YouAreEnough

As I watched A Beautiful Noise last Saturday evening, many parts of the storyline stayed with me long after the curtain closed.

One story in particular has lingered in my mind. During a difficult period in his life, when he was struggling with a constant internal battle, Neil Diamond is told an old tale by his second wife about two wolves living inside each of us.

One wolf represents fear, anger, sadness, worry, resentment, self-doubt, and negativity. The other represents joy, hope, kindness, gratitude, peace, and love.

When asked which wolf wins, the answer is both simple and deeply relatable:

The one you feed.

It’s been a really, really, really long week. Did I mention it was REALLY long?

Today felt like the tipping point. Between life’s challenges, grief that still appears when I least expect it, and the endless uncertainties we all carry, it became far too easy to focus on what felt heavy. By midday, the anxious, angry, negative wolf seemed determined to take over.

He was hungry… like a wolf. 😉

But as Shabbat approaches, I am reminded of my commitment to finding one good moment in every day. And I’m determined to find it. To nurture light alongside the darkness. To step away from the noise and into the holiness of this sacred pause. To remember that even when life feels overwhelming, there is still goodness to notice, gratitude to offer, and light to carry forward. To choose peace as I enter Shabbat.

Because feeding the positive wolf doesn’t mean pretending the other one doesn’t exist. It means choosing what deserves our attention. It means making room for gratitude even when life feels difficult, finding moments of joy amid the struggle, and remembering that hope needs nourishment too.

Shabbat invites us to make that choice consciously. To set down what weighs us down, if only for a little while, and reconnect with what restores our spirit.

So this Shabbat, I’m choosing to feed the wolf that brings kindness, peace, hope, and light.

May we all find ways to nourish the best within ourselves and carry that light into the week ahead.

Shabbat Shalom.

I can’t believe it’s June already.

Somehow we’ve reached the halfway mark of the year in what felt like the blink of an eye. Summer officially arrives in just a few short weeks, the days are getting longer, and the flowers are in bloom.

Up until 12 years ago when I first got sick, June had always been special to me. It’s my birthday month, and as someone who loves summer above all other seasons, this time of year would usually fill me with anticipation. Everything felt a little lighter once summer arrived. But if I’m being honest, birthdays have become complicated for me over the last many years.

It isn’t about getting older. In fact, it has nothing to do with age at all.

Birthdays have a way of making us reflect. They invite us to take inventory of our past, our present, and our future. Sometimes that reflection is joyful. Sometimes, as in my case, it’s a little heavier.

This year, perhaps more than ever, after all that the first half of the year has brought, that reflection feels particularly weighing. It makes today feel like the perfect time for a check-in.

How am I doing?

How are you doing?

“I’m fine” is an easy response for most of us. But not always a truthful one.

As we reach the midpoint of the year, take a moment to acknowledge everything you’ve carried these past six months? The challenges you’ve faced, the moments that tested you, and the victories, whether big and small, that helped you keep moving forward?

One of the promises I made to myself at the start of 2026 was simple: every single day, I would write down one good moment from my day.

Just one.

And now, 151 days in, I’m proud to say, I’ve kept that promise.

Some days it’s come easily. Other days I’ve had to search deep within myself to find it.

But what I’ve learned through this practice is that even on the hardest days, there is usually something worth noticing. Something worth remembering. Something good.

The exercise hasn’t erased the difficult moments, but it has helped me see them alongside the good ones.

As June begins, I’m carrying that lesson with me into the second half of the year, knowing that we can still be grieving and grateful at the same time.

Struggling and smiling.

Healing and still hurting.

Holding sorrow and hope in the very same heart.

So as we enter a new month, a new season, and for me, another trip around the sun in a few weeks, I’m checking in, not just with myself, but with all of you.

How are you doing today?

Tell me one good moment from your day?

#june #onegoodmoment #mentalhealth #grief #healing

Today is National Smile Day 😄, and I haven’t stopped smiling since seeing the Neil Diamond Musical, A Beautiful Noise last night. It did not disappoint.

But behind every smile over the past 24 hours, there have also been tears, personal struggles, and moments of reflection.

