Listen Now

This week on Finding Your Bliss in an Encore Presentation, Bliss Expert and Life Coach Judy Librach is joined by Paul “Rosey” Rosen, who is a three-time Paralympian, Gold Medalist, and arguably the greatest sledge hockey goalie in history. He is one of the few athletes to ever medal in international summer and winter games. As well, he was presented with a Queen’s Diamond Jubilee medal in 2013 by the Prime Minister of Canada and Ontario’s Lieutenant Governor, for his contributions outside of Canadian athletics. Paul Rosen’s childhood dream mirrored the fantasy of virtually every young child growing up in Canada: to play in the National Hockey League. “Rosey” was well on his way to making that dream a reality until 1975, when as a 15-year-old boy, Paul broke his leg in 14 places during a tournament. Paul’s leg was shattered, along with his hopes of playing professional hockey. Rosey’s leg was never the same again, and for the next two decades, Paul endured twenty-eight surgeries to his leg. Then, in 1997, his leg gave out in a German airport coming home from coaching in an overseas tournament. Rosey’s leg was in such bad shape, he would need another 14 procedures in the 18 months that followed. To recap, that was 38 surgeries from 1975 until June 8th, 1999. On June 8th, 1999, a doctor delivered these four chilling words to Paul: “You’re going to die.” In a life-defining decision, Paul opted - without hesitation - to have his leg amputated above the knee on June 9th, 1999 - less than 24 hours after the doctor’s ultimatum. From then on, Paul Rosen’s perspective, mindset, and purpose would change forever. He chose to start the true meaning of his life immediately after having his leg amputated. After this operation, he learned how to play sledge hockey and became one of the best goalies in the world. Starting at age 40, Rosey played in three Paralympics and shut out the number one ranked Team Norway in the gold medal game of the 2006 Torino Paralympic Games. Rosey even has five hockey world championships and a bronze medal in sitting volleyball, from the summer 2007 PanAm Games in Brazil. Since choosing life and having his leg amputated in 1999, Paul has given over 1100 motivational talks and has become a recognized “ability” advocate for the differently-abled. Paul regularly visits schools and mentors children - and their parents - in the hospital. On January 30th, 2019, on Bell Let’s Talk Day, Paul was sick. Sick of the pain and sick of the hurt. On January 30th, 2019, Paul Rosen tried to end his own life. On an especially dark winter night, Paralympic gold medal hero Paul “Rosey” Rosen said that he “was sick of being the greatest guy in the world to people and a piece of garbage to myself.” On January 30th, 2019, Paul wrote three goodbye letters, one to each of his children - and then took 35 OxyContin pills to end his pain. He admits, now, that he didn’t want to die. However, at that moment, he no longer wanted to live. Paul had lived with mental health, depression and concussion issues and had been addicted to painkillers for years. With little memory of the event, Paul learned that he called 911 to save his own life. He also unlocked his own door and placed his health card and keys on his dresser. While he attempted to stop living, Paul Rosen did not really want to die. He woke up in the hospital and changed his life for the better when he asked for help. After asking for assistance, Paul spent 17 days in the mental health unit of the Toronto General Hospital. He is driven to share his story to help break the stigma around discussing suicide, depression and addiction. Paul is about to celebrate three years of sobriety and is determined to continue helping others. The events that led up to Paul’s decision are detailed in this candid biography, and the message remains one of ultimate hope and survival. “Never Give Up” is the meaning of Paul Rosen’s life. It is also the title of the book he wrote with famed sports author Roger Lajoie in 2021. Roger Lajoie helped Paul find his voice and share his story. Roger has been a sports writer, broadcaster and hockey executive for more than four decades. His previous books include “The Goal of My Life” with legendary Canadian hero Paul Henderson (a Globe and Mail bestseller) and “The Road to Hockeytown” with Jimmy Devellano. Now, Paul Rosen spends much of his life helping people break down stigmas around mental health, suicide prevention, depression and addiction. He is determined to share his message of hope, recovery and “Never Giving Up.” He can be reached directly anytime at: 647.669.6857 Info@paulrosen.ca www.PaulRosen.ca Also on the program, we have emerging 18-year-old pop singer-songwriter SAGE - the moniker of Sage Siegel - who has released her second single of 2021, “Finish Line,” which is available now on all streaming platforms via AWAL. The track will be included on her upcoming EP and follows up her 2021 debut release, “Homesick Feelin’.” Growing up in Toronto, SAGE has been singing since before she could speak. Losing her father unexpectedly at the age of 3 and growing up with a younger brother with non-verbal autism, singing became a way for her to connect with her feelings and emote to music early on. Over the years, SAGE began sharing covers on YouTube and TikTok, in addition to writing original music. In 2021, she had a viral moment with her cover of "As The World Caves In" by Matt Maltese, amassing over 2M views and 575K likes. Since then, she has garnered a following of 86,000 on TikTok. Since beginning to write for her debut project this year, SAGE has collaborated with Paris Carney (Maggie Lindemann, Bea Miller), Drew Polovick (Friday Pilots Club, OSTON), Nigel Hemmye (Mothica, Caroline Kole), Theo and the Climb (REI AMI, WRENN), Sleeping Lion (Kira Kosarin), and Austin Wolfe (JORDY). She has received support from Popstar! Magazine, with a four-page artist feature in their April 2021 Digital Magazine, alongside coverage from Traklife, Cage Riot, The Music Enthusiast, and Channel Sounds. Click here to listen to SAGE sing her song "Finish Line" on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/track/0r6otSXpyzFzrli2jwxKhE?si=c7dfffebf57b431c&nd=1 For more on Finding Your Bliss, you can follow us @theblissminute on Instagram and Facebook. Or you can visit our online magazine at findingyourbliss.com and take one step closer to finding your bliss. Listen live every Saturday at 1pm on Zoomer Radio

This week on Finding Your Bliss, Life Coach and Bliss Expert Judy Librach is joined by author Vasavi Kumar! Vasavi Kumar is often described as the “Queen of Saying It Out Loud.” A first-generation Indian immigrant raised on Long Island, NY, Vasavi has relentlessly searched to find her own voice, access the freedom of her creative spirit, and help others along the way… out loud! When she was diagnosed with bipolar disorder at the age of 19, she made it her mission to understand how her mind works, starting with making room to ‘hear’ herself think. Her mission is to share the fullness of the human experience — the good, the bad, and the ugly — in order to teach a more mindful, practical and simple way of creating every aspect of your life. Through her “Say It Out Loud” podcast, workshops, keynote talks, group programs, social media, and weekly email newsletters, Vasavi has taught thousands of entrepreneurs, creatives, and artists from all walks of life how to move through any situation — by saying it out loud. Vasavi is a TV host, Licensed Therapist, Speaker, Voiceover Artist, and Creator of the “Say It Out Loud Safe Haven”, an online support community. She holds dual Masters degrees in Special Education from Hofstra University and Social Work from Columbia University. Also on the program, back again, is talented singer/songwriter Jules Halpern! Jules has been singing since she could walk. Her performance of Stevie Wonder’s “Ribbon in the Sky”, led to her being invited to sing at many festivals, and the Canadian and American national anthems at Madison Square Garden in New York City. In addition to singing, Jules likes to draw, cook, write, and play the guitar. Jules was invited to sing for the Stronger Together, Tous Ensemble on National television with a who’s who of many well-known Canadian singers and celebrities including Justin Bieber, Drake, Shania Twain, Michael Bublé??????? and some of the cast of Schitt’s Creek including Dan Levy, Eugene Levy, Noah Reid, Annie Murphy and Catherine O’Hara, just to name a few. On this week’s show, Jules will be singing her rendition of "Into the Unknown" from the ESA Music Theatre’s Cinema Spectacular! Click on this link to listen to Jules' cover of "Into the Unknown": https://soundcloud.com/user-201921535-658441499/jules-into-the-unknown-audio?si=90307eca60f94b418bfdb7ec8d0fd9e5&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing Join us this Saturday at 1 PM on Finding Your Bliss. You can follow us @theblissminute on Instagram and Facebook. Or you can visit our online magazine at findingyourbliss.com and take one step closer to finding your bliss. Listen live every Saturday at 1pm on Zoomer Radio

