Good pace bunnies.

We've gone through this pandemic together, and it has been no small feat. The virus has proven more tenacious than expected. For weeks, the only thing we could do was put one foot in front of the other and cross our fingers we wouldn’t run out of steam too quickly. Slowly we realized this was going to be a marathon, and we began to pace ourselves.

Each day, new obstacles slowed our progress, making us feel heavy, tired and sad. Fortunately, our empathy, adaptability and listening gave us a boost and helped us push forward. And today, these same three qualities keep us moving steadily forward. I credit our resilience, but I’m aware that, that too, is fragile. 

Trapped in a self-damaging reality by the pandemic, we overwork, lose touch with ourselves, mix work and life and try to do everything at once. This marathon’s finish line seems to move further away the closer we get. 

Are you familiar with the role of the pace bunny in marathons? They’re runners who set the pace during the race. They’re usually experienced, passionate runners who help other participants complete the course in a specific time. 

For the past two years, we’ve tried to be the pace bunny for our team. And it’s a role we take seriously. We want to take the lead and set a realistic pace so everyone can reach the finish line in good shape. 

The mental burden the pandemic has placed on us demands every ounce of our strength. It has been slowly disconnecting us from ourselves.

Before the holiday season, I thanked the entire lg2 family for being there from the very start of this challenging time. I shared gift ideas with them and asked them to write their own name at the top of their gift lists. To make “me” a priority. Suggestions for activities, reading, movies and apps that would do them some good. Not family or friends. To set aside time (and tools) for themselves. 

We are often encouraged to put others first, but this can come at a price. In truth, the ability to be there for others starts with ourselves. 

For me, that meant adopting habits that have already paid off. They include scaling back my schedule, taking breaks and making room for spontaneity. This first new habit means I can recharge between meetings, reconnect with myself or simply enjoy some downtime while the second frees up time to share with colleagues. 

The agency has also made smart choices that are making a difference. We give all employees a number of flexible days off to use as they like, focus our efforts on promoting health and inclusion, refuse to take part in valueless or reckless pitches and we say no to mandates with unreasonable expectations. All this helps to continually protect and nurture the well-being of our No. 1 priority: our people

“Keep being there. Keep listening. Keep talking.”

The 12th edition of Bell Let’s Talk urges us to keep caring through simple actions such as being there, listening and talking. Since 2010, the national campaign has been educating Canadians about mental health and breaking down taboos surrounding it. 

As we stay the course through this pandemic, let’s be present and really listen, so we cross the finish line together. Let’s run this race like good pace bunnies! 

On Bell Let’s Talk Day, Bell will donate an additional 5¢ to mental health initiatives in Canada for every applicable text or call, every tweet or TikTok video using #BellLetsTalk, each view of the official Bell Let’s Talk video on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Snapchat, TikTok, Twitter, YouTube and LinkedIn, and every use of the Facebook frame or Snapchat lens.