| Introduction: A time for contemplation is always special. Perhaps, in our lives, we do not take time enough for contemplation as the quieter moments seem to be filled with rapid thoughts of worry, doubt, regrets, and irritation. But taking quiet moments like the Dawn Service, or going for a walk in nature, can give us some calming moments to allow insights and answers to rise from our intuitive wisdom and give us the guidance and direction we seek. The Mind Body connection is an incredible area of wellbeing. When the mind is out of control, especially if the thoughts are negative, the impact on the health of the body can be significant. So today, a few thoughts on Mind/Body Health. |
| Service to Others: |
| On Monday night, I took a good friend with me to the Food Bank I serve each week. She has been going through a tough time following the break down of a relationship. At the food bank, we work pretty quickly in food preparation before a steady stream of homeless people come down the line, filling their plates. For a little over 90 minutes, we laughed as we worked, connecting with our guests as we served up the food. It is nice to take care of people. On Monday night, we fed just over 300 people. When I spoke to her yesterday she said to me, “I feel so amazing. I am over my shit! It is amazing what happens when you get your attention off yourself hey, and put it on the needs of others”. Amen to that. |
| Compassion |
| Genuine Compassion means you are able to place yourself for a few moments in someone else’s shoes and realise that no matter how bad you think their life, or their efforts may be, they are trying. It is an act of acceptance, instead of being a harsh judge. When you stop judging others and learn to have some acceptance, you notice a shift in yourself and your stress levels arising from reactivity settle. It is a brilliant way of minimizing conflict and finding a sense of personal peace. This exercise is by Harry Palmer. You can buy these Compassion Cards and hand them out to your people and ask them to do the exercise on people who are irritating them. The results can be magical. Try it yourself now, but please, don’t just read the exercise, do the exercise. You can buy the cards here. |
| Communication and Connection |
| Countless Research initiatives have demonstrated that when people connect with others and talk about the things that concern them, in a non-judgmental and accepting atmosphere, their wellbeing improves markedly. This is why support groups are so popular. If you have employees, particularly men, who are struggling a little, helping them find a support group can be a genuine life saver. Here is a link to a directory of Men’s Groups. I’ve not yet been able to find a site that acts as a directory for all the different Women’s Support Groups, but it is amazing what a google search turns up. |
| Creative Expression |
| All Human Beings are creators in some way or another. Some are artistic. Others are skilled with their hands. Others write or are story tellers. Some are problem solvers or plan makers. Some create beautiful gardens and others create delicious meals. And those who lose connection with any form of inspiration, may create problems for themselves. I remember years ago on my own self development path. I was exploring the fact that I always seemed to be confronted by problems and could never get clear of them. As I progressed in my exploration, I realised that I am a lover of creating solutions, so I needed problems to be able to ply my trade. As soon as I realised this, I got into action helping others and my problems seemed to almost vanish. Nature does abhor a vacuum. So, if you find that some of your employees are lacking the opportunity to be creative, give them an opportunity to participate in discussions about challenges in the worksite. Give them a chance to be part of the creative process and it will enrich their workplace experience. |
| Cancer Recovery and Return to Work |
| Stay tuned. At the Global wellness Institute, we will be organizing a recorded conversation around the subject of “Returning to work following Cancer Diagnosis, or Cancer Treatment”. This is a challenging time for a person and our program is designed to help employers and managers learn how to be the most supportive for the employee as they begin their journey back into pre-illness life. |
| A New Poster Coming – Building Natural Immunity WE have a new poster in production. This one teaches your people how to go about developing a strong personal immune system. It is laid out like the main care poster, with each panel describing something that can be done to improve immunity, for example, Vitamin D supplementation. Within the panel there is a QR Code. When you scan the code, it opens a video with a Doctor of Integrative Medicine giving more instruction about that particular area of building immunity.
Stay tuned…. |
| Workplace Wellbeing Posters Don’t forget your Poster series. This is a perfect, low-cost Wellness Program for your workplace. 1. The Power of Care 2. An Interactive Guide to Building Immunity Education in work workplace is key. The posters can deliver education in the background as you work on other things. And don’t forget, the Posters give you valuable content for Toolboxes and as openers for meetings. Now with Letter Sizing for US Based Businesses. To learn more, or order posters, click here. |
| A Simple, Helpful Tip |
| A dear friend of mine wrote a piece in a chat yesterday. She said something to the effect of, “A child who cannot smile is a child in peril”. I contemplated that for a moment and realised it applies to adults too. So, it is good to be aware of work colleagues who do not seem to be able to smile. They probably are experiencing some unrevealed crisis and will need support. |
