Typically I'm 100 percent for disruption. That was before COVID-19 took a stranglehold on our world. I know our members have had their jobs, homes and entire lives affected in the last month. This is not a good type of disruption.
 
As we all struggle for answers in this time of uncertainty, we have abandoned our typical format for this issue of meeting lite and wanted to provide you with a few resources hopefully to help you adjust to this "temporary" new reality.
 
Disruption breeds innovation. I'm confident that this disruption will end, and when it does I'm even more confident our industry will adapt, innovate and rebuild better than ever.

Tim Whalen, CMP
President, MPI Toronto Chapter President 2019/20

What better time to update some skills and gain insights and knowledge into how best to navigate our new world than now. Check out the amazing webinar series MPI Global has below that is free to all. Sign up now!

Please visit: mpi.org/trustedresources

MPI Academy – All webinars and summits are available and free to all members and also nonmembers of our industry. There are lots of sessions, and you can find more information under Education on the MPI COVID-19 Resource page or the Academy link: 

FREE education from the MPI Academy: https://academy.mpiweb.org/mpi/pages/coronavirus

MyMPI Member Engagement – We have been successful in enabling the Discussions feature for the Chapters section of MyMPI. You can use this feature as an alternate way to communicate and engage with your fellow members and to create topic/community-specific discussions.

MyMPI Page: https://u.mpiweb.org/home

Speaking of engagement, please use your social media channels (Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, etc.) to ask your members to update their emails and phone numbers on their MPI profile so we can all stay in touch with each other.

Membership Assistance – We have a brand new email address for members up for renewal and who are facing financial hardships: help@mpi.org

We hope you joined #EventProfs from around the world on April 14 to virtually celebrate #GMID20 and helped with the attempt at the Guinness World Records title for largest audience for a virtual conference!

As COVID-19 continues to impact our communities in the meetings and events industry, there is an abundance of content online that can inspire us to adjust to the current circumstances. There are many opportunities available if we change our mindset!

TED Connects is a free, live, daily conversation series featuring experts whose ideas can help us reflect and work through this uncertain time with a sense of responsibility, compassion and wisdom (TED Conferences, LLC, 2020).

Free conversations to keep you grounded during the COVID-19 crisis: Click here

If there is one thing that is most important during tough times, it is to manage your mental health. We know that stress, uncertainly and changes can impact us during these tough times, and, in the end, we are all human. Here are some resources some of our fellow members have found useful, and we hope you do, too.

By Janice Cardinale, Chief Idea Hunter

We are all struggling, we all have priorities and we are all trying to stay calm while weathering one of the most profound times in our lives and careers. Let’s look at this and determine what the best offense will be for the majority of professionals suffering in hospitality, corporate events, destination management, venues, AV and too many other specialties to mention here.

Recently, I came across this passage in The Positive Dog by John Gordon: “We all have two dogs inside of us. One dog is positive, happy, optimistic and hopeful. The other dog is negative, mad, sad, pessimistic and fearful. These two dogs often fight inside us, but guess who wins the fight? The one you feed the most.” (John Gordon, 2012).

When I attended Next Level training in Columbus, Ohio, last year, the training I received gave me the tools I needed to feed my own positivity, emotional intelligence and muscle. I learned that with patience and persistence I was OK to make small daily choices rather than take on one big choice. This gave me the mental strength to stay focused and continue to make the right choices for both myself and my team.

Staying positive depends on our environment, the people we surround ourselves with and accepting the changes that we can no longer control. The way we go about our daily routines has taken a 180-degree turn. How we come out of this is anyone’s guess, but there has never been a better time to practice feeding our positive souls with hope, determination and love.

According to Dr. Brene Brown, “Love is the last thing we need to ration now. Hurt is hurt, and every time we honor our own struggle and the struggles of others by responding with empathy, the healing that results affects all of us. Don’t beat yourself up, lean in and build muscle around your choices so that your leadership helps others thrive in the future.” (Brene Brown, 2017).

The choices that our association is making now are thoughtful, and I am grateful to be an MPI member as we journey into unchartered territories.

Stay Calm & Sanitize On

Janice Cardinale, Chief Idea Hunter

Chris Hadfield is a Canadian astronaut who has dealt with self-isolation and is an expert. Check out this great video on self-isolation tips and how to overcome certain challenges.

Click here

Lavendaire (Aileen Xu) is a content creator who shares videos and blogs on personal development, lifestyles, confidence and wellness. Her content is timely as she shares her thoughts on COVID-19 and keeping well.

Managing Mental Health – Lavendaire: Click here 

Lavendaire Podcast: Click here

Kimble Richardson is an expert from the Community Health Network. He works with Health Canada to manage anxiety during difficult times. Kimble discusses self-reflection in this video along with tips to managing your mental health.

Click here

There is always someone out there wanting to bring smiles to our faces, and we know laughter is the best medicine. We have gathered below a number of great social media accounts to follow for some useful tips, stress relief and, of course, some belly-laughs:

Silken Laumann
Olympian, Inspirational Speaker, Author & Mental Health Expert
www.silkenlaumann.com & https://weareunsinkable.com/

Jessi Cruickshank
Television Personality & Founder of New Mom, Who Dis?
@jessicruickshank

Jessica Holmes
Celebrated Comedian | Author | Mental Health Advocate
@happyfeetholmes

Lesley-Anne Scorgie
Personal Finance Guru & Wellness
https://lesleyscorgie.com/

Ignite magazine is one our media partners and has many resources for coping with COVID-19. Check out their recently published Special Mini Edition!

COVID-19 Resources Page: Click here
Special Mini Edition: Click here

During these challenging and anxious times, we should take care of our mental health and wellness. Here is a great blog on "Managing Your Mental Health during a Pandemic" from mental health experts Mark Henick and Dr. Shimi Kang.

Reference: 2020 Speakers' Spotlight

Click here

As we navigate through the current situation, many of us are looking to practice better financial planning and relief whether you are managing personal finances or a small business. We have an insightful article from the Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada (CPA Canada) and an expert in finances — Lesley-Anne Scorgie. Scorgie is an author and consultant in personal finances and wellness.

Financial questions answered with Lesley-Anne Scorgie: Click here

Personal finances article from CPA Canada: Click here

CanSPEP - Finding the Blessings
April 20
Click here

Defining the New Normal: Post-Coronavirus Events & Conferences
April 28
Click here

Event Risk Management in a Post Pandemic World
April 29
Click here

Become a Virtual Meeting & Event Pro
April 29
Click here

Going Global: Your Guide to Planning International Meetings
May 27
Click here

We’re taking networking to the next level! Just because we cannot meet in-person does not mean we cannot network. The board has launched Virtual Networking Sessions, which will be available on a regular basis for any MPI Toronto Chapter member to attend. This is a great chance to connect with familiar and new faces and support one another through tough times. We will share laughs and insight into how we are all managing and have fun discussions. The networking sessions will run on a regular basis and be kept small.

The Virtual Just Networking sessions continue on April 16 with six different time slots. The 3 p.m. session will be hosted by Jen Moir, CMP, and the discussion topic will be force majeure.
 
The other five sessions will be open forums hosted by someone from the Leadership Team at 3:30 p.m., 4 p.m., 4:30 p.m., 5 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.
 
Space is restricted to 12 participants per time slot so register early to save your spot.

Click here to register.

Once you have registered, you will receive an Outlook meeting invite with the Zoom meeting access information. 

We will have various time slots throughout the day, and this will be done via Zoom. These are intended to be open-format discussions with one moderator for each session. Check out some of the awesome photos of our first session; we look forward to connecting with you at the next one!