A Vision Becoming A Reality

This is a group of Canadian Border Services Agents.  This pic seriously makes me cry happy tears.
 
A yr ago, at our launch event, we asked ppl we had relationships w from arnd the world, to take staged pics in front of various landmarks making a sign language sign they’d never heard of, so that we could create a WAALC #SameHere video that’d communicate our VISION.
 
A yr later, to receive images like these – from what’d be considered a “tough group” in another country, you’d never expect to be sharing openly about MH, unsolicited, is a truly remarkable & humbling. It shows the power of what coming together can do for our society – a vision into a REALITY.
 
This image was sent from a gentleman Steve Farina, who just gets “it.” You’ve seen his organization’s very clever #ShareItDontWearIt campaign for first responders in Canada – we’ve shown it on earlier posts in the past. I can’t wait to go speak to this group at their conference, end of the month.
 
I met w the founders of a company called @iRel8 after our event this week. You’ve prob seen us include their hashtag in most of our posts. #iRel8 provides anonymous peer-to-peer chat rooms, for ppl who face similar challenges – MANY of them, early on in their product’s life-cycle: veterans & first responders.
 
Here’s the main takeaway: If we work TOGETHER in this space, we can break down walls & make enormous strides. There’s room for everyone to hold hands. It’s not abt competition when it comes to saving lives. In practice – what’s that look like?
 
#iRel8 is a service, #ShareItDontWearIt is a call to action to a group to start talking, & #SameHere serves as an aspirational under-belly to tie together: vets, first responders, athletes, musicians, everyday ppl, etc. to come together – to “share it” & to use service like #irel8, & practices like TSRR to help us cope/heal/thrive. We’re stronger together – & we can make the world understand & accept #5in5, so we can change & save millions of lives.