The Rășcanu Weekly Update Lesson 31: Man can endure almost any “how” of life if he has a “why”By Alex Rășcanu Good morning, I wonder what you're reading these days. Reading and deeply reflecting can stir up learning opportunities and positive outcomes. I'm currently part way through Victor Frankl's "Man's Search for Meaning" memoir. Victor Frankl was born in Vienna in 1905. He studied psychology and philosophy. After earning a doctorate in medicine in 1930, Frankl headed a suicide prevention...
11 days ago • 3 min read
The Rășcanu Weekly Update Lesson 30: Make your mark on your city, inspired by Toronto's first MayorBy Alex Rășcanu Good morning, Nearly two centuries later, what can William Lyon Mackenzie still teach us about building a better city? In my reading of his story, I find that one of his beliefs was that true democracy requires active civic participation, including fair elections, public debate, and citizen involvement, principles that are essential to good governance. When York became Toronto in...
21 days ago • 1 min read
The Rășcanu Weekly Update Lesson 29: Your impact isn’t measured by recognition, but by contributionBy Alex Rășcanu Good morning, While preparing for the Lawrence Park Historical Tour that's taking place on Saturday at 11:00 a.m., I got to research the person after whom the Alexander Muir Memorial Gardens (which is part of the tour) are named and realized that his is a story worth sharing. Alexander Muir is best known as the writer of “The Maple Leaf Forever,” a patriotic song composed in...
28 days ago • 2 min read
The Rășcanu Weekly Update Lesson 28: Every step countsBy Alex Rășcanu Good morning, In life, we often underestimate how much impact a small act can truly have. But I’ve come to believe that the most meaningful changes happen not in giant leaps, but in the quiet, persistent steps we take toward goals that truly matter. On September 20, I’ll be running 5 kilometers in the RBC Race for the Kids in support of Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre's Family Navigation Project. This is a free service...
about 1 month ago • 1 min read
The Rășcanu Weekly Update Lesson 27: How to address being misunderstood and mischaracterizedBy Alex Rășcanu Hi,Have you ever been misunderstood and mischaracterized? It doesn't feel great, but there are ways to address such a situation and we'll go over that shortly. For a minute, let's take a step back to reflect on a broader community. There's a neighbourhood in Toronto that has been and continues to be, in my opinion, the most misunderstood and mischaracterized part of the city. Which...
about 1 month ago • 1 min read
The Rășcanu Weekly Update Lesson 26: Be IntentionalBy Alex Rășcanu Hi,Earlier this week, I added two more historical tours of the #ExperienceTO event series; the one on July 5th will focus on the Lawrence Park neighbourhood, where my family and I lived in the past. During my research in preparation for it, I paused to reflect on how intentional Wilfred Servington Dinnick was in the design of what is now one of Canada's wealthiest neighbourhoods. In its 2016 study of Lawrence Park West as a...
about 2 months ago • 2 min read
The Rășcanu Weekly Update Lesson 25: Life Is Too Brief to WasteBy Alex Rășcanu Hi, You are significant. Your life does matter. The level of your life's significance isn't measured by its length, but by what you do with the time you’ve been given — knowing that our choices carry both temporal and eternal weight. Our lives are very brief — briefer than we tend to assume, and far too brief to waste. In the face of this sobering truth, let’s resist the drift toward distraction, comfort, and...
about 2 months ago • 1 min read
The Rășcanu Weekly Update Lesson 24: Be PersistentBy Alex Rășcanu Hello, We live in tumultuous times — whether we’re discussing national security, economic development, employment, housing, or the stability of our political environment. It was good to see on May 27 His Majesty King Charles III attend the State Opening of the Parliament of Canada and deliver the Speech from the Throne to open the first session of the 45th Parliament and outline the government’s agenda. As Canada's current...
2 months ago • 2 min read
The Rășcanu Weekly Update Lesson 23: How to get better at time management By Alex Rășcanu Hello, Getting better at managing our time can make a big difference in our daily lives. If you or someone you love regularly says: "I never have enough hours in the day" or "I feel like I’m constantly behind"... the person may be juggling too many responsibilities - work, family, personal goals - without a clear system to manage them. This creates mental clutter and emotional exhaustion. "Deadlines...
2 months ago • 1 min read