GRIT September 2021
SA-Name:// JACKIE RIOUX
Day of GRIT: #1 of 28
METRICS: (FoF)- Deck of Cards F2 Finisher- 4MOD
CONTEXT: “StoryAthlete Finds a Way… ”
Back in the saddle: I took August off GRIT knowing that I would be off grid a few days and not able to post. I had the intention of also catching up on some courses I had signed up for and continuing my computer organization project. We had a external hard drive crash years ago and I am finally facing that task to organize over 70 K mixed up files. I am finding treasures from passed loved ones so this project is both worthwhile and bittersweet.
I went on two road trips this past month to visit family. One was 10 hour drive south, the other 6 hour drive west. I got in a couple hikes and some precious time with loved ones.
As for the courses… well… I am always a perpetual student and yes I did get some things done but I also signed up for a few more courses and haven’t touched the original ones I intended to work on. See, two of these courses are a self study with no deadline. They are related to psychology but they are not on the forefront of what I need for skills at the moment.
Two of the courses I signed up for this past month were on the whole brain and on trauma care for clients. They were short courses, just a few days so I completed those quickly. I just signed up for 2 other courses, one regrettably because it is also a self study, no deadline course and honestly, the instructor’s voice grates on me. I intend to get through that one anyway as it is a short version of the 14 week interactive course I am very much looking forward to.
These courses are not including several other learning opportunities at my fingertips that I am slowly inching my way through to glean new information I can use with my clients and to add to my own life skills.
I jumped back into GRIT this month because I am feeling so scattered and alone. The world has gone crazy out there and I find myself sticking very close to like minded souls while shutting out the rest of the world. This is my form of self care and keeping my sanity.
My sanity has been on edge yesterday and today for another reason. Since 1998, I have owned 6 cell phones, until yesterday. The last time I upgraded my phone was in 2015 I think. I am not so materialistic and techie as to want the latest and greatest upgrades in technology. Thank God my gamer son is home from camp and has been helping me to shut off all those darn notifications and alerts and all the bells and whistles that send my inner squirrel into a nutbar frenzy of confusion. I cannot fathom the apparent appreciation for all these distractions. I want my functionality and inner peace back lol. Yet, I am also appreciative of the upgraded functions of my “simplistic” phone, as my son teases me.
I am grateful for my GRIT warrior buds and this community of like minded souls that are my accountability partners in this game called Life.
Day of GRIT: #2 of 28
METRICS: Sunday-Stretch-a-Palooza
CONTEXT: “I Am Willing to Pay the Price…”
There is a Spiritual Law of Karma and there is a Law of Reciprocity. Energy must flow, whether that means positively or negatively.
Money is an energy and it can be used to pay for goods or services. Sometimes we can barter with an exchanges of goods and services. The laws still apply that energy must flow.
Personally, I like to invest in myself because I get the best returns that way. Whether I am paying for practical goods and necessities, or splurging on my hearts desires, or paying for all the courses and knowledge I glean from others who have traveled the path of life before me…
I am willing to do whatever it takes to reach my own personal goals and dreams, and to support my loved ones in achieving their goals and dreams as well.
I am intrigued that CJ mentioned impromptu camping as a GRIT activity. I have camped in -35 weather and in pouring rain a few times. I am resourceful and that idea sounds more fun than threatening, even though I am not fond of cold or rain lol.
I am willing to pay the price to make my dreams come true.
Day of GRIT: #3 of 28
METRICS: 12MOD (FoF) Finisher- Countdown F2
CONTEXT: I Commit to My Everest…
My grandmother got a teaching degree at age 52, my mother went back to school in her 40’s to get a medical steno designation. I might as well follow in their footsteps and go get a degree as a mature student too. After all, the first born women in our family line have always overcome years of hardships in childrearing before taking life by the horns for our own gain.
So I did go back to school taking university transfer courses to earn a psych degree. This venture was more out of interest and a bucket list challenge for myself to get a degree.
What my mother failed to mention was that I seemed to have inherited her foggy brain syndrome. While I loved the lectures and all the fascination of learning new knowledge, my brain went on holiday to never never land when it came to tests. Details escaped me.
I remember one course, Human Anatomy and Physiology, I had signed up on recommendation from the career counsellor when I wanted to take more biology type sciences. Loved the instructors, loved the knowledge. In the second lab, the instructor explained that we would be better off to take a first level Russian language course than to learn the terminology required in that course. I was crushed. I was in tears. I forfeited the course and dropped out of that program.
An associate degree is only 20 courses, with specific requirements for psych concentration. I still wanted that degree. That god forsaken piece of paper that said I had accomplished something. So, after a two year hiatus, I went back to complete 5 more courses within the 10 year time limit. I had been working full time and raising kids, and only take 2 courses per semester.
When I went back to arrange my courses, feeling ashamed of “quitting” and dropping a course, I found out that I hadn’t dropped the course. I had switched to audit within the timeframe so that this course correction did not affect my grades or standing. What a relief!
I had left a required stats course til the end though. Math is not my strong suit. Give me English, grammar, energy, quantum physics, biology and especially psychology. Not MATH aka Mental Abuse Torturing Humanity.
