The famous back-to-school song.  Depends on your perspective on whether you agree or not! Parents and some teachers are on the positive side of the fence (maybe even some students) and for other teachers and students, and the rest of the world who has to commute, it’s not always the best time of year.

What I love about this time of year is that it really feels like a new beginning and a fresh start. Even as a kid, I did enjoy going back to school – ok, maybe this is because I am an overachiever and feel the need to be evaluated at everything – but even though, it was always fun to meet the new teacher and find out who was in your class. I always liked starting new classes, especially at University.  For some reason, I liked buying new textbooks (or used) and finding out what the semester had in store for me – except when it came to first year Calculus!

This has been an amazing summer! The weather has been very cooperative – sure, it was scorching hot for many days, but so many weekends has nice weather. There were tons of fun activities going on locally and we had the chance to participate in many of them, including Ribfest this weekend.  If you’re wondering what a vegetarian eats at Ribfest, the answer is not much! I did find some nice grilled mushrooms.

It’s also time for back to business! I will admit that I was pretty absorbed in my French camp and private lessons, and did not take the time to work with my team in Agel. Interestingly, as I look back on my many years in Network Marketing, August has traditionally been my least productive month. Now that Labour Day has passed, I am eager to get back into the swing of things – at least for the next 4-6 weeks til Baby Girl arrives.  We have two special events planned for this month.  You can RSVP in the comments, or directly to me info@julieboyer.com.

Back to school – Back to Health

Sept 15th Invitation

• Too much beach time and not enough gym time?
• Ready to get back into a healthy routine?
• Need to cleanse from a summer of fun?
• Let us help you get back on track!

Educational seminar with innovative solutions to fit YOUR lifestyle

Agel Wellness Seminar

• Wednesday September 15th, 7:30 – 9:00 pm
• Paradiso Restaurant, Village Square Burlington

It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Sept 22nd Invitation

• Kids back at school?
• Finally have a few hours a week to yourself?
• Looking for a challenge and a chance to grow?
• Like to earn more money?

Let us help you to learn more about increasing your cash flow, working with an amazing global team and making a difference.

Agel Cash Flow Class

• Wednesday September 22nd, 7:30 – 9:00 pm
• Paradiso Restaurant, Village Square Burlington

Join us for one or both! And if neither date works for you, let me know and we’ll find a time that does. Looking forward to seeing you out at one of our events. Have a wonderful day!

This is a great time of year. We are experiencing perfect weather, in my opinion.  It’s not too hot during the day, the humidity has dropped and it’s cool at night for sleeping. The days are getting shorter, but it’s easier to sleep in til 7 am, since the sun isn’t as bright yet. The nights are crisp, with a slight hint of fall. I really love this time of year.

I remember when I used to go to camp every summer. My favorite first camp experiences were at Camp Kitchikewana on Beausoleil Island, out of Honey Harbour in Northern Ontario.  I used to go to camp in August, and the last two weeks always had the best weather. Beautiful clear, crisp nights for looking at the stars or occasionally, the Northern Lights. Waking up to a chilly morning where you could see your breath, and crawling out of bed for Morning Dip (yes, we used to wash in the lake before we knew any better). Days full of sunshine, for sailing, canoeing, kayaking, hiking on the trails and swimming in the lake. The lake, Georgian Bay, was already mighty chilly by the end of August.

Of course these are all distant memories for me, but I still relish the end of summer. The growing season seems to have been extended this year in Ontario, and last weekend I attended not one or two Farmer’s Markets, but FOUR! I came home with a watermelon, cantaloupe, corn, tomatoes, sausages (for Dan), cheese curds (yum) and a few other treats. I want you to imagine this – when I purchased the watermelon, I was alone.  Dan was at a volleyball tournament and my friend Wendy who had accompanied me to the other markets, had called it a day.  I bought a four dollar, 20 lb watermelon and had to cart it back to my car.  The guy at the stall put the melon in a large corn bag (for a couple dozen ears of corn), and I slung the melon over my shoulder to carry it.  This must have been a sight – my round, melon-like belly in front and a large, round melon slung over my shoulder.  Lesson learned, no shopping at the market alone for the rest of the season.

We have been enjoying our bounty all week, in fact there was too much. The melons were so fresh and actually ripe when we bought them, so they had to be eaten quickly.  The watermelon was HUGE when we cut it and realized how much we had. It was so juicy and tasty, worth every bit of discomfort to carry it. If I was a food blogger, I’d have taken a few photos.  I am looking forward to another visit to the market this week, maybe even tomorrow!

What do you enjoy most about this time of year?

