Listen to Lena

Perfecting the Art of Conversuasion

Lifestyle

2015: Great Expectations

By

Happy New Year! 2015 is officially underway, and I am officially stoked! I have only one goal this year – make it the BEST year ever! (But no pressure, right?)

This January feels a *teeny* bit different from the past few years, in that my normal ramp-up time has poofed! into thin air. Whereas I usually have a month or two to get my bearings, send out pitches, sign contracts and line up work, I feel as though I’m already off to the races. And trust me, I’m not complaining! I’m incredibly grateful and so fortunate to know that my year is already shaping out to be a success. It’s a wonderful feeling!

So, what can you expect from me in 2015? As always, I’ll be multi-tasking to the extreme, and will be holding down a variety of “jobs”. I hope you’ll join me for the ride!

1. Mother: Employed since 2008, I will always have this role. It brings me the most joy, the most stress, and certainly the most fulfillment. (Although, I would never want to be subjected to a performance evaluation.)

2. Spouse: Employed since 2007, one of the easiest jobs I’ve ever had – but that may have something to do with the fact that I married my perfect match.

3. Writer: Oh blog, I just can’t quit you. Writing stories – right here on Listen to Lena, my favourite online space in the world – is something I can’t see myself giving up any time soon. Of course, this blog would be nothing without my readers. And to all those who take the time to stop by each day, I have nothing but love for you. Thank you.

4. Social Outreach: I belong to two amazing ambassador programs – #WalmartMomCA and #HBSocialKitchen. But, I’ll let you in on a not-so-little secret – I also manage both programs behind the scenes. Yes, they’re my babies! I conceptualized, presented and successfully negotiated the terms of both ambassador programs. And, working closely with amazing PR professionals and a talented group of online influencers, I’ll continue to lead the discussion and execute the monthly campaigns. …

Read More

Tales of Embarrassment: The Ex-Files

By

I’m a woman. I’m a woman who has dated men before meeting the love of my life. I’m a woman who has not moved from the town I was born and raised in, and therefore, I allow myself the opportunity to have inopportune run-ins with ex-boyfriends. So really, I shouldn’t have been surprised that eventually, I’d cross paths with a former flame.

Except, my former flames sure know how to stay hidden. I’ve had two long-term relationships before meeting my husband, and both men still live in the city. Yet, neither of them are on Facebook, Twitter or any other social media sites that would allow for mild cyber-stalking, which is of course completely acceptable and arguably a right as an ex-girlfriend. Of course, you’ve probably guessed by now that we do not stay in touch, which on some days is a shame, as it would relieve me from my online-creepfests and the disappointing results.

So I guess you can say that even though I have ex-boyfriends, they are somewhere in the city – doing their thing, living their life – just as I am. And as such, they are normally the furthest thing from my mind, and I’ve learned that the odds of a chance encounter are very low. Low, but not zero.

Cue the embarrassment.

It happened last week. I was rushing around, trying to juggle a thousand things like I always do. And, I was particularly stretched thin as I had been sick the week before – hence, I was in catch-up mode for everything from blogging to grocery shopping to getting my hair done. Last Wednesday, I was scheduled to host a private shopping event with AIR MILES for Toronto’s top influencers, and I sorely needed to have my roots touched up. So, I did something I don’t normally do; I scheduled a hair colour appointment for the very same day as the event….

Read More

To Sleep, Perchance to Dream

By

Years ago – half a lifetime ago, to be honest – I started dating my first serious boyfriend.

We were seventeen and high school sweethearts, so of course I had already tacked his last name onto mine in my diary; dreaming of the days university would be over and he would seek my hand in marriage. I was mostly in love and terribly committed as only a teenager can be.

Three years into the relationship, and it was painfully evident we were hanging on just for the sake of hanging on. We fought constantly; had bitter words to say that were never totally forgotten after each passing fight, and the truth is, he was not growing into the dedicated paramour I had dreamed of, and I was not the free-spirited, easy-going girlfriend he had counted on.

We were doomed.

And so we would break up and make up – on and off for almost a year. Our first “official” break-up was in September 1999, but then, we could be seen going out here and there and even spending a long weekend together right up until August 2000.

Just before our final seperation in the summer of 2000, I began having a recurring dream.

