There is so much talk about wellbeing these days that I wonder if we risk relegating it to background noise rather than spending time thinking about what it means for us as individuals?
Life can be as fragile as a butterfly’s wings at times can’t it? Situations change at the drop of a hat sometimes and that can lead to lots of additional stress and anxiety that we don’t always have time to recognise.
How often do you get a chance to take time out of your day to focus on yourself and your own needs?
I know that working on Birchwood business park at least gives you lots of opportunities to engage with activities that can help but have you had time to notice what is available here never mind to actually sign up to a class or activity session?
Taking care of ourselves is such an important part of maintaining our health and being able to work effectively and also to care for our families and those around us. Please don’t feel guilty about taking time to engage with some of the wellbeing activities that are on offer for people who work here.
Taking a breather and temperature checking our own mood and what might be having a negative impact on us is key to maintaining a healthy balance. It can help us to recognise and act on the things that are causing stress and lead us to explore healthy ways of redirecting our emotions and any negative energy that they may be causing.
One in four of us is likely to experience anxiety or some other mental health issue. That’s a large part of the population which means it can affect work colleagues, friends, family members and ourselves. None of us are immune though some of us naturally gravitate towards things that help such as exercise, meditation etc.
Sometimes just having someone to talk to, who will really listen while you talk through any concerns or emotions you are experiencing can make a big difference to the way that we feel about ourselves.
Please remember that chaplains are here to journey with you if you want someone to talk life experiences through with. We’re not counsellors but we are good listeners. Part of our role is to help you find ways of nourishing yourself, giving yourself time to explore what will help you to feel positive and hopeful in life. We are that listening ear that you can bounce thoughts, hopes or concerns onto. We can also sign-post you to organisations that provide extra support in a range of situations.
We’re here most Monday and Wednesday lunchtimes to listen whatever you would like to talk about and if you just want to break up your day with a light-hearted conversation that’s great too.
If you don’t manage to catch up with a chaplain on site, as always you can contact us via email on info@mitechaplaincy.com where you can request a call-back, or you are very welcome to call me (Debbie) directly on my mobile: 07526 378529 either to chat or to arrange a time to meet up with myself or one of the other chaplains.
We also have a range of resources on our web-site that help in dealing with stress: https://mite.org.uk If you prefer you can easily keep in touch with us on social media:
Facebook: @mitechaplaincy Twitter: @mitesthwarr
Photo by Alfred Schrock on Unsplash