Hi! I’m Penny. If you don’t know me—throughout my career in creative and marketing spaces, I’ve played the role of “storyteller” for others. Body of Positive is my personal post-cancer storytelling platform about the undeniable power of positive thinking and having a growth mindset where I play another role: myself.

Which is? I’m a self-help junkie, a lifelong seeker of knowledge, and someone who’s been on a multi-year journey of discovery. I’ve read hundreds of (and scanned at least a thousand) healthcare articles from leaders and change-makers in their field. I’ve dog-eared every non-fiction book and special-edition magazine I own to bookmark the gold I’ve unearthed about why us humans behave the way we do. I’ve attended countless psychology webinars, and absorbed invaluable lessons from counselling sessions since my youth—so I could not only be better at this being human thing—but survive myself!

Through trial and error, I’ve uncovered a lot—about resilience, grit, self-improvement, and what really matters in this one chance I’ve got to exist. I developed a deep passion for staying fit since I turned forty, nourishing my body with good food, showing kindness to others (and myself), and supporting nonprofits that serve vulnerable communities—to pay it forward. I believe in the deep interconnectedness of people, which is why I openly share what I’ve learned. And somewhere along the way, I also picked up an unexpected hobby—Natural Bodybuilding. (Younger me didn’t see that one coming.) Though I like to flex my biceps to showcase what I’ve built, my strength is truly—in my heart muscle—and…

… my superpower is my willingness to be vulnerable.

I hope something in my writing inspires you. I’m a passionate health and wellness change-maker with a broad, multidisciplinary approach to shaping attitudes and behaviours around mental well-being. Through my writing, I aim to inspire a healthier mindset about being well within ourselves, expand perspectives on brain health—particularly as it relates to XX chromosomal people—and share my lived experience to help break the stigma surrounding the word mental.

My mission is to advocate for mental wellness through:

• Brain health education
• Body image resilience
• Healthy lifestyle planning

I believe it’s my duty to leave the world a better place using the limited gifts I have, so I’ve combined research, personal insight, and actionable strategies when feasible to empower others to take charge of their physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, “whole-person” — health— with confidence and clarity.