Introduction to Journaling
Ray McGinnis, principal, Write to the Heart

From the moment we wake up to the clock radio, the world shouts, ‘hurry, hurry!’ Our age is measured in nanoseconds. We swap stories of lives out of balance, pressed for time, coping with stress. While the world demands we speed up, our soul cries for attention, inviting us - even for a little while - to live at a slower pace. From deep within comes the urge to notice it, to write it down. Ray’s session helps people discover the positive value of keeping a journal.

Moderator - Elise Rees, tax partner, Ernst & Young
Body - Dr. Jan Christilaw, head of specialized women’s health, BC Women’s Hospital
Mind - Dr. Gabor Mate, physician, author, counselor
Spirit - Shiella Fodchuk, coordinator of spirituality programmes, Vancouver School of Theology

The panelists, distinguished specialists in their respective fields, will discuss the importance of physical, emotional and spiritual wellness. They will provide the diagnosis and prognosis of no balance and open the door to awareness and an integrated lifestyle in balance. There will be an opportunity to ask questions of these three experts.

Tamara Stanners, TV & radio host
Shannon Byrne, president & CEO, Paradata Systems Inc.
Barbara Crompton, CEO, The Fitness Group

This dynamic trio will share their personal journey to achieving balance in their lives. Each one of them will give you a snapshot of their life before balance and describe the catalyst to change, that ‘AH-HA’ moment. They will describe their ‘life in balance’, how they attained it and how they maintain it.

This lively songstress will show you how you can use singing, music and creativity as tools to discover more balance in your life. She will get your energy level up by performing and inviting you to join her in song.

Lisa will provide a framework whereby each person will be encouraged to travel the road to self-discovery, to find the path to successfully redirect one’s life in order to be physically healthy, emotionally open and spiritually enriched.

Plenary Session: Your Life in Balance
You can have your cake and eat it too! Life in Balance is giving yourself permission to de-stress, de-guilt and un-should your life to slowdown and live more joyously.

Finding your equilibrium is an individual challenge in visioning the place you want to be and doing something everyday to make it happen. Lisa will share the 10 practices that have helped women across North America define, establish and maintain life balance…on their terms.

Live your life based on your priorities and passions. The key to balance resides in you, it may be just under the surface or it may be deep down. But the answers are there. So, let’s find out. Chocolate or angel-food - what kind of cake do you have in mind?

We are challenged daily with changes in our bodies and issues around health. Dr. Adatya is an expert in menopause and midlife women’s health. Perimenopause results in weight gain, breast tenderness, fluid retention, mood swings, hair loss and decreased sex drive. Do you have a hard time understanding the changes you’re going through? Trying to figure out what’s ‘normal’? Need help figuring out what’s effective and what’s not? What should a woman know about hormone replacement therapies? These are the fundamentals that set the groundwork for moving ahead and sorting out your menopause treatment options. She will discuss current research regarding the use of herbal therapy, vitamins and minerals as an alternative.

From Knowledge to Wisdom
Jan Marie Dore, professional certified coach, speaker, writer

We have the direction of our lives reversed. We tend to manage our lives by the ‘command and control’ model: directing, controlling, advising, and avoiding or reacting to change. We wake up thinking about what to wear, whom to call, what has to get done. Then we hit the ground running.

We think life is about acquiring things, handling more details, and doing more work in less time. Really, it’s about letting go, creating space, and doing less, yet enjoying it more.

But how do we find a way to shift to a more "collaborative" way of living? When we stop the busy-ness and the mind chatter, create quiet time for ourselves, and find ways to listen to our inner voice... we put ourselves on the road to a self-directed life, where we are open and curious, connected to our intuition, and able to anticipate and plan for change. A life in which we connect daily with the feelings in our hearts and souls, where we can devise ways to simplify our lives - and let the wisdom flow out from within is a life in balance.

In this session with Jan Marie Dore, you will learn to shift from being closed and certain, to staying open and curious to possibilities and incoming information. This is the shift from knowledge to wisdom. Learn strategies for health-full and intuitive living, ideas that will assist you in finding your way to living a high quality, more fulfilling life - one that is meaningful, authentic, and a joy to wake up to every day!

