Testimonials

“Arianna Merritt is beautiful. Upon getting to know Arianna, we found ourselves wanting to spend more time around her inspiring, thoughtfulness. Her writing reflects invitations to others to embrace the day and enjoy the beauty in it. We love that. We admire her. She is a remarkable woman full of enthusiasm, commitment, and passion for empowering others. This disposition is coupled with intelligence and a deep understanding of education.”

“I met Arianna back in 2013 when I was starting my own online blog and business. It’s always wonderful to speak with her about business and strategies to make it better; I really enjoy how enthusiastic she is — full of ideas and genuinely interested in seeing her fellow colleagues succeed. If you want someone who will go the extra mile for you, Arianna is the perfect person to have on your team to get your business venture off the ground.”

“Arianna finessed my Instagram bio with the perfect words to describe who I am and what I have to offer. She has a wonderful ability to be concise and on trend at the same time. Now the right companies are reaching out to me for partnerships and my business in growing. Thank you, Arianna!”

“While I’ve never actually met Arianna in person. Which I hope to one day remedy. Her peptalks have really been encouraging and inspirational to me. Being an entrepreneur or stepping out on faith into a new journey can be really scary and overwhelming sometimes. Getting a random peptalk, words of encouragement or just someone to remind you why you’re doing what you’re doing and that you’re doing OK just makes such a huge difference in your day. The road of entrepreneurship is not for the faint of heart and being part of a collective community like what Arianna is creating is just such a blessing. It’s that gentle reminder that you can do all the things that you dream and desire to do. Let’s be honest her peptalk’s are really amazing. They are the best. Arianna is so positive and encouraging I could go on and on. She’s definitely someone to have in your corner and on your team. ”

“Arianna’s blog consists of posts she shares to empower people and help them be the best they can be. In the beginning, I received huge doses of inspiration from her posts, but it wasn’t until I truly started getting to know Arianna herself that I began to truly learn from her. I think they most wonderful thing about the friendship we have formed through blogging is how we ended up helping each other. Since the very beginning of my blog, Arianna has been a huge supporter of my decision to share my story, and there have been many nights spent talking over Facebook chat about life, the difficulties we face, and what it means to overcome it all. Though Arianna has told me I have helped her become more vulnerable in her writing, she has helped me in the same way. It means so much to know there is someone who not only supports and reads my writing, but someone who is willing to sit up with me at night (though she lives on the other side of the country) just because I may be having a bad night or may need someone to bounce ideas off of. So thank you, Arianna, for being no one but yourself and for helping me find the strength I have had all along. Your friendship means so much to me.”

“Arianna’s passion and gift is to empower people to shine. She does this in a beautiful way through technology. A the same time, she builds community and in a very compassionate way helps people believe in themselves. She is a real Mindful Leader making a difference in people’s lives. She has inspired me as to the possibilities and I look forward to implementing many of her wonderful ideas about spreading Mindful leadership in our daily lives, through technology.”

“Arianna Merritt is one of those people that loves helping support others and encouraging them to follow their dreams. She has helped me so much over the years in boosting my confidence and promoting my career. So often in my life of work as an opera singer, there are periods of time where I am unemployed and I have to constantly keep pushing myself and auditioning for opera companies to find new contracts. With the amount of competition and rejection, I often feel discouraged and inadequate. But Arianna has always been there to build me up, motivate me and put me back on the right track. From all of her many years of training, education, and experience in the psychology and coaching field, she has all of the tools and strategies needed on how to help people feel more comfortable in their own skin and how to help them succeed, not only in their career, but also in their daily lives. ”

“Arianna is a true trailblazer, and I’m so privileged to know her and have hosted her work on my blog! I’m continually amazed by her can-do attitude, her perseverance, and her deep passion for making a difference in the lives of countless people. Arianna shows all of us that life is best when we face its challenges, overcome them, and most importantly, celebrate who we are!”

“Arianna’s Random Thoughts are not random. They are thoughts many of us, or all of us, will have at some point. She is able to express the confusion, the hurt, the fear and self-doubt that creeps into our heads. It is with this understanding that Arianna is able to offer healthy advice and encouragement. She doesn’t brush off the hurt, she understands life gets hard but you are beautiful and deserve whatever it is you are aiming for. Arianna is full of life and encouragement. She really wants to share her glow. She has a great passion for helping people and sharing. I’m glad to have connected with such an encouraging and passionate person. The thing that sets Arianna apart from others is she truly wants to connect and encourage people. She’s not looking for blog sponsors, internet fame, or to log cafe hours drinking lattes. Everything comes from her heart. She wants to hear, learn and share. Her blog is not full of her stories but stories of others as well.”

