How are you doing? No, really. How are you doing? Not the answer you give your coworkers. Not the answer you post on social media. Not the answer you tell your family because it's easier than explaining what's really going on. How are you actually doing? For many years, I avoided the real answers to that question.

About a year ago, I attended my first lecture on Tibetan Buddhism. The session was designed to introduce a Western audience to this ancient wisdom and explore how it might enrich and transform modern lives. I’ll admit—I was nervous. It was an advanced class and my first exposure to anything like it. As I found my seat and waited, a monk entered the room. The conversation ceased, the room fell silent, and he began to speak.

Transformation. It’s a word we hear constantly - in fitness culture, self-help circles, business podcasts, and social media feeds. But what does transformation actually mean? And more importantly, what does it mean for the average person trying to create real change in their life?

A few weeks ago, I lost my mother. Even though she was 90, her passing was sudden and took all of us by surprise. This past Mother’s Day was the first one in 58 years that I could not pick up the phone, visit her, or thank the woman who gave me life - and so much more.

Unleashed: The Thriving Life Series – Entry # 4 How many of us are counting down the days to some future event—an event we believe will finally deliver happiness, joy, and fulfilment? Maybe it’s a new job, retirement, a dream vacation, a big purchase, or some grand adventure. That was me.

Unleashed: The Thriving Life Series #3 What if this time…it really worked? Not another false start. Not another burst of motivation that fades in a week. Not another promise to yourself that ends in frustration. But real change. Lasting change. Imagine deciding - truly deciding - to lose weight, get fit, or finally silence that negative voice in your head…and actually follow through. No constant battle. No exhausting cycle. Just progress. Because deep down, you already k

Unleashed: The Thriving Life Series – Entry # 2 Most people want the same things:to feel better, do better, and be better. And usually—they want it fast. After all, we only get one pass at life. Spending our days circling the harbour like a rudderless ship doesn’t just feel frustrating… it feels like a waste of something deeply important. So why do so many people, with the right intentions, still struggle to create meaningful change?

Simply put: own the morning, or the day will own you. The morning is incredibly valuable, yet many of us unintentionally give it away—scrolling social media, watching the news, or working through a long list of emails before our day has even begun.

At some point, most of us ask the same question: “What is the meaning of my life?” It’s a question that can feel both urgent and elusive. Many of us believe the answer lies somewhere far away—waiting to be discovered through a grand journey, a dramatic career change, or a defining life event. I believed that too. In fact, I took it quite literally. I ran and cycled across and around Canada raising money for charity. It was an incredible adventure.

Most people are waiting for their life to start. They’re waiting for the contract to end. For the promotion. For the vacation. For the kids to grow up. For retirement. For the moment when everything finally changes. It rarely does. What changes instead is time. And one day you realize you’ve been living on autopilot — productive, responsible, busy… but not fully alive. I know this because I lived it.

A Proven Path to Real, Lasting Transformation For decades, I’ve been on a deeply personal journey - searching for happiness, health, and meaning in a world that is often difficult to navigate. That journey has taken many forms: cross-Canada endurance challenges, years of research and investigation, and yes, many failed experiments in the pursuit of lasting joy.

My Journey: From Burnout to Purpose For a long time, my life looked successful from the outside. I was a CEO educated at the University of Alberta and MIT - leading teams, driving results, and chasing big goals. But internally, I felt disconnected, burned out, and deeply unfulfilled. I kept telling myself that the next achievement would finally make me happy. It never did.