Since my mom’s passing in January, I have found myself a little obsessed with Neil Diamond. Maybe leaning on his music is part of my grieving and healing process. I’m not really sure.

A few months ago, after seeing the movie Song Sung Blue, I wrote a blog about how the very first concert I ever attended was with my mom when I was just ten years old. We went to see Neil Diamond, and I’ve been a huge fan ever since.

After watching Song Sung Blue, my obsession—or perhaps my healing journey, continued. I decided to introduce my kids to one of my favorite movies from childhood, The Jazz Singer, starring Neil Diamond. One out of three actually stayed until the end. That’s Gen Z’s for you! No appreciation for the classics… lol.

I’ve seen The Jazz Singer countless times before, but probably not in more than 35 years. The music was exactly as I remembered it, but the movie itself hit me in a completely different way this time around. I saw myself in the main character’s struggles, something I never would have understood before beginning my own mental health journey 12 years ago. Years of therapy, and with the help of my dedicated therapist have helped me recognize and come to terms with childhood trauma in ways I never thought possible.

A Beautiful Noise is structured around a series of present-day therapy sessions. An older Neil Diamond, reflecting on his retirement from performing, sits in his therapist’s office revisiting his catalog of lyrics. Those sessions trigger flashbacks as a younger Neil takes the audience through his life story, his early struggles, breakout success, and the personal and relationship sacrifices made along the path to global fame.

His music and his journey left me smiling, laughing, and crying all at once. More than once, I felt as though I was sitting in that therapist’s chair alongside him. In many ways, it felt incredibly healing.

Today, on the final day of May and Mental Health Awareness Month, I took both my smile and my tears on a grueling #SummerOfRich hike with Rich. Listening to the soundtrack from A Beautiful Noise all the way there. It was the perfect ending to an emotional, meaningful, and surprisingly healing weekend.

Because sometimes the strongest smiles aren’t the ones that hide our struggles, they’re the ones that survive them.

#abeautifulnoise #musical #neildiamond #mentalhealth #healing #obsession #nature #hiking #reflection #grief #nationalsmileday

Every time I read headlines like this, a little piece of me breaks further.

Mental illness is real.

Yesterday, four-time Stanley Cup champion Claude Lemieux died by suicide. He was 60 years old.

Just a few days earlier, he proudly served as a torchbearer at Montreal’s Bell Centre during Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals, surrounded by family and celebrated by fans. To those in the arena, and the millions watching from home he appeared full of life. He was smiling, engaging with the crowd, and sharing in a moment of joy.

Yet, like so many people who struggle with their mental health, he may have never felt more alone.

His tragic death is another heartbreaking reminder that money, fame, success, and public admiration do not guarantee happiness. Mental illness does not discriminate. It can affect anyone, regardless of how strong, accomplished, or outwardly happy they may seem.

That is why we must keep talking. We must keep checking in on one another. We must continue encouraging people to seek help when they need it and reminding them that they do not have to carry their struggles alone.

Ending the stigma, fear, judgment, and shame surrounding mental illness is a team effort. Every conversation matters. Every act of compassion matters. Every time we reach out, listen, and show up for someone, it matters.

As Mental Health Awareness Month draws to a close this weekend, let us remember that awareness cannot be limited to a single month on the calendar. The need for compassion, understanding, and connection exists every day of the year.

You never truly know what someone is carrying behind their smile.

#resteasy #hockeychamp #claudelemieux #mentalhealthawareness #youarenotalone #startaconversation #endthestigma #itsoktoaskforhelp #itsoktonotbeok #youareenough

This past week took a toll on me in every way possible. It may have been a very short work week, which I’m definitely not complaining about, but emotionally, I feel completely spent today.

This week asked a lot of me… but not all of it was bad.

There were difficult conversations that needed to be had. Opportunities to share my story. Celebrations. Listening. Learning. Embracing.

By last night, I found myself completely exhausted, physically, mentally, and emotionally. A rainy Sunday afternoon was exactly what I needed today to pause, breathe, and recharge.

But it’s moments like this, and all the meaningful moments woven throughout my week, that remind me why I continue to do what I do.

The conversations.

The connections.

The vulnerability.

The people who listen with open hearts.

The reminders that sharing our stories can truly matter.

