I still remember vividly… it was just 11 am and already I wanted to clock out.
And it went on like that each day for weeks.
I knew my health was compromised, but I was not prepared to deal with the fatigue.
I remember dreading a 1 pm meeting that I had to facilitate, knowing I just wouldn’t have the energy.
One of the participants of that call reached out to me early and saw me exhausted, spent, and nervous about showing up to this big meeting.
She could tell I was not doing well at all.
She then shared that she had just gone through a miscarriage and still had to show up to work for a deployment that had to happen in two weeks.
She also shared that her teammate had just put his dog down.
She said in jest, “Yet here we are, having to put on a face so the world doesn’t have to know how broken we feel!”
I didn’t say anything, but I thought out loud, “Do we? Do we really have to ‘put on a face?’”
When I teach my Yoga or mindfulness classes in the office, I always send a survey first, just to get an idea of how students are feeling, and if anyone wanted to share any personal struggles that might hinder them from having a productive time in the session.
The answers don’t surprise me anymore.
Grief
Trauma
Home troubles
Health conditions
Physical ailments and limitations
Demoralized spirits
The list goes on and on.
I think it’s important for us to realize that each person in a meeting, a call, or a project, or an endeavor, may be going through something challenging in their lives that is making them show up sub-optimally.
Making them cranky, short, disengaged, or unlikeable at times.
And sometimes, it takes a collective activity to make them feel less alone or isolated.
This is why fostering a supportive environment through mindfulness and connection is crucial.
We need to prioritize well-being and create spaces where it's okay not to be okay, so everyone can feel seen, heard, and supported. #Wellness #PersonalWellness #CorporateWellness
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