Article from the T&T featuring my book! :)

(Originally published in the Times & Transcript on June 22nd 2012)


Author takes 'journey to authenticity'
by Linda Hersey


The Life Gardener just might surprise you.

The author, Rémi Boudreau of Moncton, not a gardener 'at all,' employs 'seven gardening principles' in this his first book. Written in novel form, it's designed to help readers apply these principles to life.

'I actually tell my own real journey in the book,' says Rémi. 'The novel is still fictional, but the discussions and the challenges that the main character in the book faces to make changes to be more authentic - because that's the point of the book … The subtitle is A Journey Towards Authenticity, and (the book contains) seven principles to help us grow into our authentic self.' A native of Bathurst, Rémi is also a successful singer/songwriter.

The Life Gardener basically fulfilled his dream of writing a book although he struggled with possible subject matter. While blogging 'and just putting stuff out there' and last summer doing a video 'about weeds in the garden,' he seized on the idea of how that concept could actually be applied to daily living. That grew into the book and he finished the project in late 2011.

His natural talent for insight and understanding has been utilized in The Life Gardener as well as the opportunity to share valuable lessons learned in his own life.

'Three and a half years ago was when I decided to reclaim my life because I had slowly stepped away from the real version of who I was.

I had become quite popular (music) when I was 18 back north in Bathurst, and people were starting to recognize me. That fame that I was getting kind of scared me and it made me step away and stop playing music for 10 years. Following that I just became a person obsessed with money and success, and image was everything. I lost touch with who I really was.' Among those life changes to make a fresh start, both personal and professional, was closing a company he'd built that had 18 employees. He feels that no matter how far off the path someone may go, there's always a way to get your life back in order.

'Life is not meant to be a struggle and painful,' he says. 'We are meant to enjoy this life. There are certainly ups and downs, but if everyday you just feel miserable - it's not normal. There must be some changes that need to be done in your life.' At 111 pages with a music CD written as a companion to the book, The Life Gardener (self-published) is available at Chapters ('local section') as well as on-line at www.remiboudreau.com; www.amazon.com, and the soundtrack on iTunes. The book and soundtrack are each priced separately with a special price and free shipping if purchased together.

Rémi Boudreau shares his favourites quotes from The Life Gardener: 'Our thoughts are the seeds with which we fill our garden’ and 'Your soul is the seed. Your body is the flower. Your life is the garden. You are the gardener.'

Linda Hersey's By the Book, profiling local authors and their works, appears every Friday.

Are you using your inner compass? (You should!)

Imagine yourself traveling towards an unfamiliar place and even though you have programmed your GPS to help guide you to it… you decide not to consult it during your journey.

Life is such a journey. And even though we don’t have an actual GPS attached to us, we do have something very similar to it… our inner compass.

An INTUITION, a VISION, a GUT FEELING or even a FEELING OF UNQUESTIONALBE KNOWING… those are all messages we receive from this inner compass on a daily basis. The problem, however, is that most times; we have a hard time hearing those messages. We have so many “pressing and urgent” other things on our minds that we fail to hear the whispers of this inner guidance. 

So what are we to do?

THE ANSWER:  Meditation (or time alone with yourself)

By allowing yourself some time in quietude regularly, you’ll discover that your life will get a little easier in time.  You’ll find that your struggles will become less consuming… you’ll discover that your challenges will get resolved quicker… you’ll discover a new ability to achieve goals quicker and with more ease…  you’ll find yourself a much more pleasant and joyful person…

Of course, if you don’t use your GPS, you MIGHT still get to your destination in time… but wouldn’t you rather use that extra time for more pleasant activities?

Quotable Quotes from "THE LIFE GARDENER"

“As much as we can appreciate the beauty of a single flower, it is nothing when compared to the splendor of a beautiful garden. It would appear that its beauty does not come from the sum of each individual flower, but rather from the original composition and interplay of the textures, shapes and colors that makes up this beautiful piece of art.”

–The Life Gardener

“Life is a piece of art, but only a few choose to hold their own brush.”

