002 You don’t need to have perfect eyesight to have a vision

I am so pumped to be doing this! I combined all my skills together to make this happen. my IT diploma taught me how to teach myself how to learn and use the editing software and putting my website together. It’s almost complete! My Marketing diploma I thought had gone to waste will help me to promote the podcast and deal with advertising, which is what would have done if there had of been opportunities here in Halifax, Nova Scot​ia. My ten plus years of customer service in various roles helped me to develop my communication skills. My social personality allowed me to build my network. Once I started my self-love journey, I really started believing in myself, when you believe in yourself so deeply that’s all that seems to matters.  After finishing the first episode I was proud of myself, no one had even heard it yet but I felt incredible.

I will admit though there were a few moments I had to talk myself down when self-doubt pops up and I start having negative self-talk and thinking like will anyone really actually care? but then when I seen the finished product it made me so proud.
In the name of Self-love I will start trying to give examples of how I show myself self love each week.  I am starting to identify my inner saboteur faster and shut it down more quickly now that I realize that’s what’s happening.
To be honest I almost recorded the intro to the first episode a 3rd time because I was being nit-picky and thought it felt a bit scripty but then I heard one of my fav podcast hosts say it is normal to be nervous when you first start doing something. So, I was like no I’m fucking doing this and I am so proud of what I have accomplished.  

I went for a couple walks, and smiled at some people out walking but mostly just their dogs. I also Decided to unfollow the news pages that I follow on FB because I find all the negative comments just really disappointing.  If I want to look at the news I will download the apps for them or go to their website. No one is ever happy in the comments, just stay away from there. I wish those pages were just able to shut down the comments section all together, do we really all need that commentary?
I think when things are going well in your life it’s easier to let things roll off your back. So when things aren’t great just remind yourself that its only temporary. Self-love and self-care is more than taking a bath and lighting a candle, that is one small piece of the puzzle. It’s hard work examining yourself and finding your voice.  

I recently seen a really cool clip last week of a blind contestant on MasterChef spoiler alert coming up. I have personally never seen the show but I wanted to mention it because it was so inspirational to me. I Shared the link on my fb page self-love is blind if you’d like to see it.  The contestant, Christine Ha, had a really interesting story and she spoke very powerfully. Super incredible and happy to see that she won. A couple things that she said stuck out to me, she said “everyone is more capable than they think they are. Don’t be afraid to dream big, your chances of attaining something are 0% if you don’t try.  The greatest rewards come at the biggest risks.

I think I am a good example of what someone who has faced issues with disability and mental health can accomplish if given the chance to properly heal.  I realized I don’t need to have perfect eye sight to have a vision.
My next guest Norbert is a great friend of mine who I met working at the call center that I spoke about in the first episode with Steph. Before throwing to today’s conversation, I wanted to add onto the story from episode one, I think I was so nervous my first time recording that I totally blanked on some of the details. I couldn’t remember what had led me to take my issue to the HR department. My manager had pulled me in to try to address the issue of me not taking on as much as my teammates were because I read considerably slower due to my low vision. That manager said to me that maybe if I practiced reading at home, I might be able to read faster. Right. that’s not how that works. Now I am not trying to shame this person or cancel the company I simply want to share my experience to educate others.  

In today’s conversation with Norbert, we discuss how he moved to Canada from Brazil to peruse his education and Canadian life. He talks about the challenges he faced as an immigrant who didn’t speak much English.  Find out how he managed to live his whole life in Brazil, speaking no English but had a Canadian passport all along. We had such a fun conversation and I hope you can find some value in it.  

Norbert mentioned an organization that he utilized when he first moved to Vancouver that he found very helpful.  Mosaic is one of the largest settlement non-profit organizations in Canada. they serve immigrant, and refugees in Greater Vancouver and the Fraser Valley as well as throughout the province of BC and overseas via online programs. I will have a link to their site in the show notes.https://www.mosaicbc.org/

I asked another friend of mine where someone can find assistance like this in Nova Scotia, she recommended isans.  ISANS stands for the immigrant services association of NS, they help people to get settled, learn English, business and employment services, community connection and more.  I will have the link for them in the show notes as well.https://www.isans.ca/

I launched the podcast on Valentine’s day because this project has stolen my heart. I have decided Tuesdays will be my release day.

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Self love is blind podcast is created, produced and sound design by me Jillian Gillis

Intro beat sounds by Skosha Muzik www.soundcloud.com/skoshamuzik

Logo design by Brandon Mosher 

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