I was determined though, and although I scraped through that course, I made it. I passed and graduated in June 2018 at age 51. I set out for my Mount Everest, and I made it.
Day of GRIT: #4 of 28
METRICS: 1) -> 5K Day Finisher- 4MOD
CONTEXT: “I Build a Strong Foundation…”
I grew up in church so I was well aware of the verse that talks about building your home high on the rocks rather than on the sandy beach. The analogy applies to pretty much everything in life.
Our feet are our “great understanding”, or so my mom calls them. She loves telling the story of how I was the baby with skis in the nursery. But seriously, our feet hold up our entire body. If you don’t wear proper fitting and supportive shoes at an exhausting weight carrying job, you get plantar fasciitis. I learned that one the hard way.
If you don’t build a solid friendship with your partner to support your marriage, it is likely not going to stand the test of time when our bodies fail physically at the end of life. Beauty is only skin deep. Character is more long lasting.
What about our childhoods? We can wish in an ideal world that our childhood is filled with loving examples and guidance of a productive and enjoyable life. As we grow up though, we often find that our childhoods were less than ideal with many upsets and trials of life spattered throughout the poignant good times. How do you build a solid foundation on the wreckages of yesterday?
This is why I was so grateful to find energy balancing along my life path so I could heal my past and build a better solid foundation for my life. And then I can turn around and use my newly built foundation to encourage others to heal their pasts as well.
Just like the way a beautiful home built on a sandy beach can wash away with the tide, so can our lives when we have not built a solid emotional foundation to cope through life’s inevitable ups and downs. Better late than never to create life with a solid foundation.
Day of GRIT: #5 of 28
METRICS: (FoF) – Chest & Back Complex F3 (holy crap, I did F3!) Finisher- 4MOD- Resistance Band Interval Abs and G2G too!
CONTEXT: “I Improve Through Immersion…”
I just taught a Reiki class today, so my energy vibe must be pretty high with me completing an F3 today. YAY!! Go ME!
Eons ago, I was on some local events email list and received notice of an upcoming workshop on learning styles. Turned out there was no age limits, so I brought all 4 of my kids and filled up a corner of the class. This workshop turned out to be quite instrumental and useful in my further understanding years later.
There are a few different learning styles. Visual, auditory, tactile are some, but the one I found most interesting was kinetic learning. This is when you have a child that fidgets while in class. They need that movement to activate their learning centers in their brains.
Over my years, I have concluded that I tend to use a combination of these learning styles, depending on what I am learning. The most useful learning style for me is the tactile style where I appreciate hands on learning, or immersion in whatever new skill or knowledge I am adding to my toolbox.
You can tell about something, I might take in and learn a bit.
You can show me some pictures, and I may get more ideas to understand and learn.
But when you show me and let me practice and feel my way through learning, then I can fly.
Day of GRIT: #6 of 28
METRICS: 12 MOD (FoF) Finisher- HUB-Spoke
CONTEXT: “I’m Not Afraid to Raise Expectations…”
I am a rock concert fanatic. I have been known to take off last minute to concerts and still get great seats. I am thinking that my success with this started way back when my expectations were pretty lofty.
I had heard that ACDC had been in Vancouver a few years before, and I was determined to go see them the next time they were on the western coast. Even for a 10 hour drive. Tickets went on sale in May and promptly sold out. I still would not give up. I had 3 months for a miracle to happen.
Ads were all over the radio at work. My coworkers knew I wanted to go. Still no luck. I was on afternoon shift. It was Friday afternoon. The day before the concert, and I was scheduled to work Sunday morning 8 am since I was on a turnaround shift that week.
One of my coworkers asked if I had heard that more tickets went on sale that day. On my coffee break, I was on the phone with the ticket office. Just get me one ticket, just get me in the building, that’s all I ask.
I texted my kids who then got busy conversing and asked if I would take my 3 year old granddaughter on the trip to see her auntie. Sure.
I got off work 1030 pm. picked up my granddaughter and explained my plan. Alarm was set for 3 am. We slept a few hours, I rolled my granddaughter into my arms and strapped her in to my vehicle.
The 10 hour drive uneventful. I was on a mission. We arrived in Vancouver suburbs about 1 pm. Met up with my other daughter, her auntie and went to the science center. Then I left them to go to the concert in downtown Vancouver. The concert was amazing and I realized later that I had a better/ closer seats than the local radio boys from my home.
I left the concert 1130 pm and followed the traffic. I managed to get off course briefly without a GPS but soon found my way back to pick up my granddaughter and head home to arrive back in Prince George before 8 am.
Mission accomplished. Now, I am not afraid to raise expectations in saying I will get ‘er done come hell or high water.
</End-of-GRIT-Post>
Scott Mendell I saw ACDC way back in the mid 80s for their “For Those About To Rock” tour. They had huge cannons on stage that fired during the song. it was awesome. Now I wear hearing protection when I go… LOL. I think my favorite live event was Pink Floyds(Roger Waters) The Wall concert. It incredible to see that wall built across the stage.
Jackie Rioux Scott Mendell i have a long list of concerts. Haven’t seen actual pink Floyd. But i did see an amazing light show at a planetarium set to pink Floyd. I wasn’t even stoned and it was kool.
