Not all compliments are created equal — We all know compliments are great. Who doesn’t love feeling appreciated? But it’s funny how some compliments stay with us forever while others fade quickly from memory. There’s a reason you think back on certain comments and get the warm fuzzies all over again. …

Decluttering doesn’t have to be a nightmare — While I’ve never been a huge spender, I also didn’t de-clutter much either. I used to shove things deep in a drawer in case I ever needed them again. This meant that when I decided to down-size my belongings in January 2015, there was decades worth of stuff to go…

In the immediacy of the digital age, I miss yearning. — In high school, I liked a guy we’ll call Charlie, who had strict parents. He couldn’t be on the phone without them getting suspicious (these were landline days), so he waited to call me until 10:47 pm every night. …

You’re (literally) sleeping on this easy solution — My friend Melanie had hip issues for years. There were times when she was so uncomfortable sitting we could barely enjoy a quick dinner. So I was shocked when one day she casually told me her hip pain was gone. “What happened?!?” I asked. She’d been to doctors, a chiropractor…

What is rainbow washing and why do so many corporations target the LGBTQ+ community? — Manny MUA is a YouTube creator and a gay man. As an influencer, he’s no stranger to brand deals. But on his podcast, he shared his frustration with corporations during Pride Month. “This happens to me every June. Pride Month is June. A lot of brands will reach out to…

A Father’s Day ode — My mother wasn’t there for me much, but my dad sure was. Being a dad is about showing up, whether that means giving the bath, playing horsey, attending recitals, or making the peanut butter sandwich. Having a great dad means I know the difference between a good man and a…

Is “The Firm” finally past its expiration date? — Last weekend, Queen Elizabeth II commemorated 70 years on the British throne with a Platinum Jubilee. Now 96, Elizabeth became Sovereign in 1952 at just 26 years old. While 70 years is a blip in the context of human history, today’s world is completely unrecognizable from that of the early-1950s…

When everything closes down, where do you go to escape your small space? — I live in a high-rise condo complex in downtown Toronto. It doesn’t get more urban than that. I’d say “it’s buildings as far as the eye can see,” but the sad reality is you can’t see a lot out of my windows anymore. I used to have a fantastic North-facing…

Nine things I wish I knew a year ago — June 1st marks one year since I published my first Medium post about handling client conflict as a freelancer. To date, it has a whopping 17 reads. Since then, my progress on Medium has been more akin to the tortoise than the hare — slow but steady. I’ve published just…