Finally, I don’t have the photos from the 3D ultrasound just yet, who knew that it might take a few visits to actually get a few good shots of her face. She has been very active during our sessions, she’s playing with the cord, sucking on it, grabbing her toes – all in front of her face! She’s a healthy baby and it already active and strong. We think she’s quite beautiful actually. I promise to share the photos after we hopefully get a few more tomorrow (Friday).

Have a super day everyone!

Good morning everyone! Thanks for your suggestions after my last post on falling off the wagon of personal development. I did have the chance to pick up an audio book, a biography of Lance Armstrong that I hadn’t read before. It’s his whole life story, right from childhood.  So far, so good – I’m on disk 2.  It’s interesting how when I get a good audio book, sometimes I’ll stay in the car for a few minutes after I’ve arrived at my destination in order to keep listening. Am I the only one who does this?  I’m still open to suggestions for another good personal development book too.

Speaking of books, I have been thinking about whether to invest in a Kindle or not.  I read A LOT.  Mind you, most of the books I read I get from the library so maybe there isn’t a need for a Kindle.  And from what my mommy friends tell me, there will be less time for reading once our little girl arrives in a few months.  I’m curious to hear from those of you who do have a Kindle or some other kind of a electronic reading device – would you recommend it? How often do you use it? Has it completely erased the need for taking books out from the library or purchasing books? What are the biggest disadvantages?  Feel free to check in on the comments.

What is the brightest part of the day for you? These days, both literally and figuratively, it’s first thing in the morning. Our home faces east, so we get the early morning sun. The sun starts to stream in at around 6 am, and sometimes it’s hard to fall back asleep. Sure, I could close the curtains and block the sun, but there is something so magical about being woken up by sunshine. There is also something very special about just waking up every morning. I am very blessed to wake up each morning beside my husband Dan, and ever since I’ve been pregnant, he’s become even more loving than before.  Dads, you are welcome to check in on this one, but I have a feeling that your partner looks different in many beautiful ways when she’s carrying your child. It’s the simple things in life, just being grateful that you’ve woken up again for another day and being thankful for that. Being blessed to have someone to wake up next to, or to have your kids in the next room or even have a loving pet that wakes you up. Admittedly, our cat isn’t exactly loving when he wakes us up in the morning, but he’s still pretty cute.

This is Dan and Elmo. The two best reasons to get up in the morning – at least until our little girl arrives.  What gets you out of bed in the morning? It is your family? Do you look forward to going to work? How about getting up to work-out? Or maybe working on your business? The most success people in the world are the ones who are eager to get out of bed – excited to start the day and build on their success. They are passionate about getting the day started with some personal care, such as meditation, reading or exercise. You can create your whole day by how you feel when you first get out of bed and begin your daily routine.

What do you like to do first thing in the morning? Perhaps this blog post will help you to start today off on the right foot!

Seems fitting that I write a post about our Toastmasters Year-End BBQ last night, since I’ve posted several times about Trafalgar Toastmasters this year. Our club grew substantially this year, we had 20 new members and many of these members are very social! The turnout for the event  was impressive, in my estimate, close to 40 people. It was a beautiful night in Oakville, close to the water (and later on, the mosquitoes joined us) with good friends new and old.

We celebrated our accomplishments for the year including participation in contests, our 30th anniversary charter party and of course, adding 20 new members. It has been a great experience spending the year with TTM.  Although I will not be a member next year, at least for the beginning, I look forward to returning to the club once again and continuing to improve my skills, learn from others, inspire and mentor fellow members and contribute however possible to the organization.

Here is a highlight album from the evening:

2010-06-22

Have a wonderful day everyone!

A short post this morning as I prepare for the last day of school.  It’s hard to believe a full school year has gone by! When I first took the role at Willowglen, I was only meant to stay til Christmas.  It turned out to be the full year and I’m so glad that it did.  I am filled with joy, gratitude, a bit of sadness and trepidation about what lies ahead. Since baby girl is due in October, I won’t be going back to school in the fall.  This summer will be spent doing private in-home French lessons and a few weeks of summer camp right here in Burlington. And the other great advantage is that I have the opportunity to spend a bit more time build our team right here in town this summer.  It’s always a great time to become an entrepreneur during the summer, since you’re always outside, connecting with people, playing sports and socializing.

I am grateful to have the opportunity to work with a wonderful group of ladies at school.  From all different backgrounds and ages, it’s been great to get to know them.  And I have learned so much from the kids too – who knew you could learn so much from pre-schoolers? It’s really prepared me for what’s ahead in a few years with our baby girl.  I also really appreciate the exposure to the Montessori method.  I had already been doing a number of things that fit with the methodology, but it’s amazing to see how much the students learn about daily living and being a contributing member to the class and the world at large..

