Ever been on a canoe trip? Did you just start paddling, going with the flow and discovering new places along the way? Or, did you map out the whole journey ahead of time, then followed it?

Growing up near rivers and lakes in Ontario, I was always in or on the water. Family canoe trips were endlessly exciting. The plan was never specific about where to stop.  We’d just say, “Let’s go for a paddle.” And we did.

December is always a time of reflection for me. Therefore, to gather my thoughts and reflect on what I learned over the past year, I decided to go for a walk in the forest. On my walk, I found a very tall tree and decided to stop and think. As a nature lover, whenever I see a tall tree, the term “growth” comes to mind. Growth of any kind is a process, whether it be individually or collectively.

Establishing Yourself as a Life Blogger is about speaking from the heart, sharing your passion with others, and building community.

When people are looking for inspiration, instead of only going outward to others for answers, dig deep and look within. Write your posts as if you are speaking from your heart. Remember, people are coming to your blog to connect with you and hear your thoughts. Blogging is a conversation where you start talking and people respond.

During a routine run around my local lake this past weekend, instead of bringing my headphones like I usually do, I decided to be silent in nature and reflect on my journey. On the west coast, we are lucky to have some of the biggest trees in the world. Trees teach me a lot and being in their presence reminds me to think outside myself. The trees around here have been growing for hundreds of years and keep reaching higher, despite obstacles.  They are a force to be reckoned with – I haven’t even touched on how deep their roots must be.  Check out this beautiful video I found called "Growing is Forever" that I thought would visually encapsulate what I feel when I am surrounded by these tall trees.

I just realized something about myself, well I have known it for a long time actually. I perform better and am happier when it is sunny outside. This realization became very apparent today when the sun appeared and suddenly my energy level skyrocketed.

Then it dawned on me that some of my readers may not be feeling bright in spirits today and may need an extra dose of sunshine. Perhaps your dampened spirit is due to a darkened day, harsh words from a critic, or you are dealing with a difficult time in your life. I have been there and just wanted to tell you that the sun will be shining again soon. PERSEVERE! Therefore, this post is dedicated to all of us who could use more sunshine in our lives. Especially to a reader whose appearance was criticized harshly by her boss today and she needs some cheering up. She's a beautiful person inside and out. Don't let the mean words of others ruin your day! Focus on the positive.

I have always been fascinated by rocks – to the point that my friends and I even started a “rock club” in elementary school.  To this day, I have a rock jar that consists of beautiful rocks from the various beaches I have been to; each was associated with a great memory.  Every time I look at the jar, I think of happiness and the lessons learned. Many individuals view rocks as a source of strength, but they also have deeper meaning for me.  They are symbolic of being solid as they are resistant to damage and hard to break.  You may have heard of the terms “rock solid” or “solid as a rock”. However, when the rocks are broken; true beauty is exposed. 

I had such a wonderful walk on the beach recently that I had to share my time with you. Looking at these pictures, I hope you are reminded to see the beauty in all you do.

Come join me on my walk :) This is my first all photo post. I hope you enjoy it.