Tides of Change

Have you ever looked at a life you're genuinely grateful for and realized there's a part of yourself you miss?

I've spent the last few years building a life with more freedom, flexibility, and opportunities to do things differently. And while I wouldn't trade so much of what I've created, lately I've been feeling a little stuck.

In this episode, I'm reflecting on the ambitious, confident, challenge-loving version of myself I remember from my corporate career, the unexpected trade-offs of choosing a different path, and the difference between being busy and feeling fulfilled.

From leading disaster response teams to learning how to lobster fish, I've taken on some pretty big challenges. But somewhere along the way, I've lost a little of that excitement about what comes next.

I don't have a big revelation or a five-step plan. Just an honest conversation about ambition, identity, changing priorities, and finding ways to reconnect with the parts of ourselves we miss.

What happens when the busy season ends… but life doesn’t actually get less busy?

I’ve been trying to record an episode called When the Busy Stops for weeks, which feels increasingly ironic. Joey’s has mostly wrapped for the season, but consulting work, a new board appointment, travel, time with friends and all the things I put off during the summer have quickly filled the space.

In this episode, I’m reflecting on what it really means to transition between seasons, why having more freedom over my time doesn’t necessarily mean having more free time, and the difference between a full life and an overworked one.

After a restorative weekend away reminded me what it feels like to genuinely unplug, I’m also asking: What actually restores us? How do we protect the space we worked so hard to create? And what do we want to make room for as the next tide comes in?

Maybe the goal isn’t for the busy to stop completely. Maybe it’s getting better at choosing what fills the space.

It’s the last day of another tourism season, and this year I’m crossing the finish line differently: tired, ready for a break, but not completely empty.

In this episode, I’m reflecting on the small things that helped me protect my energy this summer, why a day off isn’t always enough to truly disconnect, and the pressure tourism operators can feel to keep pushing long after the demand, finances, or energy make sense.

After eight summers of running Joey’s, I’m learning to trust myself when it comes to knowing when enough is enough.

Maybe a successful season isn’t one where we squeeze out every possible booking, dollar, or day.

Maybe it’s one where we stop with enough left in the tank to eventually want to do it all again.

What if balance isn’t something we find?

After working 11 days in a row during one of the busiest stretches of my summer, I expected to feel completely depleted. But surprisingly, I feel pretty good.

In this episode, I’m reflecting on what I’ve done differently this season: letting non-urgent things wait, making time for workouts and rest, asking for help, and getting more comfortable with the idea that just because I could be doing something doesn’t mean I should be.

Maybe balance isn’t about giving everything equal time. Maybe it’s about giving yourself what you need for the season you’re in.

Do you ever look outside on a beautiful summer day and feel guilty for staying inside?

In this episode, I'm unpacking something that's been on my mind lately: the pressure to "make the most" of summer.

After a conversation with a friend, a few days off that didn't go as planned, and one too many scrolls through social media, I realized how easy it is to compare our real lives to everyone else's highlight reel.

We talk about the invisible checklist we've created for summer, why sometimes the best choice is staying home, and how to stop measuring your days by what they look like and start measuring them by what actually feels right for you.

Maybe making the most of summer isn't about doing more.

Maybe it's about being exactly where you want to be.

I'd love to hear your thoughts after listening. Send me a message on Instagram @julieanngauthier and let me know... have you ever felt like you were doing summer wrong?

We hear it all the time.

Be consistent.

But what if your life changes with the seasons?

In this episode, I'm sharing what the transition from lobster fishing to tourism season has taught me about routines, values, and learning to adapt without losing yourself.

If you work in tourism, hospitality, farming, fishing, or any seasonal business, I hope this episode gives you permission to stop chasing the perfect routine and start building one that fits the season you're actually in.

Because maybe consistency isn't about doing the same thing every day.

Maybe it's about continuing to show up for yourself as life changes.

It's the night before landing day, the final day of the 2026 lobster season.

In this episode, I'm reflecting on another spring spent fishing with my dad, moving into my renovated home, learning to rest when I need it, and preparing for the transition into summer at Joey's Deep Sea Fishing.

A conversation about seasons, change, and giving ourselves grace when life feels full.

In this episode, I’m taking you behind the scenes of setting day here on PEI — from the 3:45am alarm and crowded wharf to the chaos of getting 300 traps in the water before the first haul of the season.

I’m also answering your questions about lobster fishing life: how crews are paid, what happens to female lobsters carrying eggs, what a typical day looks like on the boat, how the catch gets sold, and what fishermen actually do in the off-season.

But beyond the logistics, this episode is really about adjustment — returning to a physically demanding schedule, balancing house renovations and exhaustion, and remembering how to live by the rhythm of the season again.

It’s tiring. It’s beautiful. And somehow, every year, we come back anyway.

In this episode, I’m sharing a real-time reflection from a transition season, right before lobster fishing begins, where life feels full, but unstructured.

I talk about navigating days without routine, the mental load of “time freedom,” stepping away when you hit a wall, and learning to trust yourself without rigid expectations.

If things feel a little off or uncertain right now… maybe you’re not stuck.

Coming back from vacation didn’t feel like a reset.

I got sick, my energy was low, and with lobster season around the corner, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I wasn’t ready.

In this episode, I’m sharing what it’s been like to move through that space — the in-between where you’re not fully rested, but not yet in your next season either.

This is about letting go of the pressure to feel ready… and trusting that you will be when the time comes.