Positivity and Inspiration, Uncategorised

Happy Canada Day! Let’s Appreciate Nature and Each Other Every Day!

When I was 9 years old my family and I moved from the suburbs to a rural country setting. Transferring to 2nd Line West was a big change for me. It was a move away from good friends from my public school as well as my minor hockey friends. This house was originally purchased as an investment property that was rented out until Mom decided to move us there in 1972. Just after the purchase I recall Dad driving me up to that sprawling ranch bungalow on two acres, with hedges running down each side of the eighty foot driveway. The property also had an in-ground pool at the back left corner, with a pool house and change rooms. The pool area was very removed from the house. The tool shed bordered on the north side of the property line. As Dad and I walked through the empty house he said, “Come with me. I’ve got Read More

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Letting the World Happen To Us – My Book Into Movie Dream

Upon completing writing my first book Love, Care and Share, I had to read the publisher’s proof copy to approve a production print run for the book’s distribution. Driving home I decided to hook up my 30ft. trailer and head to the lake. There I found the perfect spot and backed my trailer in. I had a spectacular view of the water and began proof reading. As I started reading I heard a knock at the door. When I answered it a gentleman apologized for disturbing me and explained, “I thought you were the same person I met here last week. He was right here in the same spot, and had the same style of Airstream trailer as yours.” As Doug turned to walk away he stopped, looked back at me and asked, “What brings you here?” I told him about proof reading my book, which I had just independently published. We were both drawn Read More

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2nd Edition of Love, Care and Share is Here!

When I first set out to write this book my intent was triple-fold. I wanted to capture the essence of my mother’s life, I needed to write down the stories which would help me and others to share my mother’s legacy, and I knew that it would be a good opportunity to bond even closer to my sisters. I did not know that through the journey of gathering and writing down the memories and stories, that I would rediscover my mother’s life long legacy: to help find joy within myself and in others. Why I had to Write This Book: I believe all people have an inherent desire to help others. Too many people are caught up in their pursuit of material things, achieving their goals, collecting “things”, building financial wealth. This leads to a preoccupied, busy mind and people do not embrace and experience being present with this desire and want. This desire is Read More

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Change of Perspective – Not Easy To Do

A great friend of mine whom I have known since I was three year old has had an extremely difficult time lately. He realized his wife was having an affair and when he confronted her she decided to leave him for the other man. Bob was devastated and found himself falling into depression. He visited his doctor, a psychologist, and attended a self-help group for support. The doctors prescribed medication but Bob fell further deeper into his depression, which included serious thoughts of suicide. One evening he expressed his mental condition to his son. His son made a 911 call, and Bob was rushed to a local hospital. For two days he was detained in the mental health wing. During this time Bob was also having paranoid thoughts regarding his physical health and asked for full blood works and a physical examination. While waiting to see one of his doctors he met Trish in the Read More

Positivity and Inspiration, Writing and Publishing

How I Wrote My Book in Under Four Months

I have always enjoyed finding the right words to fit into my poetry! However, it was a brand new experience for me when I wrote my book in under four months – no less! My youngest sister and I started this journey side by side 5 years ago. After we all lost our incredible and amazing mother. We interviewed the people together planning to include their insights in the impending book. Then we agreed that Julie would write the book and as I have a strong sales background, I would follow through with marketing and selling our mother’s uplifting and inspirational life story. After we had completed the interview process with 18 people, my sister was not responding to my calls and I knew something was up. Many weeks went by and I finally connected with her. Julie then expressed to me that she could not write this book. Something was holding her back. As she told Read More

Book Signings, Content posts, Positivity and Inspiration, Standard Post, Uncategorised, Writing and Publishing

Want To Meet Tom Herstad at Your Local Indigo?

Meet Tom Herstad at Your Local Indigo Local Author Sheds Inspirational Light At Indigo Book Signings: If you or any of your friends and family would like to meet Tom Herstad, the author of the Inspirational Autobiography “Love, Care, and Share,” you have three chances to meet him this month starting next week. Come and be inspired by him and ask him any questions you may have about life, inspiration and about why and how Tom Herstad wrote his book: 1)    September 17th, 2016 Where: Oakville, Ontario Indigo’s Oakville – 310 North Service Rd., West, (in Dorval Crossing shopping center) Who: Tom Herstad, Author of Inspirational Autobiography “Love, Care, and Share,” Why: Tom Herstad will sign copies of the book “Love, Care, and Share,” Date:  Sept 17, 2016 Time: 1 p.m. – 4 p.m. 2)   September 18th – 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. Where: at Indigo – Milton Crossroads, 1180 Steeles Ave, East, Milton, Ontario 3)    September Read More

Content posts, Positivity and Inspiration

The Many Benefits of Eating Together As a Family

Up to a couple of decades ago families always had Sundays to reunite, catch up and reload. Sunday was the day to spend time together, eat together, relax and watch favorite shows together. This was the time before mobile devices and multi TVs in each of our homes. The balance of the week was crammed with work and chores for adults and school and extra-curricular activities for the children. I remember Saturdays were shopping and errand days. My many memories of our Sundays are how we spent the day experiencing music together. I remember Dad taking one of us on his motorcycle for a ride or driving the family-full car from one relative to another. One of the defining factors for me which represented the end of the weekend was the TV show “Tiny Talent Time”, which aired at 5 o’clock Sunday afternoon. Those days were full of wonderful times and the Sundays consisting of Read More

Positivity and Inspiration

Let Mother Nature Nurture and Mother You

There are many books and blogs dedicated to the subject of building and enjoying a better life, becoming happier and how to become more successful in your personal life and career. Here are some of my lessons learned and surprising ways forward which may help you with the above: 1. When You’re Feeling Low, Go and Help Someone Else. In other words, love care and share! In our fast paced, stress-filled lives, we can all succumb to getting the blues, or getting depressed. And sometimes we are too deeply in the situation to recognize it or know how to get out from under the grey, all-consuming cloud. You can drag yourself out of the darkness by taking the focus away from yourself and your issues. Whether they are health, love, family or business problems, it’s easier to get busy by helping someone else. Getting an opportunity to do the smallest chores, even getting your elderly Read More

Uncategorised

Stress And Burnout Survival Strategies

Stress and burnout have become universal conditions! We must find ways to avoid or minimize the effects of this malady before it becomes debilitating and negatively impacts all areas of our lives. I run a busy LED lighting design company, and just became a fully fledged author this month. After nearly four years of planning, writing and going through all the stages of the publishing process to share my book with the world, Author Kristen Lamb’s latest blog post hit home. Stress and lack of time to accomplish all we need to do are part of our every day struggles and burnout can be around the next corner when we least expect it. So when my editor/publisher, Tanya Freedman shared with me Kristen Lamb’s blog post, I had to share it with you all. For LINK to full blog post, click here. In this informative, insightful and sometimes humorous article Ms. Lamb shares some coping Read More

Positivity and Inspiration

Why Bad News Sells and How We Can Stop Buying Into It!

The news has always consisted of dreaded tragedies, sad circumstances of communities, cities and countries. I realize that the continued focus has always been on the negative stories. The car accidents, the shootings, natural disasters, the hatred. Why does this stuff sell? Is it because we care, or is it something completely different? Why are we addicted to watching bad news on TV and News Feeds? I learned my own answers to this recently. Taking a Step Back Until a few months ago I was one of the millions of people glued to CNN and other news channels, and news feeds on my laptop or cell phone, needing to stay updated about the natural disasters and tragedies befalling our human race. My day started and ended with the TV warning me about our increasingly dangerous and volatile world. However, over five months ago when my TV stopped working, and I have not watched the news Read More