Sarah McEwen Life Coach

I haven’t posted here in quite some time, but I wanted to share a little update on what I’ve been up to especially because I truly believe this coaching journey has opened so many doors I’ve been blessed to walk through.

This week, I had the honour of participating in both a panel and a podcast focused on first responder mental health and family wellbeing. It was a powerful reminder of how important it is to highlight progress and how life can open up in incredible ways, with opportunities unfolding when you least expect them.

Feeling grateful, hopeful, and inspired to keep pushing for meaningful change. ✨

I hope this serves as a little reminder to keep going even if you’re not sure where you are headed 💙

Cannot believe it’s been 5years since practitioner training with the MRA! Such an incredible experience with amazing like minded people 💖🙂 check out the !

Thank you Taryn Watts / The Mind Rebel Academy for this opportunity to speak about my vision story and how manifesting played an important part of it 🙏🏼🎉

This week’s Visions Embodied bonus episode features the fiercely inspiring Sarah McEwen @sarah_mcewen_life_coach, a certified Mind Rebel coach and civilian member of the Ottawa Police. Sarah is using her coach training in a unique and remarkable way, building a wellness unit to provide peer support to fellow members of the force. Sarah's journey from envisioning to actualizing her dreams in both her professional and personal life is nothing short of remarkable. In this episode, Sarah opens up about: - Her initiative to strengthen wellness support within the Ottawa Police. - Navigating the highs and lows of turning dreams into reality. - Learning to discern which opportunities truly align with her deepest goals. - Her unique approach to surrendering, including journaling and setting worry-free deadlines. - Her heartfelt commitment to supporting first responders and their families. Sarah's story is a powerful reminder that our dreams aren't just fantasies – they're blueprints for action. Her experiences offer valuable insights into harnessing our inner strength and aligning our goals with our true purpose. Tune in for a dose of motivation and perhaps the push you need to take your own leap of faith. Sarah's journey is sure to inspire you to chase your dreams with renewed vigor. Click the link below (or link in our bio) to listen now! https://www.themindrebel.com/podcast

I WISH YOU ENOUGH!
Recently, I overheard a Mother and Daughter in their last moments together at the airport as the Daughter's departure had been announced. Standing near the security gate, they hugged and the Mother said:
"I love you and I wish you enough."
The Daughter replied, "Mom, our life together has been more than enough. Your love is all I ever needed. I wish you enough, too, Mom." They kissed and the Daughter left.
The Mother walked over to the window where I sat. Standing there, I could see she wanted and needed to cry.

I tried not to intrude on her privacy but she welcomed me in by asking, "Did you ever say Good-Bye to someone knowing it would be forever?" "Yes, I have," I replied. "Forgive me for asking but why is this a forever Good-Bye?"
"I am old and she lives so far away. I have challenges ahead and the reality is the next trip back will be for my funeral," she said.
When you were saying Good-Bye, I heard you say, "I wish you enough." May I ask what that means?"
She began to smile. "That's a wish that has been handed down from other generations. My parents used to say it to everyone." She paused a moment and looked up as if trying to remember it in detail and she smiled even more.

"When we said 'I wish you enough' we were wanting the other person to have a life filled with just enough good things to sustain them". Then turning toward me, she shared the following, reciting it from memory,
"I wish you enough sun to keep your attitude bright.
I wish you enough rain to appreciate the sun more.
I wish you enough happiness to keep your spirit alive.
I wish you enough pain so that the smallest joys in life appear much bigger.
I wish you enough gain to satisfy your wanting.
I wish you enough loss to appreciate all that you possess.
I wish you enough hellos to get you through the final good-bye."
She then began to cry and walked away.
They say it takes a minute to find a special person. An hour to appreciate them. A day to love them. And an entire life to forget them.

Author: Bob Perks

I sat at this desk for 8 years and I can honestly say that I thought I would be there for another 8 (or perhaps even more), but the Universe/God had other plans for me.

Change is hard. Often harder when you love where you are, what you do and the people.

But, I think the best kind of change is when you aren’t running away from something but running towards something - That can make the decision to make that change, take that leap, much more clear.

