Ripple and Surge

To all my friends, family, connections, and acquaintances: may you be well, may you be happy, and may you be loved.

Introducing: REAL ONES 🫱🏽‍🫲🏼

🔹Real Ones is a monthly in-person gathering for real good men in the Kitchener-Waterloo area to workout, connect, and open up — without pressure, judgment, or ego.

Each session includes a physical challenge followed by a guided, confidential discussion, where participants talk openly about what’s going on in their lives.

It’s a hybrid of movement, mental health support, and meaningful connection — designed to counter isolation and create community.

🔹 Why This Matters

Modern men are struggling — quietly.

We’re disconnected. We’re burnt out. We’re online more than we’re together. Most of us have friends… but few have brothers. The kind of people you can call at 2am. Or tell the truth to without fear of judgment.

This isolation is contributing to:
* Rising levels of anxiety, depression, and su***de in men
* A lack of meaningful support networks
* Shallow social connection that doesn’t nourish us
* Mental fatigue and emotional suppression

Real Ones exists to break that cycle.
Last night, I hosted 9 courageous men who mostly were strangers

🫱🏽‍🫲🏼Feeling extremely grateful for the guys shown here who not only showed up (some from an hour away), but also made themselves known to a group of strangers in the most vulnerable and courageous ways.

🫱🏽‍🫲🏼One question and one person being strong enough to share their struggles was all it took to allow everyone to participate openly and honestly. Real, nourishing connection is not so distant as you might think.

🫱🏽‍🫲🏼We need more spaces and containers for gatherings like these. We must end the stigma that talking about our feelings and problems is weak or useless, or too much a burden on others.
The quickest way to learn this is by opening up to other men, and hearing them open up to you.

If you’ve been searching for meaningful connection, a safe space to open up, or simply to spend your Friday nights doing something fulfilling for a change - I’d love to have you at the next event: Friday November 7th from 645-9pm.

Check out the Real Ones info page through my bio 🫱🏽‍🫲🏼 and be sure to donate to my Movember page if you support my mission!

Had a blast running Hyrox with yesterday! Turns out we don’t know how to count, so our 1:02 finish turned into 1:12 😅 either way, retained her status as the 🐐 of supporters.. so I’m counting this one as a win ✅

Some of my favourite moments this summer, up to our trip ☀️

A very special happy birthday to this immensely beautiful soul. My life partner, best friend, adventure pal, sous chef, biggest fan, unwavering supporter, loving reminder of all that is good in this life, hilarious (but not funnier) gal, my babeh. Wishing you nothing but the same love and kindness you spread on this earth so freely, every day ❤️😘

2 years together feels like forever, which means the rest of our lives will feel like eternity. So much love for this one. Love you bubba.

Do you incorporate ‘active’ recovery days like this into your workout routine?

These days are the unheralded hero’s of mobility, flexibility, and how you feel in general.

Too often recovery is thought of as ‘rest days’, doing next to no movement, leaving us stiff by the time we return to the gym.

An intelligent program design will include days like this for when you’re tired, between heavy workouts, or want to fix any mobility issues (we all have them).

So, do you schedule workouts like this into your calendar??

Let me know why!

This one was for Debbie…

A month ago, I visited a former client and old friend, Debbie.

Debbie has always supported me from afar, showering me with compliments and praise on IG, reminding me of her light every time.

She wasn’t doing so well now..but we shared laughs over tea and baklava, and she gave me a hand knitted throw blanket. We shared stories for hours, laughing about how crazy life is, and even shared a few tears.

A week before I competed at Hyrox, Debbie passed. Those in the depth community knew Debbie to be generous, hilarious, strong willed, determined, caring, and resilient as hell. Just like her daughter, , another dear friend and member at Depth.

Before I started the race, I told I wanted to commit the race to Debbie.

Every time I felt exhausted, I reminded myself that Debbie was watching…that usually was enough to spur me on.

While I won’t share photos or more details for privacy sake, I wanted to share this in honour of Debbie. To honour her memory, and the impact she had on her community.

Community; it’s what led me to Hyrox, through .ca . I repped Kin and Vancouver this time to honour the people who welcomed me most in Vancouver and made it feel like home.

When asked me what I was most looking forward to, I said: the hugs at the end. Man, the crew really showed up and did not disappoint!

Thankful for these connections, these memories, these opportunities to share joy and excitement with friends, and for what my movement practice has enabled my body to accomplish and my soul to experience.

A Final thought: I found myself once again underselling my capabilities to myself before the race. Just like the marathon, I found I’m stronger, faster, and more resilient than imagined.

Lessons learned: NEVER tell yourself you can’t. As cliche as it sounds, writing yourself off before reality does is always going to lead to disappointment. And, always make time for those matter, even when it’s not the perfect time. Tomorrow is not guaranteed.

Is anyone else prone to overthinking? Covid really sent me down an existential rabbit hole…

I’ve read a lot, pondered a ton, and more or less came out the other side no more satisfied than when I started overthinking 🥲.

The book, Too Soon Old, Too Late smart, by Gordon Livingston, offered some timeless lessons that helped me process some of my worries.

Here’s one that stands out as habit-based coach, followed with my thoughts:

“Feelings follow behaviour”

My notes: Something [Livingston] comes to realize is that victims often have been infantized and removed from their autonomy of a situation.

True victims of circumstance demonstrate shame and a lack of self respect. But with how the medical world has coalesced with the psychogical world, creating looser assessments that now beget medications, it’s creating a culture that allows people to give up on themselves.

Again, we can’t control how we feel or think. We can only control what we do about it. We know what makes us feel better, yet often we wait for the right time or the motivation to do it... And end up waiting too long. 
  
We have a responsibility as free souls to be determined and courageous, to choose actions that will give us the best chance to feel better and in control. Do not lack empathy for those who are seriously troubled, but know that autonomy is possible for all of us.

What are your thoughts on this, dear friends?