Featured
Staying Calm, Sane, and Open in a Chaotic World
What is anxiety and how is it affecting us? We often think of anxiety as ranging from mild unease to full-blown panic attacks. But anxiety also drives our addictive behaviors and the habits we use to cope (e.g. stress eating, procrastination, doom scrolling and social media). Add to that, the fact that anxiety lives in the part of our brain that resists rational thought, and it is easy to see how we can get stuck in anxiety loops where we simply can’t think our way out. But what if we could pull the plug on anxiety and increase resilience, courage, and lasting calm. Join us as we start a conversation and explore some personal stories of those who have made the shift from anxious to calm, chaos to peace amidst a chaotic world.
Mastering the Art of Repair
Whether it’s with a friend, partner, parent, child, neighbour, or coworker—most of us have more than enough experience at conflict. We create it, avoid it, and engage in it. But how many of us have mastered the art of repair after a conflict or regrettable incident? While we can’t erase a fight once it’s happened, we can take steps to repair and restore. Conflict happens, and often enough we say the wrong thing, or do the wrong thing, and end up hurting one another. But one of the most important tools for building a healthy relationship is knowing how to process a fight productively. This month we’re not only going to start a conversation around the art of repair, we have two coworkers who will actually process and repair a deeply regrettable incident live on stage.
What is joy and how do we get more of it? Joy is a result of cultivating gratitude, practicing mindfulness, and allowing ourselves to be fully seen and connected with others. As Brene Brown emphasizes, joy is not the absence of pain or struggle, but rather the ability to find lightness, gratitude, and meaning in the midst of challenges. On July 7th, let’s start a conversation that matters around how we can find more joy, give more joy, and fill our communities with more joy. Because who doesn’t want to live life with more joy?
Creating a Culture of Appreciation
Regardless of who you are or the circumstances of your life, the health benefits of gratitude are undeniable. But making gratitude a habit, proactively creating a culture of appreciation, isn’t just important for our individual well-being, it’s a critical success factor affecting the quality of all our relationships. Renowned relationship researchers John and Julie Gottman found that those who frequently express gratitude and appreciation toward each other, experience greater success in their relationships—whether at home, work, school, or in the community. On September 28, 2019 let’s join together as a community to #EnvisionGratitude and start a conversation that matters around what each one of us can do to create a culture of appreciation.
Sydney’s Story
Diagnosed at age 15, Sydney has been fighting an inoperable form of clival chordoma for 10 years. In 2017, she married Cam, her childhood sweetheart.
A year later she broke her neck as a result of the damage done by the tumour. After numerous surgeries, proton/photon radiation and experimental immunotherapy treatments, Sydney has defied the odds of her cancer prognosis and has been able to live with a reasonable degree of independence—until now.
In the fall of 2021 Sydney was given a palliative care designation and the young couple decided to move back into her parents unfinished basement. Corinna, Sydney’s mom, also gave up a well paying job, in order to provide the palliative care Sydney now requires.
For 10 years the family have poured themselves and their limited financial resources into this battle, leaving less urgent needs unattended. As a result the house is in a state of disrepair, from leaking plumbing to unfinished floors. It is also ill-equipped to support wheelchair accessibility or a private living area for this young couple.
The home repairs and modifications required, combined with the loss of Corinna’s income, have created an insurmountable crisis for this family.
WHAT HAPPENED NEXT
This is what happened over 40 days when more than 80 companies, 200 volunteers, and 130 donors became a community of love, working together as one to change this family's insurmountable challenge.
THANKS TO A COMMUNITY OF LOVE
This project was made possible by a diverse community of trades, sponsors, volunteers, and donors working together to shower Sydney with love.
Thank you to all the companies who generously participated.
Able Concrete Inc.
Aldergrove Credit Union
Amec Cutting & Coring Ltd.
Acts of Kindness
Astech Consultants Ltd.
BC Hospitality Foundation
BC Hydro
Blue Pitty Construction Ltd.
Buy The Right Light
Celtic Retrofit
Centra Windows
Conquistadors of Cancer
Cooper Equipment Rentals
Country Lumber Staff
Daniel Singer
David Smith Homes
Dead Frog Bewery
Deco Tec Paint
DVK Kitchen Cabinets
Edgeline Drywall System Ltd.
Envision Credit Union
Eric Frame 2 Finish
Eric Woodward Foundation
Feri Vargas Tilesetter
First West Foundation
Fits Right Countertops
Frank's Total Deck Ltd.
From Above and Beyond Services
G4 Painting Services
Gescan Electric
Guillevin Electric
Heinrichs Developments
Holiday Heroes
Insumo Property Solutions
Jamie Frame Carpentry
Jeff James Finishing
Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Vancouver
Keith’s Custom Home Painting
Keystone Electric
Knight Stone
Langley Township Fire Dept.
Leading Edge Electric Inc.
