Justin Barbour: Leaning Into Adversity to Find Meaning, Fulfilment & Resilience

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While frequently unpleasant in the short-term, adversity often contains our best opportunities for personal growth.  Newfoundland adventurer, videographer, teacher and author Justin Barbour shares the perspectives he has gained from a number of month to nearly three-month solo expeditions by canoe, kayak, and/or on foot in the rugged wilderness of Newfoundland & Labrador, Canada. We discuss the balance between documenting his expeditions vs. remaining present in the moment, navigating uncertainty under high stakes situations, coming back from "unforced errors", the confidence that can be derived from navigating adversity, the impact of lack of sleep and fatigue on both psychological and physical resources, the gifts and drawbacks of isolation, potential lessons for overall wellness derived from his expeditions, his motivation for sharing his adventures, and the psychological impact of having his dog, Saku, along for the adventure.  Host note: Justin's spirit and resilience in the face of adversity makes me proud to be a Newfoundlander! 

Justin Barbour, author of Man and Dog: Through The Newfoundland Wilderness (Flanker Press, 2019), was born in St. John’s, Newfoundland, and grew up in the rural community of Bauline until his early teens. His family then moved to St. John’s, where he went to school and played hockey competitively until moving away to Miramichi, New Brunswick, to suit up in the Maritime Junior A League for four years.  Upon returning to Newfoundland, Justin completed a Bachelor of Physical Education and Bachelor of Education at Memorial University. During that time he played in the Newfoundland Senior Hockey League for seven years before moving away to Cartwright, Labrador, to teach K-12 physical education and science for a year.  He is a provincial champion in high school hockey, AAA Midget Hockey, Men’s A Ball Hockey, and he has won a Herder Memorial championship with the Grand Falls–Windsor Cataracts in 2015.  Justin is an adventurer, teacher, writer, public speaker, and he runs a successful YouTube Channel that documents his expeditions. He credits growing up in the woods of Bauline for making him the independent and passionate outdoorsman he is today.  Since 2017, Justin has travelled over 2,000 kilometres in the wilderness of Newfoundland and Labrador, accompanied by his Cape Shore water dog, Saku. In 2018 he was sponsored by the Royal Canadian Geographical Society for an expedition in Labrador, and he wrote about it for Canadian Geographic upon his return. He has been asked to speak in places as far away as Ontario.  Justin Barbour lives in Grand Falls–Windsor with his fiancée, Heather, their malamute husky, Bear, and the famous Cape Shore water dog, Saku.

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