We Reached 100: The Power of Vulnerability & Connection


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“We asked members of our team to highlight which content published last year was most impactful to them”

We’re so excited to publish our 100th piece of new content on the UNCrushed platform! It is truly amazing to see so many trailblazers willing to be vulnerable and share their personal experiences in the hope of helping others. This milestone is one for us all to celebrate!

When the founders came together to launch UNCrushed (Why We Created UNCrushed), we were very aware of the many stigmas and the discrimination surrounding mental health, particularly in the workplace. It was a big risk to put our personal experiences out there into the world, yet we did it because we care. We know that our experiences can help someone else realize that they are not alone. That is it possible to get through the darkness to the light. Only through talking about these challenges, can we help to break down the many stigmas associated with mental health.

Since launching on April 8th 2019, we received so much feedback and support from the UNCrushed community. There is clearly a desire and need from so many to start having these conversations and build authentic connections. Starting a non-profit from nothing came with its challenges, yet it has been amazing to see the growth. Since launching, we’ve seen our website & social media audience grow significantly week-by-week with 100+ free & ungated pieces of original content, expanded our team of volunteers, Board of Directors and Executive Committee, launched our own podcast so that people can consume our content in different ways and participated in over 5 keynote events.

As we go into 2020, we continue to build on our original mission-

Through educating organizational leaders whose choices impact large populations to doing grassroots outreach to individuals who need immediate resources, UNCrushed seeks to change the way mental health is perceived and treated in our society’.’

We do this by:

  1. Providing a safe space for people to share their personal experiences

  2. Training and informing leaders around mental health

  3. Providing events in workplaces / universities to drive cultural change

  4. Getting involved in creating curriculum for the education sector

  5. Helping create / advocate for legislation at local, state & federal level

To celebrate this milestone, we asked members of our team to highlight which content published last year was most impactful to them.


James Buckley

VOLUNTEER – BRAND AMBASSADOR & HOST OF THE UNCRUSHED PODCAST

My interviews on The UNCrushed Podcast with Lindsey Boggs and Tiffani Bova majorly impacted me, both in my personal and professional life.

Lindsey’s story touched me because when unexpected traumatic events take place in our lives, some (including myself) tend to dive into work, and ignore it. It grows- and develops into a burden we carry. Lindsey is very brave to share her story.

Tiffani’s book “Growth IQ” tells stories of successful businesses and the challenges they overcame using methodologies, and different business solutions. Her focus on burnout points to the fact that we all need time to disconnect- and recenter. We’ve got to have time to spend with our families and to nourish our own growth and mental health. Burnout is a real threat to both happiness, and productivity. I learned a lot from our conversation. 

These pieces impacted me because I learned from both of these powerful people that it’s okay to take a step back. Trauma must be faced and time to heal is imperative. Burnout can be an unseen threat to my success, growth, and development. We all have these same pitfalls to be aware of and look out for. I’ve grown so much as a professional thanks to the conversations, and content these two people have created, and the thoughts they’ve so generously given the business community. 

I’d recommend anyone listen to these two episodes, read Tiffani’s book, “Growth IQ”, and follow Lindsey Boggs on social media. After meeting them and becoming familiar with their content, they will certainly change your perspectives, and offer a new thought process that aids you both professionally, and personally.


Kathleen Ruiz

VOLUNTEER – LEARNING & DEVELOPMENT

I loved episode 4 of The UNCrushed Podcast with MK Hurlbutt & Molli Sullivan. It inspired me to hear the story of two powerful, energetic, and optimistic women who were courageous enough to leave their desk job careers in pursuit of something more fulfilling. I loved the dynamic of the two ladies as they shared the story of their friendship and how they came together to form She’s Thriving. In the months since I listened to the podcast I’ve followed each woman on Instagram as well as She’s Thriving. I feel a continued sense of renewal as I watch the events that they hold and can’t wait to attend one.

I would recommend others listen in on MK and Molli’s story because it’s so very positive and authentic. The speakers are real in their delivery of themes sharing about the things that they’ve overcome and how they want to help others. 


Alex Smith

VOLUNTEER – EVENTS AMBASSADOR

I learned about UNCrushed through an acquaintance back in November 2019. There was a group of us on a call, introducing ourselves as we prepped for our speaking engagement at Dreamforce. After the group learned that I work for Headspace, a fellow colleague on the call expressed, “You need to check out UNCrushed! You would really love what that organization is doing.” 