This week on Finding Your Bliss, Life Coach and Bliss Expert Judy Librach is joined by Samantha Tradelius! Samantha is a mother, wife, philanthropist and entrepreneur. She is fast-moving and a supporter of all things SHE. A born go-getter from early on, Samantha always knew she was destined to do big things. Armed with her brokerage licence and natural gift for being a connector, Samantha began her entrepreneurial journey by co-founding Commercial Coverage Insurance Agency (CCIA) alongside her husband. From humble beginnings, the pair quickly turned CCIA into a wildly successful business, valued at an impressive eight figures. Following her success with CCIA, Samantha knew it was time to lean into a passion that had inspired her from a very young age. Having never stopped thinking about the stories her grandmother and hero, GG, would tell her about raising three children as a single mom in the 1950s. Samantha always noticed that in all her stories, her grandmother never mentioned anyone helping her... or asking for help. She knew her grandmother had done everything she could to rub her nickels together to make everything possible for her children. Inspired by this story, Samantha wanted to utilize her skills as a self-starter and born networker to create a non-profit that provided the much-valued support that many single mothers need. Not one to waste any time, Samantha got straight into establishing The Sparkle Foundation, a non-profit dedicated to helping single women throughout the Bay Area, the Inland Empire, and the Cities of Los Angeles and Sacramento. In just a few short years, The Sparkle Foundation has seen an unprecedented amount of success, thanks to Samantha’s sheer determination and passion for giving back to her local community. The Sparkle Foundation supports single mothers and children with an array of initiatives, including enrichment scholarships for children, a Christmas holiday gift drive and a back-to-school backpack drive. In addition to The Sparkle Foundation, Samantha established SparkleBiz, which provides micro-loans for female-owned small businesses, and access to a large, connected network. Since its founding in 2016, The Sparkle Foundation has raised more than $1 million—with every dollar reinvested in the community. Not one to stop there, Samantha wrote and self-published a book, "Impact: Stories of Change Makers, Creators, and Everyday Women Doing Extraordinary Work" and she is also the host of a growing weekly podcast; "InspiHER’d". Samantha’s mission to support and uplift women shines through every project she takes on! Also on the program, we have Jaime Saibil, a psychotherapist and organizational consultant with over a decade of experience providing counselling and consulting in the healthcare and weight loss industry. Jaime works within a variety of areas including stress, anxiety, depression, couples-related issues, communication and conflict resolution, alcohol and substance abuse, eating disorders, infertility/IVF, and weight management. She holds a Master’s Degree in Counselling & Organizational/Industrial Psychology and began working in the field of mental health in 2002. She has worked with Accenture’s Talent & Organizational workgroup as an analyst to Fortune 500 companies, is a registered member of the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario, a Fellow of Massey College, and a published author in the Individual Journal of Psychology. Also on the show, in honour of the recent passing of Gordon Lightfoot, we have featured his song "If You Can Read my Mind", which you can listen to at the following link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v5tr_L31StI For more on Finding Your Bliss. You can follow us @theblissminute on Instagram and Facebook. Or you can visit our online magazine at findingyourbliss.com and take one step closer to finding your bliss. Listen live every Saturday at 1pm on Zoomer Radio

This week on Finding Your Bliss, Life Coach and Bliss Expert Judy Librach is joined by Dr. Nita Landry! Dr. Nita Landry, known as “Dr. Nita,” is a board-certified OB/GYN, sought-after speaker, and the author of "Dr. Nita’s Crash Course for Women: Better Sex, Better Health, Better You". Dr. Nita was the co-host of the Emmy Award-winning, daily syndicated talk show "The Doctors" for six seasons, covering thousands of medical topics, answering questions from viewers all across America, and proving herself equally adept at interviewing newsmakers, celebrities, and those appearing on TV for the first time. Her energetic, engaging and clear communication has made her a go-to medical expert for "Good Morning America", "The Today Show", "Dr. Phil", "Iyanla: Fix My Life", "CBS National News", and "Black Entertainment Television". Dr. Nita has also been featured in national media outlets like US News & World Report, The Atlantic, Women’s Health, Cosmopolitan, Essence, Healthline, Health Digest, Huff Post, Shape, and Self. Dr. Nita is a sought-after keynote speaker to organizations and associations across the country. She is also a popular speaker at college campuses where she inspires and teaches students how to pursue their dream careers while balancing their health and well-being. With the goal of inspiring future generations, Dr. Nita founded A Healthier, Happier Me, a non-profit dedicated to providing students with life-saving knowledge and awareness about their bodies and a clear understanding of the importance of physical and emotional well-being. She is board-certified by the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Dr. Nita currently practices medicine as a Locum tenens physician (a "travelling doctor") with clinical experience ranging from rural Alaskan Indigenous Reservations to the Mayo Clinic Health System. Her mission is to equip all women to be powerful partners in their healthcare decisions. For more on Finding Your Bliss, you can follow us @theblissminute on Instagram and Facebook. Or you can visit our online magazine at findingyourbliss.com and take one step closer to finding your bliss. Listen live every Saturday at 1pm on Zoomer Radio

This week on Finding Your Bliss, Life Coach and Bliss Expert Judy Librach is joined by acclaimed and award-winning actress, director and Canadian icon, Sheila McCarthy! Sheila McCarthy stars as ‘Greta’ in Sarah Polley’s Oscar-winning film “Women Talking”, for which she received a Career Achievement Award at the Denver Film Festival. She also shares in the Film Independent Spirit Awards’ “Robert Altman Award”, given to one film’s director, casting director and ensemble cast. McCarthy is a two-time Canadian Screen Award winner for “I’ve Heard the Mermaids Singing” and “Lotus Eaters”, and was awarded the 2018 ACTRA Award for Best Actress for her role in the film, “Cardinals”. Sheila’s recent television credits include “Star Trek: Discovery”, “The Good Doctor”, and a recurring arc on Netflix’s “Umbrella Academy”. Recent features include “Happy Place”, “Broken Hearts Gallery” and “The Middle Man”. Other notable credits include “Die Hard 2” with Bruce Willis, “Being Julia”, “The Day After Tomorrow”, and “Martin’s Hagge” and “Night Shoot”, both opposite the late great Gordon Pinsent. For more on Finding Your Bliss you can follow us @theblissminute on Instagram and Facebook. Or you can visit our online magazine at findingyourbliss.com and take one step closer to finding your bliss. Listen live every Saturday at 1pm on Zoomer Radio