M&L Painting Ltd.
Maple Leaf Disposal
Masonite
Maxwell Floors Ltd.
MH Legacy Development Inc.
Milsean
Neale Engineering Ltd.
Northern Building Supply Ltd.
Northrise Drywall Contracting
Novus Glass
Now Rentals
Pacific Coast Paving Ltd.
Pacific Mechanical Systems
Pax Electric Ltd.
Pearce Home Hardware
Pen-West Cutting & Coring
Piedmont Sheet Metal
Platinum Concrete
Polar Electric Inc.
Power Drywall Ltd.
Quality Tiling
Red Ryno Energy Ltd.
Rethink Homes
Richard The Finisher
Save-On-Foods
Scott Construction Group
Sherwin Williams Paints Canada
Starbucks
Steve's Custom Home Lighting
Taymor Industries Ltd.
The Passionate Home
Tile Mart
Township of Langley
Universal Plumbing Supply
Urban Oasis Landscaping
Urban Presentations
Van der Zwan Plumbing Ltd.
Western Star Contracting Ltd
Windsor Plywood Langley
Woodland Tree Services
WSB Titan
Yellow Fence Rentals Inc.
Z-Nith Productions Photos
Profound gratitude to Darcy Walmsley and Scott Construction Group for believing in the work we do and bringing so many trades to this project.
Thank you Nathan Van Der Zwan, you were our first call, and the first to say “let’s do it!” We deeply appreciate your team and the spirit of love every one of them brought to this project.
LifeApp is a registered Canadian charity. If you would like to participate or financially support future Live Love Well Projects, please go to www.lifeapp.ca and let us know.
Video shot and edited by Leviticus Penner
Original music score by Leviticus Penner
https://www.leviticuspenner.com/
Spring 2021 LifeApp was approached by a local citizen with a need and opportunity. Aware of previous LifeApp Live Love Well Community Projects - he thought we might be able to help. After some conversation, consideration, and an introduction, we were on board and excited to help this local family in need.
Rachelle is a single mom of 3 children. The children have a complex blend of special needs, mental health challenges and Autism. Their ages are 14, 8, and 6. Rachelle is also an entrepreneur, personal trainer and advocate for other mom’s and families who struggle with similar challenges. Covid has removed much of the family’s supports, causing increased stress in the home and a decline in the wellness of her children. To combat all this, Rachelle has been lobbying our government—asking that support and relief be made more easily available and accessible for children and families navigating challenges similar to hers.
Here’s how the community came together to help. Rachelle has done her best to cover all bases and meet the needs of her children, family, and others. However, in all this the home and furnishings had fallen into disrepair and no longer met the needs of the children or family. We changed that with the help of over 50 volunteers who gave generously of their time and resources to complete a Live Love Well Home Repair.
Special thanks to our corporate donors, private donors & volunteers
The Passionate Home
DNR Contracting
Benjamin Moore Paint
Urban Presentations
Iron Mountain Painting
Rethink Homes
Nathan Vanderzwam Plumbing
Made4U
Bianka with Reach For Outer Space
along with 40+ incredibly hard working volunteers.
Original music composed by Leviticus Penner
https://www.leviticuspenner.com
In December 2019, Kevin Bay father of five was involved in a collision while playing hockey, doctors suspect this caused a torn carotid artery resulting in a catastrophic stroke, Paralyzing him on his left side.
Six months later he was ready to return home but his house was not ready for him. With major repairs needed to prepare the house to be wheelchair accessible this is where the LifeApp Live Love Well team stepped in.
https://www.lifeapp.ca/projects
Special thanks to our corporate donors, private donors & volunteers.
True Grit Construction
Wild West Gardens
Rethink Homes
Fraser Point
Country Lumber
Nu Floors Langley
The Passionate Home
Leef and Stem Culinary Co.
Nathan VanderZwan Plumber
Journey Flooring and Finishing
Above and Beyond Services
Precision Timeline Flooring
Larry Clay Construction
CWL Contracting Ltd.
David & Ty Homes
Platinum Finishers
Manna Plumbing
Able Concrete
DNR Contracting
Benjamin Moore Paint
JR Excavation & Demolition
Langley Decorating Center
Iron Mountain Painting
Holaco Construction
Windsor Plywood
Steve’s Lighting
Decor My Door
Masonite Doors
Elkhorn Construction
SM Plumbing and Lighting
Keith's Custom Home Painting
Todd Best and Best Builders Ltd.
Leading Edge Electrical
Ikonik Pipeworks Ltd
Original music composed by Leviticus Penner
https://www.leviticuspenner.com
What, who, and why?
Since 2014, LifeApp has been hosting live events, teaching masterclasses, and running retreats to inspire, teach, and support those wanting to grow in the art, science and spirit of love; making relational education—learning how to live love well, desirable and accessible to all.