What makes you who you are? Who is Gillian?!

Wow, this first one is a tough one! I think I am still figuring that out, every day. My first go-to would be wife and mother, but this question is about me, so beyond those two very important roles…I am a sensitive, loving, motivated, self-loving AND self-deprecating, efficient, sarcastic, problem solver.

What is momcamplife? Where did the inspiration come from for you to start your Instagram account and website?

Mom Camp and @momcamplife is a place for moms to find the community, tools and resources to make their lives better. That might mean finding ways to get themselves back on their priority list, to manage their time in a new way, to set some boundaries for themselves and their family, or to make time for self-care. And most of all, to know that they’re not alone in the feelings that come with being a busy working mom. We always hear that it takes a village to raise a child, but I also say that it takes a village to raise a MOM. We need that community and support for ourselves, as well as our kids.

As for the inspiration…I think it was more desperation than inspiration! I was in a particularly stressful time at home and work. It was the second week of June, and at work we plan the biggest Canada Day celebration outside of Ottawa, so three weeks out from July 1 is a critical planning time. Lots of pressure, lots of final details. It was also just before the end of school and our son gets really anxious as we head towards any kind of big transition, so his behaviour was pretty challenging. I was on my way to work one morning having just had a before-school battle and heading to what I knew would be a crazy day, and I said (probably out loud, I tend to talk to myself in the car):

It was crystal clear – a summer camp-style getaway, with cabins, a dining hall, activities, campfires, and community. Because I knew if I needed a getaway like that, others would too.

It was a couple of months later, with this camp idea rumbling around in my brain, that I was at a personal development conference. On the final day, during one of the last speakers, I got what I can only describe as a bolt of inspiration lightning right to my brain – “Mom Camp isn’t about creating a place for moms to run away to. It’s about helping them create a life they don’t want to run away from.” It’s about MORE than just camp. It’s about solutions, it’s about support, it’s about community. And that’s where @momcamplife came from.

Have you always been a motivational/public speaker? What is your background?

I have a varied background from theatre to radio to marketing to events, so the answer is “no, but … ” I have always loved helping people, and helping connect them with solutions that might make their lives better, get them out of a tough situation, etc. Also, I get super inspired when I’m talking with someone and we’re brainstorming how to attack a problem, but it’s almost always been one on one. I went to school for theatre, and I love being on stage and part of that magical experience, but also get crazy nervous. Like crazy, stomach issue nervous, which is why acting isn’t really a part of my life anymore. But there’s something about public speaking, when I remind myself that helping someone, connecting with one person in the audience that might find help in something I say, that is so much more important than a nervous tummy.