Love

Man Of The Week – Andrew Horn

A life of service and gratitude is one of the most fulfilling pleasures one can experience, believes Andrew Horn. This belief coupled with numerous other accomplishments that make Andrew Horn our Man Of The Week! From making compassionate decisions in his personal relationships to founding his first NGO, ‘Dream for Kids DC’, Andrew is a man of many talents and passions, all of which are tied to giving back to society and making the world a better place for future generations. Today, Andrew lives his life to serve as an example to inspire others to share their appreciation and gratitude, to lead to more meaningful and enriching relationships.

  1. Age: 29
  2. What you do you do? (Work)
    Social Entrepreneur, current the Founder/CEO of Tribute.co
  3. Why do you do it?
    We get to help people share their gratitude and appreciation with the people they care about.
  4. How do you make a difference in the world? (Work, business, life, family, self)
    In business, I try to make a difference in the world by building organizations that have a sustainable impact on improving the lives of other. In my personal relationships, I try to lead with compassion and give people a platform to be truly seen, heard and supported the way they’d like to be.
  5. What are 3 defining moments in your life?
    1. Realizing the difference between pleasure and happiness
    2. Starting my first NGO Dreams For Kids DC with no idea what I was doing.
    3. Meeting my soul mate and marrying her three days later at Burning Man
  6. What is your life purpose?
    To live an integrous lifestyle, to be a servant to the people and causes I believe in, and to magnify love and gratitude in the world.
  7. How did you tap into it?
    I realized that helping others is the most effective way to find fulfillment and have grounded my actions and career choices in service ever since.
  8. Who is your Role-Model or Mentor?
    I am fortunate to have a community of friends called the Boom-Spiral and they are my collective role models. I learn and grow from our relationships constantly and am beyond grateful to have found/built such a strong community.
  9. Do you have any daily habits? If so, what are they?
    1. Don’t check phone immediately after waking up
    2. Put all of my team’s tasks into asana to start the day
    3. Try and be better than I was yesterday
  10. When do you know your work/life balance is off?
    I know my work-life balance is off when my energy doing the things I enjoy starts to lag lower than I’d like it to.
  11. Vulnerability is a challenge for most men – share a vulnerable moment from your life with us.
    My girlfriend Miki is the first real woman I have ever been with. She called for a man than I had to offer early on in our relationship.
    One of the arenas where I was lacking was sexual presence and technique.
    It soon became evident that one of the reasons I lacked this presence was because of an unhealthy porn habit.
    After almost a year and a half, I was finally able to subdue my porn habit and grounded myself in a constantly evolving, exciting sex life with my partner Miki.
  12. What did you learn from it?
    1. It is important to define the relationships that you want with pornography.
    2. Sexual polarity is essential if you want to maintain an element of desire in your relationship
    3. Great relationships take work, but you just need to believe in what you are building or working towards as an individual and union.
  13. If you are or were going to be a mentor for another man, what is one piece of advice you would give him?
    I would ask him to define why he wants what he wants, to help him articulate goals and understand his deepest desires.
    In understanding our internal drivers, we are most capable of obtaining happiness in the present, while engaged in a pursuit of something grander.
  14. How do you be the best partner (Boyfriend/Husband- past or present)
    1. Celebrate your partner’s victories with reckless abandon. This is the easiest way to make them feel supported.
    2. When you have something nice to say, share it. Telling the people we love why we love them is one of the easiest ways to establish deep connectivity.
    3. Realize that helping others is one of the easiest ways to add depth to any relationship. Find joy in serving those you care about.
  15. Do you support any Charities or Not-for-profits? (Which one(s) and why?)
    I am on the board of the two non-profits that I previously founded. www.dreamsforkidsdc.org and www.abilitylist.org.
  16. If your life had a theme song, what would it be?
    All I want for Christmas is you by Mariah Carey. That song is hilarious and awesome literally whenever you play it.
  17. Where do you see yourself in 3 years?
    Married to the woman of my dreams with a kid and one on the way. Living between NYC and Costa Rica. Surfing at least 50 days of the year.
    Running a successful company with 50 employees and building the “hallmark of the digital age.”
  18. What legacy do you want to leave for future generations?
    I want to leave the world with a newfound understanding and appreciation for the power of gratitude and service.
    If my life can serve as an example that inspires others to help each other and share their gratitude more openly, I think I will be able to magnify great relationships around the globe and that is a lasting impact that I would be very proud of.
  19. What One book would you recommend for any Man?
    The Way of the Superior Man by David Deida – This book has been shared around by all of the great mean in my life. It provides young men with a framework to aid in the articulation of personal purpose, and provides some essential truths about what it takes to exist in a desire filled romantic relationship.

