Llorea Cazakoff

THE ONE WITH THE CANDY HEARTS

Valentine’s day, a day dedicated to love. Yes, I’m stating the obvious. Some may argue, why celebrate just the one day? Expressing your love for someone should be shown in some form, every day. Right? Yes, I agree, and I do.

It’s easy to get caught up in our happy, showing the world our lovey-dovey affection for each other, and forgetting about those who are alone, even more so during this pandemic. I can relate, having spent several ho-hum Valentine’s days on my own. That said, I was damned if I would let a day dedicated to love, get me down. If anything, it was a great excuse for a little retail therapy, perhaps something pretty to wear? It didn’t need to be expensive, lol, who are we kidding? It was a splurge, cheap and cheerful wasn’t even considered. I was alone, and I deserved to indulge if just a little. Why not? If it makes you happy, even if for a moment, I say go for it! That said, I’m not condoning that you should go out and purchase a crazy expensive Chanel suit or anything, although, it is on my bucket list, it certainly isn’t in the budget! With only two days left before the big V day, I thought it would be fun to dream a little his and her’s gift guide.

No funds for a big splurge? No problem, consider a nice bottle of wine or order dinner from your favourite restaurant, better yet, plan and make a fabulous gourmet dinner together, so fun!

Can you imagine a beautifully written letter on “how much I love you”? Honestly, it takes little effort, and I would be gushing for sure, if not full out crying. The best part is, it’s free! So you’re not one to spill your emotions in a letter? A card works too, maybe include a single rose or a sweet treat and it’s perfect! I love flowers, you cannot go wrong with a small bouquet, but beware, ’tis the season for a hefty price tag, choose wisely!

With freezing temperatures outside, besides you to keep your valentine warm, how about a cashmere toque or scarf? It’s luxurious and practical at the same time. OR, a gift of fragrance, in my opinion, is a gift that keeps on giving, “I love the scent of him on my sheets…”

Shopping for lingerie can be overwhelming; it’s a mysterious clothing genre, with barely anything garments made of delicate satin and lace. Prices range from inexpensive to break the bank, so yes, that tiny little camisole could cost you a lot more than a robe! Ladies, this doesn’t have to be a gift for you, wrap up your favourite lingerie item for him to admire on you! BTW, this too is a gift that keeps on giving.

Silk boxers for him? Absolutely!

I love a great candle, and Diptyque from Paris are beautifully scented for any room.

Valentine’s Day wouldn’t be complete without a few splurge gifts.

Just for fun, I came across these vintage black and white photographs…

A Classic Love Bracelet

Love Bracelet for both of you? by Cartier

A Love Necklace

Sydney Evan, Gold Love 14-karat gold diamond necklace

Photo by Karolina Grabowska on Pexels.com

Most importantly, don’t stress, enjoy Valentines’s day with your special person. Have fun with what ever you decide to do. Your only limited by your imagination.

Valentines day, that special day, the one with the candy hearts, fills my heart.

GET YOURSELF UNSTUCK AND MOVING WITH A LIFE COACH

I have to admit; the thought of working with a life coach, had me sceptical. I mean, why do I need one? We have our friends, right? Yes, friends. We are there for each other through thick and thin, lending an ear, for one thing, or another, giving constructive advice and cheering on those grand plans! I have a great circle of friends, but it’s knowing when to seek help from a professional.

Enter a life coach; who by definition is, a person who counsels and motivates clients on matters having to do with their careers or personal challenges. Not unlike a friend, right? A couple of years ago, I decided I needed a little direction with my evolving life. I was separated, and my nest was newly empty. Travel was a great escape, but it didn’t solve my dilemma: who was I, and where does one go from here? My story isn’t much different from most. I’m guilty of being stuck in a rut and putting off “XYZ” because I didn’t have the tools to achieve my goals or ambitions. Not knowing my full potential, I let fear get in the way of my success.

“There are people less qualified than you, doing the things you want to do, simply because they decided to believe in themselves. Period.”