I worked in a nightclub years ago. Beer tub girl next to speaker. I kinda deaf on that side lol
Miryam Finkelberg Scott Mendell I saw Pink Floyd The Wall Concert in L.A. in 1980. It was pretty amazing how the wall was built.
Scott Mendell Jackie Rioux Too funny, I used to own a night club after DJing and bartending my way through college. In my club we had the tail end of a 57 Cadillac as a beer tub. Served’em right out of the trunk. That sucker would hold 500lbs of ice.
Day of GRIT: #7 of 28
METRICS: (FoF) – Pyramid F2 Finisher- 4MOD- AMRAP
CONTEXT: “I Optimize My Universe…”
I am way farther ahead now in life and business than I was before joining Story Athlete. I have learned a lot from my team mates. I have gotten ideas and implemented those ideas in both personal and business life.
I am still working on juggling everything I chose to take on in projects and goals and responsibilities. I always manage to get things done, but I still feel behind and somewhat disorganized. My accountant insists that I am way more organized than many of his clients, so there’s that.
I suppose this does mean that I optimize my business organization and my home. I still feel I am a work in progress though.
I used to have a poster on my locker at work. It said “God put me on Earth to accomplish a certain number of things. Right now I am so far behind I will never die.
I think this has become my life motto in some ways. In good ways. I am always taking on more learning and more courses. I figure as long as it is a benefit to me especially, and hopefully others, I am doing a-okay.
Day of GRIT: #8 of 28
METRICS: (FoF)- Deck of Cards F2 Finisher- 4MOD
CONTEXT: “My Ambition Is an Asset… ”
When I realized my station in life as a bare foot and pregnant wife in a stagnant marriage, my ambition was an asset to dive into my own personal growth and to make something better out of myself.
When I had no one else to depend on while I had 4 young children depending on me, my ambition to bring home a paycheck was an asset.
When I wanted to go to rock concerts, or go walking, or go on road trips, or whatever else ideas I got in my head for fun or growth, my ambition to go solo and make my dreams happen was an asset.
When I wanted to complete a bucket list goal of earning a degree, my ambition was an asset. Foggy brain was not an asset at that point, but ambition is what pushed me through to complete that goal and graduate with a psych degree.
The only way to accomplish anything in life is to make sure we get good restful sleep, then hit the ground running in the morning to get our life goals and family responsibilities taken care of. Ambition is the asset that brings the best rewards.
Day of GRIT: #9 of 28
METRICS: Sunday-Stretch-a-Palooza
CONTEXT: “I Optimize My Environment…”
My parents were pack rats. Mom got her resourcefulness from early life living on the prairies. Dad grew up during the war so he always saved stuff for a rainy day.
Growing up as the eldest, supervising cleaning and chores was on my shoulders. I hate clutter, yet I still have some sentimental collections of Precious Moments figurines and tons of books. Oh and ladybugs. Everything ladybugs lol.
Back in 1989, we had to travel an 18 hour road trip to clean out my grandmother’s home. Three little old ladies from the depression era had lived there. The story of that clean out job was a story in itself. One I would rather never repeat as long as I live. I got ruthless in my own possessions after that. Yes I am still resourceful and have an extremely practical side in what I choose to have in my home.
I have been in my home for 16 years now. 918 square feet duplex with a finished basement where two of my adult children reside. We have cleaned out the corners many times over the years. Last weekend though, we got in quite a frenzy and flurry of cleaning out crevices and crannies. We cleared out any remnants of dust bunnies fornicating in the corners.
Then we had a garage sale. This is the art of moving stuff from our house, to another home. One man’s junk is another man’s treasures. I have no idea where most of this stuff was hiding in our home, but it sure feels nice to clear it all out. The energy feels different in here. Clearer, lighter, and definitely a more optimized environment.
Day of GRIT: #10 of 28
METRICS: 12 MOD (FoF) Finisher- Countdown F2
CONTEXT: I Increase My APM… APM= Actions Per Minute.
If you want the job done, give the task to the laziest genius in the bunch.
I had to learn all the streets in our city, and the breakdowns of long streets as to which section went to which route. Truth be told, I never did learn it all and I used the overheard directory a lot more than I should have which slowed down my sorting skills.
When I started my career at the post office, I was in a town one-quarter of the size of the city I transferred to 10 years in to my time with the corporation. We did things differently there, more efficiently I might add, but the bigger center had no interest to streamline anything so they could keep their jobs. This is the only drawback I found with union work. Drag everything out to keep the jobs going. It backfires in the end though.
Back to sortation skills. There is a form of physical mail called addressed ad mail where addresses are on a mailing list and the originating mailers can sort mail mechanically into bundles according to route. Then the mail carrier only needs to sort their section. It reduces the middle man sorting at the processing plant more efficiently. However, there are often bundles that missed the main sortation and are individually marked with XXX and the number of the route. In my original town, we would just grab the bundles and sort them. In the bigger center, they had one job of cutting open the bundles and arranging them nicely on a trolley before sorting, which in my opinion was double handing and inefficient.
I remember being left alone to my own devices a few times. I could process and sort an entire trolley in no time. The new employees called me the XXX queen as they did not understand my methods of efficiency.
I have yet to become quite so efficient in my own personal and business life, but I am getting there with finding small methods of efficiency to implement. A work in progress.
