I had an interesting experience on the erg (indoor rowing machine) yesterday that I have to share.

I came to the gym eager for a great workout and got on the erg.  It was going great, had my headphones on, and in a great mood.  Then out of nowhere, around the four minute mark,  my legs stopped.  It was the weirdest thing, I literally LOST my drive (in more ways than one, motivation and is part of the rowing stroke).

The drive in rowing is the part of the stroke where the rower pulls the blade through the water using their legs, back and arms to propel the boat. It is a fundamental part of the stroke, as the rowing is 80% leg muscle power.  Don't believe me - try rowing; you'll soon realize it's all about the legs.

I think I have had many whispers in my ear over my lifetime, I usually refer to them as weird coincidences.

I think every individual's life journey should be about finding your passion and being strong enough to go after it.

Kyle Hamiltons video all the little moments add up to the big moment - I think all the people that I have met over my journey and all my experiences had led me where I am today.

Such an important message:  Invest in a girl and she will do the rest.  

Many of us, however, may see this ad on the television or in the newspaper but not accept it as a reality, because this oppression isn't occuring in our everyday life.  Let me tell you, oppression of some kind is occurring in your life.  The whole world is connected.

The one statistic that really struck a chord with me was: 130 million children lack the opportunity to go to school!  Something that I took for granted.  That number is HUGE - it is almost four times the population of CANADA and half the population of the United States.

Many people say that you should visualize where you see yourself in the future.  Instead of writing out what I see myself doing in the future, I thought I would show you a picture, which you can make on the Oprah website.

Have you ever hiked up a mountain? Or driven up one?

It honestly doesn't matter how you got there (although, hiking is way more fun); there are many routes to the top. As a recent graduate, I feel there are many ways for me to get to the top of my personal mountain (i.e., achieving what my goals are in life).

In the last two years,  I have had four "weird coincidences" (my name for them) that I need to share. Life is full of these moments.  I think its funny because more I try to "plan" life, I feel as if I'm not really in control.  It got me thinking tonight of the value of significant unexpected and unpredictable events in my life and the importance of not trying to over plan.

I find some people in life like to complain about their situation (i.e., their relationships, school, work, sports, etc.).   I have heard the following complaints way too often:

• I’m not happy in my relationship.
• I’m really unhappy at work.
• I’m not enjoying my thesis, etc.
• I don’t like my coach or my teammates.

It seems like they are never happy, and there is always something that is bothering them about their situation.

Red is such a strong colour; when you wear it on your lips, you will stand out.

I had forgotten about that, as I have stuck to wearing neutrals and light pinks for a long time now. I'm not a fan of attention.

However, it became a realization when I went out with my friends this past weekend for a Ladies Night and decided to be bold and pull out my red lipstick.

My friend took the attached shot of me. Her first comment was, "Wow, you remind me of your mom with the rosy cheeks and the red lipstick." I took that as a compliment.  I have heard similar comments from other friends after they saw the picture.

When it comes to love, do you follow your heart or your mind?

Picture you are the "Bachelor" or "Bachelorette" and you have a BIG decision to make.

**For those of you who don't watch reality television, the Bachelor/Bachelorette are reality shows where a person has to select their future wife/husband out of group of twenty five people.

Let's say the Bachelorette has narrowed down her choice of guy to pursue a relationship with to two very different people.

WHAT'S YOUR BIGGEST FEAR? WHAT'S YOUR BIGGEST DREAM?

The following are two questions that the non-profit organization To Write Love On Her Arms have been asking recently.   You can also join in on the discussion at: http://www.fearsvsdreams.com.

It got me thinking as to what my biggest fears are and what is my biggest dream.

I would like to share them with you as I think it is important to be aware of your fears so you cant try to get over them and not let them control your life

“Why do you want to study bullying prevention?”

I have been asked this question often, since I began researching this topic a few years ago.

My answer is always the same: I have seen its negative effects and want to stop it from hurting others’ lives.

Until now, I haven’t confessed to many people that: back in middle school, I WAS BULLIED.

I have always been an athlete. My passion for sports, the sport environment, competition, and the empowering feeling I get after a long workout are what keep me involved.  I strongly believe that participating in sports teaches skills and lessons that you cannot learn in a classroom.  The sport environments which I have been a part of foster passionate and driven people who treat others with respect.I thought sports were supposed to be fun – so what’s with the stories about the “chilly climate”? When I think of chilly climates, I think of the frigid temperatures in Ottawa, Ontario (the coldest capital in the world) where I grew up.  Winter lasted almost six months.  The snow, ice, and freezing-cold temperatures could make anyone want to hibernate until spring.  However, despite the chilly climate, we would all embrace the climate by going outside and having fun.  There were plenty of ways to be active outside during these months: skating, skiing, tobaganning, building snow forts, etc.