I was out of the workforce for years, the kids were gone, and I was suddenly irrelevant, I needed a solid plan. I probably needed a map and a compass too! Not knowing where to start; I connected with Susan Wheeler, a behavioural change expert, or better known as an executive coach. She has a long list of credentials and is committed to helping people realize their full potential and live their best authentic lives. She brings twenty years of strategic HR experience with global organizations, working with leaders and CEOs and mentoring women. Susan is a certified practitioner in Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) and Striving Styles Personality System (SSPS). Her most recent endeavours are her Striving Styles “This Is You” eight-week webinar workshops, helping you discover your personality type, and coaching you on how it affects your relationships, career and life. Sign me up!

I’m not going to lie, I was slightly apprehensive and wasn’t sure what to expect. All I could think about were those crazy mind control workshops of the ’70s. A lot of Kumbaya comes to mind. Forget about those stigmas; there’s no mind control here. LOL. “This is You” workshops are about being open-minded to improvements and developing a mindset that lets you feel more confident, strengthen your relationships, and get more out of life. Susan led a small group of us, in a step-by-step journey of self-discovery, we uncovered our behaviour patterns, and she helped us tap into our true potential. Once we determined our Striving Styles, we were well on our way to the next phase, becoming the best version of ourselves! Honestly, this eight-week webinar was just what I needed, discovering my strengths and weaknesses, and leaving me more confident, focused, and best of all, I had a plan!

“DREAM. PLAN. DO.”

I recently struggled with preparing a business plan, overwhelmed by my thoughts and ideas; I didn’t have a clear direction. Susan was instrumental in helping me get back on track and put those ideas into action. BTW, getting help is not a sign of weakness; in fact, I’ve had a few touchpoints with Susan on related issues since my workshop. I recognize I tend to undermine myself, often getting frustrated and forgetting, “why am I doing this?” Before you know it, I’ve played an entire conversation in my head about “failing” and “it will never happen,” I succumb to my negativity and do nothing. Sound familiar?

“REMEMBER WHY YOU STARTED”

Dream big, I always say! Susan suggested I create a vision board; it’s an excellent tool, giving me clarity of those dreams and reminding me of the”why.” This new chapter of mine also includes my handsome leading man; we just hit our two-year mark! I took the idea of creating a vision board one step further and decided my guy, and I should do ours together. Loaded with magazines and Pinterest, (wine of course too!) we were well on our way to envisioning our visions. Fun to do, and it was a great creative outlet, not to mention, good quality time together as a couple.

Most importantly, my new relationship is my redo—this time, learning from my past and improving on going forward. The classic saying, “doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result is insanity.” While I have learned a lot about myself, I am continually learning more. I would be naive to think I didn’t need a little tweaking along the way. I can’t wait for life to get back to something resembling normal, it’s been a while. As for those plans and dreams? I’m ready and excited to tackle!

“Im known for balancing pragmatism, openness, and integrity with warmth, compassion, and humour.”

Susan Wheeler, Executive Coach

MAKING PLANS AND SETTING GOALS

We are well into the new year, and for most of us, this is the ideal time for making plans and setting goals. I’m not big on resolutions, although, some would argue they are one and the same. I’ve had my fill of failed resolutions, which, in my opinion, are really just acknowledging one’s bad habits and doing nothing about them. Goals, however, involve intention setting, preparing, and taking realistic action. I’m ready to clean house, tidy those items in life, and start the new year with a fresh, clean slate. So yes, I will be cleaning my house, literally and figuratively. With more time on my hands due to the pandemic, there’s a never-ending list of things to accomplish; it’s difficult knowing where to start?