Day of GRIT: #11 of 28
METRICS: 5K Day Finisher- 4MOD
CONTEXT: “I Commit to Move…”
I like to move it, move it!!! Back in party days, this Reel to Reel song had just come out in 1994. It was one of our party dance songs for quite a while. Catchy tune, and it gets the vibes going in all the best ways. So catchy and popular was this tune that some movies took it on for theme scenes and even Crazy Frog made a remake.
I was never one for drinking much alcohol, if at all, so I was always the designated driver who just got everyone on the dance floor. I partied on air and water. And I moved a lot, dancing the night away just having fun.
There are so many benefits to moving regularly. As I understand, fat cells are released more through breath than through other detoxing methods. Moving creates much breath.
Moving gets the blood and lymph moving and allows our bodies to function properly. Muscles atrophy when not in use. Movement keeps muscles functioning properly, and avoids the seizing up that is a common “old age” belief.
I commit to moving and keeping my youth in natural ways while enhancing my physical health thru dance, walking, hiking, and GRIT workouts! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jLPYnw17GTY
Day of GRIT: #12 of 28
METRICS: (FoF) – Chest & Back Complex F2 Finisher- 4MOD- Resistance Band Interval Abs
CONTEXT: “I Know Nothing’s Permanent…”
April 30 1993: My then husband’s birthday. I was 7 months into nursing my 4th child. I wasn’t feeling so well, but we had tickets to a dance party in another town 2 hours away. I had taken a couple pain killers and left my kids with my parents for the weekend so we could have this little get away with some friends. The party went well all evening and we had a lot of fun. There was a huge spread of food at midnight.
Several people from this party had a quiet after party in a hotel room til all hours of the night. I was tired so I went to sleep for a while. When I got up to go to the washroom about 2 am, there was a lady in the hotel room that started freaking out to get me to the hospital asap as I was white as a ghost and not looking well at all. I was tired and brushed off this lady’s concerns, but thankfully a few other people took her seriously and arranged to get me to the hospital.
Within two hours I was writhing in excruciating pain in the hospital emergency room. There was one kind nurse that rubbed my back, but the doctor ignored me for a while thinking I was a domestic abuse case. We tried leaving the hospital to get back to my home town and familiar surroundings, but when our vehicle broke down, we were back where we started.
They gave me morphine for the night and I was transferred home the next day. I was so grateful to be back with my own doctor who ran the appropriate tests to realize I had a large kidney stone lodged in such a way that I needed emergency surgery. I spent 10 days in hospital on morphine and seemingly in and out of consciousness.
I am super thankful that I had family support to look after my kids, nurses to help with my after surgery care and my post partum body issues as well. I am so thankful my doctor was able to take care of surgery quickly.
This whole experience seemed like a lifetime of pain in the moment, yet I knew nothing is permanent and this too shall pass. Sometimes it may pass like a kidney stone.
Day of GRIT: #13 of 28
METRICS: 12 MOD (FoF) Finisher- HUB-Spoke F2
CONTEXT: “I Don’t Break the Chain…”
Raising four kids while working full time, it was not unusual to have a pile of dishes or Mount Washmore on any given day. I suppose the way I was raised in cleaning up every night after dinner and being responsible for my own laundry is why I tried to instill this responsibility in my kids as well.
Otherwise you’re likely to have dust bunnies fornicating in the corners, kitchen cutlery forking and spooning and creating more messes than you can handle!
It only takes one step to start a 100 mile journey. It only takes moving 2 items every time I get up to move to another room in the house.
Even those days when I was deathly ill and home from work, I managed to at least wash some dishes or fold some laundry.
Just a little bit of movement is all it takes to keep going. In business, at the very least I can file some papers or computer work on a slow day. GRIT workouts are a small commitment with a huge payoff as well.
I remember being four months pregnant with my second child and I decided to go biking with a toddler on the back and rode up a hill. I had biked everywhere even at 9 months with my first one. I hadn’t been quite as active through the winter the second time around so this refreshing bike ride ended with me on doctor ordered bed rest for 4 days. Talk about downright frustrating to not be able to move off the bed for 4 days.
I learned my lesson to never get quite that inactive ever again.
Just a little bit each day is all it takes to keep moving forward.
Day of GRIT: #14 of 28
METRICS: (FoF) – Pyramid F2 Finisher- 4MOD- AMRAP
CONTEXT: “I Eliminate Inefficiencies…”
Technology has brought the world of entertainment up close and personal. I know several people who are addicted to Candy Crush and it consumes their time exponentially. I refuse to sign up for that game.
I am embarrassed to admit though that several years ago I had a solitaire game and a Mah Jong game on my phone.
Wake up in the morning and play a few games. Pull out my phone in the waiting room, or in a line up to keep myself occupied. Maybe just a game or two any other time too. No problem, right?
No problem until I was checking out settings in my phone and saw the “time spent” total on those games over that past year. That was a wakeup call. No wonder I was behind on paperwork and running my business efficiently. I was still working at a day job then, but still no excuse.
I resorted to removing these game apps off my phone and resolved to use my time better. I found that I transferred my addiction to Facebook instead. I am still on that social media platform, mainly because of my practitioner forums and client connections.
