a bit of power yoga, but I tend toward the restorative or
yin style,” she says. “The deep stretching, sinking-in
kind of yoga – the breathwork yoga – provides grounding
and openness.”
Everything comes into play to help her stay focused
and optimistic. “When I feel overwhelmed by the insur-
mountable pieces that come into my life, whether it’s
acts of animal cruelty, government action that won’t
move fast enough or sad stories about abandoned ani-
mals, I turn to yoga, writing or a walk,” she says.
Personally and professionally, she believes that put-
ting in the time will always pay off. “I’m proud to be part
of a long history of people who are working toward devel-
oping a humane Canada,” says Cartwright. “I see myself
holding that vision for a short period of time, doing my
best to effect change and then passing it on to the next
generation, who will do their best. Slowly, over time,
we’ll achieve it.” bhWhat’s your best advice?
Hands down, the best advice is to have a sense of
vision. I was lucky enough to get into a training
program that never would have been affordable for
a nonprofit like the one I worked for at the time and
to have the person who was leading it sit down and
talk to me about visioning. They said to make this a
practice. It’s the single most important skill I’ve
learned, and I consistently apply it, day in and day
out. I always go back to that skill, especially when
things get hard.What do you wish you knew then that you
know now?
I don’t think there’s anything that I wish I knew then.
I’ve tried my best to live my life on purpose – on my
purpose. One of the mantras I keep with me all the
time – that I was exposed to at 18 years old – is
that, regardless of whether I see it or not, the
universe is unfolding in perfect order. I feel very
pleased with where I am.WE ASK ALL OUR
WOW WOMEN...
6 A.M.
I wake up and do yoga. Sometimes I only have
time for 10 minutes, but sometimes it’s up to
90 minutes. Then I walk my dog, Gus, near
the Ottawa River. It’s physical exercise that
lasts 30 to 45 minutes, but it gives me time
for mental reflection, gratitude and beauty.7 A.M.
I make time each morning for my personal
writing and to set goals.9 A.M.
My work involves various meetings with
my staff members, and I do a great deal
of consulting with stakeholders, whether
members, government or industry. I spend
a lot of time talking on the phone.12:30 P.M.
I tend to eat at my desk. There aren’t enough
hours in the day if I don’t work through lunch.
It’s a conscious choice. Gus comes to work
with me every day, and we go for our walk
at 1 p.m. He reminds me to get up and move
around, and he is a good source of mental
health in the office.2 P.M.
I try to reserve time each day for writing,
whether it's a presentation or an op-ed piece
in The Globe and Mail about the work that the
CFHS does. Our vision is a humane Canada,
and part of my job is communicating that to
people in many different ways.6 P.M.
Family dinners are a commitment. Both my
husband and I are home for suppertime with
our son and daughter.9 P.M.
As any busy parent knows, there’s always
prep work for the next day. Evenings are
based on what’s on all of our agendas. If I
didn’t get to do a good chunk of yoga in the
morning, I’ll do some before I go to bed.A DAY
IN THE LIFE
best health DECEMBER | JANUARY 2018 37IMAGES COURTESY OF (FROM LEFT): VALERIE KEELER, VALBERG IMAGING; JANE GOODALL INSTITUTE OF CANADA; INTERNATIONAL FUND FOR ANIMA
L WELFARE; BRITTANY GAWLEY
FROM LEFT: AT THE
HONOURARY DOCTORATE
CEREMONY FOR DR. JANE
GOODALL; A QUIET MOMENT
WITH AMO THE DOG AT A
SPAY AND NEUTER CLINIC;
OPENING THE CFHS ANIMAL
WELFARE LEADERSHIP AND
INNOVATION AWARDS GALA
IN OTTAWA; MODERATING THE
Q + A WITH DAVID SUZUKI AT
THE GALA