As summer winds down and nights begin to feel just a tad cooler, it feels we’re on the other side of a tough game. Optimism is in the air, like we took a rough first half of a game, gathered our best approach over halftime, and we are now looking to take the second half of this precious year of life and make a win.

I am so glad this year turned itself around— I am closing out summer with joy: pictures I took of my family over the last few months, the scent of dinner on the grill, and late nights resonant with the sound of laughter.

However, any of us who have ever played or even regularly watched a sport know that we’re only as good as our latest game and the first thing on the schedule after a solid win is always more practice.

With that in mind, how are you practicing life? We have a little over four months left in this year and it is time to start lining up our final plays as we head into fall. Life is getting busier each day— remember, good sports players schedule down time; that mental break is as valuable as any time spent at practice. Good teammates also look both ways: to a stronger player they can learn from and a weaker one they can assist. Who are your personal bookends and how will you work with them to turn this month into a win for everyone in your circle?

Finally, winning takes losing and learning. As important as it is to celebrate the joy of summer by savoring every moment of these hot and happy days, it is just as important to look at the items that slipped through the cracks in our haste to enjoy July and decide how we’re going to tackle them in August.

To end with an extension to the metaphor of a game gone right, I want to take a moment to comment on how sweet the win of August feels. There is no doubt this year started out with uncertainty, the pandemic still in effect and so many of us unsure of how spring would unfold. Well, my friend, here we are with spring behind us and summer now drawing to a beautiful close.

We won.

Most Canadian provinces substantially lifted public health restrictions in the first half of July. As a result, Statistics Canada is reporting positive employment figures for the month across most indicators. Canadian employment rose by 94,000 in June (0.5%, m/m) to 18.88 million, following growth of 231,000 in June. This growth brings employment to the highest level since the onset of the pandemic. Canadian employment is now -1.3% (-246k) below its February 2020 pre-pandemic level. In July, growth was driven by gains in the private sector, the food & accommodation sector, among youth aged 15-24, and among prime working-age women. Other positive indicators included gains in hours worked (+1.3%) and a decline in the number of people working less than half their usual hours (-10.1%). The unemployment rate also declined by 0.3 to 7.5%. 

In BC, both total employment and the unemployment rate were largely unchanged from June. The province maintains one of the strongest labour markets in the country, with only Quebec reporting a lower unemployment rate for July. For the second consecutive month, BC remains the sole province with employment above its pre-pandemic level. 

For more information, please contact: Gino Pezzani.

Link: https://mailchi.mp/bcrea/canadian-employment-july-2021

After all the stresses of the past year, the thought of relaxing and just enjoying the summer months can feel unfamiliar. You can reduce anxiety and let yourself go with this advice from the University of Colorado website:

1. Let yourself feel everything. Don’t try to force happiness. Allow yourself to feel a full range of emotions— excitement, anxiety, joy and everything else, including multiple emotions at the same time. You can be excited about traveling, yet nervous about flying on an airplane, for example. Learn to balance your emotions so a single feeling doesn’t overwhelm you.

2. Take a proactive approach. Confront your fears openly. This can be as simple as brainstorming summer projects or just making a packing list for a trip.

3. Accept what you can’t control. Things happen. Don’t try to take on everything. For example, you don’t know what the weather will bring on a day you’ve planned for a hike, and rain is a possibility. You can’t always predict what will happen in life, but you can take steps to maintain control.

4. Find ways to cope. Practice meditation and mindfulness; try journaling. Spend time with friends and family you care about, and don’t forget to celebrate the small victories after a long year of unusual limitations.

WORKING HOURS: Usually requires unexpected shifts and late nights.

POSSIBILITY FOR ADVANCEMENT & PROMOTION: There are friends, there is family and then there are friends that become family.

PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE: None required. On-the-job training mandatory.

SKILLS: 

1. Therapist

2. Cheerleader
3. Wingman
4. Moral Compass
5. Confidant
6. Stylist
7. Comedian
8. Straight Shooter
9. Good Cop or Bad Cop (whichever is needed)

BENEFITS: Increased sense of belonging and purpose. Enhanced happiness and reduced stress.

These are only a few reasons to celebrate International Friendship Day and the friends we know and love!

In some ways, this past year has taught us the value of keeping our good friends close. In other ways, it has reminded us about things we already knew. Good friends encourage us to be the highest version of ourselves, as we do the same for them.