As I write this third publisher’s letter for PROS REPS RUGGED Mind and Body, I am sitting on my deck thinking about how in three days I will be dropping my only daughter off at college in New York for her freshman year. It is a wonderful, magical time, but also one of worry and anxiety. Moments like this remind me that by working on my mental health and wellness on a day-to-day basis, I am more prepared to face life’s bigger transitions when they arise. I hope that this issue of RUGGED will once again help you take away some inspiration and advice to tackle both the daily challenges and milestone moments in your own life. 

In our cover story, you will meet Chris and Kirsten Miller from Miller Marriott Construction Co. Both affected by suicide and mental illness in their families, they received wonderful support during their times of need and wanted to pay it forward through their charity home. It is a truly inspiring story and demonstrates that one can “give back” in many different ways.

RUGGED continues our mission to create, advocate, and educate to help tradespeople improve their mental health and work-life balance. This issue, we share Part 3 of our nutrition series; PROS REPS Ambassador and Building Engineer Lianna Faber talks about her passion for running and how it has improved her mental health; and a special story at the end will surely lift your spirits and remind all of us that it is never too late to make changes to improve one’s life.

We recently reached out to RUGGED readers to make sure this content is resonating, and we were stunned by the feedback we received. Of nearly 200 readers who responded, 84% reported that they have gained at least one positive takeaway from our magazine; 88% reported that they are making more of an effort to improve their mental health because of RUGGED; and 93% reported that RUGGED is helping them to improve their work-life balance. Thank you to everyone who participated and validated our mission. We also appreciate the additional feedback and ideas readers provided and look forward to incorporating them into future issues. 

Eighty-seven percent of readers also reported they would be interested in attending a RUGGED Mind and Body Roadshow if it were held near them. Our second Roadshow will be held in mid-September in Chicago. I am thrilled to meet tradespeople in the Chicagoland area and cannot wait to report back its success. We are in our planning process for 2026 and are excited to bring more to our RUGGED Mind and Body initiative. Stay tuned — and stay RUGGED!