Recruited by Universe

There are days when you come home and think…

Yep. This is why I’m doing what I’m doing. 💜

Today I attended two very different community and networking events in Springwood.

I went along to connect and learn, but I came away with so much more.

There were conversations that sparked ideas. Questions that made me think, people really need to know more about this. Stories that reminded me how important it is to listen to what is happening within our communities — not just assume we know what people need.

And then there were the connections.

People doing wonderful things in their own spaces, each bringing their own knowledge, experience and passion to the community.

It reminded me that Recruited by Universe is still evolving — and that's exactly how it should be.

After years of working in a very different world, I could have rushed into trying to define exactly what this next chapter needed to look like.

Instead, I've chosen to learn.

To volunteer.

To gain experience.

To have conversations.

To connect with people already doing the work.

To notice where there are gaps, where people need support and where my own skills and experiences might be useful.

Slow and steady. Building the foundations first.

Because being of service isn't about having all the answers.

Sometimes it starts simply by being curious enough to ask the questions, listening carefully to the answers and being willing to learn from the people around you.

Today, something inside me was definitely saying…

Pay attention. There is something here.

So I am. 😊

A few more seeds were planted today.

Let's see what grows. 🌱💜

For me, grief didn’t follow the timeline I thought it would.

In fact, it was my third year after losing my hubby that I found the most intense — and that really surprised me.

Now, six and a half years into my own journey, I understand more than ever that grief is deeply individual. There is no timetable. There is no point where we are supposed to be “over it”. And there is no value in comparing our grief with someone else’s.

Something I heard recently really stayed with me:

Grief doesn’t necessarily become smaller. Our life grows around it.

The love remains. The loss remains. But slowly, the space around our grief begins to fill again — with new memories, experiences, people, purpose, laughter and even moments of joy.

We still grieve.
We still remember.
We simply learn to carry it differently.

My own experience of losing my hubby ultimately changed the direction of my life. After many years in the corporate world, I found myself retraining and being drawn towards a very different purpose — supporting and educating others around grief, loss, end-of-life and the conversations we often find difficult to have.

Sometimes helping means sharing knowledge. Sometimes it means providing guidance. And sometimes it simply means sitting beside someone in their pain without trying to fix it.

The way I listen and the way I show up for others today has been profoundly shaped by my hubby and my own journey through grief.

That has become an important part of Recruited by Universe — creating a space where grief doesn't need to be hidden, rushed or compared.

Your grief is your own.
Your love is your own.
Your journey is your own.

Honour thyself. 🫶💜

Below resonated with me about 3 years ago when I read it and could completely understand having gone thru my own personal grief journey with Arthur, my husband. One of the most common things I see or hear about is how you can help someone going thru grief. So I thought I would share this. And if you think it would help others to help their people, please share.

Shared by Hugh Hollowell Jr., an American writer, pastor, community advocate and speaker whose work has focused heavily on grief, poverty, homelessness, community and what it means to genuinely show up for people during difficult times.

Grief Groceries!

I saw this letter today- as a funeral directors son, I have been around this for years. This is some of the best advice I have ever seen.

“Hey there, Thanks for writing. I’m really glad your friend has you in her life.

I get it. Grief is a funny thing. It’s the time in our life when we most need help, and also the time when asking for help is so hard. Not because we are ashamed to ask for help, although that happens sometimes too. But mostly because our brain just sort of shuts down.

When my Dad died, I looked functional. But I wasn’t OK. Not at all. And when the news got out, the ton of people flooding me with calls, texts, and DM’s was overwhelming. I really couldn’t function. I sat on the swing in our yard and just stared into space. People called and asked what they could do to help. I had no idea.

“Well, anything you need at all, let me know, OK?”

“OK”.

They hung up. I stared into space some more.

I had no idea what to do. What I needed. I didn’t even know what to ask for.

Then a friend sent a text. This friend had met Dad once but didn’t really know him. But still, she knew I was hurting. I saw who it was and almost put the phone down without reading the text, but I saw the message and it stopped me:

Will you be home at 8:30 tonight?

What’s weird is this friend lives 12 hours away from me.

Yes, I replied.

“K.”

10 minutes later, she said, “Instacart will be there at 8:30. Open the door for them.”

“What?”

“Grief Groceries.!!”

When Instacart showed up, they put two large bags of groceries on my porch. Frozen pizzas. Ice cream. Oreo cookies. Tinned soup. Stouffer’s lasagna. A gallon of milk. Like that. Things I could heat up if I needed a meal, or pig out on if I needed fat and sugar. Sometimes, you just need to eat half a box of Oreos.

Notice she didn’t ask if I needed any food. I would have said no. She just asked if I would be home.

Grief groceries.

Another friend, who lives out of town, asked Renee to name a restaurant near our house where we like to eat. There is a local chain near our house that is sort of a deli. When we eat supper there, we spend about $25. Renee told her the name of the place.

An hour later, there was a gift card in my inbox for $250. Yes, that is a lot of money, and I understand not everyone can do that. But the wonderful thing was that because it was enough for multiple meals, we didn’t try to save it for “the right time”. We ate there that night, and take out from there several times a week for the next month on nights when I just didn’t have the spoons to cook.