I began my research on UNCrushed, and came across the first article that caught my attention by one of the co-founders, Janelle Cronk. The article was titled The Most Courageous Act a Leader Can Do. I began reading and felt a wave of emotion come over me in the first paragraph. For the first time, in a long time- I felt I was not alone. I eagerly read through the piece thinking “wow, so much of her experience is resonating with me.” 

I grew up with a mother who is an alcoholic and was verbally and physically abusive during my childhood. There were many times as an 8 year old child that I felt conflicted to call the police on my mother and boyfriend who would fight and scream for hours in the next room. My brother and I would sneak out in the middle of the night and walk 2 miles to my grandmother’s house for shelter. I’ve suppressed these experiences in various forms and they’ve come out in other ways like anger, rage, self doubt, and needing excessive validation.

I give until I have no more to give and then I get sick. I’ve developed stomach ulcers as a result of stress. I realize that being expendable doesn’t get you far. It’s become an imperative need to remove jobs, places, people, and things that are not serving my mental health.

Your happiness, health, and recovery is number 1. There is no weakness in asking for help and you most certainly do not have to recover alone. 

Stand together, UNCrushed. 


Kristy Gibson

VOLUNTEER – EDITORIAL

When UNCrushed told me that this would be our 100th content release, I was blown away. I mean, I knew I had read a good amount, but I had no idea it was to that extent already!  This speaks volumes to how much I enjoy what I do for UNCrushed.

As someone who has had the opportunity to not only read and edit the majority of the content released by UNCrushed, but also get to know some of the contributors in a rare vulnerable manner, there is no way I could select one or even a few articles that have meant more or less to me than the others. From editing the first article to the 99th, it ceases to amaze me how I can relate to each and every one of them in unique ways.  

When I first heard about UNCrushed, from my dear friend Tim, more than a year ago before it even launched, I thought- this is something that I HAVE to be a part of. I was just coming out of an incredibly difficult time in my life and had finally seen the light at the end of years of self destruction and life changing events. I was intensely grateful for all of the people that had picked me up off the floor so many times, the ones that taught me how to live again, those that gave me the tools to live with mental health challenges, and the groups that had not only cried tears of sorrow with me, but had been there when I laughed my first sounds of pure joy. I wanted to give back and in a way that was dear to my heart. This was it- this was the organization I was looking for. For years, I lived in shame because of my various addictions, grief, and mental health difficulties. It infuriated me that I had wasted so many years hiding because of the stigmas surrounding all of my challenges. I wanted to be a part of something big, something that fought against this stigma and brought out the beauty of being human.

The various articles that I have edited- people struggling with various addictions, people that were learning to navigate grief, and people learning step by step how to live with and how to prioritize mental health- they have not only inspired me, but have kept me on the path to greatness. There have been times in my year and a half of recovery that I have hit low points or have gotten lackadaisical with making mental health a priority. It was always then that I would check my email and magically there would be a new article to edit. Those articles have been my saving grace, my reminder, and my confirmation that I am not alone in this struggle. The vulnerability that each and every one of them displayed was beyond moving and most brought me to tears. Tears of sorrow for what they had endured and tears of joy for the strength in their fight and for the pure light they found in being honest and authentic in their lives. I always wondered if these people, that were bravely writing about their lives and what most would label as their “weaknesses”- do they know the impact they are making in this world?  That someone might read their piece and realize that he/she isn’t alone and that they too can overcome whatever obstacle it is they are fighting to overcome. 

So, from the bottom of my heart, I thank the entire UNCrushed community for the opportunity to give back in such an extraordinary way. It has been such a blessing and such a pleasure to be a part of something that is not only a critical need, but something that, I believe, is changing lives and rewriting the ideas and stigmas surrounding mental health. It truly is a beautiful thing.


Richard Harris

BOARD DIRECTOR

In sales, there is never a straight road to closing the deal. 

Even if it’s a “1-Call Close” there are rest stops, stop lights, yield signs, and sometimes speed traps. And there are definitely tolls along the road as well. 

It’s exactly the same in mental health. There is never one way that works for everyone. 

Typically the first tollway sign in dealing with one’s own mental health starts with acceptance. In the simplest of terms, acceptance that there is something inside yo8 hat you’ve known has been there for a very long time, but you are finally at a place where you want to acknowledge it. 

As a Gen-Xer in sales, we were taught to ignore those feelings, and we did. We also did not have the luxury of trusting the internet. This was long before Google, back when Yahoo was the primary search engine. However, the thought of researching mental health, depression, anxiety, was as foreign at that time as much as online shopping. 