“Bravo Arianna on a wonderful blog. I only follow a handful of blogs and this is one of my favourites. Arianna’s Random Thoughts tell the story of a young woman’s journey to find her place in this world. She wants to serve her community by sharing her thoughts and reflections. Arianna writes with an honest vulnerability that compels me to trust her and learn more about her. I know that if Arianna can make sense of this scary world, then so can I.”

“I love Arianna’s inspirational writing, as well as her heart. She’s making a real difference, one post at a time.”

“Arianna is an incredibly talented and creative individual. She approaches every problem with a thoughtful perspective and uses her technological prowess to improve the lives of those around her. I have worked with Arianna in both political campaigns and on a board of directors. She is an expert at branding, social media, and personal wellbeing. All entrepreneurs and businesses stand to gain from Arianna’s extensive knowledge.”

“Arianna Merritt is a leader in blogging about self-love, acceptance and working towards positive change in one’s life. Her style is collaborative and thoughtful and would be an asset to anyone looking for assistance with social media services. ”

“Professional, energetic, responsive and creative are just a few key words that sum up Arianna.
She is a ‘true’ team player and always looks to the positive to get things done.
Definitely someone I respect and truly appreciate for her diverse talents.
An amazing woman! ”

“I’ve known Arianna for some time now and her positivity and zest for life are not only refreshing, but inspiring! She’s a true inspiration to women and young girls as she promotes healthy living and having a positive body image. We need more Arianna’s in today’s world!!”

“I am a professor of Psychology at Camosun College in Victoria, BC. I had the pleasure of meeting Arianna in September 2008 when she was hired by the Psychology Department to work as a lab assistant for two courses that I was teaching; Introduction to Experimental Psychology and Research Methods in Psychology. In fulfilling this role, Arianna supported me in a classroom setting by working with students one on one; she answered students’ questions relating to weekly assignments and provided guidance with their final projects. This position requires a solid knowledge base in research methods, statistics, and the American Psychological Association writing style, as well with various word, spreadsheet, and statistical programs. Arianna worked very well with the students and they appreciated her help and mentorship. Arianna continued to work with me in the classroom until April 2009 when our regular full-time lab assistant returned from her leave of absence.

Arianna works very hard and is dedicated to what she does and I have no doubt that she has the ability and drive to accomplish her career goals. She is fun and outgoing and has an extremely positive outlook on life. She is also unquestionably eager to learn. ”

“Arianna has a unique voice and perspective that she bravely puts out there for the world to read. I have been touched, inspired, motivated, and strengthened by her writing and her story. Arianna’s work is crucial in today’s world and I am very honored that I have gotten to know her and can call her a friend. Her work will change and impact many lives for the better.”

“Arianna has a way of captivating audiences with self-discovery lessons through her personal experiences and featured guests. Her ability to evoke an emotional connection and mindset-shifting perspective in others is nothing sort of exceptional! I know that she is able to do this because of the passion she has for what she does and her commitment to serving others and helping them shine. With each interaction I’ve had with Arianna, from being interviewed by her, to having casual conversations, to being her client, she has always been an absolute pleasure to work with in all capacities. If you are looking to make a major shift in your life, starting with your mindset, I would definitely recommend working with Arianna - she is the Firestarter you need that will (re) ignite your spark!”

“You know that invigorating feeling when you jump into the ocean, lake or swimming pool and then you soak up the sun on a beautiful day? That’s my take on Arianna and the effect she has on those she connects with in person and online. Her energy is contagious and her warmth is genuine. In the nine years that I’ve known Arianna, I have witnessed the depth of her character grow. Through her willingness to be increasingly vulnerable, she has become more self-assured. What’s beautiful is her desire to reach out, share her insights, and embark on that journey of self-exploration and discovery with you.”

“My time with Arianna was a moment of “bits and pieces gently coming together” in her compassionate, yet reassuringly firm guidance. Arianna asks the right questions, and listens with interest. She continues your ideas where you couldn’t see, prompting solutions and action plans that seem natural, yet innovative at the same time. Arianna’s coaching approach is based on immediately applicable, tangible advice. She digs out your creativity, boosts you into new directions - and it all feels so empowering! I can recommend her guidance to everyone looking for solutions to questions like how to advance in creative endeavors, how to find your sparkle in life or how to beat the lurking, passive making blues.”