Both of those gift-givers knew something I didn’t know – that when you are grieving, you don’t want to make decisions. No, that’s not quite it: You can’t make decisions. You hit decision fatigue really fast.

So, I guess what I’m saying is, don’t ask grieving people to make big choices or decisions. “How can I help” is a big choice. But “Can I take the kids this afternoon so you can have some time to yourself” is a much smaller one. “Will you be home tonight?” is a small choice. “What restaurant do you like” is a small decision. Just showing up to cut their grass because you noticed it needed cutting is loads better than asking, “Do you want me to cut the grass?” Or, “I’m going to Target. What can I get you while I’m there?” is better than “Can I run any errands for you?”

It won’t always be like this. If you stick around, eventually they will surface and ways to be helpful will make themselves known. But in the first few days, especially, it helps to remove as many decisions from their plate as you can!”

Another Step Along the Journey — Grief First Aid 💜

Today I completed my Grief First Aid training, another piece of learning that feels very aligned with the path Recruited by Universe continues to take.

Grief is something none of us escapes in this lifetime. It comes with the death of someone we love, but it can also come with changes in health, relationships, careers, identity, independence and so many of life's transitions.

And yet, when someone is grieving, we can feel completely lost about what to say or do.

One of the strongest messages reinforced for me today was something very simple:

We don't have to fix someone's grief.

We don't need the perfect words.
We don't need to make their sadness disappear.
Sometimes we simply need to be willing to sit beside them, listen without judgement, acknowledge what they are experiencing and allow them to grieve in their own way.

The training included scenarios and conversations that also had me reflecting on my own experience of grief and that of my children after the sudden death of their Dad. It reminded me how differently people and workplaces can respond to someone who is grieving—not necessarily because they don't care, but sometimes because they simply don't know what to do.

That's why education around grief matters.

Today wasn't about learning how to take grief away. It was about becoming better equipped to walk alongside someone experiencing it—with compassion, confidence and kindness.

And perhaps the Universe is giving me another little nudge too... ✨

I've expressed my interest in taking the next step towards becoming a Grief First Aid Instructor, with the hope that one day I can help others develop these skills within our workplaces and communities.

Another tool in the toolkit.
Another layer of learning.
Another way I may be of service. 💜

Recruited by Universe
Guided by Heart.

💜 KNOWING vs GUESSING — A Moment to Reflect

If you were to suddenly become critically ill and could no longer speak for yourself…

Who would speak for you?

And perhaps the more important question is…

Would they know what you would want them to say?

We often assume the people closest to us know what we would want. But when they are standing beside a hospital bed, frightened, emotional and being asked to make difficult decisions — knowing and guessing can feel very different.

Guessing can sound like:
“I think Mum would want…”
“Dad once said…”
“I’m not sure, but I think…”

Knowing sounds like:
“We’ve talked about this. I know what matters to them.”

That’s why Advance Care Planning conversations matter.

They’re not about expecting the worst. They’re about making sure your voice can still be heard if there ever comes a time when you cannot speak for yourself.

💜 Your wishes.
💜 Your voice.
💜 Your choices.

And for the people you love, the peace of mind of knowing rather than guessing.

Perhaps today’s question is simply:

If someone had to speak for me tomorrow, would they know what I would want?

And if you’ve been thinking about completing an Advance Care Directive, but you’re not quite sure where to begin, you don’t have to work through it alone.

Sometimes it helps simply to have someone sit with you, talk through the questions, help you consider what matters to you, and guide you through the document and the conversations you may want to have with those closest to you.

If you would like some guidance and support to get started, please reach out to me. 💜

Start the conversation today.

Plan with peace. Live with presence.

Recruited by Universe 💜

888 — Okay Universe, I See You

8.8.2026 = 888.

Yesterday was one of those days when the Universe seemed to have my attention.

I was watching The Secret: Dare to Dream when some words at the very beginning caught me:

There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is.

For me, there was no question.

I choose to live as though everything is a miracle. How could I not?

Then came another thought about coincidence being God's way of remaining anonymous.

And another question that stayed with me:

“Is this a friendly Universe?”

For me, the answer is yes.

Not because everything that happens in life is easy. Not because we don't experience loss, grief, disappointment, uncertainty or things we would never have chosen for ourselves.

But when I look back over my life, I can see moments of connection, synchronicity, unexpected opportunities, people arriving at just the right time, doors closing and others opening.

Sometimes things only make sense much later.

And sometimes they don't need to make sense at all.

Sometimes I simply smile and think:

Okay Universe, I see you. ✨

And then there was 888…

What made yesterday even more interesting was the date: 8 August 2026 — 8/8, with 2026 also reducing numerologically to 10 and then 1, often associated with beginnings.

Within modern spiritual traditions, 8/8 is considered the peak of the Lion's Gate Portal, a period commonly observed from around 26–28 July through to 12 August.

The number 8 is often associated with abundance, balance, personal power, infinite possibility and the continuous flow of giving and receiving.