 
If you know a Man that is making a positive impact on the world, we would love to hear from you! Contact us at [email protected]

Man Of The Week – Horrasias Balabyekkubo

For those of you who have attended our events in the past, you may have heard about this week’s ‘Man Of The Week’: Horrasias Balabyekkubo. Horrasias is an incredible human being with a wealth of talents ranging from a being loving father, a successful entrepreneur, a visionary philanthropist, an author and a motivational speaker, to name a few! From the age of 14, Horrasias began taking steps to plan his future, sought out mentorship from community leaders and making his dream a reality. Having lived on three continents, Horrasias has a wealth of stories that will send tingles down your spine, inspire you to find your purpose, live in integrity with it, and to help lay the foundation for future generations.

  1. Age: 32
  2. What do you do? (For work)
    Brand Ambassador and Distributor for Enagic Canada, Project Director at a Primary and Secondary School in Uganda and an Author.
  3. Why do you do it?
    I do it because it gives me the opportunity to give back in a life giving way to the current society I live in and across the globe. As a director it allows me to continue to build the vision of the school as well as set it on a higher trajectory for greater impact in the community we serve and the nation as a whole. I write because what I have found is; my sharpest weapon to dethrone mediocrity from the lives of young people and my greatest tool move this generation forward is my pen.
  4. How do you make a difference in the world? (Work, business, life, family, self)
    I make a difference in the world remaining constant, consistent and determined to see every man, woman and child meet their true self. By writing words that inspire, teaching the practical steps to attain fulfillment and speaking in motivational tones to ignite passion and determination in the hearts of my listeners. By staying open and vulnerable before the people it shows that the only way forward for any individual is to find that harmony and balance in the shared experience mankind by recognizing the heart of another human as significant as their own. With my children, it is simple, blow their mind daily with showing them anything is possible with determination and hard work and a lot of imagination. Setting them on a foundation of joy and compassion goes a long way to help them realize their true potential. At work the balance comes to me in delivering superior quality service and discipline in my own individual effort thereby shifting the culture among my colleagues to present our excellence to the market place. We set the standard high.
  5. What are 3 defining moments in your life?
    1. At 19 I realized, that at 6 years old I had known all along and I had delivered with precision the oracles of God with out fear and with reckless abandon, I knew who I was and why I was here; from that moment I was determined and walked with discipline to bring forth that same vigour and excellence to whatever I would do in my life and vowed never to forget my purpose again nor dim its light to “fit in” with the masses of men.
    2. My first trip back to my homeland after 12 years of being away was one of those defining moments in my life to set me on course to reaching and attaining my destiny. I was in college and had bought the marketing plan of North America: go to school, get the degree, get a job at a reputable organization, work 40 years, retire well. But it was landing into Entebbe Airport, seeing Lake Victoria and the vibrant colours of the soil and greenery, the red tile roofs mixed in that told me there was something more for my life. You see North America has a way of lulling one to sleep, or choosing the safety and complacency of mediocre exploits over the grand design and purpose for ones life. It was those 37 days in Uganda changed everything. From leaving my chosen field of expertise to enlisting in battle against injustice and poverty, choosing that my life would be spent in defence of the widow and the orphan, the last, the lost, the least and the nearly dead. I knew that this was the raging desire of my life, the constant purpose to carry me through the darkness and the fog. This was to be my magnum opus.