–The Life Gardener

“If a gardener is determined to make a tulip smell like a rose, he might spend years trying to achieve his goal, but he would eventually discover that it had been a complete waste of his time.”

–The Life Gardener

“The best teachers in life never leave the role of student.”

–The Life Gardener

“By letting go of what could have been, we can focus our energy on what will be.”

–The Life Gardener

“Our thoughts are the seeds with which we fill our garden.”

–The Life Gardener

“Where love is present, beauty soon follows.”

–The Life Gardener

“When we live our lives trying to please everyone else but us, this stranger that we become, finds itself having to steal from others, in order to survive.”

–The Life Gardener

“When we give, we receive. When we take, we deceive.”

–The Life Gardener

“Even a broken flower is given a chance to grow at the start of the following season.”

                                                                    –The Life Gardener

“Seasons change. We can try to avoid, ignore or deny this fact if we choose, but seasons will still change.”

–The Life Gardener

“The most beautiful gardens on earth are not limited to one type of flower”

–The Life Gardener

“The Universe is continuously helping and guiding us towards our authentic self. Intuition, inspiration, a vision or a sense of unquestionable knowing is what happens when we are able to connect, listen and trust.”

–The Life Gardener

What's "THE LIFE GARDENER" about?

The Life Gardener is a novel with a powerful message; one that I believe can help you with your own journey called life.

While the story itself is a work of fiction, it has been inspired by actual events that I have personally faced and overcome on my journey towards authenticity. While I feel I have made tremendous strides in overcoming some of the illusions and beliefs that had been the foundation for how I viewed the world and my role in it, I believe that my journey towards authenticity continues.

I believe we are all spiritual beings having a human experience. I also believe that life on earth is a school of some sorts, and that each and every one of us comes to this school with specific lessons we are meant to learn and to teach. What comes out of this cycle of learning and teaching is evolution.

While I believe authenticity to be the merging of spirit, mind and body, we still need to understand that we are, for the moment, living a human experience… an imperfect, sometimes challenging, but more often rewarding human experience. And for our experience to be less painful and more fulfilling, I believe we need to be more patient with ourselves and with others.

Before reading “The Life Gardener”, I ask my readers to give themselves permission to open up to the possibilities of what their life could be. I ask that they try to see past any illusions or beliefs that may be currently limiting their experience and joy. Life has many seasons, and sometimes we can be stuck in one by fear of what could be coming next – I know I was. But by trying to prevent change, not only are we preventing this learning and teaching from taking place, we are also putting all of our energy and efforts trying to prevent something that is simply destined to happen – our own history proves it. Although scary at times, change is truly a positive thing.

Life is a blessing we are all meant to enjoy. 

Advance Praise for "THE LIFE GARDENER"

“This beautiful book will teach you powerful lessons about living an authentic and happy life.”

–Martin Latulippe, CSP

Bestselling Author & Speaker

“The thing I like most about this book is that you can tell it is written from the heart. The simplest concepts are often the most difficult to master. I've also had the pleasure of being taken through Remi's journey musically, and that extremely rare combination makes the principles in this book resonate in a way I've never experienced before.”

–Kathy Mercure

Freelance Writer

“By utilizing his immense courage and sharing from his heart, Remi weaves a compelling tale of a young man and the many valuable lessons he learned and incorporated into his life along the way. An inspiring and easy to read story that will touch all who read it!”

–Bev Crossman

Inspirationalist & Life Coach

“All the best with the new album and sending your wonderful music and poetry out into the world. May all those who can be comforted and inspired by your gift find their way to your offerings.”

–Oriah Mountain Dreamer

Bestselling Author

 “In the book The Life Gardener, Remi has allowed himself to be vulnerable in order to share some of the incredible lessons that he learned through his own personal struggles. The lessons he shares in the book are applicable to anyone, regardless of where they are in their life journey. His story has made me reconsider the way I look at the difficulties in my own life. Easy to read and hard to put down, this book is a must read!”

