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Life

ALL IN!

ALL IN!ALL IN is an expression that I learned when I started cycling about a year ago. When we are riding in a group it is the last person at the end of the line of cyclists who yells out ALL IN when the group is a cohesive bunch of riders and we are ready to move out or if we have spread out riding up a hill and we are all back in line once we get to the top of the hill. The last rider calls out ALL IN! and we pass it forward so the leader knows we are all together.

There is safety in those two words for me; I know that I am not alone and that all is well. ALL IN has started to mean much more to me than just when our group of riders is all together, I have come to realize that those two words could be used in my daily life and there are times when I would like to be yelling it even when I am not cycling:

  • In my business I am grateful to have a passionate team that loves what they do as much as I do. We could make our motto: ALL IN!
  • This week I am away on holidays and we have had friends coming and going; dinners where there are not enough seats and far too many deserts. I look around at everyone and see the smiles and the laughter and I want to yell: ALL IN!
  • To my partner who helps me and goes above and beyond what I am expecting; I realize that I often do not see all the love and support that is always there from him and I see that his vision of us as a couple is always: ALL IN!
  • And when I finished my meditation this morning and I looked out over the lake and listened to the birds and the squirrels and I realized all I had to be thankful for, I thought to myself, that I am never alone, that all is well no matter what and I said quietly to myself: ALL IN!

I am grateful to everyone that is on this journey with me and allows me to feel so safe, leads me when I need to be led, puts me in the middle when I need that, or allows me to be there and to watch and make sure that we are ALL IN!

 

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About Simon Tooley

I was born in Winnipeg, moved to Montreal to study economics at McGill, and later studied fashion design in Paris. After 20 years in the fashion world, I followed a long-held dream and opened Etiket in 2011. What began as a small boutique has grown into two locations and a wider community for beauty, fragrance, and connection. Writing, creating, and giving have always been part of my journey, and they continue to guide me forward. “Your soul doesn’t care what you do for a living—and when your life is over, neither will you. Your soul cares only about what you are being while you are doing whatever you are doing.” — Neale Donald Walsch

Discussion

2 thoughts on “ALL IN!

  1. Ingrid Lamarre's avatar

    Wow Simon. Your words are really touching. Have had the pleasure to be in a group with you calling ALL IN out loud. But I will give more thought to the ALL IN effect in more varied settings and when I find it will also be thankful and think …..ALL IN. : ) Thanks so much for sharing xoxo ing

    Posted by Ingrid Lamarre | September 1, 2014, 8:20 am

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