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“If you express your intentions, the realization of those intentions will follow. Letting other people know your intentions also often leads to the arrival of required assistance from unexpected sources” (Masaru Emoto, 2001). This quote from Masaru Emoto describes exactly what has happened to me in the last six months! It’s fascinating to know that my journey from unbelievable loss on June 17th to unbelievable gain after setting an intention isn’t rare at all. Similar situations have happened to people over and over again all throughout history in many contexts. I’m not blazing a new trail so I can sigh a breath of relief and find comfort in knowing that almost any challenging situation in which I’ve found myself, or will find myself, has been experienced by a total stranger who is somehow also a kindred spirit. I’ve relied on my GRIT more times than I can count since launching Gritty … Read more

In a previous blog I shared a list of great publications that put the spotlight on grit. I called it GRIT Lit and one of the two poems is ‘The Invitation’ by Oriah Mountain Dreamer. I thoroughly enjoy this poem because I feel as though it draws attention to the range of grit needed for all manner of situations that life inevitably throws our way.  I invite you take a few minutes today to find a quiet space and read the poem out loud from beginning to end in one sitting. You may even need to read it more than once; take your time and let the words settle around you as well as within you!  As you’re reading, notice which sentences make you nod your head in agreement or even utter mmm-hmmm. Can you identify a person in your life who embodies these characteristics? Are there any lines that fully … Read more

The term guru can mean very different things to people based on their culture, faith or personal history. In spite of the variety, I’ve noticed some common threads throughout the definitions. According to Webster’s Dictionary, a guru is a Sanskrit term for a “teacher, guide, expert or master” of certain knowledge or field.[1] In pan-Indian traditions, guru is more than a teacher, in Sanskrit guru means the one who dispels the darkness and takes towards light, traditionally a reverential figure to the student, with the guru serving as a “counselor, who helps mold values, shares experiential knowledge as much as literal knowledge, an exemplar in life, an inspirational source who helps in the spiritual evolution of a student”.[2] A guru is also one’s spiritual guide, who helps one to discover the same potentialities that the guru has already realized.[3].  The definitions which resonate most with me are the ones recognizing that a guru’s primary responsibility is drawing out wisdom and insights from within an individual as opposed to imparting … Read more

For as long as I can remember, friends old and new have been asking me this question! I’m honoured each and every time someone asks it while, at the same time, I giggle a little on the inside at the thought of how a “mini me” would actually live and survive inside a pocket all day long 🤔. So, what I really think might be happening here is that my friends would like a pocket-sized souvenir of our conversation or interaction. It would need to be something quick, simple and tangible that reminds them how they feel about themselves and their awesomeness when they need it the most.   With this in mind, and with some serious inspiration from Gary Vaynerchuk’s throwback to the popularity of trading sports cards, I came up with an idea for GRIT trading cards! So now anyone can have a portable summary of their marvelousness handy … Read more

I realized this morning that I come from a family of entrepreneurs; I’m actually the fifth Schepmyer to start a business!  My Mom and my Dad (whom I call Big Daddy for future reference) started Schepmyer’s Craft Company almost 40 years ago. Anthony, my older brother, is the CEO at Vaughan Industrial Supply and Andrew, my younger brother, incorporated his Neurology practice a few years ago. We’ve all faced a unique set of obstacles along our journeys, but we’ve all called on our GRIT to realize our business dreams!  I recall watching Big Daddy and Mom, who is truly the mother-of-all crafters in my books, as they worked so hard to make their small company successful. My Mom does the manual labour of creating art from almost anything! Big Daddy helps with the bigger projects (e.g., driving Mom to shows, framing pictures when she used to make paper tole and helping set-up for … Read more