    3. When my son was born. August 25th, 2009 changed everything. It was the culminating event of my young manhood. I had dreamed of being a husband and father for so long that on that day, I was in heaven, the whole earth faded away and all at once I was one with the divine as I opened my mouth to speak the first words he would hear from his father, his defender and protector; I looked into his blue eyes and spoke, “you are my son, in whom all my life has found meaning, I will dare to embolden you to reach for your greatness, I will never leave you, I will defend you against the perils that life will bring, but most important I will love you for all time. You are born of fire, to be fire and to breed fire. A man of the horse and spear. Defender of the realm. You will arise, you will stand, you will conquer.” I sang to him the songs of my father in Luganda, and we became One soul. My Daughter was born May 24, 2011. I was speechless. my heart stopped and danced with rapture. I was now a King among men, I was now to raise these two to the light of their purpose. Life’ Song was worth dancing again. From the first, Fatherhood has been the crowning achievement of my life. Everything else is noise.
  6. What is your life purpose?
    My life’s purpose is to inspire young men and young women to live at their optimum level of impact. Teaching them to marshall their faculties to achieve their chief aim and ultimate purpose in life. To build an army of like minded individuals who want to build great and thriving communities so the generations to come will be living in balance, moving with clock work precision towards maximum impact, disciplined in thought, excellent in conduct, noble in deeds.
  7. How did you tap into it?
    I went back to Uganda when I was 21 and it was on the mountains of Rwanda that I got the spark and it was in the valley of Tyler, Texas where the blueprint was found. I then spent the next 11 years learning, tweaking, and masterminding the plan that will culminate in Operation Trailblazer Dec 31,2015. It took going back to my roots, going off the beaten track and off what I thought my purpose was, questioning what was handed to me as my chief aim by my family, friends and teachers, that I was able to see the signs, the writing on the wall and the omens that would guide me to my greatest treasure.
  8. Who is your Role-Model or Mentor?
    My greatest role model is my father, John Deogratias Balabyekkubo, a Son, Brother, Father, Husband, Friend, Activist, Pioneer, Author, Musician, Playwright, Disciple, Apostle, Preacher, Missionary,Philanthropist, Leader, Visionary, Luminary, Revolutionary, Maverick, the list is endless. He is my father, my friend, confidant and constant north. Defender of my dreams, preserver of my virtue, he is my best example of what a man looks like and what a father loves like, what a husband acts like, what INTEGRITY sounds, tastes, feels, looks, smells like. Oh and he was the sharpest dressed man I have ever seen. He loved God and he served his people.
  9. Do you have any daily habits? If so, what are they?
    Daily Method of Operation is crucial to attain your best from yourself. It demands discipline to achieve any success in any venture. Even if the venture is relaxing, you must do it in a disciplined way so you can maximize the benefit of it. For me that means Reading two hours a day, then studying or mastering your craft gets an hour and a half daily; Physical exercise gets an hour and fifteen minutes, then work on your necessary projects such as income generating activities, networking and building relationships. The bulk of my time however is spent in fostering the seeds of excellence and epic-ness in the imaginations of my two glorious children.
  10. When do you know your work/life balance is off?
    I know my life and work balance is off when it starts to feel like there is not enough time to do the “joy” activities. You get so excited sometimes about a particular project that you begin to get consumed by its manifestation. Which often relegates the important things to the side for the time being, now don’t get me wrong there are seasons when you have to put priority and importance on said projects but for me I always try to include my two top priorities in whatever I do so I never neglect preserving the wonder in their lives. So the moment I am to “IN” to a certain project that I have to say no to any of the requests I normally would gladly do with the Royals. I stop and reassess the plan and rectify it, because they are never going to feel second to any mission, person, or goal. It’s all for them.
  11. Vulnerability is a challenge for most men – share a vulnerable moment from your life with us.
    Vulnerability is the wellspring of creative growth. I truly believe that when you lay bare your heart and soul you can look at and live your life in front of you. I was honoured and blessed to be apart of a ManTalks event that was based on mentors and fatherhood. I was blessed to share the stage with great men and even more humbled to hear their stories. I spoke on my father’s influence on my life and the way I parent my children; as I was speaking I felt this great opening in my heart to really love the people present there in the room, to really show them that I was a man who was unafraid of discussing life, liberty and the pursuit of epic-ness. I spoke about wounds that I have thought had healed and fresh scars from recent events that have sought to un-man me. The experience was exhilarating and educational both for the audience and myself. I felt as if I had let the world see me for the first time unafraid to be seen.