This is why I am grateful for the stories shared on UNCrushed by so many folks younger than me. I am in awe of their willingness to address it much sooner in their lives. I am jealous of that natural curiosity that is embedded in their DNA. To this day, my first thought is, “who should I call about this?”‘,  not “let me google it”. 

So, I’ve been asked to share my thoughts on some content from UNCrushed as we look to celebrate our 100th piece of content in just about a year’s time. 

I’ve said for a very long time how my depression is my superpower (read my personal experience here). Essentially meaning, I’ve spent a lot of time focusing on my mental health now that I know how to accept and work through my challenges as they come. I know I can “handle it”. 

The piece that speaks to me the most is by a woman, Calista Anderson.  In her story she shares how the loss of her mother at a young age has shaped her life. So much so that she has spent time becoming a Grief Recovery Specialist. In my mind, she’s made it her superpower. 

But the part that resonates with me the most is this paragraph.

‘Over time we are taught we must attempt to “fix” feelings by cheering others up. While there is nothing wrong with consoling someone, when we do so with the goal of changing an individual’s emotional state, the effects of our actions can be quite harmful to the recipient. In truth, none of us are broken, therefore none of us need “fixing”. What we need most is a safe space to feel all of our feelings, without fear of judgment or criticism.’

I could write pages and pages about this paragraph, but the one thing, the most important part to me, is this sentence.  In truth, none of us are broken, therefore none of us need “fixing”.

This is what depression was like for me. There is something I need to “fix”. For most of my life I lacked internal self-confidence. I lacked compassion for myself. I didn’t know how to separate my emotions from my mind in a healthy way. I felt “broken”. 

I am on the other side of it now. But yes, my depression still comes up from time to time. But now I don’t feel broken, I feel like I am a human. I realize we all have our challenges, and that we are always a work in progress. 

Every superhero has a superpower, but they also have some kind of weakness. These super heroes accept their own challenges and work through them to still come out victorious. 

I wish everyone a smooth journey on your own highway. May the lights be in your favor and the tolls never too much. 

I am Richard Harris and I am UNCrushed.


Janelle Cronk

HEAD OF STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS | BOARD DIRECTOR | CO-FOUNDER

As we embark on our journey of UNCrushed. I’d like to personally thank our volunteers, our Board of Directors, and our Executive Committee. 

Over the last year and a half we have accomplished so much. Everyone’s journey I have felt or related to somehow.   Their personal experiences, podcasts, and their dedication inspires me every day to KEEP GOING! 

We are truly blessed to be with a family that supports our mission.


Lindsey Boggs

BOARD DIRECTOR | CO-FOUNDER

The piece of content that speaks to me the most was actually the research findings on burnout in sales. The main reason why, is that I always knew how mental health impacted me personally, but to see how it impacted people broadly, in my specific industry, was huge.

As a people leader, there are oftentimes I wonder if my team struggles with seeking help and this piece shed a whole new light for me in seeing how others think and view the world, and how stress is managed and in most cases, not managed. Because of this specific study I have made a huge effort to stop sending emails after 5:30pm because 1. I continue to work on my work/life integration and 2. I don’t want my team to feel like they ever have to respond after hours. 

Finally, since this piece was published, I have made a huge effort to conduct more humanizing 1:1s with my team and have more meaningful topics rather than just straight business. I think I did a good job before, but I’m making an even bigger effort now to really dial in and see how they are doing, as a person, not an employee.


Tim Clarke

PRESIDENT & CEO | BOARD CHAIRMAN | CO-FOUNDER

It’s extremely hard for me to pick out just one piece of content from all of the amazing pieces we published last year. I am so so grateful to have been involved in every one of them and building some incredible connections. As Johann Hari says, “the opposite of addiction is connection”, so here are some of my most important connections that I’ve built over the last year and their content on UNCrushed.

Kristy Gibson, our amazing editor, is such an important person in my life. I remember the first time she shared her full personal journey with me, how much I related, how much I cried. To see her growth in recovery fills my heart. 

James Buckley has become such an important person in my life. We both took part in John Barrows podcast recordings, and when he opened up about his past, it inspired me to do the same. James is so reliable and always so supportive. It was an honor to sit in his host seat and interview him for this episode of The UNCrushed Podcast. You can also read his personal experience here.

Jeff Riseley has been doing some amazing things in Canada to advocate for mental health through his organization, Sales Health Alliance. We have stayed close and shared lessons learnt and best practices as we continue to navigate this challenging journey. He conducted some amazing research in the sales industry, as well as several other pieces featured on UNCrushed, including his own personal experience.

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