This week on Finding Your Bliss, Life Coach and Bliss Expert Judy Librach is joined by Sherry Gallant! Sherry always knew she was intuitive, but it wasn’t until March of 2002, when she experienced a horrible car accident, that she truly believed in her abilities. Months before her accident, Sherry began to feel premonitions — something bad was on the horizon. On that day in March, a driver made a quick decision resulting in his vehicle colliding with Sherry’s, and the car ultimately spun out of control towards her door. With Sherry’s life in danger, she felt as if someone took her out of her car, giving her no recollection of the impact or pain of the crash. When she came to, she was in a cemetery only steps away from a loved one’s grave - her very close friend who had passed away in 1993, whom Sherry had named her son after in 1994. Sherry’s experience reaffirmed her connection to the spirit world; she knew that it was her friend who saved her life on that March day. Even her injuries, which should have been much more severe in light of her accident, were relatively minimal. Sherry knew then that this moment was her spiritual re-awakening and vowed to accept all spiritual signs and signals from then on. Now, with over 15 years of experience, Sherry has become a leading voice in the movement surrounding mediumship, self-help and connections to the spiritual world. Sherry’s hope is that her experience will inspire others to connect with their own loved ones who they have lost and find their own spiritual connection. Sherry knows that she was put on a journey to help as many people as possible, by using the best of all her gifts, talent and knowledge. Using her training as a Grief Coach, Regulated Acupuncturist, Holistic Nutritionist, Reflexologist, and a member of the College of Traditional Chinese Medicine (retired), Sherry is able to provide her clients with perspective like no other. Also on the program, we have talented jazz singer extraordinaire Geneviève Marentette, also known as Gigi, and guitarist and singer/songwriter KC Roberts, singing their version of, “Put a Little Love in Your Heart”. Geneviève has been singing professionally under her mother's wing since the age of five. Gigi is a very well educated vocalist - yet she sings with a rawness and soul that one might attribute to a unique hippy parentage and her teenage exposure to the Detroit music scene. She's known primarily for her fearless live approach to song interpretation and her recordings and collaborations are many and diverse. She has been a frequent guest on Finding Your Bliss and is one of our favourite singers of all time! And when you’ve seen this torch singer perform live, bearing her soul, you see the real star exactly where she is meant to be - onstage. As Don Thompson once wrote: “She is, to me, the perfect balance of fragile beauty and a burning intensity that makes her and her music irresistible.” KC Roberts is the frontman and founder of Toronto's “KC Roberts & the Live Revolution” – a nine-piece original funk band. He leads the group with dynamic and distinctive guitar and vocals. To hear more from Gigi and KC, you can go to their websites: https://www.genevievemarentette.com/ and https://www.kcroberts.com/ For more on Finding Your Bliss, you can follow us @theblissminute on Instagram and Facebook. Or you can visit our online magazine at findingyourbliss.com and take one step closer to finding your bliss. Listen live every Saturday at 1pm on Zoomer Radio

This week on Finding Your Bliss, Life Coach and Bliss Expert Judy Librach is joined by former Chatelaine editor and author, Rona Maynard! Rona found happiness at 65—a story she tells in her new memoir "Starter Dog: My Path to Joy, Belonging and Loving This World". She first broke into print at 14 with a short story about bullying and still receives fan mail from teens who are reading it in class. Rona capped a stellar career in magazines with a decade at the helm of Chatelaine, where her column garnered a loyal following. Her disclosure of a struggle with depression helped to kickstart a national conversation about mental health. After Chatelaine, Rona had to learn to unwind — and found that her best teacher was a rescue mutt who had received his basic training in a prison. She has been married for more than 50 years and is a firm believer that road trips go better with a dog in the back seat. Also on the program, we have jazz singer, Whitney Ross-Barris! Part of the Toronto jazz scene since 2008, Prairie-born, Ontario-based jazz singer Whitney Ross-Barris has quickly built a respected name for herself among players and listeners alike. As a solo jazz artist, Whitney has appeared frequently in the TD Toronto Jazz Festival. She has been featured recurrently in JAZZ.FM91’s One Stop Vocal Jazz Safari and performs regularly in clubs, restaurants and concert halls across South Western Ontario. "Respect for a sound, style and the practice of an art. Throw into this mix an influencers' list as rounded and iconic as these names, Chet Baker, Tom Waits, Louis Armstrong, Anita O'Day, Mel Tormé, Marvin Gaye, Oscar Peterson; then further stir up the ante with a background in theatre and you're in for the spirited original artistry of Whitney Ross-Barris." - John Devenish, Jazz.FM91 With her almost 20 years of experience as a professional theatre actor ("Assassins", Birdland Theatre; "Cavan Blazers", 4th Line Theatre; "Gorey Story", The Thistle Project, "Stormen", Follo Folkehøgskole – Vestby Norway) Whitney brings an engaging and fearless approach to solo jazz singing. “Whitney tends to make one roar with laughter and shed a tear in the same set. Always in the moment and hotly swinging, she is one of my very favourite jazz singers in this town!” – Ori Dagan, Wholenote Magazine Since self-admittedly bluffing her way into songwriting, Whitney’s compositions and lyrics have appeared on stage ("Woyzeck", Red Light District), on film ("Prodigals", Sociable Films) and on increasingly more recordings ("Christmas on Seaton Street", Number 9 Audio, "The Art of Breath", Volume One, John MacMurchy, "Everybody’s Here", Whitney Ross-Barris) and now on her own trio album as co-writer with guitarist Nathan Hiltz (Bright Lunch Trio). On the heels of her self-produced debut EP in 2009, Whitney released her full-length jazz album "Everybody's Here", featuring a number of not-so-standard standards, originals and even a few long-lost compositions by her late grandfather, writer-broadcaster, Alex Barris. Her second album - this one self-titled with the Bright Lunch Trio (jazz trio with guitarist Nathan Hiltz and bassist, Ross MacIntyre) was released in late 2017. The album features all original music by Whitney and Nathan and was six years in the making. Whitney calls Uxbridge, Ontario home, where she whiles away the tedious hours chasing her three adorable young hellions and trying to sneak in a moment or two alone at the piano to work out a melody or twelve! Click on this link to listen to Whitney's rendition of "I Want the Waiter (with the Water)" on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hvXTJdejtDA For more on Finding Your Bliss, you can follow us @theblissminute on Instagram and Facebook. Or you can visit our online magazine at findingyourbliss.com and take one step closer to finding your bliss. Listen live every Saturday at 1pm on Zoomer Radio

This week on Finding Your Bliss, Life Coach and Bliss Expert Judy Librach is joined by actress and comedian Clare McConnell! Clare is best known for portraying 'Effie Newsome' on the popular CBC series “Murdoch Mysteries” and Klingon Leader 'Dennas' on the Paramount+ series “Star Trek: Discovery”. Additional television credits include “Slasher” (AMC), “American Gods” (Starz), “Coroner” (The CW), “Killjoys” (Syfy), “Nurses” (Global/NBC), “Wynonna Earp” (Syfy,) “Avocado Toast” (Prime/OUTtv,) and “Hudson & Rex” (Citytv). She voices Iana in Ubisoft’s “Rainbow 6: Siege” and Clarice in Supermassive Games’ “House of Ashes”. She is also an alumna of the Second City Mainstage. This Calgary-born performer has taken the Canadian film and television industry by storm, all while holding down a gig as a Canadian Comedy Award® nominated member of the iconic theatre where legends like Bill Murray and Gilda Radner got their start. When Clare McConnell isn’t gracing our screens, she can be found onstage doing sketch and improv with the Second City Touring Company. Broadway World called her "one of the show's stand-outs with wacky facial expressions that make it impossible to contain your laughter - she's like a red-headed Jim Carrey." Most recently, Clare has been nominated at the Canadian Screen Awards for Best Supporting Performance in a Web Program or Series, for her performance in “Avocado Toast”! Also on the program, we have uber-talented musician, Steve Koven! Steve Koven is a composer, performer, producer, educator and filmmaker. In 1993, he established the Steve Koven Trio. Touring the world for more than two decades, they have been coined as ‘Canadian Cultural Ambassadors’. Aside from performing worldwide with his trio, Steve also performs solo piano concerts throughout North America, Europe and the Caribbean. Dozens of Koven’s compositions have been licensed for national and international film and television productions. As an educator, Steve has been teaching in the Faculty of Music at Toronto’s York University since 2003, teaching Contemporary Improvisation and Jazz Piano Studies. In addition, Steve teaches in the Music Department at Centennial College in Toronto. He holds a Masters in Music Composition and has presented master classes and clinics throughout Canada, China, Japan, Colombia, Barbados, Bahamas, USA and Mexico. Steve is also the Education Coordinator of the Eleuthera International Jazz Festival in Eleuthera, Bahamas, and has presented a TEDx TALK at Queens University, Kingston, Ontario. Koven is also an award-winning filmmaker, receiving first prize for his documentary, "20", in the 2015 Toronto Independent Film Festival and for his documentary, "Improvisation" in the 2018 Toronto Short Film Festival. Click on this link to listen to Steve's song "Purple Inspiration" on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5h5lZQ1lLbo Join us this Saturday at 1 PM on Finding Your Bliss. You can follow us @theblissminute on Instagram and Facebook. Or you can visit our online magazine at findingyourbliss.com and take one step closer to finding your bliss. Listen live every Saturday at 1pm on Zoomer Radio