“I continue to be inspired by Arianna’s words of wisdom around practicing self-love, enjoying your personal journey and overcoming obstacles. I also enjoy the many interviews she features on this site, bringing the voices of many other inspiring women to her readers. Way to go, Arianna!”

“I met Arianna several years ago when I left my hometown and moved to Victoria, B.C. Over the years, Arianna has become a close friend of mine. She has helped me to overcome many obstacles in my life. She has listened to me cry, seen me fall, and helped me get back onto my feet again. She never once made me feel foolish for my often less than wise decisions, and she has made feel valuable when I felt worthless. She has this magical way of helping me see my inner potential. I had the privilege of hearing her ideas, brainstorming with her and watching her listen to others, encourage them and inspire them. Arianna has an uncanny ability to make people comfortable enough to open up to her. I can’t count the number of times I have seen her make an impact on someone else’s life. I could go on and on and shower her with compliments which would all be very well deserved, but it would fill up this entire blog and people may get tired of reading the word ‘amazing’ over and over again. Thus I will sum it all up in one sentence: I am a better person because I got to know her. ”

“Arianna is a joy to work with. We worked closely to market the Encompass Brand to 17,000 students in the 2016 University of Victoria Student Society election with amazing results. With the highest voter turnout, and most votes for one party in the history of the elections, the outcome speaks for itself. Arianna managed an extraordinary social media strategy that saw engagement upwards of 4000 students. ”

“As Editor of the award-winning #RealDeal blog universe, Arianna has been a breath of fresh air for us! She is a motivated self-starter with a giant soul and an interest in effecting serious change toward mental fitness in all youth. ”

“When I first met Arianna, I had a 6 month old baby and was going back to school for the first time in years. I wasn’t sure what I wanted to study, how I would cope with school and family responsibilities, or if I was even capable of the juggling act I’d signed up for. I signed up for some random courses, which turned out to be the basis for a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology. With Arianna’s support and encouragement, I made it through my first year with grades that would eventually get me in Law School. I will be graduating Law in a year thanks to the mentorship of teachers like Arianna who has cheered me on now for 7 years. ”

“I first met Arianna when she was interviewing for an instructional assistant position in our psychology department. Within minutes Arianna was the top choice of the entire hiring committee: excellent presentation, clear answers, demonstrated excellent knowledge of psychology and impressed us with her enthusiasm and energy. I was fortunate enough to have Arianna as my instructional assistant in my experimental psychology lab and she was oustanding: great with students, strong in statistics and research, very supportive of my teaching, and we made a great team. For the last 30 minutes of every lab, I left the lab and Arianna supervised the 25 to 30 students in the lab and did an oustanding job. I highly recommend Arianna for any position for which she would apply. She is exceptionally intelligent, has an impressive knowledge of psychology, works well as a team member, has a great presence and energy, and focuses well on the tasks at hand and does an outstanding job with all that she does.”

“First off, thank you so much for all the incredible support & resources you provide people wanting to be the best versions of themselves. I love how you promote story sharing, human connection, and being passionate about living life. Secondly, thank you so much for sharing my work the other day. I was so pleased when it lead me to you! Most of all, thank you for making such a positive impact on so many lives with the work you do.”

“You’ve got an incredible blog going!”

“Your random thoughts spread a lot of happiness!”

“You always inspire me and I love your whimsical, artistic touch that you bring to everything!”

“Some of my favourite memories from grad school involve Arianna and myself sitting in the Reading Room in our Residence laughing and love life. And digging deep into what life is all about afterall, and still today being able to dig and to laugh through a lot of things over Skype. I love that Arianna has found this space online to share her brilliant and loving ideas that she has, and to inspire others to share brilliant and loving ideas. ”

“Her website is amazing! It helps so many people to keep going when the going is tough. I think her blog is really inspiring to so many people!”

“She is one of my closest friends and I am very proud of the inspirational and personal words of wisdom she is passing on to us all. Arianna is doing her part to make all of our lives a little better. ”

“I’ve really enjoyed your website. What strikes me most is your honesty, your vulnerability and your intense and genuine desire to be of use to others. Bravo for the work you are doing. You are leading the way. ”