Meet Sam Plavins.
My story may be different from yours, but I’m sure there are a ton of similarities. Does any of this sound familiar?
- Phones are fleeting things in my life, so I don’t get too attached. (Three iPhones in six months?!)
- I once lost my dog, only to discover I just never let him out of the car after bringing him on a midnight run to the drug store for some chips.
- Speaking of chips, Salt and Vinegar chips are my obsession, paired with JLohr Cabarnet.
- To the horror of my hubby and kids, I routinely run the battery life of my car to a near zero charge.
- I’ll go months without shaving my legs. And it’s a bit of a jungle “down there”. (Who has time for all this upkeep?)
These little tidbits will explain something about who I am. I tell you this to show that we are all dumpster fires in a way. Accepting that is important, I’ve found, but you can’t just watch it burn. The idea is to do what we can to put out the fires and make our lives better.
Which is a big part of what led me to “She Walks the Walk”. Here’s a little more about my background to explain why I started it.
About She Walks The Walk
Early in 2020, I finished a 16-year stint working in my family-owned financial services company. I led a team of advisors, and together we encouraged clients to save for the future and insure themselves in case the unthinkable happened.
The problem was, when you have that many clients, the unthinkable will happen for some. Delivering that first death claim cheque to a young widow flooded me with mixed emotions. On the one hand, it proved that yes, we should plan for “just in case”. On the other hand, it was also clear evidence that life is capable of dishing out tragic curveballs at any moment.
The more I experienced these heartbreaking moments, the more I wondered if I was doing exactly what I wanted in my life. Working in life insurance reinforced to me that tomorrow is just an idea, not a promise. Are we making the most of today in case tomorrow never comes?
With my life compressed down to a 28L backpack, I set out to ask the question, “Who am I really?”
In May 2019, I decided to answer that question for myself. Of course, I did what came naturally – I went for a walk. I left my home, family, and business behind for a 33-day, 800-km-long pilgrimage on Spain’s famed Camino de Santiago. With my life compressed down to a 28L backpack, I set out to ask the question, “Who am I really?” I returned with an inner awareness I’d never felt before. I sold my business in January 2020 and vowed to use my skills in a way that felt more authentic and in line with my values. I’m still an advisor of sorts, I guess – just not the financial kind. I’m also still exploring.
Adventure has always been a part of my life. I’ve climbed mountains in Bolivia, Ecuador, Nepal, Morocco and Guatemala. I’ve hiked to Machu Picchu with my 13-year old daughter and swam with sharks in the Galapagos. I’ve backpacked through Thailand, Ecuador, Costa Rica, most provinces in Canada and many states in the US. I lived in Germany for a year to learn the language. I’ve flown to Wales for leadership training and Hawaii for team building. I’ve walked almost every inch of road around Thunder Bay where I live with my husband, our two daughters, a seemingly-stoned Old English Sheepdog and Pi, the yappy cockatiel.
She Walks the Walk is a natural extension of my skills, interests, and strengths. Adventure and self-discovery are at the core of it all, including my Global Walking Adventures or G’WAs
I invite you to join this group of women who are striving to get off the treadmill and do something meaningful with their lives! Come walk with me and let’s discover something more about ourselves together.