This week on Finding Your Bliss, Life Coach and Bliss Expert Judy Librach is joined by the author of “Angel Wealth Magic and The Angel Experiment”, Corin Grillo! Corin is also a Chicana and Puerto Rican mother, a licensed psychotherapist, a visionary leader, an inspirational speaker, and the proprietor of the Casa Condor retreat centre in Mount Shasta, California. Corin offers online trainings in authentic spiritual leadership, nature immersions, intuitive healing arts, and in-person trainings. As she has described it, she has dedicated her life to sharing the life-changing gifts she received while learning to work with the angels. Visit her online at http://www.coringrillo.com. Also on the program, we have talented singer, Mark Wexler! Mark has had the fortune of singing professionally on stage since the age of 11 with wedding bands and in numerous talent events. Since those early days, he’s had the privilege of performing with his band “The Garden” for many charitable initiatives, as well as performing with his other band mates in “Porch Jam”. With "Porch Jam", Mark has recently performed at the historic El Mocambo in Toronto. During the day Mark keeps himself busy building & renovating custom homes for clients in the Toronto area. Mark is grateful to his wife and kids for their patience and understanding, and his wonderful friends' continued support! Click on this link to listen to Mark's rendition of "American Woman" on SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/user-201921535-658441499/american-woman-cover-by-mark-wexler?si=b9266dc8990d435287a6c16c143d70fe&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing To connect with Mark on social media, you can follow him on Instagram @wexler.mark and @wexmark, and on Facebook just visit Mark Wexler. For more on Finding Your Bliss, you can follow us @theblissminute on Instagram and Facebook. Or you can visit our online magazine at findingyourbliss.com and take one step closer to finding your bliss. Listen live every Saturday at 1pm on Zoomer Radio

This week on Finding Your Bliss, Life Coach and Bliss Expert Judy Librach is joined by one of Canada’s most recognized and sought-after media personalities, Teri Hart! Teri is a multi-talented host, interviewer, critic, and producer. Since 2015, Teri has been coaching people on presentation and public speaking skills using her B.R.I.E.F. program. Executives, entrepreneurs, business professionals, students, and performers have all benefited from working with Teri and learning her unique approach to preparing for any professional or public-facing speaking event. Teri has been covering entertainment and culture for over 25 years and has conducted thousands of interviews with some of the world’s biggest celebrities and superstars including Oprah Winfrey, Meryl Streep, Robert Redford, Steven Spielberg, Denzel Washington, Brad Pitt, Tom Cruise, and Jennifer Lopez and Jennifer Coolidge, to name just a few. Teri is also a sought-after public speaking and presentation skills coach. After working with many business executives and honing their speeches and panel presentations, Teri created the 5-step B.R.I.E.F Program that teaches anyone from any experience level how they can succeed at effective public speaking and build their confidence. For 19 years, Teri was the producer and host of The Movie Network (currently Crave) and has also appeared on The Morning Show (Global), E-Talk (CTV), The Social (CTV) and as a regular contributor on CBC Radio One’s internationally syndicated arts and entertainment show, q. She is a member of the Broadcast Film Critics Association. Teri was a Senior Entertainment Reporter and Supervising Producer at CITY TV, responsible for producing stories for CITY News and Breakfast Television, in addition to filling in as co-host. She received a Canadian Screen Award nomination in 2018 for Best Local Newscast and her coverage of Canadian icon Gord Downie. Teri is currently the entertainment producer and host for Super Channel. Also on the program, we have talented singer/songwriter Darya Diamond! She’s been compared to Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Eilish, but she’s got a sound that’s all her own, and we predict big things coming up in this young singer’s future! For more on Finding Your Bliss you can follow us @theblissminute on Instagram and Facebook. Or you can visit our online magazine at findingyourbliss.com and take one step closer to finding your bliss. Listen live every Saturday at 1pm on Zoomer Radio

