[Florence Desrochers]

I want to wish a special Valentine’s Day to @becca.mccarthy with whom I have had many (many!) email exchanges over the past few years. She cares deeply about the people she works with and it’s always a pleasure to collaborate on a project with her. Happy Valentine’s day!

[Becca McCarthy]

Merci beaucoup chère amie, @Florence! Tu me manques chaque jour. J’adore l’équipe AXTRA, @Gabrielle_AXTRA et Valérie. Je vous envoie de gros câlins.

My special Valentine’s Day wish goes to four people in all four directions (North, South, East and West) Each of these people is special to me (even though they might not know it yet. I’ve got a professional crush on some… well, all of you. Let’s be honest.

North to Donna (not yet a community member) But I had an awesome chat with her this past week and one day I hope to meet her in Nunavut!

South to @Charlene.M in Saskatchewan who I believe truly moves mountains.

East to @Lindsay.Guitard who I will never ever lose in a crowd

West to @Seannaq whose dedication to personal and professional growth leaves me floored every day.

[Gabrielle St-Cyr]

Tu nous manques aussi @becca.mccarthy tout comme tes collègues, @Sareena @Donnalee @Annika.Laale @Trina @Emilyworthen et @Deirdre . We miss you! 😊

[Trina Stanford]

Aww thanks for this wonderful thread @Gabrielle_AXTRA ! It’s a great day to celebrate the CDPs we know that are making a difference…and that’s all of them! Warm wishes for everyone in the field that are helping folks find their way, illuminating their strengths and supporting everyone no matter where they are in their career journeys! Happy Valentines Day / Joyeuse St-Valentin!

[Seanna Quressette]

Thank you so much Becca! Right back to you! Your dedication is awesome!

[Deirdre Pickerell]

What a beautiful message to see today. Thanks so much @Gabrielle for getting this going. I probably have too many CDPs to celebrate. Shoutouts to . . .

@Roberta my longtime mentor, friend, and colleague. We’ve done some incredible work together and Roberta continues to be a champion of everything career development but especially a push for graduate level education.

@Sareena another longtime friend and dear colleague. I knew Sareena was beyond brilliant prior to coming to CCDF but now, as a part of the CCDF team, I get to really see her in action and am constantly in awe of her dedication to the field – nationally and internationally – her wisdom, and her warm, gentle spirit.

@Donnalee has been a champion for those who need us most for as long as I’ve known her, which is longer than we need to say out loud. Her work on In Motion and Momentum+, along with @Trina, is a sight to see. This is changing the lives of those in most need of our support, and who are too often forgotten by the craziness of the world.

There are so many others who need to be celebrated. The work we all do matters!

[Roberta Borgen]

Thanks @Deirdre – It’s been such a joy to work with you for so many years – much more like play than work, really! 🙂 I’d like to thank all of the other members of the Life Strategies team, past and current. Not a single thing that I have done has been without the amazing support of an incredible team of creative, caring, and committed people!

[Heather Powell]

What a great way to show love for our entire Career Development Community!

There are a couple of people in the community to whom I would like to give a personal shout-out to!

First off, a big thank you to @Gillian ! Gillian has been a role model and an inspiration to many of us in the Career Development field and I am no different! It was back in 2008 that I attended an information session about the Career and Work Counsellor Diploma program at George Brown College and became inspired by Gillian’s energy for the Career Development Field. Later, it was Gillian’s continuous advocation for provincial and national certification for Career Development Practitioners that inspired me to apply for certification and continuing to get re-certified.

Thank you for being you 🙂

Also, @Sareena has been a huge inspiration for me as well! Her international Career Development knowledge is beyond impressed and is a true adovocate for the Career Development Community. Thank you for being a leader in our community!

A big thank you to @Deirdre for bringing me into this community and giving me the opportunity to play an important role it’s growth. Your knowledge and confident is contaginous!

And finally, to all of the Career Practitoners out there, whether you are self-employed, working for a not-for-profit, government funded agency or within educational instituations, you make a difference in the lives of so many Canadians and your work is beyond valuable!

Let’s keep rocking it.

Heather

[Sareena Hopkins]

What a beautiful thread! Where to begin?? I’d like to send a special shout-out to members who have jumped in and shared the love by posting and being active in this community space. @Tara.O – I’m appreciating your contributions, @Elayne.Greeley – you are THE magical unicorn, @BHutch – we meet in obscure bars, restaurants…and now here…and @AnnaG – thanks for inspiring the great exchange on career development (but not really career development) books. Big love to @Deirdre (my heart isn’t big enough for the love I feel for you), to @heather-powell (so grateful to be collaborating and for everything you do to bring this community together) and – of course – the spectacular @Florence who started today’s lovefest and is truly a miracle. Finally, I want to say a massive THANK YOU to each and every one of you who have joined this community, who are sharing your wisdom, curiosity, and energy here, and who show up every day and make a positive difference in people’s lives. ❤

[Anna Gordon]

Aww….thank you @Sareena – loving the love! Happy to inspire conversations about careers, work and what inspires people to take action at any time. Happy Valentine’s Day to you and the lovely CDPs in this forum!

[Tara Orchard]

@Thank you @Sareena for sharing the love!

[Elayne Greeley]

😍

[Brian Hutchison]

What a magnificent thread and community we are building. I was just on a call yesterday with some CDPs from Singapore and we were reflecting on how connection happens and doesn’t for clients. I shared that in my mental health practice, I am stunned by the amount of loneliness expressed by clients.

“Do” self-care is the most common response I see to this problem yet self-care is an individual act and not a communal one. We might best be reminded that wellness is a community activity, not an individual one, and this community is part of the antidote for the loneliness in the world. How it connects us, enriches us, and inspires us. Now, how do we bottle this up and give it to clients?

[Elayne Greeley]

A few years ago I learned from @Annika.Laale that I was alowed to say/admit my love to those who are just lovely to work with. The mindset shift to openness has changed me. No love holdbacks and no laughter holdbacks either. 🤗