Dear Carolyn,

In this episode of Beyond Your Best, I sit down with Trevor Stokes of StreetFront Alternative. I've been a super fan of Trevor for almost 20 years, and getting a chance to sit down and have this discussion with him was an absolute privilege and a pleasure.

Check out this not-to-be-missed discussion on cultivating belief, belonging, and what it truly means to raise the bar when sometimes that feels like it isn't the right thing to do.

Trevor is a teacher, coach, father, and one of the most relentless community builders I know. For more than two decades, he has worked alongside youth in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside, holding high expectations while never withdrawing support. This conversation moved me deeply. It reminded me that belief isn’t something we tell people to have—it’s something we help them earn, through consistency, integrity, and shared effort.

In this episode, you’ll hear us explore:

• What it really means to raise the bar without lowering standards or abandoning compassion

• How belief is built through small, consistent “micro-connections.” 

• Why lived evidence—not encouragement alone—is essential for building trust and self-confidence.

• The deep human need for belonging, and what it costs when people are made to feel they don’t belong

• A powerful story of transformation

• Why struggle, effort, and discomfort aren’t the problem—they’re the path

If you’re a parent, educator, leader, or someone quietly wondering if it’s time to raise your own bar again, this episode is for you.

As mentioned in the episode, if you wish to support the Strachan Hartley Foundation and its partner Streetfront, you can do so here:
👉 https://www.shlf.ca

I hope you'll listen and that this conversation stays with you as much as it has stayed with me.