Turn an 8 on its side and we also have the symbol for infinity — ∞.

So perhaps this is a beautiful opportunity to pause.

Yesterday may have been the symbolic 8/8 peak, but the reflective period isn't over yet.

There is still time.

What are you ready to call in — and let go?

For me, manifestation isn't simply about making a wish and waiting for the Universe to deliver it.

It's about becoming clear about what we want to create and then being willing to participate in creating it.

So over these remaining days, perhaps we can ask ourselves:

What would I genuinely love to bring into my life?

What am I ready to receive?

What would I do if I trusted myself a little more?

What action can I take towards that today?

What am I still carrying that no longer needs to come with me?

What belief, fear, expectation, relationship with the past, or old version of myself am I ready to release?

What space could letting go create for something new?

Because perhaps manifestation and letting go belong together.

We can't continually ask for something new while holding so tightly to everything that was.

Sometimes we need to create the space first.

Before 12 August…

Take some quiet time.

Write down what you would like to welcome into the next chapter of your life.

Not only possessions or financial abundance — think about how you want to feel.

Peace.
Purpose.
Love.
Connection.
Freedom.
Creativity.
Courage.
Service.
Adventure.
Whatever abundance means to you.

Then write down what you're ready to leave behind.

And perhaps most importantly, identify one action you can take.

One phone call.
One conversation.
One application.
One boundary.
One beginning.
One ending.
One courageous little step.

You don't have to have the entire journey mapped out.

Is this a friendly Universe?

I think that's the question I keep coming back to.

My answer is yes.

And maybe when we begin looking at life through that lens, we start noticing things we previously would have walked straight past.

A sentence in a movie.
A person we unexpectedly meet.
A conversation.
A dream.
A coincidence.
A date.
888.

Maybe they're signs.

Maybe they're synchronicities.

Maybe some are simply beautiful coincidences.

I don't feel the need to prove which.

I just want to remain open enough to notice them.

And as this Lion's Gate period moves towards its symbolic close on 12 August, I'm taking some time to reflect on what I'm calling in, what I'm releasing, and what actions I'm willing to take to meet the Universe halfway.

Because I choose to live my life as though everything is a miracle.

How could I not?

✨ Okay Universe, I see you. ✨

Today I had the privilege of attending the NBMLHD 35th Supportive and Palliative Care Conference after receiving a sponsorship to attend.

While much of the conference centred around supportive and palliative care, I found myself thinking about something much bigger...

This knowledge isn't just for people living with a life-limiting illness. It's for every one of us.

So many of the discussions reinforced the importance of having conversations before we need to have them. Talking about our wishes, understanding the documents available to us, knowing who would speak on our behalf if we couldn't, and making sure the people we love aren't left wondering what we would have wanted.

These aren't easy conversations, but they are some of the greatest gifts we can leave our families and friends.

Every time I attend training, volunteer on the ward, or learn from those working in this space every day, I gain knowledge that extends far beyond palliative care. It strengthens my passion for helping people prepare before life unexpectedly changes direction.

Through Recruited by Universe, my mission is to encourage these conversations early—not from a place of fear, but from a place of love, compassion and peace of mind.

Over the coming days, I'll be sharing some of the insights that resonated with me from the conference. My hope is that they spark conversations around kitchen tables, with parents, partners, adult children and friends, because none of us knows what tomorrow will bring.

Planning ahead isn't about expecting the worst.

It's about making today a little easier for the people you love tomorrow. 💜

If these are conversations you've been putting off, perhaps this is your gentle reminder that today is a good day to begin.

✨ A New Chapter ✨

I'm excited to share that I'll be appearing as the Guest Medium at Hills Spiritual Centre on Sunday, 30th August at 3:00 pm.

While I've spent time working one-on-one with many beautiful souls, this will be my first public demonstration of mediumship. Every journey has a first step, and this feels like one of those moments where the Universe quietly says, "It's time."

So, I'm trusting, showing up with an open heart, and allowing Spirit to guide the afternoon.

I'll also be bringing my Medicine Drum, and together we'll finish with a Medicine Drumming Healing, offering everyone present the opportunity to experience its grounding, calming, and restorative energy.

If you've ever been curious about mediumship, or simply feel drawn to spend an afternoon in a welcoming and heart-centred space, I'd love to welcome you.

📅 Sunday, 30th August
🕒 3:00 pm
📍 Hills Spiritual Centre

I look forward to sharing this special afternoon with you.

As always...

May I be of service. 💜✨

I'm now on Google!

💜 Your words could help someone take their first step.

If you've experienced a Spiritual Guidance Reading, End-of-Life Planning session, Healing Support, or another service through Recruited by Universe, I would truly appreciate you sharing your experience with a Google review by simply clicking on the image below.

Your honest feedback helps others feel confident in reaching out for the support they may need. It also helps my small business continue to grow and serve more people with compassion, presence, and heart.

Thank you for allowing me to be part of your journey. Every review is deeply appreciated.
🙏✨️🙏✨️🙏✨️🙏

Recruited by Universe Photography service