In May 2021, I was inducted into the Canadian Institute of Planners (CIP) College of Fellows. Being named a Fellow of the CIP is the highest award that the Institute can give to a planner. I am grateful to my nominator and to all those who submitted letters of endorsement. I was asked by the
News of the impact of the COVID-19 global pandemic on my family in India and the USA and on my friends across Canada are part of my weekly newsfeed. Too often, the news is heartbreaking, and we seek out moments of joy. However, there are times when the extended provincial lockdown in Ontario and the
Over the past few weeks, several colleagues and I have been reflecting upon our experiences of workplace microaggressions [1] and of discrimination in public engagement processes. Sometimes we get stuck in the undertow of the ongoing and recent waves of anti-Asian violence and racism in our communities, only to be pulled out by our own
Career Networking Online: Tips for Planning Students and Job Seekers Networking and preparing for informational interviews are two of the most important job-search techniques to develop. Here are some tips for career networking online; this is especially for students navigating the job hustle and career flow. You can also download a summary of the eight
The belief that “practice makes perfect” is only partially true. Practice [1], and the repetition that is a part of it, over time, may translate into exactness and precision in the repetition. It may even lead to one achieving such a high degree of mastery that it can invite improvisation and the ability to think
As a planner my role involves assisting people to manage uncertainty, by understanding it better, and by inspiring and advising how to act. My recent Compassion Fatigue Educator Training from the TEND Academy (https://tendacademy.ca) has given me additional skills to add to my experiences in trauma-informed approaches to planning. This training has increased my understanding
Managing transitions is about managing change. Transitions can involve difficulty and the promise of possibility; they require thinking creatively, while keeping focused, both on the here-and-now, as well as on the future. Managing transitions in a changing life requires cultivating self-awareness and connecting with yourself, and with the world around you. In late 2019, I
Cultivating compassion and community while navigating the rhetoric and realities of COVID-19 Living in Canada, the confusion about how to conduct ourselves during these times that are mired by COVID-19, is adding to the prolonged experience of psychological and physical isolation brought on by the pandemic. Efforts to glean through the political rhetoric and public
When I was a kid, I loved to climb trees. I would find a tree anywhere in our neighbourhood that I could climb on my own – a sign of my fierce independence. It took me some time to pick one tree over another. While the branches of the maple were easy to reach, the
Reflect. Connect. Act. Together. Plan with purpose and design change, starting with yourself. Welcome! This is a blog about getting to the heart of planning with purpose and designing change through a practice that involves reflection, connection, and action. You’ve come to the right place if you are curious about human-centred planning, career mentoring, community