–Jenn Marr

Philanthropy Development Officer

“If you're a person that needs to establish direction and better values in your life, this book is for you! It's a great example of simple principles that can be incorporated in anyone's life in order to live a happier and more balanced existence. Great read!”

–Steve Daniels

Leadership Coach

“The Life Gardener brings to the surface those burning 'Who am I and how do I find that out?' thoughts that we all so often have. Remi helps us find our unique answers with his heartbreaking, thought provoking novel about loss, love and most importantly… finding ones sense of self.”

–Natasha Carson

Book Lover & Blogger

 “Remi is truly a creative artist as his down-to-earth writing style carries the reader along on this journey towards understanding and growth.”

–Trina Campbell

Site Administrator for Miracle Messages

“As a professional artist, I take my inspiration from the simplest things. The simple principles in this book are sure to inspire you in your own life.”

–Matt Leblanc

Abstract Artist

Fire vs Water (Who wins?)

If water enters a battle against fire with even forces… water always wins.

To illustrate, imagine yourself sitting near a campfire.  If you were to throw drops of water at it, would you be able to extinguish the fire?  But what if you were to take a bucket of water roughly the size of the fire and dump it all over it… wouldn’t that extinguish the fire?

The battle between fear (fire) and love (water) is similar. 

We live in a time where fear seems nearly impossible to overcome.  It appears as if one person does not stand a chance against big corporations who fear losing their power in their markets or governments who fear losing control over their people or society who fears there aren’t enough jobs, money and resources for everyone.

So what are we to do?

I believe we need to focus on love and build a tribe strong enough that can then go to battle against fear and be on even ground.  1 vs 1000 will not win.  But if you gather an army of love strong enough… water (love) always wins.

When we fight fire with fire, the fire grows bigger… and that’s not what the worlds needs right now.

Resolutions & Water Stains

The New Year is a time when a lot of people make resolutions for the upcoming year.  However, as you might have already experienced, those resolutions rarely last very long.  And to explain why I believe that is the case, let me give you a comparison that relates to painting.

Imagine, if you will, that your roof is leaking and water has started to drip from your ceiling and onto your dining room table.  Looking at the ceiling, you would most likely notice that the paint has started to peel and that the water has left a brown stain.

The problem with most resolutions is that they typically focus on the surface of the problem and not the real source of the problem.  In my example, if you were to hire me to come over to repair and repaint the ceiling, would that fix your problem?  Maybe at first, but in time the same thing would happen because the water issue (the real source of the problem) has not been fixed.

Now, think about this for a second... whether it's exercising, eating better or anything else you may have set as your New Year resolution, could it be that it's simply not the real source of the problem?  Is there perhaps a deeper reason as to why you are having difficulty with what ever it is you decided to change.

I say, find the source of the problem... this way, you won't need to make the same resolution year after year.


Happy New Year!!!


Remi :)

The true source of inspiration...

When feeling inspired, is it fair (or right) to send the credit of this experience outwards?

Meaning, is this inspiration really coming from the beautiful painting, the majestic scenery or even that incredible person you just saw or met?

After reading and studying the concept of inspiration for many years now, I have come to understand that inspiration can only come from within.  Certain experiences can help us access that inspiration, but to forget that it still came from inside of us is only leaving us dependent to such outside stimuli.  

To illustrate what I mean, imagine being trapped inside a room with absolutely no light (therefore pitch black and cold).  You don't know this, but there is a window for this room, only the blinds are closed and sealed tight.  If someone comes in and opens up this blind, should you credit that person for the light and warmth that is now filling your room?

While, you can (and should) show your appreciation to the person, painting or event for opening up the blinds to your room... you should not discredit yourself as having something to do with the experience.  You see, inspiration is a message from your soul (a message that you were able to hear or understand during that brief moment).  

So in reality, this message really came from inside of you :)

Live life... Inspired from the Inside

And not... Motivated by the Outside

Money for nothing... (how that system changed everything)

There was a time when people did not work for a pay cheque or profits, they would get up in the morning and go out producing crops (or items of value).  And because one person could not produce every item his family would need, he would produce extra of what he knew best, and then exchange the extra with other producers in the region.