  12. What did you learn from it?
    I learnt All my life, after my father’s death I have sought to lead a life of polish and poise; but it was this unmasking in front of two hundred plus new friends that helped me see that I could be free to lead my life to the full again. It taught me to go with ‘Plan A’ every time, show your fullness. I am going to quote a t.v show Friday Night Lights, the football team had the team mantra: “clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose.”
  13. If you are or were going to be a mentor for another man, what is one piece of advice you would give him?
    If I were to mentor any man; I would simply tell him “find the honesty within you again. Look inside and be really real with yourself, pull back every layer, peak into every crevice and find your humanity, what makes you authentic is not just being sincere, its being truthful about your motives, intents, and core value. So it is vital you know what they are and how to deliver them into the market place of ideas and life.” Teachability says, I may know it already but there may be another way to do it. Let me seek it out. Learn, Learn, Learn, then Implement the knowledge.
  14. How do you be the best partner (Boyfriend/Husband- past or present)
    The key to being the best partner is simple; be willing. Willing to learn from each other, Willing to hold your partner at their absolute worst and celebrate them at their best even when you don’t “feel” like it. Willing to communicate your needs in a way that can actually get the result or desired end you have in mind. Be willing to Love for loving’s sake; not for a pat on the back, or to get something, just simply to Love your partner in a way that would inspire them to rise to their greatest self. Be willing to show yourself at any given moment to reassure your partner that they have free access to your heart especially when you want to close off and run. Be willing to admit wrong, be willing to be still and listen, be willing to grow. Be willing to show up consistently.
  15. Do you support any Charities or Not-for-profits? (Which one(s) and why?)
    I work with Bavubuka Foundation and Cleft of the Rock Foundation which use the arts, education and social entrepreneurship to impact various communities in Uganda and in the diaspora. Working with youth to influence their communities at large. The reason for my continued involvement is I believe in equipping the next generation to step into the halls of power fully armed with reason, a sense of equality and justice for all as well as the self discipline and governance within that will keep them on the path of high moral values, integrity and service to the communities they work in.
  16. If your life had a theme song, what would it be?
    Like a Rock, Bob Seger
  17. Where do you see yourself in 3 years?
    Three years from now I will be finishing phase one of Operation Trailblazer, I will be based out of Uganda, East Africa, building infrastructure projects in rural areas. I will be leading two thousand young people and developing training schools and other entrepreneurial pursuits to bolster the robust plan in phase two . Also at that time I will be balancing out all that legendary stuff at my farm at Kilindi, Uganda as a gentleman farmer.
  18. What legacy do you want to leave for future generations?
    Love, Loyalty, Legacy. These three principles are at the core of my being and my compass home. The Legacy I want to leave for future generations is Love God, Love his people. We are all human, we are all endowed by our creator with greatness. If we serve one another and help one another on the path to our greatness we will surely get to that desired better world we have all been taught about all our lives but have never seen. I want to go there with you. Therefore it is left to us in this generation to lay the ground work afresh with fresh zeal and purpose, so that our children and their children would benefit greatly from our sacrifices. I love people. Love them. Understanding that it is this gift of loving others that frees you up to attain self actualization, to reach fulfilment is power beyond measure. the Legacy is to ensure that every man woman and child can dream and realize that dream whilst they have breath in their lungs; life, liberty and the pursuit of epic-ness is our charge. Dare to dream and allow others to benefit from its goodness.
  19. What One book would you recommend for any Man?
    The Book of Proverbs

