Lee-Anne Reuber

Owner, SeKond Skin Studios

“I’ve been faced with many challenges in my life. From battling disordered eating, depression, and abusive relationships, to overcoming huge obstacles in my business. This life has taught me strength beyond what I ever thought I was capable of.

My business journey has certainly not been linear.  I am truly grateful for having the ability to be open-minded in business so I don’t miss out on all of the amazing opportunities as they come my way. Many might look at my journey and see it as a series of “failures”, I see it as a series of lessons that have taught me the things I need for the next steps in my business. I can look back and clearly connect the dots, seeing why things happened in the way they did, and why I needed them to happen.

However, when you’re on that journey, it can be very tough. It was easy to get into a downward spiral when I didn’t meet a target or goal I set for myself, or when things just didn’t play out as I had predicted they would. I discovered the power of affirmations. I found out it is just as easy to tell ourselves good and positive things as it is to tell ourselves that everything is bad. However, if you aren’t in the practice of it, it feels very foreign. Once I learned that I could “flip the script” of my negativity and change my outlook in those difficult moments, I found real power in my thoughts and could get onto the business of being productive.

Reading, writing or speaking out affirmations allow me to keep a positive and productive mindset, rather than letting something that has gone wrong take over my thoughts and self talk. Now, when life throws a curve ball at me, I catch it and throw it into the mix of balls I’m juggling. Affirmations allow me to work this way because I believe in my abilities and understand that as long as I am working for “my why”, I am a success.”

Jessica Victoria

Mental Health Advocate, Founder of Stay Strong Collective

“In Grade 10, I started experiencing symptoms of depression and anxiety. But I didn’t have a name for it back then because no one talked about mental health issues. I didn’t know what was going on and I thought I was going crazy. About a year later, I saw Demi Lovato talking about her mental illness on TV then it clicked that what I was feeling was more than just in my head. In second year of college, I was still struggling and a breakdown sent me to the hospital. Truth be told, the hospital didn’t do much. I felt so much worse after. I had to pretend nothing was wrong and live life as always because no one knew besides one close friend. I didn’t even tell my parents.

About a month later, I was fortunate to meet Demi Lovato. When I met her, I made a promise to her that I would stay strong and never give up. Through her advocacy work, Demi taught me how much words can impact other people and I wanted to help others like she helped me. I realized that I could use this promise to inspire other people and maybe be the umbrella they need on their rainiest days, just like Demi was for me. Sometimes we all need a little help to get through.

That’s how my blog, Staying Strong 24/7 (now simply jessvictoria.com) came to be and in 2019, I published a book called From Why to Fly. Now, in 2020, I am starting my own business. It is called the Stay Strong Collective. The Stay Strong Collective puts on events all over Ontario to raise awareness and promote education all about mental health and general wellness. The money raised will go to charitable organizations and mental health initiatives. Sometimes our biggest pains inspire our greatest gifts and I am proud to be using my umbrella to help others every day.”

Shaelyn Heise

Founder of Tee Up for Mental Health

“I have been faced with many challenges throughout my life and looking back, they have all taught me a great deal about myself and the skills I have to overcome those obstacles. One that I think many can relate to, is a health challenge I faced that was very difficult to diagnose. This affected my skin specifically but took an even bigger toll on my mental health, as doctors struggled to figure out what was going on. My resilience was continuously put to the test and I found myself bedridden through the worst of it. Those were the days I tested my coping skills to the fullest. In the past, I had relied on exercise and art as my primary coping tools but I had to think flexibly and find new ways to cope with the situation I was given. There were many moments of tunnel vision, where I thought the condition consumed me and ran my life. It was in those moments I had to take a step back and realize, I am strong and I can get through this, I just need to take it one day at a time. This experience has taught me to be my own biggest advocate and to speak up for myself in times of need. It has also taught me to use my coping skills, like optimism, grit, cognitive flexibility, resilience and mindfulness to keep fighting no matter how tough things may get. A saying I have often referred to is “It’s not what happens to us, but how we handle and overcome these things”, and I believe this is where resilience is truly built.“

Katie Kneisel

Creator of Kt’s Thrifty Finds Co.

“This past summer after getting a concussion at work, I had to take a semester off school and work and put my life, as I knew, it on hold. As my recovery stretched on, I found myself a negative place being faced with anxiety about my future and what was to come. To get my mind off things and put some joy back in my life, I started thrifting to pass the time. As I found more and more cool, trending items I was finding my closet becoming pretty full. I had an idea to create a new Instagram page @ktsthriftyfindsxo_co to sell all of the items I was finding. Since October I have found so much joy by doing this little online thrift store and it has really helped my recovery. I believe that although life challenges us with many obstacles that are not in our control, we can often take these and turn them into something positive. Although getting this concussion impacted my life, through using my coping skills like self-efficacy, purpose and optimism and my refocusing on self-care I was able to build something I am proud of and that I love to do.”

Kristin Legault

Christine Grauer

M.Sc., Speaker, Author, Coach

“Raised in a home with a violent stepfather, I learned at an early age to run and hide in the face of adversity. I earned the nickname “Mousie,” and it stuck with me well into my adulthood as I continued to live timidly in difficult and abusive relationships. My coping strategies were denial and shutting down the parts of myself that were hurting: I pretended to be happy on the surface but felt awful on the inside. My life was passing me by, and I resolved to live in quiet despair burdened with frequent illness. A ruptured appendix proved to be the turning point in my life that awakened me to the truth: I could no longer live in denial.  

Despite the risk of being a single mom again and feeling petrified of what the future would bring, I stepped through the fear that had held me trapped in a victim mindset for most of my life. I prioritized my inner health through intensive emotional, psychological, and spiritual studies, and I gave myself the care that I had always needed and been worthy of receiving. Instead of being a victim when the going got rough, I shifted my perspective and saw that all situations were happening for me and my inner growth. And with this shift, my life completely transformed. I now own all circumstances in my life and trust that within each challenge lies a gift and a potential for realizing higher aspects of myself—the greater the challenge, the greater the gift. 

Without my abusive past, I would not be the powerful and driven force I am today. I am committed to lifting humanity and empowering women to realize their inherent strength and to use it to create happiness, regardless of their past or present storms.”