Receiving this email after a 2.5-hour talk I gave this week meant more to me than I can fully put into words. In the middle of an emotionally heavy week, it reminded me that even the hardest moments can still hold purpose, connection, and comfort.

Here’s to hoping the week ahead brings a little more peace, a little more lightness, and the kind of moments that refill the parts of me this week drained.

#recharge #connection #youareenough #reminders #mentalhealth #purpose #emotional #stigma #youarenotalone

For our anniversary, I wrote a song for Rich… but don’t worry, I spared you all the torture of hearing me sing it myself. 😅

Last night, I asked all 3 of my kids separately if they could be home after work today (one doesn’t actually live here!) because I wanted them here for my surprise. They begged me to tell them what it was and started throwing out guesses, which I’m sure continued well into the evening in their private group chat when I wouldn’t give in!! Not even a hint.

I wanted them to be a part of this moment. To pause from the busyness of life, to see what unconditional love truly looks like after 31 years together, and more than anything, to know that they are the most precious gifts to come from our marriage.❤️

No expensive gift can ever compare to something created from the heart. Those are the gifts that stay with you forever.

After 31 years… he’s still my best view. ❤️

31 years later, through every season of life, he’s still my constant.

The one who makes me feel seen, safe, and unconditionally loved.

Grateful for every chapter we’ve shared, even the painful, messy ones, because they’ve shaped us, strengthened us, and deepened our love along the way. ❤️

Happy Anniversary, Rich. I love you forever and a day.

#happyanniversary #thirtyone #grateful #love #strength #mentalhealth

Last night, during Mental Health Awareness Month, I attended an intimate panel discussion featuring six authors from the Anthology, “When We Forgive”;  a powerful collection of short stories “tracing the path between hurt and healing”. Each story was shaped by lived experience, resilience, reflection, trauma, addiction, grief, healing, and ultimately, the complicated, rarely picture-perfect journey toward forgiveness.

Forgiveness is a tough one for me. It’s something I’ve struggled with a lot. I’ve had to learn the hard way, whether it’s learning to forgive myself, or learning to forgive a loved one who’s hurt me, but has never had the courage to say the words, “I’m sorry.”

Last night felt inspiring, cathartic, and deeply necessary in my own healing journey. In each author’s story, I recognized pieces of myself. Their honesty served as a gentle reminder that none of us are truly alone in what we carry, even when it feels that way sometimes.

Thank you to each of the authors for sharing your truth with such courage, vulnerability, and honesty. And thank you to @leahposlunstheatre for creating space for these important conversations and bringing stories of healing, resilience, and mental health to your stage.


#forgiveness #anthology #connection #whenweforgive #healing #trauma #grief #resilience #addictions #mentalhealthawarenessmonth @adamkunder @tab_nav @discovering_y.o.u._ @sustainable_recovery

Yesterday a Bar Mitzvah, tonight a wedding. This weekend has been filled with love, friendship, tradition, and joyful moments… plus 3 wardrobe changes, all with the same essentials: a cute purse and a grateful heart.

Showing up isn’t always easy for me, which makes weekends like this feel extra meaningful. 💕

#micromoments #celebrate #friendship #mentalhealth #gratefulheart

It’s been a really heavy week for me. Way beyond the norm 🥹. So I’m especially grateful that it’s finally Friday… and a long weekend to boot!

A weekend where I get to celebrate two very special milestones in the lives of two of my dearest friends — the Bar Mitzvah of one son, and the wedding of another. Moments filled with joy, love, pride, and the reminder of how important it is to hold close the people who matter most.

But first, tonight, as we enter Shabbat, I will rest. I will quiet my mind, exhale some of the heaviness I’ve been carrying, and allow myself a moment to simply pause.

Sometimes life feels like it asks us to hold both exhaustion and gratitude at the very same time. This weekend feels like exactly that.

Wishing everyone a peaceful Shabbat and a beautiful long weekend ahead (in Canada that is 🇨🇦).

P.S. I think spring has finally arrived! 🌷

#shabbatshalom #gratitude #friendship  #celebrations #longweekend #mentalhealth #ohcananda #spring #joy #love #pride #micromoments