If you know a Man that is making a positive impact on the world, we would love to hear from you! Contact us at [email protected]

Man Of The Week – Graham Snowden

This week’s Man Of The Week is a shining example of what is possible when one lives true to his/her purpose. In addition to fundraising over $600,000 for charities since 2008, Graham Snowden is changing the lives of many men by showing them their true potential and allowing them to channel their purpose in everyday actions. Running numerous multi-day marathons, some up to 250km, Snowden strives to be an example of what is possible.

  1. Age: 34
  2. What you do you do? (Work)
    I live my life’s purpose – to be a constant & expanding example of what is achievable, reminding everyone that they are larger than themselves, recognize what they are truly capable of and I activate them to fulfill that potential so they in turn activate others to fulfill theirs. I believe that health is the absolute foundation for everything we want to achieve.
  3. Why do you do it?
    For the first-class, front row centre ticket to an individual’s growth and belief in his or herself. There is nothing sweeter.
  4. How do you make a difference in the world? (Work, business, life, family, self)
    Staying true to my life’s purpose.
  5. What are 3 defining moments in your life?
    – Completing my first multi-day running race in Nepal. 250km self-supported. It showed me how little I know about myself; making me excited to spend my life having an amazing relationship with myself.
    – Overcoming a difficult time during university & emerging with the approach that if I ever have an idea that I believe will make someone else happy, I will act on it.
    – Standing up as my brother’s best man, looking at his elated wife and knowing that was the happiness I wanted to cultivate and nourish in my own relationship
  6. Graham Snowden & his team at The Coastal Challenge Rainforest Run
    Graham Snowden & his team at The Coastal Challenge Rainforest Run
  7. What is your life purpose?
    See #2! 
  8. How did you tap into it?
    It was a purposeful and intentional process. I cannot isolate the starting point. It emerged after several ultra-distance races, the cultivation of an amazing love-filled partnership, and consistent personal development focused on uncovering and constantly being my best self.
  9. Who is your Role-Model or Mentor?
    There are several. My fiancée because she is so incredibly giving of herself and “the peaceful quiet she creates for me” (yes those are Dixie Chicks lyrics). A relative who overcame addiction who showed me you can always change where you are. Bill Chalmers, an outstanding personal development & business coach who has guided me through breaking down limiting beliefs. 
  10. Do you have any daily habits? If so, what are they?
    I book end my day. Morning = Wake up. Hydrate (500ml – 1L). 15 – 30 minutes personal development (usually reading). Exercise at least 30 minutes (often more). A clean, low-glycemic breakfast along with my personalized vitamins. All to start my day. I write intentions for a variety of elements of my day from important business meetings to how well I want to sleep. Night = I end my day by journaling in the positive about whatever happened, no matter what happened and tracking 4 key daily habits that move me towards my most important goals. The last thing I do before I go to bed is to write on a chalk board in our kitchen something I am thankful for about my fiancée from that day.
  11. When do you know your work/life balance is off?
    I don’t actually believe in this concept. I believe in life balance. Your life isn’t comprised of work and then everything else. If it is then yes, you are definitely OFF balance. And you should probably connect with me so we can change that. If I am not writing my intentions and doing daily personal development I know that very same day that my balance is off.
  12. Vulnerability is a challenge for most men – share a vulnerable moment from your life with us.
    Just one moment?! I just quoted Dixie Chicks lyrics in this interview! They can happen every day. Asking my fiancée to marry me, asking her dad for permission, losing a job, in a job interview, starting a business, before a speaking event – it can be a pretty long list.
  13. What did you learn from it?
    I have become willing to be vulnerable because it is always an opportunity to grow and demonstrate to the world who I am.
  14. If you are or were going to be a mentor for another man, what is one piece of advice you would give him?
    Love yourself. 
  15. How do you be the best partner (Boyfriend/Husband- past or present)
    I try to be the best for my partner. I am not seeking to be the best in the history of partners ever. We have daily thankfuls. I demonstrate my love as often as possible; both big & small gestures. When she comes home I also stop whatever I am doing and welcome her. I always suggest writing out in compelling detail what your ideal partner would be like. Then you MUST write out in just as compelling detail who YOU need to be in order to attract, nourish and love that person.
  16. Do you support any Charities or Not-for-profits? (Which one(s) and why?)
    I have led the fundraising of over $600,000 since 2008. I have supported the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, MenCap, Red Cross, Boston One Fund, imagine1day, Blessings for Backpacks, and many others. Going forward I most likely to support environmental related charities focused on preserving the most magnificent places on our planet from forests & mountain ranges in BC to the farthest reaches of the planet. It is in these places that I have become who I am. I want to preserve these places for others to enjoy. 
  17. If your life had a theme song, what would it be?
    Oh it would have to be a mashup of highly questionable yet entertaining song selections. Let me answer it this way, during the closing credits to my life “You’ve Got A Friend” by James Taylor would be playing.
  18. Where do you see yourself in 3 years?
    On a horse named Falcor.
  19. What legacy do you want to leave for future generations?
    Health, happiness, and the planet. 
  20. What One book would you recommend for any Man?
    I’ll go with the first book that came to mind (and not just for men). “By the River Piedra I Sat Down & Wept” – Paulo Coelho. To me it is far superior to the Alchemist.

If you know a Man that is making a positive impact on the world, we would love to hear from you! Contact us at [email protected]