This week on Finding Your Bliss, Life Coach and Bliss Expert Judy Librach is joined by Chris Thornborrow, an award-winning composer for film, theatre, and the concert stage. His work has been described as “heightened and brashly percussive” (Variety), “urgent, masterful” (NOW Magazine), “powerfully virtuosic” (Barcza Blog), and “elegiac music that casts a spell” (Hollywood Reporter). Recognition for his work includes the Karen Kieser Prize in Canadian Music, multiple SOCAN Awards for Audio Visual Composers, two DORA Award nominations, and the Louis Applebaum Composers Award Nomination. Chris composed the music for “Sleeping Giant”, which was nominated for the Critics Week Grand Prize and Golden Camera Award at the Cannes Film Festival, won the Best Canadian First Feature Award at the Toronto International Film Festival and has been broadcast internationally in 40 countries. It was also nominated for three Canadian Screen Awards, including Best Motion Picture. He composed a unique noise-inspired electronic-classical fusion score for the film “We Ate the Children Last”. Based on a story by Yann Martel (“Life of Pi”), the film premiered at the Claremont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival and was honoured as one of Canada’s Top 10 short films at the Toronto International Film Festival. In addition, Chris collaborated with Brandon Cronenberg on The Camera and Christopher Merk, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival. His first full-length hybrid-musical “Hook Up” premiered to critical acclaim in 2019 and was nominated for a Dora Mavor Moore Award for Outstanding New Opera. Commissioned and produced by Tapestry Opera, it was lauded as “beautiful, gut-wrenching, and absolutely riveting” (Mooney Theatre). Firmly established as a leading composer and facilitator in contemporary music theatre for young people, Chris regularly works with school boards and top arts organizations across Ontario. Through his work with the Canadian Opera Company’s After-School Opera Program, and the Canadian Children’s Opera Company, Chris has collaborated directly with thousands of students and co-written over 60 musical theatre works. He has also written and produced impactful educational videos on topics of performance, choral singing, and the creative process for the Gryphon Trio’s national school program, “Listen Up!” His instrumental music has been performed, recorded, and commissioned by Array Ensemble, the Bicycle Opera Project, Ensemble Paramirabo, Esprit Orchestra, junctQìn keyboard collective, Tapestry Opera, the Thin Edge New Music Collective, and The Toy Piano Composers, of which he was the Co-Founder and Artistic Director for eight seasons. As an avid fan of tabletop games, Chris composes original orchestral music for Dungeons and Dragons campaigns while serving as a game master. Click on this link to listen to Chris' album "Toy Piano Composers", featuring his song "Walking", on BandCamp: https://redshiftmusicsociety.bandcamp.com/album/toy-piano-composers Also back on the program with lots of exciting news, we have singer/songwriter extraordinaire, Jully Black! Jully Black is a true Canadian Icon. Named as one of ‘The 25 Greatest Canadian Singers Ever’, (CBC Music) she has been dubbed ‘Canada’s Queen of R&B Soul’ by fans and industry leaders alike. As a platinum-selling recording artist, her music career has yielded multiple singles reaching the Top 10 pop, R&B and dance music charts. She has taken home Juno and Gemini Awards, earned innumerable industry accolades, was hand selected to sing for the Queen of England and was inducted into Canada’s Walk of Fame in 2021 (PILLARS OF EXCELLENCE - Arts & Entertainment). With her powerhouse vocals, hilarious personality and love of people, Jully Black truly is everyone, and unlike anyone. Her passion for philanthropy has taken her from the shantytowns of Bangladesh to the villages of South Africa and all across Canada. As a woman of faith, she champions important causes and uses her career as a platform to celebrate and inspire the greatness that lies within each of us. As a songwriter, Jully has touched the hearts of her fans with her extensive music catalogue, her compositions for industry heavyweights, such as Destiny’s Child and Nas, and on collaborations with songwriter, musician and performance titans such as Ian Thornley (Big Wreck). She has shared the stage with superstars such as The Black Eyed Peas, Kanye West, Bon Jovi, Celine Dion, Elton John, Alicia Keys, Etta James, Juno Breakthrough Artist, Jessie Reyez, hot emerging Canadian trap artist Paris Richards at Rolling Loud Festival T.O. Jully also co-headlined Drake’s ‘Road to OVO Fest Tour’ – All Canadian North Stars with Choclair, Kardinal Offishall, Keshia Chante’, K-OS, Maestro Fresh Wes, Saukates, and Shawn Desmond to name a few. Jully is a major presence in the Canadian media and entertainment industry. As former host and correspondent for CTV’s etalk, Jully was chosen to interview global megastars such as Jay-Z, Oprah Winfrey, and former President Bill Clinton. Her music has been featured in film and television and she has personally appeared on, co-hosted and been featured on numerous national television programs and speaking platforms including the sizzling and immediately viral CBC ‘Canada Reads’ 2018 appearance, a much-lauded TED Talk, the Global TV feature ‘The First Time I Was Called A…’, CTV’s ‘Canadian Idol’. In 2022 Jully was a contestant on The Amazing Race Canada and she is the popular segment host of ‘Monday Motivation’ on Global TV’s #1 rated, nationwide morning program ‘The Morning Show’. Jully’s successful 2018 foray into creating and hosting ‘The Blackout with Jully Black’ (the critically acclaimed, provocative, ebullient and empowering weekly radio show on iHeartRadio - Newstalk1010) along with guest starring roles in the Canadian television crime drama series ‘The Coroner’ (2019) and 'Diggstown' (2021) and featured segments in the documentary film features with acclaimed directors and producers, serves to firmly establish her as the preeminent personality in the entertainment arena unlike anyone has in Canadian history. Steadfastly maintaining personal fitness and wellness goals remains a priority in Jully’s life. In 2018, she leveraged social media influence and innate leadHERship skill along with unwavering desire to be the bridge that everyone can cross and launched 100 Strong and Sexy (‘100SAS’); Canada’s largest female-founded, curated and led fitness challenge to date. 100SAS was birthed to honour Jully's late mother; it is the largest Black-founded and led holistic wellness and lifestyle membership-based program with 600+ members of all races who have reclaimed their position of optimal mental, emotional, physical and spiritual health. In 2020, Jully launched The Power Of Step ('TPOS') at the height of the global pandemic and it is now a wildly successful, full-fledged virtual Step Aerobics and Personal Transformation Coaching practice, with worldwide membership. With purpose-driven ideals and boundless spiritual fortitude, she continues to refine and reinvent her artistry. A phenom in Canadian entertainment, lifestyle and public speaking arenas, she is also the co-founder and keynote speaker for the renowned “Empowered In My Skin’ women’s empowerment summits, a vocal advocate for the LGBTQ+ communities, recipient of the prestigious BBPA Harry Jerome [Entertainment] Award (2018) and a powerful Personal Development Coach, Speaker Coach and Spiritual Mentor. With lead roles in theatre such as The Musical Stage Company’s signature concert feature “Uncovered” (with Music director, Reza Jacobs in collaboration with stars of Stratford, Shaw, Broadway and London’s West End, 2018), and a starring role in the critically acclaimed Mirvish Production of “Da Kink In My Hair” at the renowned Princess of Wales theatre in Toronto, Jully continues to magnify her expansive musical, theatre and television repertoire. Jully took the musical theatre world by storm in February, 2020 in her critically acclaimed, starring role as ‘Caroline’ in the Obsidian Theatre and The Musical Stage Company co-production of ‘Caroline, Or Change’ (books and lyrics by Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning, Academy Award/Golden Globe/AACTA/ BAFTA Nominated, Tony Kushner). Extolled as “smart, dramatic, emotionally stirring” (NOW Toronto); a “rapturous, musical theatre debut” (The Star), “heavenly glorious” (OnStage Blog), “with the depth as an actor and genius as a singer” and with “applause that shook the leaves on the ceiling of the theatre” (Broadway World); Jully absolutely stunned audiences and critics alike and left her indelible mark on the gorgeous Elgin and Winter Garden Theatre and musical theatre community. In June, 2020 Jully won both the coveted Toronto Theatre Critics Award for Best Lead Performance in a Musical and The Toronto Alliance for the Performing Arts (TAPA) highly esteemed Dora Mavor Moore Award (the 'Dora') - which recognizes excellence in professional theatre, dance and opera in Toronto - in the Outstanding Performance in a Leading Role, Musical Theatre, category for her role in ‘Caroline, Or Change’. Jully released three new singles throughout 2022 from her long-awaited, critically-acclaimed, autobiographical full album 'Three Rocks and a Slingshot' (released Sept. 2022). Jully entered and dominated the Canadian musical landscape that she has helped define throughout her career. Singles 'No Relation', 'Half Empty', and 'Time for Jesus' playlisted and charted across streaming platforms immediately; with 'Half Empty' charting at #1 on the iTunes R&B chart and the album charting at #1 on iTunes R&B chart and #3 on the iTunes 'All Genre' chart. And of course, Jully Black will share her story about Canada’s national anthem and how she changed Canadian history! With lots of news and a few top-secret projects to be announced very soon, Jully, truly, is doing it all! Click on this link to listen to Jully's song "Half Empty" on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=59-2-ipjRvM&list=PL_7oCoJ6K7mf89mEhCBs1GD8QVztvfa7

This week on Finding Your Bliss, Life Coach and Bliss Expert Judy Librach is joined by one of our “regulars” on the program, who typically is here to talk about the best Christmas movies of the season! But this time, film critic and TV host Thom Ernst is here for another reason. The Toronto-based film critic and writer, broadcaster and podcaster is here because he wrote an incredibly inspiring, heartfelt, and compelling memoir. The book is called "The Wild Boy of Waubamik", and to use broadcaster Ian Brown’s words, the book is “a harrowing, heartfelt, fascinating, and thoroughly original and readable memoir of adoption and abuse - and the art that can come of them.” The sexual abuse that Thom Ernst endured as a child from the ages of 7 to 17 is tragic, shocking and heartbreaking. But what is most incredible, is that his story is ultimately one of hope. In spite of one of the most horrific stories of child abuse, he somehow not only survived it, but soared above it all, carving out a career as a renowned film critic and broadcaster. How did he achieve this? In spite of a system that failed, a community that looked the other way, and a family that kept silent, Thom Ernst triumphed. We will find out how he accomplished that in this fascinating conversation. Thom is best known to audiences as the host, interviewer and producer of television’s longest-running movie program Saturday Night at the Movies and BellMedia’s Making Movies the Canadian Way. Currently, his film reviews can be read on Original-Cin.ca and NorthernStars.ca. Thom’s first book "The Wild Boy of Waubamik" has just been released from Dundurn Press. Also on the program, we will be featuring the music of talented singer/songwriter Juliana Eye! Juliana Eye is a dynamic and unapologetic alternative-pop artist & songwriter based out of Toronto, Canada. With pop at its core, her music draws influence from 90’s & early 2000’s Alternative Rock, Indie & Dance music and pairs it with a hint of melancholy, nostalgia & introspective lyrics. Born and raised in the Toronto suburb of North York, Juliana took to music obsessively at the early age of thirteen, as an act of teenage rebellion. She spent the majority of her adolescence playing guitar and writing songs in her bedroom, jamming in basements with her friends’ obscure bands, and venturing to downtown clubs to watch local artists perform. Over the years Juliana has participated in a number of musical projects in the Toronto Music scene, as well as performed across Canada, the US, UK & Europe as a live keyboard player and back-up vocalist for various major label and independent artists. Most recently, Juliana graduated from Metalworks Institute’s ‘Audio Production & Engineering’ program and has since worked as an engineer and assistant engineer on a number of projects, including being our Audio Engineer at ‘Finding Your Bliss’ on Zoomer Radio. Since her first release in 2021, Juliana has released four original singles, as well as a self-produced cover of the 1979 BLONDIE classic, “Dreaming”, which has been featured on CBC’s “Afterdark” and “Under the Covers”, as well as Guelph University’s Campus Radio (CFRU 93.3FM). Juliana will be releasing her debut EP, “LATE BLOOMER” in 2023. Click on this link to listen to Juliana's song "Late to the Party" on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/track/2NQGHMCyjY6sJIU7DHPpgC?si=6717d4089aa44dfa For more on Finding Your Bliss, you can follow us @theblissminute on Instagram and Facebook. Or you can visit our online magazine at findingyourbliss.com and take one step closer to finding your bliss. Listen live every Saturday at 1pm on Zoomer Radio

