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[bc_video video_id="6253503787001" account_id="2226196965001" player_id="rkljM4WDEg"] Billions of work email messages are being sent and consumed right now; it’s pretty much how we communicate in our remote work setups. And while most of the time we get it right, sooner or later a lot of us face challenges in that online communication process. Today, we're going to give you some tips on showing confidence in our digital communication. All communication needs balance, and we don’t always get it right. Sometimes composing a simple work email feels like the communication Olympics. It can be hard to convey what you mean — you don’t want to come across as a doormat, but you also don’t want to come across as a jerk. There's also the obvious double standard of women's communication, in particular. Women are socialized to soften language to make it non-threatening. Historically, it’s what we’ve had to do to be let in the room. But this often works against us in the workplace. We may be seen as likeable and non-threatening, but usually this prevents us from being seen as leaders! It's a standard that has long overstayed it's welcome, and it's definitely time to kick it to the curb. Using more empowered language is a key step in asserting yourself in the workplace. Here are some tips to do just that. Ease up on the qualifiers. A qualifier is something you say to soften the tone of a statement.  For example, the term "just my two cents" uses the qualifier of "just". It's minimizing and apologetic in tone. Even though when we remove qualifiers, women will often be perceived as cold or aggressive, it's better to just ditch this tendency. Instead, you can present a statement more definitively, like "here's my two cents." Same statement, but more confident. Qualifiers can also occur in punctuation. While we all love a good exclamation point, too many can be overly enthusiastic and honestly, kind of goofy. Emojis are also fun, but too many are unprofessional and unnecessary for qualifying tone in a work setting. Ditch the filler. If your tone is apologetic, self-effacing or diminutive, you’re probably using twice the amount of words you actually need. Try to be more concise. Ask yourself, “Can I say this in fewer words?”  Focus on clarity instead of niceness and likability. If you want to do this without sounding robotic, you can use a greeting or a nice sign-off, or infuse some humor into your communication. Just make sure this isn't self-effacing or ingratiating. Speaking of which... Watch your greeting and sign-off. If you regularly communicate with someone, a "Hi John", will do. There's no need to add in statements like "hope you're doing well" or "hope you're having a nice day". Cutting to the point is better. After sharing your thoughts, don’t sign off with: “Does that make sense?” It’s self-effacing, and what it’s actually doing is asking for validation. Instead, invite them to ask questions if they have them. Say “What do you think?” or “Let me know if you have any questions.” Be Confident on LinkedIn. LinkedIn is now one of the fastest ways to network, so when you connect with someone don't apologize for introducing yourself. It's what the platform is for! You can just say " I saw that article you posted yesterday and wanted to connect." If you don't want to go cold turkey with this, just start dialing the apologies back gradually. Did these tips help your professional communication? Let us know in the comments!

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Mother’s Day is a great time to celebrate moms everywhere, but it can also be a tough reminder for those who are struggling to start or grow their families. The stigma around infertility can make those who are experiencing it feel like they’re alone, and it's so important to be empathic and supportive to those affected. What is Infertility? Infertility is defined by the inability to become pregnant after 12 months of regular unprotected sex. It’s prevalent and can also happen to people who have already had a child. We tend to think that having a baby is easy, but nearly 6.3 million people - 1 in 6 Canadians - face fertility challenges. Often this is a stigmatized topic, particularly for women, who often do not open up about their struggles to friends and family. This can make their journey lonely and isolating. What we know through research is that the level of emotional stress one faces while going to a fertility clinic is comparable to someone who is facing a life-threatening illness like cancer or heart disease. There’s a monthly emotional rollercoaster ride of hope and then disappointment and sadness when you get a negative pregnancy test. This heartbreak is that much more devastating after an IVF cycle because of all the time, money, and effort you put into it. In addition to individual emotional impact, infertility can also contribute to marital distress. All of these are reasons that celebrations like Mother's Day can be difficult reminders of every negative pregnancy result, miscarriage or stillbirth. Despite this, women experiencing infertility are still not talked about, and are expected to suffer silently. How can we be more supportive and empathetic towards women who are dealing with infertility? No matter if it’s your sister, daughter, neighbour or co-worker, don’t make the assumption that they don’t want or are too busy for children - it’s a private matter. So don't ask "why are you not having kids?" or "when do you plan to start a family?" since each person may have their own reasons or struggles in regards to having children. Even if you know someone is trying to conceive, it’s not helpful to say "just relax" or "you can always adopt". Honestly, has "just relax" ever worked? Instead, just say “I’m here to listen, let me know how I can be of support” or send them a meal to show you are thinking of them. If someone has miscarried, it’s not helpful to say it wasn’t meant to be. Rather, you can validate their feelings by acknowledging that it totally sucks, end of story. There's not much you can say to help someone in this position, but you can be a listening ear. If you find yourself in the difficult position of having to announce a pregnancy to someone struggling with infertility, be understanding. Your pregnancy may be something that's very difficult for them to hear about, and if they need some time away from you, don't take it personally. How do you deal with infertility-related stress? If you happen to be on the other side of the divide, there are a couple things to keep in mind. the most important thing is this: acknowledge that your feelings are real and valid. You're going through an incredibly difficult time, and it's okay to be angry, sad, resentful or any other emotion you feel... except guilt. Don't blame yourself for your infertility, because it's simply not your fault. Instead, put that self-hating energy towards researching and understanding your options with the help of reputable resources. Here are some places to start:

• Fertility Matters Canada
• Resolve: The National Infertility Association
• Fertility Talks with Mary Wong
• "It Starts with The Egg" by Rebecca Fett
• "8 Steps to Reverse your PCOS" by Fiona McCulloch
• "Pathways to Pregnancy" by Mary Wong

You can also reconsider who you follow on social media or even remove your apps if seeing people’s kids or pregnancy shots is upsetting to you. Your mental health around this topic is so important. And of course, if you think you need more personal help, find a community of support beyond your partner. This could be anything from a fertility counselor to a therapist to a natural practitioner. Having one person of support at home and one at work can be a good way to cover your bases.   In order to reduce the stigma around these issues, we need to talk about them, and with time, we can all learn to have more open and empathetic conversations around infertility.

[bc_video video_id="6252908546001" account_id="2226196965001" player_id="rkljM4WDEg"] It's time to take a page from our European friends and revitalize our doors! Luckily, you don’t have to do a major renovation to change the look of your space. Paint is your best friend for an easy makeover, and we're bringing you 6 cross-ocean looks for inspiration! Belfast, Northern Ireland The pebble wall as a backdrop really helps this burgundy door pop. The cream trim around the edge provides a beautiful depth, and overall, this door just looks regal! Sliema, Malta This gold door against the limestone in Malta seems subtle at first glance. Look closer though, and you'll notice that the lighter colour of the wall makes the door look rich and saturated in comparison. The pop of colour at the window is super fun as well! Quebec City, Canada Here's one from close to home! The toned-down green of this door really helps to blend with the blue-grey of the wall, and the flowers provide a complementary colour for passerby. Dublin, Ireland The rich coral door on this dark, old, Dublin brick is so lively. The shade itself almost resembles lipstick, and the yellow trim give an electric feel to it. Milan, Italy What a combination! This look is for the bold only, with plaster pink walls and a shocking green door. It certainly pops though! Lisbon, Portugal This look is like a gemstone on a wall, with the rich blue door acting as an eye-catching bauble! The vibrant purple tiles can't be overlooked either, of course! What's Popular Here? The top selling exterior colours in Canada are white, gray, black and navy. Definitely not as exciting as the doors above, but there's still plenty of capacity to keep a door simple and classic. Once you get into the top 30 colours or so, some colours finally show up.  A surprising number of blues have surfaced lately – aside from good old Hale Navy there is Van Deusen Blue, Symphony blue and a fresh, pretty pastel - Birds Egg! There's also a beautiful Aegean Teal, which is a great pop of colour for a front door. Hawthorne Yellow is a good bet for nice historical look as well. Of course, we'd be remiss to not mention the potential for a splash of red. Caliente is the most popular red for the outdoors. Before you get to painting though, we have a few tips!

• Check the weather and be sure you have a few days of dry, consistent temperatures above 10 degrees. If you use Aura exterior 100% acrylic you can get away with painting in lower temperatures of around 5 degrees – but remember that has to be consistent throughout the evening.
• Unless it’s a brand-new ready to paint door, you will have to do some prep, which includes a light sanding. Generally a fine grit sandpaper will do and be sure the door is clean and dry before you start.
• Spot-prime any raw or bare spots or prime if you’re changing colour drastically. Priming can also just ensure a good sound surface. Be sure to use high quality tools, like an angle sash polyester brush for water borne paints . Use the brush to get into the recessed areas and be sure the paint doesn’t pool.  Then you can switch to an appropriate sized roller.
• Be sure to choose your door colour outside with natural light! Color is subjective so differences in light can make the same colour appear quite different on your front door than on the house across the street!
• Since it’s a relatively small area compared to the rest of the house, you can afford to take risks with the front door and be more adventurous with colour.   
• Dark coloured brick or stone can overwhelm a pale door, so you may consider a more saturated shade.

Photos and information provided by Sharon Grech and Benjamin Moore.