Embracing Pain with an Open Heart as an Emotionally Sensitive Guy

Growing up, it was a struggle for me to feel a sense of belonging regardless of where I lived or who was in my life. It seemed like I was living in my own world most of the time and seemingly oblivious to what was going on around me. I always felt somehow different and disconnected. It felt like there was something wrong or missing in my life that I couldn’t quite grasp.
This presented me with a massive challenge throughout most of my life, as the core need I sought after was to feel loved and connected to others. But it seemed that no matter how hard I attempted to prove to others how “worthy” I was of their acceptance, it would only push people away.
This led to a lot pain and suffering as I could not understand why others would seemingly just gravitate towards each other in close friendships and romantic relationships and yet I was struggling to barely fit in.
My subconscious belief at the time was that people didn’t accept me because I was not “good enough” for them. I believed that if everyone simply saw how smart, resourceful, creative, and kind I was, that people would finally accept and love me.
But the harder I tried, the more people pushed me away. I was constantly ostracized by my peers and rejected by women that I conveyed interest in. These experiences further ingrained the belief that I was inherently unlovable and worthless if others would not accept me.
It was only later in my early 20’s, when I began to work on myself more seriously, that I realized how disconnected I was from my emotions and learned to shut myself down to avoid feeling all the pain and heartbreak I experienced in my life.
I actually took pride in my ability to remain completely emotionally detached from life and live up in my head. I believed that relying on emotions was a weakness and made us flawed and illogical which held us back.
This inclination towards valuing knowledge over emotion served to help me grow intellectually very rapidly. However, my relationships suffered immensely. I began to see that no matter how “smart” I got, or how much stuff I knew, it did not seem to win me any friends or make me any happier. I only managed to grow more lonely and depressed as time went on.
It was time to make radical changes in my life. I needed to shift my priorities and values to allow myself to begin truly experiencing my emotions and doing what it took to finally be “happy” and feel connected to others. This decision took me down the path of serious emotional healing work.

“… without a doubt the heart is an inexhaustible source of love, insight, and intelligence that far surpasses that of the mind.”
― Baptist de Pape

It felt like I had opened my own emotional Pandora’s box and was not prepared to handle what came out. All my old wounds involving my insecurities, abandonment, rejection, and heartbreak rushed to the surface screaming for my attention.
Growing up I had accumulated a plethora of experiences to ingrain the belief that I was worthless and unlovable, from regular bullying in school to mental abuse at home. I adapted to absorb it all by shutting down emotionally so I wouldn’t have to feel the pain. However, if you shut yourself off from feeling pain, you also shut yourself off from experiencing much of anything else too.
Until then, I never considered myself an emotionally sensitive person. But after beginning to navigate this unknown emotional landscape, my only impulse was to attempt to shut down again in the hope of avoiding the intensity of a lifetime’s worth of pain.
On this journey of healing, I recognized and began to embrace my emotional sensitivity as a gift. And the lesson that I am continually reminded of (often painfully) is that we must learn to keep our hearts open despite the pain.

“When you open to your heart, your entire world changes–it opens up around you. You see yourself as part of a friendly universe, one that is full of possibility, one that is generating and regenerating a positive energy.”
― Baptist de Pape

My greatest breakthroughs and lessons came from staying with the pain and continuing to remain present with my feelings rather than shutting down. As an emotionally sensitive person, it’s easy to become overwhelmed and simply to shut down and build up walls in attempt to protect your heart.
I had suffered many years before I learned this powerful lesson that completely shifted my experience. It didn’t shield me from other inevitable pain and disappointments, but it provided me with the capacity to continue feeling my feelings despite the circumstances.
It has made me and my heart stronger knowing that I am capable of moving through any experiences that may arise, no matter how challenging. In the face of great emotional turmoil, I will stand my ground and not run away or shut down.

“The power of the heart is to be connected with who you are at the deepest level.”
~ Eckhart Tolle

This is ultimately the path of true transformation and growth. If we truly wish to experience the fullest depth of our being and what is possible for us, then we must have the courage to face ourselves and continue to keep ourselves open.
 
27452285564476.LvXmKGeoHA8XFcMkttiQ_height640Alexanndre Levan is dedicated to living a self-actualized life. He shares his facility to bring wisdom and consciousness teachings down-to-earth to empower those on the path of spiritual awakening. He is especially committed to illuminating and activating the path for Millennial Leaders to live meaningful and purposeful lives, realizing their potential through embracing the higher-consciousness that is coming into the world today.
Connect with Alexanndre on his blog and Facebook Page

Recapping An Incredible Night! – ManTalks Role Models and Mentors

Well, we did it again… another epic, inspiring and sold out ManTalks Monday at our new event space at HOOTSUITE HQ! 
First off BIG thanks and appreciation to the team at Hootsuite, who opened up their space, helped us set up/take down and stayed off the clock to help make this all happen for our community!
If you missed the evening, read on for a quick recap of the night, and if you were there, we’ve highlighted our favourite moments and would love to hear yours.
 
9d098739-2cc8-4231-9da5-90a15963c68aManTalks Role Models and Mentors kicked off with a wonderful introduction by our founder Connor Beaton.
This month we brought four local speakers to our stage to share their journeys of mentorship, role models, and the impact fatherhood has had on their ability to lead, inspire and connect to purpose.
It was a night filled with laughter, deep insights and inspiration from each speaker and wonderful engagement from the community.
 
