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Happy anniversary…to me

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On February 7, 2011 I celebrated my second anniversary in beautiful St. John’s, NL as the Program Director of YACC. This made me a little “nostalgique” and got me thinking about what lead me here. (Watch out, this is a long blog, honestly more for me than anyone, but if you have a few minutes to kill, be my guest!)
In the summer of 2008, I started to write in a journal using exercises in a book I was reading called The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron (merci, Val). This is what came out of these few months writing down about my life, dreams, and desires.

Prelude to the journal:

CAPO 2006: I am attending with my friend (and colleague at the time) Lindsay. We were both co-facilitators of a support group for young adults in Montreal and I was discovering that working with young adults was a definite passion for me, almost like a professional calling.
I mostly remember two things from this Conference (outside of the amazing time I had after the Conference in Halifax with my friend):

 
Winter of 2007: I contact Lesley at YACC and offer my services for the Retreats they run.
July 2007: I facilitate my first Retreat Yourself weekend as a volunteer with YACC. I LOVE it.
Fall 2007: I facilitate at the Survivor Conference in Calgary. I LOVE it.
July 2008: I facilitate my second Retreat Yourself weekend. I really LOVE it. During that weekend, Geoff, half-joking asked me, “When are you going to work with us?” My answer is something like, “Well, I would have to move…” Geoff said, “Well maybe not; Who knows, we might have an office in Montreal some day!” The thinking machine has started.

Excerpts from my journal

Following that Retreat I wrote:

“It’s funny, last night at dinner, I could really picture myself working with Geoff and Lesley. I can see myself living in Newfoundland for a while and start up new projects with them.” I added, “I sometimes have the feeling that I will do a lot more with them, as if I know I will work with them.”

At the time, I had a great job and was working with the best group of volunteers ever. Things were not perfect, but I was not looking for a job, so these feelings were sometimes strange for me.
The rest of the month of July was made of daydreaming of what it could be like for me to work at YACC. It was a mix of excitement, uncertainty, and fear. I was over thinking all the details and was trying to find a way to make a big change while not changing anything. All of that was happening in my head and my heart without any offers whatsoever (haha).

September 1, 2008

My daydreaming is obviously taking over and becoming something more than a dream. I am writing down what would be the ideal path for me in the next couple of months

 

September 13, 2008

“I spoke with Geoff. It went well and he was quite surprised I would be willing to move to St. John’s if the opportunity arose.”

They say timing is everything. When I called, YACC was in the middle of making some changes in the team and reorganizing things. Lesley was entering a new role and they were probably going to need a new Program Director. Was this my opportunity?
As they say, “les jeux sont faits, rien ne va plus.”
I connected with Geoff a few times to make sure he knew I was still interested and then came the “waiting” period. I didn’t have any news, and by November, even though I knew in my gut something was there for me, I was starting to wonder…
Repeating to myself that I had to trust my intuition, trust life, and the Universe, I waited patiently with the feeling I had planted the seeds.

December 17, 2008

I wrote: “Geoff called me. He offered me a job! I don’t have all the details, but with this news I am affirming:

 
In January 2009, I had a week of vacation and came to St. John’s to visit and find an apartment. I had less than one week: I met the team, they were amazing, I knew it!
I also met people that I feel were meant to be in my life and that I call my “Newfoundland family” (thanks to Linda Chernin-Rosenblatt, my guardian angel that I love and miss), Kathy, Walt, Kay, Shannon, and Maria. You made me feel like I belonged, you made me feel safe, at home. I am forever grateful.

February 7, 2009

With the love, understanding, trust and support of my family and friends I fly to St. John’s excited, a little scared, and so ready to enter my new life. It’s a beautiful and sunny day.

2011

I have not regretted my choice, not even once, not even a little.
I have never officially thanked those who made this possible, so here it is:
First, thank you to my YACC family, my colleagues, Geoff. Thanks for believing in me and for welcoming me in the team harms wide open, head full of ideas and possibilities.
Thank you to my Newfoundland Family. I don’t think I could have made it without you.
Merci à tous ceux au Québec qui m’ont supporté, écouté, encouragé, aidé à réaliser ce rêve qui pouvait paraître un peu fou par moment.
Merci à ma meilleure amie Val qui a toujours cru en mes capacités et m’a toujours encouragé vers ce qui pouvait me rendre heureuse.
Merci à ma cousine qui a cru en mon projet, en moi.
Merci à mes parents qui malgré le choc J, m’ont aidé et m’ont aimé. Ils n’ont pas jugé mon choix et sans leur support je ne serais pas ici, je ne serais pas qui je suis.
Merci à ma sœur que j’aime et qui est toujours là pour moi, peut importe la distance. Elle croit en moi et m’appui toujours. Tu es avec moi toujours ma sœur.
2011, I am ready for you!

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