Thoughts like:

𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐞
𝐈 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐢𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐚 𝐛𝐢𝐠𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐧
𝐀𝐥𝐥 𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐩𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐘𝐄𝐒

Start creeping in and those whispers get louder and louder, especially if you ignore them … which, in all honestly, I did for a bit.

So these past couple weeks, as I said goodbye to this desk and hello to a new one, I embraced CHANGE.

If you’re on the cusp of some change, fighting with the whispers. Try and look beyond the fear. Really listen to the whispers… & to your own inner wisdom.

There is a plan for you and sometimes change is exactly what you need … even if you don’t think you do.

Happy Thanksgiving from my family to yours! 🍁❤️🍂

I sometimes struggle to remember what my Mother was like before… before Alzheimer’s started taking her away.

There are times at night when I lie in bed and try to go “backwards” I will talk to myself … “Sarah, really try and focus - what was her laugh like?” … I’m really mad we didn’t record her laugh. She had an incredible laugh.

Often these thoughts then move into how I can’t have my daughters go through this. I don’t want the memories of me to be clouded over by Alzheimer’s.

And that is how the sleepless thoughts always end:

I CANNOT GET THIS DISEASE

So, while for most the 23&Me is a fun, lineage/traits kit, for me, doing this DNA kit was the scariest thing I have ever done.

The gene for late onset Alzheimer’s (APOE-4), which is what my Mum has, can be detected.

The thought of knowing scares me… But the thought of not knowing scares me more.

I will make sure my girls never forget what my laugh was like.

Several months ago I put a bowl of pistachios down on the table in front of my Mum and my girls (7/10).

The girls were a little confused on how to open them… they have had pistachios a few times but never in the shell. I started to teach them how to open up pistachios and did a few for them. I was distracted with this task and when finished I glanced over to my Mum. She was crunching down on a pistachio, shell included, that she had just popped into her mouth when I wasn’t looking. I’m pretty sure this was not pleasant for her and I offered her a tissue to get rid of it. And she looked at me confused, then she swallowed.

In that moment it became obvious that I’m going to have to “𝑡𝑒𝑎𝑐ℎ” her like I did my girls.

So I did. We all took turns trying to open pistachios (I did most of them). It was funny, and a little sad…but I thought “it is what it is”

Then about an hour later she walked by the bowl and popped a pistachio into her mouth before I could say anything. And she crunched down on it like she had an hour before.

She had already forgotten about my pistachio lesson.

And that, right there, was a lesson for me.

I can’t “teach” my Mum.

But I can ℎ𝑒𝑙𝑝 her.

This was not an easy thing… it was having to accept that she won’t get better. She isn’t learning anymore.

I have found that the Caregiver/Alzheimer’s journey become filled with moments like these.

So, I now help her with her seatbelt.

Suggest what clothing to wear.

Cut her nails, brush her hair.

Organize her Doctor, hair appointments & friend visits.

𝐴𝑛𝑑 𝑜𝑝𝑒𝑛 𝑢𝑝 ℎ𝑒𝑟 𝑝𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑐ℎ𝑖𝑜𝑠.

“𝗣𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗱𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗮𝘀𝘀 𝗺𝗲.”

That was a familiar thought/feeling I used to have whenever I took my Mum out.

Taking her for a meal, shopping, any public place, means that I’m often on high alert. I’m always worried she will wander off or get triggered (resulting in anger).

I also noticed that I would start to panic whenever she would make conversation with sales reps/wait staff. Hard to admit, but I was worried she would embarrass me, herself, or others around us.

I wanted to let people know… tell them that she gets confused, can’t find words, may forget something.

But as time went on I started to look around and notice that this was MY problem. Not hers, or others, Mine.

I finally “checked” myself (and my ego).

It hit me that there are SO many people out there having these same thoughts. I’ve learnt that caring for someone with any form of mental impairment comes with these moments, and while you may find “work arounds” things won’t be perfect, and you may have to “check” yourself from time to time.

There are so many of us in the same boat.

And so what was once embarrassment around my Mothers Alzheimer’s has turned into empathy, for her, others and for that I’m grateful. 🙏🏼