It made absolutely no sense to me (and yet haunted me with a frequency of at least 1-2 times per week): in the dream, I would be working, driving, shopping, walking along a beach at night – really, insert any life scenario here – and I’d be licking a blue lollipop. But not just any lollipop; a big, round one… I suppose it would be slightly bigger than a Chupa Chup but smaller than a Big Mouth. It was hard to handle once in my mouth, but I kept at it just the same, trying to make it fit. I could taste the sweet, blue raspberry stickiness and just about get my teeth around it for a bite. But in the end – always, in the end – I’d pull it out of my mouth in frustration, and start smashing it against a hard surface until it shattered into pieces. And once among me, the sticky, blue mess, I’d feel a lot better.

After my boyfriend and I broke up for the final time, the dream stopped.

At the time, I didn’t pay the dream very much mind. I didn’t have to – this was before the days of Google Search when I could simply have an armchair analyst decode the dream in an instant.

However, as luck would have it, one of my friends was very much into “spiritual introspection” and had long since befriended an impressive assortment of tarot readers, Reiki massage therapists, psychics and of course, a dream interpreter. And that’s how I found myself at the home of a renowned spiritual healer who happened to specialize in dream analysis….

Read More

Another Year…. Another Chance.

By

This is my very favourite time of year. On the cusp of a new beginning; a chance to pause and reflect on the past little while. The memories made; new friendships, old habits, the same old slippers and robe. But I rarely spend too much time thinking about the past – even a year as awesome as 2012 – because I’m always too excited for the road that lies ahead.

And here we are… Another Year… Another Chance.

Another chance to say I love you.
Another chance to forgive and move on.
Another chance to lose five pounds.
Another chance to learn to love yourself just the way you are.
Another chance to try something new.
Another chance to try for a baby.
Another chance to swallow your pride.
Another chance to phone a friend.
Another chance to tuck them in bed.
Another chance to let her go.

Another chance to believe.

Another chance to eat dessert first.
Another chance to give to the poor.
Another chance to smile at a stranger.
Another chance to mend a broken heart.
Another chance to set a goal.

Another chance to walk away from the situation.

Another chance to say what’s on your mind.
Another chance to do something that scares you.
Another chance to see a movie on opening night.
Another chance to ask for help.
Another chance to block his phone number.
Another chance to hold someone’s hand.
Another chance to window shop in a neighbourhood you can’t afford.

Another chance to wish upon a star.

Another chance to admit you were wrong.
Another chance to hug your parents.
Another chance to paint your fingernails electric blue.
Another chance to book that overdue vacation.
Another chance to live your life without regret.
Another chance to pay it forward.

Another chance to be the very best person you can be.

Happy New Year! What will you do in 2013?

I Am Thankful.

By

With Thanksgiving just a few days away, I’ve started chatting with Ryder about the holiday and what it represents.

(Believe it or not, 4-year-olds grasp the concept of Thanksgiving very easily if we simply substitute “thankful” for “likes a lot”. Of course, coming from Ryder, one can expect cars, vacuums and gummy bears to be on that list.)

I decided that I too wanted to make a list of the things I am thankful for; but let’s be honest, you can likely guess the contents: my beautiful boys, my wonderful extended family, health, happiness… yes, it’s all terribly predictable.

And so I began thinking about the little things I’m thankful for. You know, the small stuff that in the end, somehow made a huge difference. Sometimes I laughed; often, I cried; but for the most part, I am thankful.

Inner Beauty.

I am thankful that I was never a conventionally pretty or popular girl. Being ignored for most of my high school life was likely the greatest gift ever. For when other 15-year-old girls simply had to toss their hair or flirtatiously giggle, I had to be funny, witty and interesting. Yes, I was the forgettable girl with the great personality – the one the boys didn’t want to be set up with. At the time, I spent countless nights wondering how I could make myself more popular, more trendy and definitely more pretty. But in the end, the fact that I had to depend on my wit and charm – not my looks – allowed me to develop my inner beauty. Later, when I finally blossomed, not only was I a looker – I was charismatic and likable, too.

A Charitable Cause.

I am thankful for my first boyfriend. He was a cute, popular boy and for some reason, decided to pluck me out of social obscurity. One day, huddled behind the high school portables, he asked me to be his girlfriend. I thought I’d combust with happiness! We ended up “dating” for 2 months – a lifetime when you’re 16 years old. To this day, I still don’t know if I was a “She’s All That”-esque charitable cause (certainly no on else could figure out the attraction – not even my friends!) but I’ll forever be thankful that he spent a small portion of his life making me feel so special. The confidence that ensued helped me keep my head held high when other boys rejected me (sadly, my social life did not pick up after that brief stint – see Inner Beauty)….

Read More