Here’s a little glimpse at the school year:

Have a super summer everyone! I have a few spots left for some of my summer programs, so if you know someone in the Oakville/Burlington/Hamilton area who’s children are in a French immersion program and would like to continue to speak over the summer, just click here for details.

What another beautiful weekend here in Southern Ontario! We have been blessed with unusually warm weather for this time of year, most days for the past week have been close to 30C! Sure, the air conditioning is helpful but the sunshine and extra natural vitamin D is wonderful.

Friday night was a treat – saw Sex and the City 2 with 50 women from my Ladies’ Meet-Up Group. It was so much fun! We went VIP style at the SilverCity in Oakville.  It’s worth the extra $5 a ticket, trust me! I highly recommend enjoying a ladies night out or a date night at the movies, VIP style.

Saturday we stayed in and watched another movie! Have you had the chance to see Julie & Julia yet? It is an excellent film, based on two true stories.  First, it’s the story of how Julia Child, famous chef, became Julia Child, during her time in Paris after the second world war.  And at the same time, we have the story of Julie Powell, a young woman living in New York City right after 9/11, who is looking for meaning in her life.  Julie decides to cook her way through Julia Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking, and blog about her experience.  She gives herself a year to cook over 500 recipes! The heart of the film is about two women who are unsure about their true purpose in life and are searching for something … neither really knows what it is but they both find something amazing in the kitchen.  Julia Child begins taking lessons at the famous Cordon Bleu.  This is where it all began for this amazing chef and writer.  Did you know that her most famous book, Mastering the Art of French Cooking took over 8 years to be published? Julia Child develops a deep passion for French cooking and becomes a true master in the kitchen.

Julie Powell on the other hand, doesn’t have the luxury of learning from Cordon Bleu, so she uses the book as her textbook on how to become a master of French Cooking.  She has a full time government job, which she generally dislikes and is married to a wonderful man who is very supportive.  Somehow she finds not only the time but the commitment to follow through on this challenge.  And in the process, becomes a different person, a more confident and passionate women, who finds her talent not only in the kitchen, but also as a writer. It’s a bit of a fairy-tale story in fact.  Julie’s blog has been turned into a book and a movie!

What I loved about this movie was that it’s about two women in different eras who are looking for meaning in their lives, and through cooking, especially French cooking, each has a chance to create an amazing life and future for themselves.  Neither of their journeys were without bumps on the road, but in the end, they both triumph! And the stories are based on their real lives.  I really connected with this film and it made me think about my passions in life as well.

For me, another connection was with French cooking. Growing up with a French dad (my dad’s from Paris) and a French-Canadian mom, who is a dietitian by trade, there was a lot of great food cooked in our home. I have never realized that many of the dishes and cooking pans/pots etc. were distinctively French.  We have a beautiful copper frying pan, that shows up in the first few scenes of the movie and I know both my parents cooked using the orange Le Creuset dutch over. Even more interesting, there is a scene where Julie is using a food processor and I have the exact same one, a Cuisinart handed down from my parents. I realize now that I really don’t know how to cook, nor do I take the time to cook.  My parents taught me so many things in the kitchen, but I rarely use these skills.  Now that I’m having a child of my own, I have been thinking about learning more traditional French cuisine so that I may pass it on my children.

Question of the day is what is your passion? What are you passionate about? Are you spending time on your passion daily, weekly, monthly?

Finally, a quick personal note, we had the ultrasound on Friday.  And … it’s a girl! We are all very excited and I have a feeling she will be spoiled by both families.

On Friday I had the opportunity to present Networking with Excellence and Integrity as a part of the McMaster Alumni Professional Development Day. I have attended this event for the past 3 years and this year was the best yet. The organizer, Laura, did an excellent job of promoting networking from the beginning of the day.  The format is simple, we began the day with a keynote speaker, Jeff Tobe, Coloring Outside the Lines.   This was one of the highlights of the day for me.  Afterwards, a short networking break with coffee and snacks.  Then the first of two breakout sessions.  My session on Networking was one of the two choices in the morning.

There were about 35 people in the room for this session. We had a lot of fun together and had the opportunity to do some networking within the small group, using some of the skills that had been learned.  It was interesting to have such a variety of people in the room, since there were alumni from many decades and also non-alumni who had heard about the event.  Lunch followed and again we were encouraged to meet new people and sit at a different table. I noticed that many people were using some of the skills they had learned in the morning session.