I have figured out settings though and have unfollowed and deleted much of anything “non beneficial”. I endeavor to check these settings regularly and revise as needed. I also have been cleaning up my profile of past irrelevant posts as they come up in memories. Much better energy all around.
Two years ago, I invested in an online scheduler. Although reluctant to figure out more technology at the time, this investment has been an absolute Godsend in eliminating inefficiencies in my business with booking clients in several different time zones.
Sometimes technology can rob us of valuable time which we can never get back. And sometimes it can create a much better life and business through streamlining mediocre but necessary tasks.
Day of GRIT: #15 of 28
METRICS: (FoF)- Deck of Cards F2 Finisher- 4MOD
CONTEXT: “My Emotions Are an Asset… ”
Ya gotta feel it to heal it!
When we do energy balancing, we are always working on the activated layer of whatever is presenting right now. Yet we are also looking for the root of the upset to “pull the bottom out of it” so to speak. Trauma repeats itself until we heal it.
One example I use with my clients is that I can have someone come to me and say they are upset because their boyfriend broke up with them last week and ran off with their best friend. That can be an awfully triggering and upsetting event.
When we go into their session to find the root of this upset, we may find betrayal, loss, grief, shock, and heartache. The date is not from the week before though. It is from a date in Grade 3 and they associate the date with an event where someone stole their lunchbox and ate their lunch.
Now, a boyfriend and a lunchbox are not the same. The best friend and the lunch are not the same, but the resulting emotions from these events are the same and maybe even amplified as it is a repeated trauma of emotional resonances.
When we release these non beneficial and detrimental emotions, we can uncover a person’s true self where they can feel the good emotions of love and happiness without the heaviness of hurts and past upsets.
Emotions are an asset to feeling and navigating the wonderful and not so wonderful parts of life. Through emotions we can feel and make better choices of what we want in life and what is best for our highest well being.
Day of GRIT: #16 of 28
METRICS: Sunday-Stretch-a-Palooza
CONTEXT: “I Don’t Fear the Haters…”
Having been the loser picked-on-kid in early school days, I had a lot of insecurities and always felt scrutinized by my peers. Everything was wrong with me, or so it seemed. I was such a wall flower.
Through my healing journey many years later, I have realized that there was nothing wrong with me at all. I was quite “normal” considering developmental and abnormal psychology philosophies. I had all the human nature traits of a child that had been traumatized, and now, with that knowledge, I could finally heal.
Energetically and spiritually, I now understand another aspect of how those early traumas shaped me for greatness. I love the lyrics and the story behind Johnny Cash’s song, “A Boy Named Sue”. This boy grew up tough because of defending his given name which was not a common name for a boy then. Kids can be cruel in their misunderstandings. When this boy finally had a chance to confront his absent father about his given name, he finally understood why he was given that name, and that he was tougher because of it.
In my own life, I had a childhood trauma that caused me to have a low self esteem, and like an already wounded animal, I was picked on. I grew up tougher because of it and I know I can handle many things that the average person just can’t. For that reason, we end up with jealous haters later in life. People who have not yet matured and come to understand their own life path.
Yes words can hurt, but I know I have the resolve within me to shed a few tears now and then, and then I put on my big girl panties and deal with life head on.
Never kick a ginger, cuz then you’ll have a ginger snap. I think I am more the sweet kind of gingersnap, but I’d rather not push the redhead buttons…
Day of GRIT: #17 of 28
METRICS: 12 MOD (FoF) Finisher- Countdown F2
CONTEXT: I Pursue Freedom of Relationships…
When we are lonely or desperate, we’ll take any attention we can get. It’s human nature. Misery loves company, and we attract similar frequency vibration in the environment around us. In this immature and desperate state of mind, we’re like a frog in boiling water that can’t even see the trouble we’re in.
As we grow and mature, we start to realize we are never really alone. This is just our mind’s illusion. There are billions of humans on our planet that we can connect with. But do we want to?
Of course we wouldn’t want to keep company with someone who drains our energy, who is abusive to us, or who lacks basic human morals. Most of us though, have had some experience through life with a connection to someone who falls in these toxic categories. Someone who is a “victim” to their circumstances. These are often life lessons.
We cannot experience fully happiness if we have not fully experienced sadness. It’s the paradox of life.
Through our own personal growth, we strengthen our own personal boundaries and raise our vibration as well. These victim and abusive type people have a low vibration and if they choose to not grow and mature, then these relationships will fall away from us energetically and physically.
It is then that we can begin to consciously choose our relationships and have more freedom and respect in our lives. I am grateful to be at this point in my life than I can choose who I allow into my energy field and also have the freedom to choose and walk away from those people and situations that do not serve my highest and best. I appreciate like minded souls along my life’s journey.
Day of GRIT: #18 of 28
METRICS: 5K Day Finisher- 4MOD
CONTEXT: “I Am a Writer…”
Writing comes naturally in my maternal side of the family. My grandma and great Aunt kept journals of their travels, I have done the same with writing of some of my adventures, more so of late. As a teen, and into early adult hood as a teen mom and young wife, I used to keep a daily diary. That was until I realized just how boring and monotonous my life had become. Then my life got busy with kids and my reading pastime and journal keeping fell by the wayside.
