Sometimes, arrival isn’t about reaching a destination. It’s about recognizing how much you’ve learned along the way and realizing how much there is still to discover.
As I reflect on this year’s canfitpro Global, I find myself smiling not just because it was an epic weekend but also because we brought thousands of fitness and wellness professionals together from across Canada and around the world. And not just because after 33 years, canfitpro Global can still surprise me.
I’m smiling because I arrived this year with a different mindset.
Arrival has been my personal theme for 2026. And as I moved through the weekend, I realized that arrival isn’t simply about being somewhere physically. It’s about being present enough to recognize where you are, who you are becoming, and what the moment is trying to teach you. And believe me, canfitpro Global had plenty to teach me.
My ONE THING: Never Stop Learning
If I could ask every professional, regardless of industry, career stage, or title, to never stop doing one thing, it would be this:
There is always something new to learn about yourself and something new to learn for yourself that can make your career, your leadership, and your life better. After 33 years in this industry, I could easily fall into the trap of thinking, “I’ve seen this before. I know this. I’ve been doing this a long time.” But that is exactly when we stop growing.
This year, canfitpro Global reminded me that some of the most meaningful learning doesn’t always come from a presentation, a textbook, or a certification.
Sometimes, it comes from a conversation in a hallway or on the street.
A hug on an escalator.
A selfie on the street.
A chance encounter in a restaurant.
A dance floor.
A room full of fitness graduates.
Or even from a MO’ment when you realize that you need to change your own mindset to continue showing up for others.
That was one of my biggest personal lessons this year. Circumstances and situations were happening around me, and things I was carrying quietly in the back of my mind could easily have influenced how I showed up.
But the theme of UNITE: The Power of Us became personal for me.
I realized that if I wanted to continue being the leader others needed me to be, I had to consciously reframe my mindset. Not ignore what was happening. Not pretend everything was perfect. But choose how I was going to arrive in each moment.
How was I going to show up?
How could I be present?
How could I contribute?
How could I unite rather than allow circumstances to divide my attention or my energy?
That was a powerful lesson for me, and one I will carry well beyond the conference.
The Annual Reunion
One of my favourite things about canfitpro Global is that it never really feels like just a conference.
It feels like an annual reunion. You turn a corner, and suddenly there’s a presenter you haven’t seen in a year. You run into favourite presenters in the gym, some who have travelled from the other side of the world, and suddenly, it feels less like a conference and more like coming home.
Someone else on the street.
Another friend in a restaurant.
Someone you haven’t seen in months appears on an escalator.
And suddenly you’re catching up as if no time has passed at all.
This year, I had the added privilege of meeting so many incredible presenters, some for the first time and some after years of knowing their work.
One of those special connections was Tanya Thompson, joining us virtually from Cape Town, South Africa.
Tanya was named this year’s canfitpro Global Online Presenter of the Year, and getting to know her and hearing her perspective reminded me once again of the incredible talent and knowledge that exists within our global fitness community. After more than three decades in this industry, I still get excited about meeting people who are passionate about teaching and imparting knowledge.
That is the gift of learning.
The Graduates: Watching the Next Generation Arrive
Another MO’ment that always gets me is celebrating the graduates of our Fitness Instructor Specialist and Personal Training Specialist courses. There is something incredibly rewarding about watching people reach the end of their educational journey and celebrate what they’ve accomplished.
But here’s what I love most: They’re not really at the end. They’re at the beginning. They have arrived at one destination and are now ready to begin another chapter. Watching them cross that finish line reminds me that education isn’t about collecting certificates.
It’s about becoming.
Becoming more knowledgeable.
More confident.
More capable.
And ultimately, more equipped to make a difference in someone else’s life.
The Volunteer Team Leaders: The Heartbeat Behind the Scenes
This year, I also had the opportunity to spend more time with our incredible Volunteer Team Leaders.
Many of these leaders return year after year, and not just some, but many have been doing it for a decade or more!
I’ve always known they were dedicated. I’ve always appreciated their passion. But this year I got to see something I hadn’t fully appreciated before.
They are deeply connected to canfitpro, and to the delegates. They aren’t simply volunteering at an event. They are part of a community. They know each other. They support each other. They care about the experience they’re creating for everyone who walks through those doors. And, oh my gosh, they work incredibly hard.
I got a pretty good demonstration of that on Saturday morning when I joined them to help set up 350 BODYPUMP sets and steps for the Les Mills Experience. Let’s just say…I have a whole new level of appreciation for what happens before many attendees open their eyes!
These leaders are proof that UNITE isn’t just a theme. It’s something you can see, feel, and experience when people come together around something they believe in.
A Little Dancing Never Hurts!