As time evolved, people found it easier to exchange crops & items with coins or notes (which they could then use to exchange with others).  It's much easier to carry a dozen coins than a dozen pigs ;)

Over time the system evolved some more and the banking industry was created.  This system allowed you to receive some coins and notes (now referred to as money) without needing to give the bank any products in return.  In a way the bank was giving you a gift... as long as you promised to give it back at some point (with interest).

Over time, this phenomenon created a mind set where people started believing that they were entitled to purchase items of value even if they couldn't afford to pay for them (or produce anything of equal value in return).  And so the simple concept of exchanging value for equal value evolved into a game of strategy, outwit and con.

The current reality, unfortunately, is that some individuals and companies consider trading as a game where you "win" if you can get AS MUCH MONEY in exchange for AS LITTLE VALUE AS POSSIBLE (the difference is where big profits come from).

So how can we return to the very simple principle of exchanging value for equal value.  The first step in my opinion, is to switch our thinking from "I need to work to make money..." to "I need to produce so I can contribute".

So instead of trying to produce everything that you need for living... why not produce more of what you are best at (like they would do years ago)?  Then you can exchange the extra for other crops or items of value you need for your life.  Sure you'll be getting money for you production (or contribution), but in return you will have given REAL VALUE.

What I want the world to know...

We live in a time of endless possibilities… at a time where there is such a big difference between the old and the new that people are afraid to change… to move on… to be left behind.

I want to help people see their own potential… I want people to know that they have a right – and a duty – to show the world their unique skills.  They have a right to ask for our support as they develop and polish those skills.  We are all in this together; no one is better or worse than anybody else.  We were each given a unique set of skills which we are meant to utilize and develop for the continued evolution of the world.

I want people to know that we are all responsible for our own experience in this life.  We bring to ourselves situations and events so that we may learn and benefit from them.  No one ever said that life was easy… but with this new kind of courage, we can, by working together, make it an inspired and beautiful place to live.

People are afraid of their own potential, that’s why we hesitate to believe our own psychic visions or intuitions (or the ones of others)… and I believe that the new world will see a rise in our ability and duty to follow such guidance… giving birth to a new reality and conciousness for us all... one where we all follow through on the ideas and visions we receive and consider them blessings from the above.

Promising Dilemma

Should you ever break a promise you made to someone else?

If it's to keep a promise you made to yourself... I say yes!

Of course, this is not an easy subject to bring up (to say the least)... but does this mean that we need to avoid it or hide from it?

For the most part, people have the greatest intentions when making promises such as "I will love you for the rest of my life".  But when circumstances (or people) change along the way, is it really best to stick with something that is simply making both of you miserable (and most likely, the people around you)?

Sure you made a promise that you intended to keep... but you also made a promise to yourself long before making any sort of promise to others...

• You promised yourself you'd pursue a life of meaning and fulfillment.  
• You promised yourself you would navigate through life using joy as your compass.  
• You promised yourself you would learn and teach lessons of life... lessons of love.

And while it may not seem like an act of "love" to break a promise made to another.  If it's to keep a promise to yourself, so that both of you can be happier in time as a result... well, that is most certainly an act of love.

YOUR Contribution (a gift to the world)

Have you ever stopped and wondered if you were hiding a part of yourself from the rest of the world?

You see, we were all given a mission for our life, a purpose or calling... but most of us fear exploring this path because it may not already have been walked on.  Meaning, you might have to create this path without knowing exactly where it will lead you.

So instead we conform to what others expect of us (the majority wins in this case).  We go through life asking questions such as...

• What would people want to buy from me?
• Which College are my friends attending next year?
• What would my parents think of this?
• Would others laugh at this idea?
• Is this even a good idea?
• Can I make money with this?  If so, how much?

And as we search and research how to be the best person, company or employer the world would like us to be... we fail to look INSIDE OF US and therefore sacrifice our own self-acceptance and self-worth.

Henri Ford is famous for saying the following...