Beyond Balance
Andrea Jacques, president, Kyosei Consulting International

The human spirit is not content merely to survive. Our souls seek to thrive. Women today must shift their focus ‘beyond balance’ to escape the treading water mindset that keeps them juggling self, family and career. Balance, while necessary for survival, is fleeting and tenuous, and our longing for it is better satisfied if we look to what we really desire - greater vitality, energy, fulfillment, authenticity and connectedness. This session provides a concrete framework to shift participants' focus ‘beyond balance’ to Life-Work Integrity(tm) - ‘a state of wholeness, alignment and harmony between who you are and what you do’.

The session will focus on guiding participants through an exploration of their values - one of the four key foundations of Life-Work Integrity(tm) - and how to use them as a source of greater creativity, integrity, vitality and fulfillment in their lives and work. They will have the opportunity to:

» Identify what really matters most in their lives and work

» Key in on anchors for enhancing energy, vitality and fulfillment by identifying the values and principles that help them thrive

» Understand how to enhance integrity (for themselves and others) in all areas of their lives and work

» Be inspired with examples of integrity and values in action.

Let the Spirit Move You
Kelly Kennedy, mediator, trainer and counselor

For those of you tired of being bombarded by life and circumstances, let this nurturing workshop help you get to spirituality by experiencing your emotions. Through a series of exercises, we will explore ways to let go of the intensity and seriousness of your day-to-day life by finding support and recognizing humour. Kelly will point you to the path along which you can gather a spiritual life filled with joy.

The "But" Exterminator
Dawn Lybarger, principal, Suit Tutor, personal and workshop follow-up coach

Do you want something in your life, BUT you can’t because…? Or you don’t want it, BUT you have to because…? This workshop will be a fast-paced hour of the facilitator coaching you through a situation like this in your life so that you can create the outcome you want, the balance you want, around this one issue. It will be fun and fast. You will find solutions and tools to use in the future. You will end up with a committed action plan. Lets kick some "Buts."

Engaging Your Full Potential

Susanne Matheson, principal, Tekara Organizational Effectiveness Inc.
Marion McAdam, founding partner of Tekara Organizational Effectiveness Inc., both coaches, organizational and leadership development consultants, speakers

There will never be more hours in a day - and when it comes to balance - it doesn’t matter. Most people feeling out of balance look to how they manage time. But balance isn’t just about time - it’s about energy. Sustainable peak performance is about both the expenditure of energy and the recovery of it. Most of us are good at expending energy. But what are you doing to recover energy? To relax. To restore. To rejuvenate.

Join Marion and Susanne for a workshop based on the book ‘The Power of Full Engagement’. Learn about the four different types of energy that we need to be mindful of when it comes to balance - physical, emotional, mental and spiritual. Where are you in balance, and where are you out of balance. Where are you overusing and where are you underusing? And what can you do about it? What rituals can you put in place - starting today - that will help to maximize your energy - and maximize your performance?

Living Life Balance
Debrah Rafel, president, Wyndehorse LifePractises, life coach, corporate wellness facilitator

Overwhelmed by the amount of health information out there? Not sure what will REALLY work for you in your life? No time for ‘trial and error’? This lively workshop offers a wealth of invaluable health and life balance information from both ancient and contemporary sources. It will be presented within a coaching framework so you can begin right away to integrate the information pertinent to your life. After decades of study and practice, this information comes to you ‘tried and true’ from the daily habits of a woman just like you ~ busy, successful, passionate, committed. Healthy habits build a healthy lifestyle… and these ones work! Come prepared to absorb and take away information and tools to benefit you, your family, and your co-workers in ‘living life balance’.

After Inspiration - Perspiration!
Ann Searles, president of The Institute for Business Technology, Canada/Caribbean Inc.

How can you get out of the office if you spend:

300 hours a year dealing with voice, paper and e-mail messages?
286 hours a year dealing with interruptions?
275 hours a year in meetings?
200 hours a year doing work that could be delegated?
…that’s over 50% of your working year!

This action oriented, practical workshop will show you how to cut through administrivia to focus on business, not ‘busyness’. You will leave the session with strategies you can use today to get out of the office, and arrive home with the wit and energy to enjoy your life.

Plenary Session

Lock in the Vision
Lynn Robinson, international trainer, speaker & coach

Utilize your mind to create your life the way you want it. It all begins with your thoughts. Focus on what you have in your life not on what you don’t have. See the world in its greatness not its shortcomings. Thrive in chaos and rise to any major challenge. Learn how to harness and direct your thoughts to get the results you want. Take what you have learned throughout the day, set the vision, and leave feeling renewed and resolute to embracing change.