After lunch we again had the choice between two breakout sessions.  This was once again followed by a networking break – and A CANDY BAR – if you’ve never seen this, it was awesome.  Bowls of candy and bags of popcorn for snacking on.  Sure, we had a sugar rush and crashed on the way home, but it was really fun.  Tal Dehtiar of Oliberté spoke as the closing keynote.  He is a McMaster Alumni and a young, successful business person, whose current project is Oliberté footwear, making shoes in Africa for export only.  It was a very interesting and eye opening talk.

What I really enjoyed about the day was that the sessions were relevant and interesting, and I learned skills that I can use outside of the seminar. I had the chance to meet many different and interesting people and even started a few good relationships. It was great to have an opportunity to practice networking skills with a group of such diverse individuals. Networking truly is a skill that can be learned with practice.  This was an example of an event that was put together to not only educate us, but to allow us opportunities to network throughout the day.

If you’d like to learn more about networking and some of the skills needed to become a great networker, join us for the next Networking with Excellence and Integrity on Wednesday May 26th, 7 – 8:30 pm at the Oakville Public Library, Central Branch. Advanced registration is $20, at the door $30.  You can register directly by emailing info@julieboyer.com.

If you were at the event on Friday or have attended a N.W.E.I. session before, please share some of your feedback in the comments.

Did you know that today is the busiest day of the year for florists? Even more than Valentine’s Day! Why is it that this special day, celebrated around the world, is so very special? Just over 34 years ago, my mom carried her first little bundle of joy for just over 9 months, until I was born during a winter snow storm in Quebec. Her role as a mom was just beginning. I am very blessed to have a wonderful mom, who supported and encouraged me throughout all of my different endeavors.  She may not have always agreed with me, but she supported me nonetheless. We have maintained a great relationship over the years, even though we have often been separated by great distances.  Now that she and my dad are living in Mexico, it can be more challenging to stay close, but with the advent of email and Skype, we communicate almost daily.

Did you know that they also sell Mommy-to-be cards? I got my first card today from Dan.  That’s right, I’m going to be a mom in October! I have gained a whole new level of respect for my mom – especially after 6 weeks of morning sickness (ha ha, it’s not morning sickness if it lasts all day) – as she told me she went through it as well. Now is the most wonderful time of pregnancy, the second trimester. I feel good, my energy has come back (mostly) and my very strange cravings are gone for the most part. I started pre-natal yoga this week as well, which I already love, since I had a full night’s sleep after my class.

Motivation for your life is still a blog about motivation and inspiration, with a bit of influence from my pregnancy and in a few short months, on being a new parent and the joy (and challenges) of the experience. I am so grateful to have the chance to be a mom and to grow a human inside of me! I had thought about it since I was very young – but you’re never really sure if it’s all going to work out. And as much as I had read and heard and seen about being pregnant, nothing can truly explain how it feels when you’re going through it.  Most likely because every woman’s experience is different.

Happy Mother’s Day to all of you who are already moms and step-moms and Happy Mother-to-be Day for those of you, who like me, are expecting your first child sometime this year.

Today, share with us one thing that you are most grateful for when it comes to you mom!

For me, the first time it happened I was only 7 years old.  When I first laid eyes on him, I knew he was the one. He looked right back at me and I knew he felt the same way. Meowing and climbing on his cage to get out and see me, I had fallen in love with my first pet! There is something so special about the love we have for our pets and for me, spending time with current cat, Elmo, is an important part of each and every day.

Now, if you’re not a pet person, the rest of this post will seem uninteresting and perhaps, a bit off the wall. For those who have not experienced that love at first site with a pet, it’s always hard to explain why we love our animals the way we do, and why, essentially, they are the masters of our homes. If you do have a pet, you know exactly what I mean. Over the years, I have had many pets.  My first cat, Freddy, lived to be about 14. He was not the friendliest cat but he did purr quite loudly (but also meowed VERY loudly!).  Elmo joined the family when Freddy was 8 – and let me tell you, Elmo was the CUTEST kitten you have ever seen.

When I moved out for university less than a year later, I left Elmo and Freddy at home with mom & dad.  I’m sure a few of us have done that, moved away and left our pets with our parents. I missed them but university life isn’t always great for a pet.  Freddy did have to be put down shortly after, because he was suffering from arthritis and in a lot of pain. Elmo still happily ruled the home at my parents place.

Shortly after I graduated university I met my first husband. Now, at that time, he owed a dog.  The rumours about cat people and dog people are fairly accurate. Both of us loved animals of course, but I thought I could convert to being a dog person … anyone ever tried that? It doesn’t really work either way. Shortly after we started dating we moved into a 1 bedroom apartment together.  This time though, he could not leave the pet behind at mom & dad’s place. Some dogs might be ok in an apartment, alone all day – but border collies are definitely not that breed.  With great sadness, he parted with the dog, in order for us to be together.  I still think that might have been one of the most difficult things for him to do, although at the time I didn’t really see any other options.

