Blair's Move Back to Winnipeg, "Life Week" & a Road Trip Across Canada | 089

In this episode of Resilient AF, hosts Blair Kaplan Venables and Alana trade their usual "Grief Week" for something lighter: "Life Week." Blair shares the story of moving back to Winnipeg after living in British Columbia since 2008, reconnecting with old friends, family, and her hometown after nearly two decades away.

The two recap a cross-Canada road trip that started at the Bass Coast music festival in Merritt, BC, and wound through Radium Hot Springs, Calgary, and Moose Jaw before landing home. Along the way, they talk about the books and podcasts that kept them company, the small coffee shops they hunted down, and the deep sense of belonging Blair felt the moment she got back.

It's an episode about change that doesn't hurt, about choosing a move, feeling at peace with it, and letting a season of life close on a hopeful note. Blair also previews the upcoming season finale and a summer break before the show returns in the fall.

Key Takeaways

Change can be grounding, not just grieving. Blair describes her return to Winnipeg as peaceful and grounding — a reminder that not every big life shift is a loss."Life Week" is the antidote to "Grief Week." The hosts intentionally built a joyful tradition alongside their harder one.Community is a form of resilience. A welcome-back barbecue from childhood neighbours and a chance run-in with a former grade-6 music teacher (Miriam Cohen) show how belonging supports us through transition.Slow travel beats the highway. Choosing small local coffee shops, hot springs, and spa stops turned a relocation into something restorative.You can honour a chapter as it ends. Blair reflects on attending nearly every Bass Coast festival since 2008 — closing that BC chapter with gratitude rather than regret.

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⚠️ Content Note: Some episodes may contain themes that could be distressing. Please take care of yourself while listening, and don’t hesitate to seek support from a mental health professional if needed.

About the Hosts:

Blair Kaplan Venables is a British Columbia-based grief and resilience expert and coach, motivational speaker and the Founder of The Global Resilience Project. Her expertise has been featured on media platforms like Forbes, TEDx, CBC Radio, Entrepreneur, and Thrive Global. She is named the Top Grief and Resilience Expert of the Year 2024 by IAOTP. USA Today listed Blair as one of th