Of course, not every MO’ment needs to be profound. Some are just plain fun. Friday night’s VIP and Presenter Party was one of those moments. I had the absolute pleasure of joining about 100 guests on the dance floor as Louis Van Amstel led us through a LaBlast dance lesson, and it was every bit as fun as it sounds. DJ Donovan was originally supposed to give Louis two songs. Two songs became five. Because sometimes, when talented people get together, you just let them jam!
And that’s another thing I love about our industry: we work hard, we learn, we lead, we educate, and we also know how to celebrate.
We work hard.
We learn.
We lead.
We educate.
But we also know how to celebrate.
NEWBODY: Move for Life
And then came one of my biggest personal highlights of the entire weekend: NEWBODY: Move for Life. I was joined by two of the most talented presenters I know, Sue Staresinic and Tracy Sousa, and together we shared a moment I will not soon forget. This year, Gail MacNeil earned her spot on stage as our NEWBODY featured presenter, and she was not disappointed. She worked hard to master the choreography, elevate her presentation skills, and fully embrace the learning process that came with this opportunity. Watching her receive a hug from her Group Experience Divisional Manager, followed by loud cheers from the audience, left me speechless.
This year, more people showed up for NEWBODY than we have seen in years, and honestly, that meant so much to me. I know what this program can do. I have believed in NEWBODY for decades, but there is something incredibly fulfilling about watching more people experience it for themselves.
Seeing that room move together, feel stronger, and discover the joy of functional movement was one of those moments where I thought, “Yes. This is why we keep going.” Sometimes your greatest reward is not creating something. It is watching other people finally discover what you have known all along.
The MO’ments on Stage
Presenting awards is always a special part of canfitpro Global for me.
Every year, I’m reminded of just how many talented, passionate, and committed people are making a difference in our industry. Standing on that stage gives me the privilege of celebrating them publicly, but it also allows me to connect with their stories.
And one award carries an especially deep place in my heart: the Sharon Mann Inspiration Award. Presenting this award allows us to honour an extraordinary presenter and human being while continuing the legacy of my dear friend Sharon Mann. Sharon left us in 2019, but her impact didn’t leave with her. Her legacy continues through the people she inspired, the lives she touched, and now through the recipient of this award – Kelsey Vickers (Fit & Fierce). That is the power of legacy. Our lives may have a beginning and an end, but our influence can continue far beyond us.
GoodLife, Baseball, and Full Circles
One of my favourite traditions has become my annual Blue Jays game with the GoodLife leaders. I always love it when the Jays are playing in Toronto during canfitpro weekend because it gives us another opportunity to connect outside of the conference environment, even when you arrive at the top of the 9th inning (LOL). And then, as the weekend comes to a close, there is the GoodLife Gala and after-party.
Different setting.
Same people.
Much different dress.
More stories.
Many more awards.
More laughter.
Some tears.
More memories.
And this year, one of my biggest full-circle MO’ments was seeing three dear friends: Darin Dieterich, AJ Green and Barbara Klein, who made the trip from Germany to Toronto for canfitpro #33. Seeing them there was emotional. Because 33 years of canfitpro is not just a number. It’s 33 years of friendship. It’s people who have walked alongside me and canfitpro through different chapters, different seasons and different versions of this industry. Seeing Darin, AJ and Barbara in Toronto felt like one big circle of life moment which will become even more meaningful for me very soon. People who were part of the journey then, showing up to be part of the journey now.
That’s arrival.
So…What Did I Learn?
After 33 years, I learned something again. I learned several things:
That education never ends.
That leadership requires us to continually work on ourselves.
That sometimes the most important thing we can change is our mindset.
That people are what make an event unforgettable.
That community doesn’t happen by accident.
That volunteers can become family.
That graduates remind us why education matters.
That dancing can turn two songs into five.
That NEWBODY still has so much life ahead of it.
That awards are really about people, stories and legacy.
And that after all these years, I am still incredibly grateful to be surrounded by people who teach me something new.
My MO’ment of Arrival
This year, I didn’t just arrive at canfitpro Global. I arrived more aware—more aware of what I was carrying, how I wanted to show up, the people around me, and the privilege of being part of this incredible industry. And perhaps most importantly, I arrived more aware that arrival doesn’t mean you’ve reached the end. It means you’re ready for what’s next.
So, as September begins and we all move into another season of work, learning, and life, my challenge to you is simple: don’t ever stop learning. And don’t limit learning to what’s required for your job. Learn something about yourself. Learn something that makes you curious, challenges your thinking, makes you better at what you do, and helps you become a better human being.
Because after 33 years, I’m still learning, still growing, still being surprised, still being inspired, and still finding new ways to MO’ve beyond what I thought was possible. Maybe that’s the real meaning of arrival—not that you’ve finally arrived, but that you’re fully present where you are, grateful for how far you’ve come, and excited about where you’re going next. Here’s to the next MO’ment. Keep learning. Keep growing. Keep uniting. And keep arriving.
