used that exact word, floundering, which means: “to make clumsy attempts to move or regain one's balance” (thefreedictionary.com). The reason the word was used was because I took a different route than what they were used to so they thought I was off course. However, I never thought I was "floundering," I used the term exploring instead. I knew exactly where I was going and working hard to get there.

Other than talking them out, writing has been the way I release my thoughts. I love keeping journals; this has been a habit since I was a young girl.  Perhaps it is why I love blogging so much, as I love sharing the lessons I have learned through keeping a journal.

Last weekend, I found old journals from my youth. Reading them made me remember earlier times which had faded from memory.  The pages of the old journals were filled with my thoughts and emotions about daily life.  Writing the words on the page is like expressing your innermost thoughts with a trusted friend.

I believe role models are individuals who have the courage to be real, to be vulnerable, to be themselves, and to share their journeys. For the past twenty years, the Backstreet Boys have been my role models. As you may know from reading Arianna’s Random Thoughts, I am a huge Backstreet Boys fan.  They provided encouragement and love through the highs and lows of my life.  For me and many other fans out there, they are “Larger than Life.” (Backstreet Boys fans will get this reference.)

It has been raining like crazy on the West Coast this weekend. Hope everyone affected by the storm has stayed safe and dry. I thought I would share 5 of my favourite quotes to brighten up a grey day. As you may know, I love combining my 5 favourite  motivational quotes with beautiful photographs I take throughout the world. Happy Monday Everyone! Enjoy!

What is your favourite weekend activity that lifts your spirits? After going out for a friend’s birthday brunch this past Sunday, I realized one of my favourite weekend activities is going out for brunch. Enjoying a meal with friends, is a treasured activity of mine regardless if we go out to eat it at a restaurant or cook it at someone’s home.

Each day since the beginning of time, the sun has risen from the darkness to the highest point in the sky for all to see. This summer, the early morning rays of the dawn have been waking me up as the sun rises to brighten the day. It seems the beams are at peak brightness, waking me up and causing me to pay attention to them. The sun doesn’t care if you aren’t ready to wake up, or if you dislike the intensity – it keeps its brightness – it keeps shining – it wants to be seen! We can all learn a lot from this notion.

What inspires you on your journey?

Inspiration can come from anywhere. Personally, other than deep conversations with others and beautiful surroundings, I use visual aides to encourage me. I love taking personal pictures and adding inspiring quotes to them. I think you will love this one about perseverance that I made yesterday!