The Ontario Broker - Volume 21, Issue 4 - 24

COVER STORY
This issue is about mental health-do you have
any self-care practices you might share?
LU: Surround yourself with anything that brings you joy,
even if it's simple. While working from home, I enjoyed fresh
flowers on my desk and extra plants in my garden. Reach out
to someone who makes you smile. Send a card in the mail
to someone who might need it. I play ukulele with a group-
prior to Covid shutdowns, we used to play in a few senior
homes. Our group has resumed outside, and it brings me joy.
Laughter really does help.
MH: It's great to see the shift and emphasis on improving
mental health and getting rid of the stigma surrounding it. I've
experienced varying forms of anxiety for almost 15 years-it
wasn't until after the birth of my son in 2016 it was confirmed.
Those first 10 years I kept it all in, hiding my feelings and
symptoms as best I could. I thought it was selfish to feel
that way; I had such a good life and great opportunities and
experiences. But I'm not shameful about it anymore. Being
vocal on the tough days not only helps me but hopefully helps
those who might silently suffer. My three key self-care tactics
are exercise, talking and baths. I get my workout in every day
before the sun comes up to start off with the right energy.
When I'm having a rough time, I talk about it to those I trust
instead of allowing it to build up. Lastly, a nightly bath! I'm an
extrovert through and through but it takes a lot out of me. I
use the quiet time of a bath to decompress and recharge.
Let's end with Hamilton-why you love it so
much and how you've supported your community
over the past year and a half.
LU: There's so much to love about Hamilton. We're the city of
waterfalls! We create great brokers through Mohawk College
and IBAH's insurance offering. We knew during this pandemic
that our community was struggling. Our Board made
donations to seniors in need, providing gift cards for groceries
and small gifts from their Christmas wish lists. We donated
$7,500 to three organizations in need during the pandemic-
Interval House, Food for Kids and Neighbor to Neighbor.
MH: What's not to love about Hamilton?! In all honesty, many
people's view of Hamilton is driving over the Skyway Bridge and
seeing the steel factories. Hamilton is a big, small community-
everybody knows everybody, and there's been a huge surge of
energy and resources. The revival Hamilton's seen over the last
decade is incredible. It's exciting to be here and be part of that
growth. Our goal as a Board is to support local organizations in
need whether financially or with our time. Each year we focus
our efforts on 2 to 3 organizations. With Covid, there were
so many severely impacted-we donated to 3 very near and
dear to us. We collaborated with our Affiliate member, Paul's
Restorations, to support a single mother of 3 and a few seniors
over the Christmas season. It's truly one of the most fulfilling
parts of being on the Board. To be able to support organizations
where I work and live is so gratifying.
24
THE ONTARIO BROKER
The Ontario Broker - Volume 21, Issue 4

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of The Ontario Broker - Volume 21, Issue 4