This is how I caved in and finally got a dog. I felt bad enough about the first dog having been given up, so I agreed to adopting a farm dog. Did I mention that I am a cat person? Yet when that puppy was first carried into our home, I fell in love all over again. She was not always the nicest dog, but was very loyal and loving.  And often so excited to see us that she would pee while running to say hello (one reason we would let her out to say hello when people came to visit!). It was my first experience with a dog, and when we separated a few years later, letting go of her was one of the most difficult parts of the separation.

Fast forward a few years, and I once again find myself living with Elmo.  Yup, he’s still around. 18 years and still going strong! In fact, he is in great health and still quite active. And even though I haven’t slept through the night in almost 3 1/2 years, I still love him. Yes, he wakes us up at least once a night for food.  He is very creative on how he does it, so closing the bedroom door is not an option.  And master of the house, for now, that is still the case.  He is very talkative and lets us know when he wants something.  Sometimes he just likes to go into the office and meow – we think he likes the sound of his voice. I look forward to our cuddles, he likes to lie right on my chest and listen to my heartbeat when I’m lying on the couch. And although we do realize that he is a senior citizen, we know that it is possible for cats to live into their 20s – so we’re hoping Elmo is one of those cats.

Are you a cat person or dog person? Have you experienced love at first sight with an animal? Is your pet the master of your home?

Let us know in the comments!

Who do you spend your time with? The people at work? Your immediate family? Close friends? Your sports team? Many of us live very insular lives and we don’t realize that our networks are shrinking as we get older.  And they most certainly do – especially once you’ve graduated from high school, college or university.

Take a moment to stop and think about your support network.  It is a small, close knit group of friends? Or perhaps you prefer spending most of your time with your immediate family. Since the majority of us spend 8-10 hours per day at a job or an office, at least a third of our time is spent with the people we work with. What kind of a relationship do you have with the people you work with?  Many years ago, I worked for Dupont Canada in Mississauga.  We had a very close knit team and years later I would still connect with people from the office or drop by for a visit.  Last week, I ran into a few friends who are still working there, and even though it had been a few years since we’ve seen each other, it was a very warm reunion. That was a very special work environment and we really had the sense that people truly cared about each other and that there was a lot of support – even after someone moved on to a new department or a new job outside the company.

When I made some fairly big decisions about business last year, suddenly the support network I had built over three years was no longer there. There were many reasons why it was difficult to maintain these relationships, and I am certain that we did have much more in common then a shared business, but it remains that mostly we have gone our separate ways.  Over the past year, I have been rebuilding my support networks.  First, it was important to solidify my relationship with my family, and extended family. This is always a challenge when your parents are living in Mexico! My sister and I have become much closer this year, and that is a wonderful blessing.

I have also built some great relationships with a few different networking groups over the past year. I have found that it’s best to concentrate on one or two groups that meet on a regular basis, rather than trying to attend many different groups every month. One of my favorites groups is a ladies only meet-up called Ladies Fun Night Out & Networking. I have been a member for over a year and have met some wonderful and very successful women in this group.

Joining Trafalgar Toastmasters has also giving me the opportunity to create another great network.  We have a very strong membership of people from all walks of life. The biggest challenge is finding enough time to socialize on meeting nights, since the agenda is always so full!  We’ve suggested a pub night every Monday night to help solve this problem! I am very grateful for the support of our club, especially this weekend where I will be competing in the District 86 Evaluation Contest, representing our Division.  In order to get to this level, I had to win at the Club, Area and Division levels.  I am honoured to be representing our Club at this level of competition.

And finally, changing businesses and career paths has allowed me to create two more support networks. First, there is the group women I work with at Willowglen Montessori in Oakville (and our course the principal Rob!). They are a great group of people to work with!  Second, there is the world-wide team of people I have met through Agel. Having attended 3 different global events this year, I have had the chance to connect with amazing leaders from around the world. I’ve made new friends, connected with powerful mentors and had the chance to be a part of the group that is going to help Agel to become a billion dollar company.  Talk about a powerful network!

Take a look at your networks today. How would you do if one of your networks disappeared, say from the loss of a job or moving to another part of the country? Have you ever been in a situation where you’ve found yourself rebuilding your support network?

I am always happy to introduce good people to my networks, so if you’d like to connect with one of the networks I am  a part of, just drop me a line or insert a comment. You can also connect with me on Twitter.

Have a great day everyone!