Life's Roller Coaster: Up Up and Away

No I’m not going to start singing!

At the beginning of January I entered into a Service Canada program called the Self-Employment Program. It is one of many Federal Programs that they funnel money to the Provinces and then to organizations. I accessed this same program in 2008 when I started my Consulting Biz! It’s actually a really good program. But there are many hoops to jump through and it can be a bit frustrating. Since I’ve spent most of my working life in not-for-profits, jumping through funding hoops is a norm. Apparently since it’s been more than five years since my last start-up I am permitted to access the program again. Very cool!

Again, it’s not been without its challenges. The program promises a monthly allowance while you work through the training, Business Plan writing, set-up, launch and first several weeks, even months. My first challenge was with Employment Insurance and whether or not I fell into their criteria because of various reasons. So I pushed through it and started the program. But I had no income for he first two months! It was very, very scary! But that’s all in place now and I’m into the second phase; set-up and start-up.

So what am I doing? Well, that’s the interesting part. Most of you will know that I was an ordained minister at 23 with The Salvation Army. I left their ‘ministry job’ in 1995 just a few weeks before my Mum died and never looked back. I entered into local SA employment and climbed the ladder to become the Business Administrator. When I came out in 2000 I lost that job and all connections with the SA. That’s another story.

Since then I have held all kinds of jobs. But in 2013 I found out about a series of training courses available to me through The Celebrant Foundation and Institute. These courses have allowed me to get current with what’s going on in the ceremonial world. Short story, long (here’s the link to the long), I have been certified and now re-ordained so that I can now not only conduct end-of-life ceremonies (funerals, memorials, Celebrations of Life) which I’ve continued to do on and off through the years, but I am now licensed to conduct legal marriages in the province of British Columbia. I have also taken other levels of training including LGBTQ Ceremonies, Weddings, Healing/Transitional Ceremonies and more. My next jump will be my Masters’ level.

So, I’ve been trained and certified as a Certified Life-Cycle Celebrant™ and now have been permitted to start a business. I’m stoked!!! My site is still a work in progress. Perhaps one day I will actually be able to have one of those beautifully created sites. This one I’ve put together with a WordPress Theme (same way as I did this blog). So, have a look. If you have any suggestions or see any needed edits, please use the addy below to contact the Owner – Moi!!!

And if you know anyone that needs a ceremony, please refer them…

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