Pandemic aside, life must go on. I can’t help be an optimist; I need to believe that this year will be different, bringing change and hopefully there will be an end soon to our non-existent social lives. Having something to look forward to is essential, at least it is for me. At the moment, I’m a planner without plans. We missed out on a lot last year, now, just going out for coffee these days is pretty exciting. Unfortunately, travel is still in the distant future, fingers-crossed, not for long. But nothing is stopping us from making plans, right? I have a long list of to-dos (goals). I would love to make reading a priority, something I struggle to fit into my daily schedule. Typically, I save reading for bedtime, only to find myself asleep shortly after, can you relate? So, I’m not a voracious reader, but I find myself with an ambitious collection of books to read. Seriously, where do I start? Projects around the home? Where do I begin? Just testing new recipes from the NYTimes cooking is enough to keep me in the kitchen for months! While we’re at it, how about giving gratitude, I know, technically it’s not a goal, but it should be, appreciate all that you have and enjoy those little things, they add up, enriching our lives when we need it the most.

The one project that I am very passionate about is creating a great blog. This is ongoing, and my goal is to make my stories relatable and fun, with informative content. I’ve had an incredible journey, and I love being able to share all my tidbits with you. I COVET started four years ago; I cannot believe it! Originally this was to be a journal of my trip to Paris, which it became. Life happened afterwards, and well, it became much more. I didn’t spend a lot of time thinking about how I COVET would grow. It’s taken time, and in the process, I’ve learned a lot about myself. I have fifty-six years of life experience, so I know a little about a lot of things. That said, I know myself very well, but I’m no expert.

Over the years, I have developed invaluable relationships with a variety of multitalented professionals, my go-to team of experts, as you will. They have supported me over the years, in some way, helping me realize my dreams, or through a challenge, or with good old fashioned solid advice. Everyone needs a little help. I look forward to introducing a few of them to you soon on my blog, I COVET.

In the meantime, what plans are you making and what goals are you setting?

KICKING 2020’S ASS BYE-BYE!

Finally! We’ve made it to the other side, barely I might add. We’re saying bye-bye to one badass year. It was challenging. Surreal comes to mind, and if I could have, I would have hit CTRL+ALT+DEL to reboot and restart the new year sooner. I’m exhausted just thinking about everything we’ve postponed, cancelled, delayed, didn’t do, reinvented and compromised to survive the strict rules of Covid. It sucked!
The holidays were quiet, as to be expected. I was fortunate to have my boys home with me; sadly, my 98-year-old mother was not allowed to join us, nor would I want to put her at risk. Instead, it was a weird visit with her at the senior’s home through a glass window. Yep, my boys and I were on one side, while my mother was on the other, equipped with an Ipad for audio. We laughed at how silly it felt; it was beyond ridiculous. You could imagine the jokes and comments “how long you got in the slammer?” Not in a million years would I have guessed, that the three of us would be wishing my mother, a Merry Christmas through a window?! She’s a good sport. Seriously though, my mom is 98; she doesn’t have a lot of Christmas’ left in her, leaving me sad in the end. I know, we’re all making sacrifices, and this is a small one in the end. I would rather she be safe in her community than the possibility of being exposed to Covid.

Not to dwell but I am, this holiday season goes down as the quietest to date. So, yes, a part of me was missing the social scene, dinner and drinks with friends, champagne brunches with the girls, and that overall festive feeling you get this time of year. But guess what? It wasn’t a bust; we made the best of a crazy situation, and it was awesome. I certainly didn’t miss the holiday crazy. And you all know what I’m talking about. Trying to do too much, spend too much and OMG eating and drinking too much!! I can’t confirm or deny the eating and drinking too much, but overall it was a very chill holiday and quite honestly, I loved it! Hanging out with my boys and my guy was the best!

Ringing in the new year couldn’t come fast enough. Lets git-er done! With essential travel rules only, my guy and I decided it was essential to get the hell out of dodge, ringing in the new year at our home away from home on Savary Island. It was our first time experiencing our little cabin during storm season. Holy Moly, it was one hell of a storm, and 2020 was leaving in a huff. We weathered the storm, barely, we did it somehow, but it’s enough! Time to take our lives back and kick 2020’s ass bye-bye!!