"If I would have asked others what they wanted, they would have said faster horses"

But instead, Henry Ford, believed he could make automobiles accessible to more people by mass producing them.  And so he did... 

The important thing to point out here is that while there's no doubt that Henry Ford, with the success of his Ford empire, changed the world as we knew it... his contribution is no more important than yours.  The impact of each one of our contributions to this world can not be measured by the perception others have of it, but instead only by the fulfillment it brings to the individual in question.  

• If it feels like you are living your purpose (a meaningful life)... you are making tremendous contributions to our world.  No matter how big or small that contribution may seem to others.
• If you feel resentment towards others who appear to be more successful than you... you have yet to discover the fulness of your own purpose.

So perhaps it's now time for you to turn your attention elsewhere... look inside... and discover the Gift you were meant to share with the rest of us.  We can't wait!

The Power is Shifting (once again)

There used to be a time when individuals would not only associate more with their career, it was also their identity, who they were.  There was the local doctor, the mailman, the nurse, the butcher, the baker and many others.  And during those days, everyone seemed to be treating their customers as they would their neighbors.  Of course, in most cases, they literally were.

Then some businesses realized that, by marketing to a larger group of people, more customers would come to their store and buy their product or service.  This meant more money in the bank for those businesses.  And with this extra money, they invested in some more marketing and made advertizing promises to an even higher number of people.  Television, Radio, Newspaper Ads… all of those cost a lot of money and for the people who had some, it meant they’d make even more.  In time, those businesses distanced themselves from the other smaller ones to a point of even being perceived as untouchable.  And for the longest time they were…

This also lead to a new discovery, because “mass media” was only available to the people who had money, those larger businesses realized that even if some of their customers weren’t completely satisfied with the product or service, they wouldn’t be able to tell the other customers.  At least, not on a scale that would prevent enough of them to come buy again from them.  And so quality started to go down while prices went up.  Of course, this meant even higher profits for the select few. 

But then everything changed…

The new century gave rise to a new phenomenon… Social Media. 

Now, because of Social Media and the Internet, we are seeing a shift in the “power to communicate to the masses”.  Today, everyone has access to a much larger network of people with whom they can share their thoughts, frustrations, great experiences and bad experiences.  And if the news is something those people feel is worth sharing, they do exactly that.  Then other people do the same… until, in a matter of minutes, thousands and thousands of people are hearing about it.  And the best thing about it… it’s FREE!

What does this mean for big businesses?

Well for one, it means that it’s now becoming harder for them to get away with their empty promises.  Customers are much more educated, a lot more skeptic and expect more for their money… and how can you blame them?  After being “taken” all those years they are now looking for some redemption.

Now, the question is... how are you going to adapt to this new reality?

Invest in Rest

Imagine if every time you got behind the wheel of a vehicle, you kept your foot on the gas peddle until you needed more gas.  I mean, even if you had to make a stop at a red light, you'd still take the time to put the car in neutral and continue feeding the engine some gas.  Do you think this would be good on your engine in the long run?

Unfortunately, this is how most of us treat our body in todays society.  Of course we all have to sleep at night, and even if we tried to completely deprive ourselves of it, we'd eventually fail... and fall asleep.  But resting during our awake hours is where most of us fall short.

Sleeping, is a way for us to recharge our batteries or refuel the engine.  But giving the engine a rest during hours of operations, is where we can avoid illnesses and stress while giving our body a better and longer quality of life.

In your work days, whether you're doing labor or mental work, take the time to rest and not think about your work.  Take a lunch... and not a lunch sitting at your desk answering calls and returning emails.  Step outside your work area, turn off your phone and simply rest.

There are many other ways to rest that are also very much essential to your good health, so why not take the time to discover what works best for you? You're worth the investment!

1 + 1 affects every 1

Relationships are everywhere... some better than others.  And whether we choose to accept this or not (or believe it or not), every relationship that we form affects our entire surrounding - not only the people directly involved.

Have you ever been part of a group in which 2 people really detested each other?  How was the overall dynamic of that group?

