Meet Karen.

My guess, though, is you've met Karen somewhere along your way with Community Living Guelph Wellington.

Karen is our resident jill of all trades. She's played a part in EmployMEnt Options, training and person-centred approach to support, volunteerism, Campus Friends, and so much more. She has also supported a number of organizations in our community. So you might have come across her in your travels.

When we met up with Karen for her We've Got This photoshoot, we discussed what's been keeping her going.

At first, it was helping others and being a joy-maker. Whether it was doing car parades to bring a smile to someone's face, putting together resources and opportunities that can help keep people busy at home, or mobilizing people to help kick off a really cool initiative, she found a lot enjoyment in reaching out to others.

That joy-making also evolved inward - finding ways to get outside, doing small things to fill her bucket. Sharing about those simple joys when she connected with others, created a genuine opportunity for each person to collaborate and contribute on ways to find joy. That joy is unique to each of us and that sometimes it takes reflection and a little sharing to discover what works for you. Even then, sometimes you need to take pause, or ask others to support you in taking a pause so you can get back to filling your bucket.

Karen is there, cheerleading, hoping people are taking care of themselves and finding joy.

Joy helps us persist and feel like we've got this.