 
 
81feb756-2167-4db6-8699-9b0b46fc0b72Andy Zaremba
The first speaker to take our stage on Monday was Andy Zaremba from Float House.
Our four biggest takeaways from Andy:

  • Before you can become a role model, you have first to take care of yourself, deal with your “stuff” and learn how to become accountable to yourself.
  • Challenges are along your path for you to move THROUGH. It is in the darkest times that you are lead towards and through exactly what you need to face to become your greatest version of yourself.
  • Becoming a father while unexpected and filled with many unanticipated challenges has become Andy’s biggest access to experiencing unconditional love.
  • Being vulnerable takes great courage and strength. By doing so, you create the space for others to follow your lead, drop into their hearts, get real with themselves and have experiences that truly matter.

 
808f334c-bd48-4c25-9bc3-06266680d15bRicky Shetty
Our second speaker was Ricky Shetty from Daddy Blogger
Our four biggest takeaways from Ricky:

  • The best quality in a mentor is their ability to truly listen.
  • We always run the risk of repeating the patterns of our parents and early childhood role models and the ability to change patterns of dysfunctional behavior reside 100% in your willingness to freely choose to become someone different.
  • One of the keys to healing these past patterns is forgiveness.
  • Mentors have the capacity and responsibility of believing in you. They see things in you that you currently can’t. Their ability to see these qualities in you and remind you regularly leads to a life-changing tipping point where their belief in you helps you to begin believing in yourself.

 
5f0b240d-3474-4fb7-a644-f7dba8f49e36Horrasias Balabyekkubo
Our third speaker of the night was Horrasias Balabyekkubo Philanthropist and Inspirational Speaker.
Our four biggest takeaways from Horrasias:

  • The role of the masculine is to Protect, Provide and Preserve the love and innocence of the ones who look up to you for your guidance and leadership.
  • Becoming a father is one of the greatest ways in which he could directly give back to the world by loving extraordinarily.
  • We are so fearful of being excellent but you are born for great things and it is up to you to guide your purpose from within and not let anything or anyone take away what you are destined to become. Challenges and hardships have the potential to completely erode your positive life view any by remaining congruent with who you really are in those great times of challenge, you become an example of purpose, love and truth in action.
  • The importance of giving freely. To truly understand the nature of giving and unconditional love you have to be willing to be part of the experience. There is a difference between intellectualizing and experiencing. To become legendary you must be willing to dive into the experience of love fully and completely.

 
 69510dcb-324b-44b2-b164-801e98caccf7Dai Manual
Our final speaker of the evening was Dai Manual COO of Fitness Town Inc.
Our four biggest takeaways from Dai:

  • Making promises to others has no real significant impact until you learn how to make and keep promises to yourself.
  • Mentors truly want to know who you are and are equipped in asking the right questions to understand who you really are behind all the smoke and mirrors of your life.
  • The pain of living a dual life provides you with the opportunity to become more compassionate and a better listener- two fundamental qualities in role models and mentors who have the potential to make a profound positive difference in the lives of future generations.
  • Nothing is finite or determined. No matter what choices you have made in the past every moment is an opportunity to change something and in his words “become the type of man you would want your daughters to spend the rest of their lives with.”

 
Our final takeaway of the night was a question posed to the audience from our founder:

“Who do you want to have a deeper relationship with? What is stopping you?”

We want to hear from YOU!
Share your insights, takeaways and breakthroughs with us! Using the hashtag #mantalks on all social media forums will help us find you and keep the inspired conversations going!
Next ManTalks Monday will take place on May 25th at Hootsuite, where we’ll be diving into the theme: Masculinity and Purpose. Tickets go on sale soon so keep an eye on your inbox!
Team ManTalks

