Meet team captain Mitch Hermansen
“Are you being the person who deserves the life you want?”
Cinnamon & Oak is a long-time Movember team made up of friends having fun while doing good. Our annual member profiles showcase our merry collection of Mo Bros. Today meet C&O team captain Mitch Hermansen from Vancouver, BC
Just so we can all get to know a sliver of you really quick, share 5 things that make you, you:
I started my career as a Chartered Accountant and now lead the business development efforts for Movember Canada. How I got here is a story to tell over a beer (or four), but I’m incredibly grateful for the hairy journey that has brought me to this point.
Every Sunday I make a pot of chilli and pack it up to eat for lunch throughout the week. I’ve been doing this for 10+ years now. I haven’t gotten sick of it yet, and I don’t think I ever will.
I have a serious passion for carpentry and building furniture. Over the past couple of years I have built almost every single piece of furniture in my apartment….. and the majority of them I built it in my apartment. Yes, sawdust in my living room is messy. But it’s a small (and temporary) price to pay for something I love to do. (Note: I now have a woodshop in my building so less sawdust — hurrah!)
At the age of 25, I left my accounting firm job and joined the humanitarian organization Doctors Without Borders for a 12-month contract based out of Tashkent, Uzbekistan. That experience pushed me outside every comfort zone I had, and exposed me to people and cultures I am so grateful to have encountered. It was the best “risk” I ever took and has forever changed my outlook on life.
I’m the middle child, have two sisters (and am “Uncle Mitchie” to my niece and two nephews). My parents are still married, after 35+ years, and they all live in Ontario. I love and miss them dearly, but after living in BC for four years, I don’t think I will ever move back east.
Why do you do Movember? Why is it important to you?
This is my 13th Movember. And every year, when I start the month clean shaven, I look in the mirror at my naked face and it reminds me why I do this…
I grow to remember my grandfather who took his own life when I was just a few months old.
Even though I never got to meet him, I have always wondered what I missed out on. What I could have learnt from him? What memories could we have made together if things had been different? I think about him all the time.
Sadly my grandfathers story is not an uncommon one. As many of you know, 75% of suicides are men. Too many guys are “toughing it out” and suffering in silence. My hope is that Movember (and the conversations started by those beauty moustaches) is helping to break down that stigma. Making it okay for men to talk, to take action.
My good friend, Kieran, once said it beautifully, “I grow to honour my mates, to start conversations and to be a part of something that’s bigger than me, a movement for men’s health that I believe can and is having an impact on the lives of men, their families and their communities.”
I couldn't agree more.
What’s your morning routine like?
My morning routine has definitely evolved over the years. I don’t always do everything on the list… but I try!
Wake up early. Somewhere between 5:30 am and 6:00 am.
Head straight to the kitchen, chug 0.5L of water with lemon and sea salt.
Take a shower (for the last 30 seconds I turn it to cold).
Get out of the shower, make coffee in my Aeropress and head to my living room.
I sit on my couch and journal. (Tip: I write in a small notebook, which helps me feel like I don’t need to write a lot. It’s pretty easy to fill a small page, and when I don’t know what to write, I just write a few things I’m grateful for, excited about, and proud of).
I try to read a few pages. Nothing too intense. Something with short chapters and easily digestible in 5 mins or less. Some examples of past books include: The Daily Stoic, Footprints on the moon and a poetry book, I See You I am You. I like it because they each bring in a different thought or perspective that’s outside my normal thinking. A nice way to prime me for my day ahead.
I typically sit down for work between 6:30-7:00 am.
I’ll make myself breakfast later in the morning at around 10:30-11:00 am.
Favourite podcast, book, documentary, etc?
Podcasts: Hidden Brain (Psychology), Front Burner (Canadian News), The David McWilliams Podcast (Economics), My First Million (Business), Reimagining Love (Relationships)
Books: Man’s Search for Meaning (Victor Frankl), Sapiens (Yuval Noah Harari), Essentialism (James McKeown), Steal Like an Artist (Austin Kleon), Atomic Habits (James Clear), Made to Stick (Dan & Chip Heath), $100M Offer (Alex Hormozzi)
Documentary: The Mask We Live In (Masculinity), Fantastic Fungi (Mushrooms), Planet Earth (we all know this is the best thing on Netflix)
Favourite quote or one you’re pondering right now?
“Are you being the person who deserves the life you want?”
I read this recently and it stuck with me. A good gut-check question.
I write it out some mornings when I journal, for me a reminder to pursue the things that excite me and put in the work for what matters.
In the past year, what have you done to take care of your mental health?
Here are a few things on my list:
Found a new therapist. My old one didn’t feel quite right, and with the new one I have a much better connection.
Force myself to go outside for a morning walk during my work day (even if it’s only 10 minutes).
Set better boundaries with my work-life. Less working in the evenings and weekends = more time with friends and camping = better life, better mental health.
Journaling. Having a moment where I can check in with myself and how I’m feeling is a powerful thing.
Try to have a bit more self-compassion. This is definitely still a work-in-progress. I have perfectionist tendencies and my inner voice can be pretty critical at times, but I’ve recognized how important it is to give myself permission to be human — and know that not every day is going to be a 10 out of 10, and that’s okay.
If you want to connect with me…
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mitchhans_
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mitchhermansen