Sunday, September 11, 2022 More than Just a Breakfast Cereal, It’s a Meal for the Soul There is no end to the reasons we can generate to rationalize our complacency or fears and keep us from moving forward Blogs Newsletters National By Quentin Steen, Representative Not too long ago, I was watching television and was caught off guard by a Special K breakfast cereal ad. Now, I don’t eat cereal, but the message was a meal of motivation to me. The message was about the excuses we make to not move forward, creating a different narrative than the one we are stuck in spinning our proverbial wheels. Tomorrow, too busy, too hard, can’t, not now are the words that stop us from making one day into day one. Our growth, mentally or otherwise, is not based on our choice of breakfast cereals. Instead, it’s a matter of whether we allow ourselves to be held back (or down) by the excuses we use to stay where we are at, even if we say we hate it. Excuses come in many forms, but they all boil down to one common denominator: they’re our excuses. Full stop. There is no end to the reasons we can generate to rationalize our complacency or fears and keep us from moving forward. Even more so is the draw to fix what’s broken with a simple solution—a pill, a drink, a diet, 30-second abs, 20-second abs, the next workshop that promises what we think we want versus what we may need, a program, the list goes on. These come as quickly as they go. Why? Because they require little to no commitment on our part. Popping a pill is not the same as committing to and being accountable for doing the actual work necessary to make change possible. So, what are your excuses for letting go of the opportunity to create a better version of yourself? I know what mine are, and every one of them is about the comfort of staying put, as I am. And in my quiet moments of self-reflection, I realize these types of responses are meant to protect me, but ultimately, they’re self-defeating. I wish my excuses were about staying stable, but they’re not. More often the case is a little more complicated than that. Sometimes, those excuses are based on fear, a disbelief in my potential, the willingness to admit I don’t like where I’m at based on the facts about my situation or circumstances. It seems easier to let things be than to move toward a better version of ourselves. When it comes to making the changes in our lives, what matters is progress, not perfection. Quentin Steen is a certified mental health first aid instructor for the Mental Health Commission of Canada. Get your BRAIN right and your MIND will follow! 4 Mental Health Resources to Help You If you or someone you know is struggling with a mental health issue, CLAC has a number of resources and interactive tools available to help you at My Health and Wellness. Stronger Minds features videos and quick reads from mental health experts, activities to help you gain resilience, and ask-an-expert videos in response to questions. WellCan offers free well-being resources to help Canadians develop coping strategies and build resilience to help deal with uncertainty, mental health, and substance abuse concerns. Wellness Together Canada: Mental Health and Substance Use Support provides free online resources, tools, apps, and connections to trained volunteers and qualified mental health professionals. You might be interested in Why We Work Safely 5 Jun 2026 Standing Your Ground, and Staying Steady on the Job 4 Jun 2026 CLAC Partners with Alberta Government to Advance Skilled Trades Training and Accelerate Certification 4 Jun 2026 Strathcona Mechanical Workers Ratify New Agreement Providing Wage, Scheduling Improvements 3 Jun 2026