Choosing Happiness – How My Darkest Moments Made Me Who I Am Today

My darkest day began quite abruptly on a cold February morning at my home in beautiful Whistler, BC, just after Valentine’s day. I was picked up out of my bed by my shirt, thrown across my room and repeatedly punched in the stomach while being screamed at by my infuriated assailant! (Not the best way to start your day.) He was actually one of my roommates (there were 6 of us in a massive house at the time) and while this may seem crazy, it wasn’t really that out of line, as the night before, during a rather crazy house party that we had, I had slept with his girlfriend. Whoops. Needless to say, a little cocaine mixed with copious amounts of alcohol can lead to bad decisions.
To make matters worse, within the previous week, I had done the same to another friend too. That one was with a friend’s ex, but it was a recent ex and he wanted to get back together with her.
The previous summer I worked hard so that I could take the winter off of work and devote my time to skiing and pursuing my dream of becoming a professional skier! I was working out at the gym. Skiing every day and trying to learn new tricks and get better so that I could do more filming, get more sponsors, and hopefully start to get paid to do what I loved!
Early in the season, while tree skiing one beautiful powder day in January, I caught the tip of my ski on a tree stump buried beneath the snow that I couldn’t see. My body kept moving forward, but the tip of my ski stayed in the same place. My ankle and leg were wrenched fiercely out to the side and I was flipped onto my back. You’d think that while contained in a big solid ski boot your ankle would be pretty safe, but despite this, I managed to badly tear a few ligaments in my ankle which resulted in my season being cut very short!
Since I had set myself up to not have to work that winter, I still had money coming in, but without being able to pursue my passion, or walk for that matter, my days were quite depressing. This was before I knew everything I now know about nutrition and exercise and I basically just sat around every day playing internet poker and slipping deeper and deeper into depression.
There was one day in particular that will be forever burned into my mind, where I spent the entire day sitting at the kitchen table, playing online poker, and watching over 16 inches (40cm) of snow accumulate on the railing of our deck in front of my eyes. If I were able to go out and enjoy this snow, I would have been incredibly happy! Instead, thinking about what I was missing out on, and about having to crutch through it if I were brave enough to leave the house, it was one of the more depressing days I’ve ever experienced.
Fast forward back to me being my roommate’s punching bag. After he had finished with me, he left me there lying on the floor, beaten and broken (literally). I crawled into my closet, shut the sliding door and started crying. It was by far the darkest and most disgusting moment of my entire life. I had just completely destroyed two friendships, my dreams of becoming a professional skier were fading by the day, I had alienated myself from my entire friend group, and to top it off, I was suffering from the blinding self-hatred that typically comes with a cocaine hangover.
So what did I do? Did I do the mature thing? Man up and approach my roommate and deal with all the problems I’ve created? Of course not. I was an extremely depressed, hungover, beaten, broken 21-year-old and I did what I’m sure many people in my shoes would’ve done … I ran.
Eyes swollen from crying so much, I hobbled around and packed up my stuff and left that very morning! I caught a taxi into town and hopped on a bus to Vernon, BC where I had a couple friends that were outside of the group I’d just alienated myself from. I spent the next few weeks battling the fiercest depression I’ve ever experienced. Everything sucked. I hated myself. I didn’t want to go on…
I don’t know specifically what shifted or why, but at some point a few weeks after the original incident, a thought came into my head. The thought was that if I was ever going to be happy again, I needed to forgive myself and choose to be happy. I needed to start focusing on the positive and deal with my current situation. I realized that my roommate wasn’t going to forgive me, but that didn’t have to mean that I couldn’t forgive myself. I’m not saying that it was just a poof, all of a sudden I was an excited and happy person again, but once I started to forgive myself and choose to be happy things slowly did get brighter.
After another month of building myself back up, I went back to Whistler to clean up the mess I’d made of my life. I slowly dealt with everything and started to put my life back together.
While this event was an incredibly dark and painful time in my life, I am very grateful for having experienced it. For it was this experience that taught me that happiness truly is something one has to find within, and even in the worst of times, it is possible to do so. This idea of choosing happiness has stayed with me ever since and was one of the most powerful lessons I’ve learned in my life!
Thank you so much for taking the time to dive into a little piece of what made me who I am today.
Namaste

headshot-Jan-2015

“When I was 5 years old, my mother always told me that happiness was the key to life. When I went to school, they asked what I wanted to be wen I grew up. I wrote down “happy.” They told me I didn’t understand the assignment. I told them they didn’t understand life.” – John Lennon

That is the foundation of Dave Weale’s beliefs and what he teaches all of his clients. Dave is a happiness coach. His clients end up being able to free up their time so they are able to focus on pursuing their passions and truly live a life they love!

He does this by teaching about mindfulness and meditation and works with people to help improve their Health, Wealth, Love and Trust. He helps people reach peak health, make more money, create more love in their lives, and trust that we are all in this together and that everything is working out perfectly!

Connect with Dave on his websiteInstagram, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Hypem, and Pinterest

 

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