Now imagive a child growing up with parents who stopped loving each other... parents who now resent each other... parents who put on their smiling face in front of their child only to turn to fighting and screaming behind closed doors.  Can we honestly say that this does not affect the child's life just as much as it does the parents?

Whether we feel stuck, without options or not worthy of a fulfilling...

• Romantic Relationship
• Employee/Employer Relationship
• Parent/Child Relationship
• Friend/Friend Relationship
• Customer/Organization Relationship

We need to remind ourselves that we are not doing our environment a favor in leaving things as they are... the energy surrounding each one of our relationships travels much further than we tend to convince ourselves.

Contruction delays

Have you ever noticed how the ones who complain that the roads are filled with potholes are also the same who'll complain about construction delays?  And often times, those same people will then turn around and complain about municipal and/or provincial taxes.

We have become so used to getting everything we want in a flash (and for free) since the rise of the internet.  But some things simply take a bit of sacrifice of both time and money... so let's all be a little more patient and grateful that we don't have to fix the roads ourselves.

Aiming at the target

It doesn't matter if your target is a personal goal, business goal or an actual target, you need to take that first shot and make adjustments until you hit your goal.

Too many people stay in the aiming (or planning) stage of the process by fear of missing their goal (making a mistake).

Always keep in mind...  It doesn't matter how long you aim at a target, you'll never know where the arrow will strike until you take that first shot.

Who's behind the curtain?

So you get up in the morning, you have plans or you make plans for the day, you put yourself in "character" and you go out into the world to play your part...

Does this sound like you some days? 

Have you ever caught yourself "acting" as someone you simply weren't for various reasons?

• It may have been because you feared others wouldn't really get you if you played your real self.
• It may have been because you felt that the situation needed you to behave a certain way.
• It may have been because you really weren't sure who the real you was anymore.

What ever the reason was that made you play this "character" in the past... here's one thing you should keep in mind.  No matter who you are, how you behave, how you dress, how you speak, where you work, who you know, etc... you will never please everyone, so why try?  Why not instead focus on making yourself happy?

BE, LIVE & BREATHE like the person that you are... the real you... open yourself and accept every part of the real you... your strengths and your flaws... and find your own joy and happiness.

You have the right to play the part of... THE REAL YOU.

Airplane wisdom

If you're like most people I know, you probably don't pay too close attention to the routine speech flight attendants give before a plane takes off.  We heard the same speech over and over again and eventually we feel like there's nothing left to learn... Or is there?

I'm not sure exactly what day this was, but it was a few years ago.  I was sitting patiently in an airplane waiting for the "usual routine" to begin.  But halfway through, I suddenly found myself hearing the exact words I'd  heard countless times before... only this time they seemed to mean something entirely different.

"Be sure to secure your own breathing mask before helping others"

While everyone would agree, I'm sure, that the idea behind this makes complete sense...you can't help others (not even children) if you stop breathing yourself.  However, taking this simple principle and applying it in other areas of life is not an easy thing to do... without the risk of being perceived as selfish.

• If a friend of yours is having money problems, is it your obligation to lend them the money?  Even if it means that you have to get that money from your personal line of credit or credit card.
• If a group of your closest friends are all getting together on a Saturday to help out a local charity, is it OK for you to say you can't join them because you need to take that extra shift at work to pay your rent?

The simple truth is that you can't help others if you don't help yourself first... even when the alternative doesn't result in your immediate death.

Who's to blame?

Do you blame the customer who wants to pay as little as possible for quality merchandise?
or
Do you blame the employee who sells a customer the wrong product just so he can make his commission?
or
Do you blame the management team that pressures the sales team to meet quota... every time?
or
Do you blame the big companies that set up shop in other countries to cut down on manufacturing expenses?

Over the years I've observed this simple, yet dangerous truth... Most of us tend to pass the blame over to others.  There seems to be this belief that "if this person or group would simply stop doing what ever we blame them of doing"... everything would be fine.

But what would happen if everyone involved instead took responsibility for their contribution to this apparent problem?  What if decisions were made from a place of love and respect... instead of only factoring monetary consequences?