I used to have pen pals as well, many friends from church summer camp. Remember physical letter mail? We would write silly things on the outside of envelopes to catch the postman’s attention in hopes that we might speed up the snail pace of the mail system.
Postie, postie, don’t be slow, be like Elvis, GO GO GO!!!
Is it any wonder that I had a 26 year career at the post office?
At some point my passion for writing came around again. Not always in good ways. While I have had many compliments over the years for some of my adventure writings and accolades I have given to wonderful friends and deserving service workers, there has been a dark side as well.
A few times I have had my morals and or boundaries crossed in such a way that my passion for writing comes out in pointed anger. Writing helps me formulate my thoughts and get my feelings out. Some of those letters have been sent to abusive perpetrators or dishonorable acquaintances. I seem to have a polite way of making them feel like less than pond scum in my words of frustration in putting them in their place in no uncertain terms. I know they must have read the letters because they seem to retreat out of my life rather quickly. Thankfully there are some who took my words as constructive criticism and shaped up quickly instead, with gratitude for me not mincing words.
I am grateful that I have not had any reason to write those kinds of letters in many many years. My writing these days are more encouraging. I published my story in 2017. I wrote and share experiences with friends and clients in hopes of being an inspiration to them. And most importantly, I write to record family stories in somewhat of a biography that my children and grandchildren can keep as cherished memories of days past.
Writing can be an art form, or cherished memento. Whatever the reason behind the purpose of writing, it is a wonderful form of communication and a hardcopy record of thoughts from the heart.
Day of GRIT: #19 of 28
METRICS: (FoF) – Chest & Back Complex F2 Finisher- 4MOD- Resistance Band Interval Abs
CONTEXT: “I Work When No One’s Watching…”
One of the childhood traumas I experienced that has come up a few times for healing was an incident in about grade 2 where I “inadvertently” skipped school.
Our house was at the base of Copper Mountain. We had a trail through the neighborhood that I would follow along and pick up my friends on the way to elementary school. I had two best friends, Suzanne and Lucia. They were the middle girls in a family of 10 kids. We were inseparable buds and I was always over at their home.
One morning on my trek to school, I had stopped in to pick up the troops there. The next door neighbor stuck her head out the window form her home and told us there was no school that day. Really????? COOL!!
I don’t remember any reasons why were didn’t confirm this information with anyone else, but we had a grand time all day long playing out in the dirt piles making trails with cars, making mud pies, and just having fun.
That is, until I went home before 230 pm when school would normally have been let out. I think I must have blocked the resulting events when my parents found out I had “skipped school”. Suffice to say that I was terrified of ever screwing up quite like that ever again. I actually never skipped school ever again, not even through high school. I always felt like Someone was watching. I suppose it didn’t help having Sunday school drill it into me that God is always watching me too.
This all comes up in energy healing as a trauma for me, and I suppose it is to a degree. I have healed my past to the point that the incident doesn’t bother me anymore, it is just an awareness of where my life lessons have come from.
The silver lining is that I came away with a necessary life lesson of integrity and honesty.
Day of GRIT: #20 of 28
METRICS: 12 MOD (FoF) Finisher- HUB-Spoke F2
CONTEXT: “I Recognize & Correct Patterns…”
This is a wonderful context prompt in the world of energy healing. There are scientific studies these days that show that our DNA carries memories from our ancestors. We can correct these energy imbalances from trauma through our body and thru our family lineage. Fascinating and absolutely amazing work!
In particular, a “miasm” is described as a “family pattern weakness”. This means that if I am working with a client and they have a miasm of, example, disappointed love, they may have had an experience that created this imbalance, and they may have family members who also have had some disappointed love experiences. We can find the root cause behind that imbalance and pull out the whole web of imbalanced energy to release this pattern.
Someone may have poor relationship patterns and we can find unresolved vows or trauma bonds from their ancestral line. Once corrected, they may find a wonderful relationship on the horizon. While we may think that these issues are on the outside affecting us, it is what lies within us that we can work on to create a happy healthy life. BE the change you want to see.
Energy balancing recognizes and corrects patterns and imbalances so we can uncover our true self, and to live our best life.
Day of GRIT: #21 of 28
METRICS: (FoF) – Pyramid F2 Finisher- 4MOD- AMRAP
CONTEXT: “I Venture Into the Unknown…”
So many people are surprised to find out that I was such a wallflower doormat eons ago. But, yes. I was. Could not pull me out from behind a curtain.
There have been some events in my life though, that yanked me out from behind that curtain and put me on center stage a few times, more figuratively at first, and then a few times I have been on a real life stage in various ways. Exposed for all the world to see. Or at least for the immediate audience.
Through those experiences, I have learned to lean on myself more and more.
I am not sure quite where it started, but I used to go walking with a friend, or go on a road trip with others, go to a concert with others. I got the adventure bug implanted quickly.
But then where were my friends? That one has another obligation. The other one has an excuse, whether valid or not, they aren’t coming with me. I got tired of waiting, and then getting disappointed because I missed an opportunity. How frustrating!
At some point I gave up on asking my friends for company and just went solo. I ended up making friends along the way instead. New friends that had the adventure bug too!! YAY!!!
Do I always have a reason or a destination? Nope.
