04 Dec CAPS Convention Begins in Halifax With New Friendships

A new friend from the flight to Halifax

It is with great pleasure that I can announce I’ve met the friendliest people in Halifax since arriving just over 24 hours ago.

I have come here to attend the CAPS (Canadian Association of Professional Speakers) National Convention.

The meeting of great people actually began while on the flight to Halifax from Calgary. I’ve NEVER seen so many people – who did not necessarily know each other before – have conversations on a plane.

I thought that it must have had something to do with the place where I was headed. I was correct.

Although I had arranged for a cousin to meet me in Halifax, I chose to take the bus downtown. This was in part because of the friendly person who I’d just met on the plane, Melanie (pictured above). She was heading downtown as well and could not stop talking about how great Halifax is and how much she missed it while visiting her boyfriend in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. We spoke briefly on the plane and it was as if we’d known each other already for some time. Once downtown we walked a short distance to the beautiful hotel where she works and I was introduced to a number of her colleagues. I felt like some kind of celebrety.

Two If By Sea Cafe Halifax

Now that I was fully awake, I decided to get some work done and asked where a good place to do so was. This took me to the “Two If By Sea Cafe” nearby. There I met a young fellow, Paul who struck up a conversation with me. (In my life experience it’s usually the other way around). We chatted about entrepreneurship as he himself is a small business owner and about Canada’s identity. His company is called, “Great White North Leather“.

I then got zipped in a taxi – driven by a cousin who I’d not seen in 20 years – up to the family house to be spoiled with great food, rest and conversation for the evening. What a treat.

Since being back in town today I’ve continued to meet more and more great people and it’s as if the entire town is charmed. It may very well be.

It is my wish that people who visit from all across Canada for this convention take notice of this friendliness and use it as a learning opportunity. It is an opportunity for us to let our guard down and to talk to more people.  I believe that it’s this friendliness and these conversations that really create possibilities.

Just last week I was enjoying a meal in Calgary and I got to chatting with my waitress about how it is that people connect. She commented, “It’s all about those connections isn’t it”. I remembered the statement, “It’s not what you know, but who you know.” and this line of thought popped into my head. Further than that,

“It’s not who you know, but who you talk to”, that matters the most.

This enables individuals to take control of their experience and to create their own possibilities. As it ties in beautifully with my message about the power of unexpected connections, I’ll be sharing this concept more often.

There’s plenty more I could write now, but I’ve got to head out and meet some more people. Below is a piece that Global TV did with Convention Chairs Halina St. James and Ravi Tangri, CSP.

The 2015 CAPS Convention has begun, and I’m ready for the possibilities that we are going to create together, because we believe.

And if you know of anyone who would be interested in a Thailand Creativity Camp in April, could you send them my way? Thank you!