This week on Finding Your Bliss, we have a show devoted to raising awareness for multiple sclerosis, which affects thousands of Canadians. Life Coach and Bliss Expert Judy Librach is joined by filmmaker Emily Lawson, whose short film “Richard and Mary” is being screened at this year’s Toronto Short Film Festival (March 18th-21st). Emily Lawson is a Toronto-based actor and filmmaker. Her films explore the landscape of the intimate female experience. She can be seen next in the HBO series "Station Eleven" directed by Hiro Murai and Jeremy Podeswa, as well as in Lina Rodriguez's forthcoming feature "So Much Tenderness", supported by the TIFF Talent Lab, Technicolour and Telefilm. Emily is currently in post-production for her short, “Sit." funded by the Canada Council for the Arts. Also on the program, we will meet the real-life Mary Lawlis and Richard Markle, whose love story is a big part of the film. Mary and Richard are both very dear friends of Judy Librach and they have all been best friends for over 40 years. Richard was diagnosed with MS in 1990 - the Relapsing and Remitting form of MS. He first noticed something was wrong when he was playing squash with different friends - his coordination and energy were off, he was really affected by the heat, and he was unable to jog, exercise, or take a hot shower without experiencing double vision. For a few days, Richard had double vision full-time and began wearing a patch. He was still waiting to see a doctor. He finally had an appointment with a neurologist at their local hospital and an MRI, and then was diagnosed with MS. He was referred to the MS Clinic at St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto. Over his 30+ years with MS, Richard has described periods of exacerbation and wellness. Early in his disease, he says, “I experienced MS symptoms for periods of time and then they went away- for the most part- and I would feel generally well again. In the past number of years, the disease has changed to Secondary Progressive - which means there’s really no improvement after a flare-up - it’s a gradual decline. I went from using a cane to a walker, to now full-time in a motorized wheelchair. We are very fortunate to have a fully accessible home - a bungalow that we worked with the builders to increase wheelchair accessibility. I have all the equipment: Medical bed, Hoyer lift, roll-in shower, reclining wheelchair and PSW support 3 times each day. Mary supports these visits and of course any needs I have between the visits- throughout the day and night.” Richard has lived with M.S. for over 30 years now. He has been married to Mary since 1983 and has benefitted from Mary's love and support. They have two adult children, Kate and Arianna. Richard studied at the University of Kent (U.K.) and the University of Bordeaux, (France). He holds a BA in Theatre from York University and a Master’s in Drama Studies from the University of Toronto. His Bachelor of Education is from the University of Toronto. As an educator, he has worked as a drama teacher and department head, as well as six years as Integrated Arts Consultant for the York Region District School Board. He says that even with MS, he has been able to live his bliss — travelling for both work and pleasure to France, England, South Africa, Norway, Ireland, Mexico and other glorious destinations! Richard’s wife is Mary Lawlis. Mary is a passionate educator with extensive experience in curriculum design, instructional strategies and teacher professional development. She earned a BFA in Theatre Performance from York University and an MA and B. Ed. from the University of Toronto. Throughout her career with the York Region District School Board, she has served in a variety of professional roles including secondary English and Drama teacher, Curriculum Consultant, Curriculum Coordinator for Secondary School Programming, District Administrator for Student Success and Secondary Principal. Mary has led teacher professional development at the board, university and provincial levels and has served on numerous writing and presentation teams with the Ontario Ministry of Education. Mary is married to Richard, the love of her life, and is his full-time caregiving support. Mary is also the mother to their adult children, Kate and Arianna. Richard has been under the care of the MS clinic at St. Michael's Hospital in Toronto since he was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis over 30 years ago. In 2022, Canada’s largest MS clinic at St. Michael's Hospital opened a $42-million centre to advance Multiple Sclerosis care, education and research: it’s called the BARLO MS Centre. The BARLO MS Centre is ushering in a new era of patient care. The centre, which occupies the top two floors of the hospital’s 17-storey Peter Gilgan Patient Care Tower, is a 30,000 square foot, state-of-the-art facility, designed to offer coordinated care for patients living with MS, an autoimmune disease of the central nervous system. People living with MS can now see a dedicated healthcare team in one location, including neurologists, nurses, social workers, neuropsychologists, physiotherapists, occupational therapists and speech therapists, neuropsychiatrists, and physiatrists. During their visit, they will be surrounded by art, soaring views and spectacular architecture, meant to enhance access to care and the patient experience, making sure their treatment is customized to their needs. For more information, or to make a donation to MS, please call the St. Michael’s Foundation at (416) 864-5000 or you can email them at hello@stmichaelsfoundation.com. For more on Finding Your Bliss, you can follow us @theblissminute on Instagram and Facebook. Or you can visit our online magazine at findingyourbliss.com and take one step closer to finding your bliss. Listen live every Saturday at 1pm on Zoomer Radio

This week on Finding Your Bliss, Life Coach and Bliss Expert Judy Librach is joined by activist, actor, entrepreneur, filmmaker, and Miss America 2014, Nina Davuluri! Nina's most recent venture combines the network she has cultivated, her love for advocacy, and disrupting global beauty standards by producing the documentary, #COMPLEXion, which was released on Amazon this February 2023 (it’s excellent, by the way!). As a global leader in redefining beauty standards, she spearheaded a campaign against colourism, #SeeMyComplexion. This led to her being invited by the CEO of L’Oreal to join the L’Oreal Diversity & Inclusion Advisory Board, which she currently serves on. Since then, she went to Harvard Business School to study the Business of Entertainment, Media, and Sports. Nina truly believes entertainment and media are the most impactful mediums to create lasting change. To further her mission of dismantling beauty standards, Nina gave a viral TED Talk, The Cost of Beauty From A Miss America, fighting against toxic beauty standards and the harmful effects social media has had on perpetuating these standards. Being 8 years removed from winning Miss America, Nina realized that there is a significant cost to beauty that is never discussed. As someone who was deeply entrenched in the beauty industry, she understands the unique voice she has to continue to lead this conversation and increase representation in mainstream media. Nina is no novice to disrupting systems and creating change; she first gained international recognition by becoming the first Indian American and South Asian to become Miss America 2014. Her work in activism became apparent when she was first recognized by President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama. She was invited to collaborate with the First Lady on her campaign, “Let’s Move, Let’s Read” and “Let Girls Learn”. She then went on to help launch “Act to Change,” an anti-bullying campaign led by the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (WHIAAPI). Nina was also invited to be a speaker at the Global Entrepreneurship Summit in Kenya and was honoured to be the youngest speaker on the main stage sharing her experiences as a trailblazer in the field of diversity. She then embarked on a fourteen-day tour in India that was sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, promoting education, women's empowerment, and diversity. Nina was incredibly proud to return to her homeland of India and focus on key issues between both countries. The tour culminated in an invitation from President Obama to a reception held at the White House. She has also worked with top technology companies such as Google, NASA, Dell, and Texas Instruments in addition to the Sacramento Kings Foundation to further their women in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) initiatives. Over the past 10 years, Nina has travelled around the world to address an array of audiences on her platform: “Celebrating Diversity through Cultural Competency.” Nina is proud to have spoken at 50 different universities including Harvard, Princeton, Yale, Duke, University of Pennsylvania, Cambridge University (UK), and the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) in both Bombay and Hyderabad. Nina has also taken her platform internationally, speaking in the United Kingdom, Philippines, Kenya, and India. She has been featured on Anderson Cooper 360, CNN's Outfront with Erin Burnett, LIVE! with Kelly and Micheal, Fox and Friends, The View, MSNBC, CBS Morning Show, NPR, BBC World, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, Canada’s Breakfast Television, and The Morning Show, among many other local media outlets both national and international. Most recently, Nina was featured in the New York Times for the advocacy work she's done around colourism. Nina is humbled by her experiences and excited to continue her journey in the filmmaking, advocacy, and entertainment arenas. In her spare time, Nina enjoys walks in the West Village with her rescue pup, Dobby, and moonlighting as #SousChefNina experimenting, creating, and tasting fusion recipes! For more on Finding Your Bliss, you can follow us @theblissminute on Instagram and Facebook. Or you can visit our online magazine at findingyourbliss.com and take one step closer to finding your bliss. Listen live every Saturday at 1pm on Zoomer Radio