I have over 300 road trips under my belt with the vehicle I have now, that I have had for 12 years. Should I mention that I have no sense of direction? lol
I have a couple stories of road trips that I ended up going on the scenic tour several hours off course due to a missed road sign or just me immersed in my highway Zen state.
My kids have learned to just say a prayer any time I head out somewhere or take on a new course or project. Sometimes destination unknown, but always a fun learning experience.
Day of GRIT: #22 of 28
METRICS: (FoF)- Deck of Cards F2 20 cards Finisher- 4MOD
CONTEXT: “I Stay True to My Character… ”
For the most part, yes I stay true to my character. Years ago a lady read my birth chart and told me that I hardly have a “mask”. At that time she explains that most people have a mask, or persona they show under different circumstances. Whether they are in the company of loved ones, their party buds, co-workers, or a public setting, humans show a side of themselves under each scenario.
This lady explained that I have so little mask that I present myself pretty much the same to anyone I meet. I had not thought of it much before then, but since this explanation, I can see this trait within myself. I have nothing to hide.
However, I was feeling awfully called out today with CJ’s context regarding baking and cookies. Yes, I am very much aware of nutrition and health and wellness with food being our fuel. We need to make conscious choices of our intake. I do avoid chemical laden and processed foods. I am not much for alcohol or soda, at all. But my weakness is home baking, made with love from grandma’s kitchen. I have carried on that tradition, and I have certain home baking items that I give as gifts and make for my family.
In Louise Hayes book, “You Can Heal Your Life”, the metaphysical reason for diabetes is “missing out on the sweetness of life”. Yes, I can be aware and conscious of food choices. But I can also be aware and conscious of enjoying some of life’s sweetest moments now and then, even when that means partaking of Grandma’s cookies, made with love. Because that is my true character.
Day of GRIT: #23 of 28
METRICS: Sunday-Stretch-a-Palooza (Much needed and appreciated)
CONTEXT: “I Choose the Third Door…”
“If all your friends go jump off a bridge, are you just going to follow them?”. This was a question drilled into me early on. Do things differently, find a better way. Be resourceful.
The skills I learned through times of struggle have served me well later on. I raised 4 kids alone on a shoe string. But we were never without food. We always had a roof over our heads. I’d say fairly comfortable for the most part considering some of the circumstances we faced.
Because of my resourcefulness, we also created some amazing family memories going on road trips and hitting up tons of attractions like science centers, concerts, and parks and museums.
The world has seemed so focused on materialism for years and now all that greed has taken a global toll on our earth. These days the adage “Renew, Reuse, Recycle” has been promoted worldwide with all sorts of education and advertising to train humans to do their part.
What I find amusing is that I had to be resourceful to survive for many years, and these days that resourcefulness is the “in” thing. In the end, it pays to think outside the box and choose the third door that not everyone knows about.
Day of GRIT: #24 of 28
METRICS: 12 MOD (FoF) Finisher- Countdown F2
CONTEXT: “I Refuse to Waste My ‘Down Time”
I retired early five years ago with the intention of living life and focusing on my business, while enjoying life as well by going on road trips and adventures. So far so good until the whole world shut down.
What the heck am I supposed to do locked up at home for months on end?
I am glad I listened to my intuitive guidance to create a Sunday evening energy healing and balancing session. This started just as a thank you to my current clients, but expanded to be a public invitation to all. After 18 months, this group is still going and is the highlight of my week. From all the wonderful feedback, I have realized that this is the highlight of the week for many of the participants as they write in to say they are sleeping better and their homes are more peaceful.
Ok, so what about the rest of the week? Well, I have been much more busy with clients this past year. People have been stressed. Energy healing relieves stress.
My time as a member of Story Athlete has given me inspiration and ideas to better myself and my business.
I have always been one to share encouragement and inspiration with others. I mean, that was the basis of starting my website long before I got into energy healing and offering this as a service to others.
Back to the sharing. I realized I was sharing tons of information with my clients through individual links. Science based articles, business resources, suggested information for further learning. Basically all the shared information I have gleaned from my practitioner forums over the years. I figured out how to save and organize it all into an Excel document and also to offer this document as download in my website.
Ya it has taken some time to organize it all, but the returns are wonderful! Several of my practitioner friends have appreciated these efforts of having resources all in one place. My clients have appreciated the e-learning opportunities to expand their knowledge and understanding of energy healing.
I organized all of my own 170+ website and YouTube links into this document as well on the first page, so clients have a go -to resource that they can find for reference conveniently. This has saved me tons of time in answering questions as I can just direct to my website kind of like a FAQ of extensive information.
For the most part I don’t waste my downtime, and I get ‘er done. But I also listen to my body these days and quite enjoy naps and spending time with my family. It’s all about balance.
Day of GRIT: #25 of 28
METRICS: 5K Day Finisher- 4MOD
CONTEXT: “I’m All About Those Assets…”
In joking with my friends, I am often called a “smart ass”. My retort is “Yup, and smart ass with a cute ass”.
I was quite fortunate to purchase my home 16 years ago. This has been a wonderful asset for me financially to support my family and enhance my life.
As for assets in business, this is an area that I still need to work on in being able to offer something tangible that brings returns repeatedly. So far, I have created YouTube videos and I published my story in an anthology book a few years ago.
