ALLY JOURNAL GIFT SET

We all want to find our place and people: at work, with family and in our community. This gives us the comfort and protection of home. But if we fall too deep into it, we miss out on the rest of the world. We need the balance of stepping outside our comfort zones.

THE FULL STORY

I used to believe I was an open-minded free thinker because I worked in different countries and travelled extensively; but in reality I was always in my comfort zone – business is business and offices look the same around the world. While I worked with locals, I brought them into my world, instead of really immersing myself in theirs. 

Stepping out of my comfort zone did not begin until decades later when I started volunteering with my great dane for dog therapy and visited at-risk teenagers in the correctional system. This is when I first realized my upbringing was vastly different to others. I expected things like poverty, unjust treatment and human trafficking to exist in third world countries, but not Canada. And there were examples right in front of me.

I went through the same transitions as most people who have their beliefs and norms challenged – I started with denial and looking for evidence to prove that I hadn’t been living in the dark, then opened the door and started to listen, learn and grow. This was also the start of a new journal, with marker lines across the cover page with the words “burst the bubble”.

Before I could really become an ally myself, I had to unlearn old perceptions and form new conclusions about much of the world.  Case in point, I used to believe most people getting government subsidies were taking advantage of the system. But I have since learned that a miniscule 1-4% of welfare recipients commit deliberate fraud. More people cheat on their income taxes and lie about their cross-border shopping than defraud the welfare system.  

With the Ally Journal I wanted to create a place where people could take their own journeys of discovery and challenge their own misconceptions about the world around them. Where they could then plan ways to help make the world a better and kinder place. This journal is perfect for anyone who is curious about the world we live in and wants to learn, grow and thrive with and thanks to those around them. Be an explorer, an observer and (most importantly) a kind and empathetic person.

The Ally Journal has a custom design by artist Bridget Moore and is a welcoming place for you to explore your own thoughts, feelings and plans for the future. Journaling can be a centering experience that helps to channel your energy into your own passion projects and the causes that matter most to you. This is also a place to do the work when it comes to continuing to listen, learn and grow as a member of your own community.

Every purchase aids in funding our Acts of Kindness community giveback program.