Note from the Host Judy Librach: I want to dedicate this show on grief and loss to one of my dearest friends Donna, who sadly and unexpectedly passed away in December. Donna was truly an angel on this planet with the biggest heart, and she was someone who was so outward-focused and she had such generosity of spirit - she just was a benevolent and blessed being. Losing a friend like Donna really has been brutal, and I wanted to do this show for everyone who is grieving her loss. There are many of them, but my heart goes out mostly to her beautiful family. This week on Finding Your Bliss, we have a show devoted to grief and loss, and how to heal after the death of someone that you love. Life Coach and Bliss Expert Judy Librach is joined by author Michele Neff Hernandez who wrote “DIFFERENT AFTER YOU: Rediscovering Yourself and Healing after Grief and Trauma”. “Different After You” is for anyone grieving the death of a person that they love, with a special focus on those who are widowed. Michele Neff Hernandez, author of Different after You and a 2021 CNN Hero, is a gifted speaker and committed advocate for the widowed and bereaved. Her creation of Camp Widow and Soaring Spirits has brought her international acclaim. Michele regularly speaks to first responders, hospital workers, religious congregations, and diverse community organizations. She lives in Southern California. More information at micheleneffhernandez.com. “Different after You” helps people adapt to, and embrace, the version of themselves that was born through trauma. Though people who have experienced trauma are often encouraged to live as if their awful experience did not happen, pretending that your past is not part of your life is both impossible and harmful. Instead, as she writes, “our work is to treat the experiences through which we have lived, both the beautiful and the terrible, as part of a whole.” Self-acceptance is another vital message woven throughout the pages of “Different after You”. Rather than wish they were different, better, or less influenced by the traumas they have lived, Michele encourages people to get to know today’s version of themselves and learn to value and courageously embody the person they have become. Also on the program, we have life coach Carly Cooper, who just launched a brand new podcast called “So That Just Happened” - an honest exploration of what it’s like to lose your person and find yourself. While there are many things in life we can’t control, Carly believes with a positive mindset, an openness to do “the work”, intentional action, accountability and the right support tools, everyone has the ability to reinvent themselves and live a beautiful life unapologetically, on their terms. In 2006, she founded CarlyCooperCoaching.com. She is the creator of the Conquer Anxiety System, the Awaken Your Abundant Mind System, and as mentioned, she is currently the host and creator of the podcast "So That Just Happened". She also wrote the empowering book Balance the Mother Load: R.E.I.N.V.E.N.T. Your Life in Just 8 Weeks. Carly’s work has been featured in Chatelaine and Flair, has been a repeat guest on Rogers Daytime Toronto and has been interviewed on Finding Your Bliss on Zoomer Radio. She’s had the opportunity to speak for the staff at Harvey Kalles Real Estate, Investco, Ajag, Vaughan Children’s Dentistry, Moksha Yoga, The Ontario Camps Association and many more. You can follow Carly on Instagram @coachcarly or on Facebook - Carly Cooper. For more on Finding Your Bliss, you can follow us @theblissminute on Instagram and Facebook. Or you can visit our online magazine at findingyourbliss.com and take one step closer to finding your bliss. Listen live every Saturday at 1pm on Zoomer Radio

This week on Finding Your Bliss, Life Coach and Bliss Expert Judy Librach is joined by the author of the bestselling “Let’s Talk About EX, Baby”, Karen Zeifman! Karen Zeifman is a Digital Specialist and Senior Copywriter with over 20 years of experience working with some of the world’s most recognized brands. “Let’s Talk About EX, Baby” is Karen’s first book but not her first bad relationship. She currently lives in Toronto, Canada with her 12-year-old son and Scottish Fold kitten Holly, searching for her next noteworthy EX. “Let’s Talk About EX, Baby” is a laugh-out-loud (followed by a good cry) entertaining and brutally honest collection of mishaps that will make you rethink how you search for love. But don’t start scrolling Kijiji for cats just yet. Every cautionary "fail" is meant to nudge you in the right direction – towards whatever your Happy Ending looks like to you. Unabashed and unfiltered, author Karen Zeifman’s voice and candour will appeal to anyone still trying to strive and thrive after a bad relationship. If you’ve ever been: An accidental gold digger Breadcrumbed In a throuple but didn’t know it MTV punk’d on your birthday Dumped for a Trump supporter Ziggy Marley’ed Then this hilarious tell-all is for you. A reminder to both women and men everywhere that our Experiences are always lessons learned. Also on the program, we have talented singer Rochelle Coleman! Rochelle believes that music levels all playing fields and unites humanity. She started her music career early in life playing Oliver in the City of London production at the age of 8. She took every opportunity to engage in all school activities and by the age of 12, had performed as a local Hamilton Ontario performer on Tiny Talent Time. Rochelle attended Unionville High School’s Arts York program as a piano and singing major and embraced all genres of music- with a specific interest in both musical theatre and top 40/rock/country. In 2005, Rochelle won the Nashville North Country Music competition and had the privilege of experiencing the recording studio for the first time. She then won a Microsoft Global ‘Idol’ competition – having the privilege of performing in front of 18,000 attendees at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta. Most recently, Rochelle has competed in the World Karaoke Competition – and this year placed 3rd nationally with her duet partner. She also is an alumnus of the Unsung Hero Production cast and feels it’s a privilege to ‘perform for good.’ You will find Rochelle focused on her local band ‘Sugar’ along with solo performances across the GTA. And if connected to her social media – a new performance every week aims to make folks smile! Click on this link to listen to Rochelle sing her cover of "Total Eclipse of the Heart" on YouTube: https://youtu.be/rLgPrYSk2Ps And click on this link to listen to Rochelle sing her cover of "Let’s Give Them Something To Talk About" on YouTube: https://youtu.be/dCCs4i4Uhpg For more on Finding Your Bliss, you can follow us @theblissminute on Instagram and Facebook. Or you can visit our online magazine at findingyourbliss.com and take one step closer to finding your bliss. Listen live every Saturday at 1pm on Zoomer Radio

Richard Infantino covers an important topic, can you have TOO much in your RRSP account? Justin Elliot, Portfolio Manager from Caldwell Investment Management joins us to talk about investing in dividend growers Listen live every Saturday at 1pm on Zoomer Radio

This week on Finding Your Bliss, Life Coach and Bliss Expert Judy Librach is joined by one of Canada’s most popular and respected television hosts and journalists, Valerie Pringle. In a wonderful interview, not only do they go down memory lane, but they also talk about Valerie’s upcoming PBS series called “Canada Files”, which features one-on-one interviews with celebrated Canadians. Valerie Pringle has enjoyed a distinguished career as a broadcaster and journalist for more than 35 years. She was a well-known anchor of two national news programs - Midday on CBC and Canada AM on CTV where she covered major stories of the day, from national elections and Royal weddings, to space launches and natural disasters. She has reported from Mount Kilimanjaro to Haida Gwaii, and has hosted several television series including The Canadian Antiques Roadshow and Valerie Pringle Has Left the Building. In recent years, Valerie has taken her leadership skills to the non-profit world. She has championed AIDS research for CANFAR, not only raising valuable funds but working to remove the stigma from the disease. She also played a key role in building the Trans Canada Trail across the country, working for more than 20 years to realize its vision. And she has been a tireless advocate for the treatment of mental illness, currently serving as Chair of the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health Foundation. In 2006, she was made a Member of the Order of Canada for her work in broadcasting and philanthropy. She received an Honourary Doctorate from Ryerson University in 2010 and is an honourary fellow of the Royal Canadian Geographic Society. For more on Finding Your Bliss, you can follow us @theblissminute on Instagram and Facebook. Or you can visit our online magazine at findingyourbliss.com and take one step closer to finding your bliss. Listen live every Saturday at 1pm on Zoomer Radio