I find a lot of encouragement from my Story Athlete community and I hope to create more assets in the near future.
Day of GRIT: #26 of 28
METRICS: (FoF) – Chest & Back Complex F2 Finisher- 4MOD- Resistance Band Interval Abs
CONTEXT: “I Implement Good Advice…”
“You always have such great advice and wisdom, you should be a counselor”. How many times have I heard that phrase from friends many years ago? Too many times.
Do you know where great advice and wisdom comes from? From crappy poor decision experiences. Once you feel the effects of a stupid move, you’re pretty guaranteed to not make that mistake again. Stupidity should hurt in some way to drive home the lesson, because humans are naturally complacent. We call that the Lower Self here in GRIT. He/ she needs a swift kick in the hiney sometimes.
Nope, I never became a counselor. I didn’t want to listen to a strangers troubles and drag myself down to that level. I know too many counselors that have had mental breakdowns after years of focusing on others plights and not focusing enough on their own. Lack of balance topples anyone at some point.
Instead, I managed to find a path and purpose in energy healing and balancing which gets to the root cause of issues without having to dig into details or uncover secrets. All the heaviness of the past can be lifted and create space for a future of happiness and balance.
No that is not Polyanna thinking. I still get my down days and upsets depending on the events around me. But now I have the tools to get myself back on track a little better and sooner than previously when I would react inappropriately in some situations with anger and frustration. (No I am not perfect and I still do react sometimes, E for effort though, okay?)
These days, I do my best to implement the better advice of taking care of my own needs first. If that means sitting in sadness for a little bit, so be it.
I appreciate my GRIT warrior friends for the encouragement that surrounds me each day. A little but of Vitamin M(ovement) gets the endorphins going and can dissipate the sadness so I can get out my warrior helmet again.
Today has been a crappy day and yes there have been tears. The world has gone to sh*t and it is hard to see what is happening too close to home around me, and how this is affecting my loved ones, and myself.
Tonight is a “me time” recharge to re-evaluate and regroup my own energy so I can stand firm in my truths again tomorrow
September 30 2021
Jackie Rioux
I am sorry, I cannot do today…. I am done.
Soul connections:
Andy Senger April 7 1976 – Dec 13 2014. I babysat him so much when he was little. Later in life, we had this uncanny connection that any time we would think of each other, we would run into each other within a week. THe last time I spent an evening with him was 2011. At the end of the night he gave me a hug goodbye. I asked him for a second hug. I realized too late that our souls knew that was the last time I would see him in person.
He was always my guardian angel, now he is my spirit guide. It took me 7 years to create a webpage for Andy. It just hurt so much. https://ladybugwellness.ca/andrew-senger/
Larry Nizio April 9 1981 – Oct 13 2018 Larry was my son in law. We had a strong soul connection too. I seemed to always feel when he needed me to clear his energy. He loved and appreciated this connection and loved calling me Mom. I remember reaching out to a friend in June 2018 to ask for help getting rid of these awful nightmares that I kept feeling like my neck was broken somehow. When I saw him in July 2018, I had a chance to tell him that he will always be my son in law and that I loved him dearly. When I pulled out of the driveway, my heart sank. I “knew” I would be back in Abbotsford in October but didn’t know why. I missed call from Larry October 11 2018. Larry died of a broken neck in a motorcycle accident. I have a page started for Larry but again I am in too much pain to finish it properly just yet. https://ladybugwellness.ca/larry-lazer-nizio-memorial-page/
Darrel Koehl June 23 1979 – Sept 30 2021 We always had family connections. We dated 21 years ago and had so many other soul connections since then. I had written a poem for him when we broke up and always wished he would be back in my life at some point. He knows that my poem for him has been in my website for years. Yet I don’t think many other people knew how strong of a connection we shared. Any time I have seen Darrel in my dreams, I have seen him in person within a week later, no matter where we were. The pic on his page from 2015 was the last time he stayed the night with me, a 6 am photo.
Some of my intuitive friends had said we were twin flames. This past year we talked on the phone several times. I called him for his birthday and told him I wanted to see him soon. He appreciated that call. A month ago, in our conversation August 14 2021, I told him straight up how I felt about him. Since then we kept missing each other’s calls. I had left him messages of all my favorite things about him but missed his calls. Yesterday September 29, I was in tears all day from some other distressing events, or so I thought. I had been thinking of Darrel all day, and wanted to call him but I didn’t because I was so upset already. Last night I cleared more energy between us, and cleared my energy. I woke up 4 am with more ideas to clear energy between us.
Today I found out that he died in a car accident this morning.
With each of these special soul connections, I think I intuitively “knew” time was not long, yet I hate that kind of intuition and have always denied it then realized too late that my intuition was right. They each KNEW how much they meant to me in their own unique ways: an angel, a son, and a cherished soul mate.
Darrel was my last straw. I loved him so much and today I am numb in shock. I didn’t want his poem to become a memorial page, but now it is. https://ladybugwellness.ca/i-wish/
Sean Tjia: Jackie, I have no words. Only love, care, and concern for you and your loved ones.
Michael Wilson: Very sorry for your loss, Jackie. Sending thoughts and prayers.