This week on Finding Your Bliss, Life Coach and Bliss Expert Judy Librach is joined by American theatre, television, and film actor Lee Summers, who is also a talented singer, librettist, composer, director, and theatre producer. Lee Summers has performed numerous roles for daytime and primetime TV, including Blue Bloods, Boardwalk Empire, New York Undercover, and Law and Order, and appeared in films such as Malcolm X, directed by Spike Lee. As a musical theatre performer, Summers made his Broadway debut in the original Dreamgirls, alongside castmates Sheryl Lee Ralph, Loretta Devine, and others. He reprised his Broadway role for the Dreamgirls 20th Anniversary concert alongside Audra McDonald, Billy Porter, Heather Headley and others. Summers has also appeared in numerous Off-Broadway productions, including On Kentucky Avenue, for which he was nominated for the 2018 AUDELCO award for “Best Supporting Actor.” Summers has also toured the US and Europe and has also performed at Carnegie Hall – and as well, he was awarded New York’s Bistro Award for his one-man show, Winds of Change. A two-time AUDELCO Award winner, Summers also produced, conceived, co-wrote, and co-composed Off Broadway’s From My Hometown: A Celebration of the American Dream in Classic R&B, which ran for two years, receiving eight AUDELCO nominations. Summers won his first AUDELCO award for “Best Director of a Musical” for On Kentucky Avenue in 2018 - and his second AUDELCO in 2022 for his direction of Ella, First Lady of Song, for which he is also the librettist. Both productions won “Best Musical” of the year. Most recently in 2023, Summers won a Broadway World Regional Award for “Best Director of a Musical” for Hair: The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical for Hawaii Performing Arts Festival. Summers’ works have also been licensed and produced in New York and in theatres nationwide. Summers is also known for his long-running “Just A Piano” Concert Series, which has presented concerts benefiting charitable causes such as The Actor’s Fund and BC/EFA, along with numerous star-studded concerts, featuring artists such as Jenifer Lewis, Lillias White, and Melba Moore, and many others. In support of the environment, Summers has also worked with the Natural Resources Defense Council, presenting fundraisers, such as the “NRDC Night of Comedy” featuring Seth Meyers, Hasan Minhaj, Tiffany Haddish, and others. As an educator, Summers has served as adjunct faculty and/or instructor for several colleges and universities, including Motlow College, Lehman College, NYU Tisch’s Graduate Musical Theatre Writing Program, and as guest artist lecturer at Tennessee State University, SUNY colleges, John Jay College, Marymount College, and others. Summers currently serves as adjunct faculty at NYU/Steinhardt’s Department of Music and Performing Arts Professions. He is an alum of Tennessee State University and holds a BA from SUNY Empire State College and an MFA from NYU Tisch. Member: AEA, SAG/AFTRA, SDC, DG. Click on this link to hear Lee Summers sing his song "From My Hometown" on SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/lee-summers-832007661/from-my-hometown-music-lyrics-and-performed-by-leesummers-c1995?si=e1c6cadd036b48cb8e0bacb0dbbdabfe&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing Also on the program, we have talented singer and musical theatre performer Lily Librach! Lily Librach is a singer, actor, dancer, creator, and adjunct professor of voice at NYU. By 2024, she will hold her Masters of Music in Vocal Performance: Musical Theatre, and Advanced Certificate in Vocal Pedagogy from New York University. She graduated from Sheridan College’s Musical Theatre undergraduate program in 2022. There, she starred as Lillian Holiday in Weill and Brecht’s Happy End. Lily was named a top 10 finalist of Mirvish’s worldwide Show Tune Idol Competition and has been featured in City Life Magazine. She recently performed in "Til Then" with Eclipse Theatre Company, a new musical written by Andrew Seok, along with many Canadian composers and lyricists, including Chilina Kennedy and Britta Johnson. She also participated in a reading of a play by Emil Sher and a showcase with Harold Green Jewish Theatre Company. A winner of both the Kiwanis Music Festival and Oakville Vocal Arts Festivals, Lily continues to make her mark in the music and theatre scene. Click on this link to listen to Lily Librach's cover of "Tennessee Whiskey" on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Z7AN-De0bE&ab_channel=LilyLibrach For more on Finding Your Bliss, you can follow us @theblissminute on Instagram and Facebook. Or you can visit our online magazine at findingyourbliss.com and take one step closer to finding your bliss. Listen live every Saturday at 1pm on Zoomer Radio

This week on Finding Your Bliss, Life Coach and Bliss Expert Judy Librach is joined by Allen Chankowsky and his partner, Cynthia Brown. Allen Chankowsky is an author, international speaker, sales promotion marketing expert, and 31-year cancer survivor who is currently surviving a rare form of stage-4 cancer. As the author of his best-selling and award-winning book, On the Other Side of TERMINAL, Allen hopes to share his incredible story of survival by inspiring readers with an enduring message of hope and resilience in the face of a life-shattering diagnosis. Allen credits his survival to the love and tireless support of his girlfriend Cynthia and their four children. He’s committed to raising awareness about cancer and helping other survivors find the strength they need to reclaim their lives from illness. He has been invited to speak at major international cancer events - most recently as the keynote speaker at TargetCancer Foundation’s 2022 gala. He was also invited to be the patient keynote at a precision medicine conference where he presented to world leaders in cancer research, molecular pathology and oncology. Allen has appeared in a television commercial in support of the Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation, a movie theatre trailer, referenced in national and international news publications. Born and raised in Montreal, Quebec, Allen currently resides in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. In his spare time, he can be found winning backgammon tournaments at the United States Backgammon Federation, where he won the Intermediate Division at the 2021 US Open. For more information about Allen and his work, visit his website at: AllenChankowsky.com Allen's partner, Cynthia Brown, is a proud mother of two accomplished adult children who are embarking on their own successful futures in medicine and computer science. She is grateful and fortunate to have a loving and supportive relationship with her long-time partner Allen and his two very talented children. Cynthia has worn many hats in her career in non-profit, education and finance to name a few. She has found great fulfillment as a preschool teacher with a particular interest in the educational and emotional support of children with special needs. After Allen’s terminal diagnosis in 2016, she retired to focus on both of their physical and emotional healing. She now brings her organizational and business management skills to her Financial and Human Resources role in a friendly and compassionate family law firm in Toronto. Cynthia draws strength from her relationship with her cherished partner Allen and all four of their children. In her spare time, she has participated in amateur musical theatre that fundraises for various deserving charities. This has been a powerful source of positivity and energy and she feels privileged to have gained an extended and supportive “family of friends”. She marvels at the tremendous bravery Allen summoned to share his intimate story with the world in the form of his award-winning book and media outreach. She is inspired by his driven focus to help others reframe and actively pursue their own inner ability to take control of their diagnoses and reclaim their physical and emotional futures. She hopes that together they can share their story to make an impactful difference for many years to come. Click on this link to listen to Allen's daughter, Hila, sing "Breathe" from the musical "In The Heights": https://soundcloud.com/user-201921535-658441499/breathe-cover-by-hila-chankowsky?si=7b451412222d4a3b9100881714df3032&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing For more on Finding Your Bliss, you can follow us @theblissminute on Instagram and Facebook. Or you can visit our online magazine at findingyourbliss.com and take one step closer to finding your bliss. Listen live every Saturday at 1pm on Zoomer Radio