Let’s make it simple for ourselves. Right now, with everything going on in our world, in our homes, our work and our bodies, finding a way out of this can, and for the majority of people, feel overwhelming. To be honest, almost impossible.
What we believe we are being asked to do, is to find our deepest inner peace. To find an ‘okay’ within ourselves. Because let’s face it, we can’t change the outside world to the extent and speed at which it is unfolding.
We’re most definitely in a time of healing. It may not necessarily appear that way, but that’s what we believe we are witnessing. It’s a time when division and polarisation is in almost every conversation we’re having. As a result, Families, friendships and work places are becoming stretched.
And yet we have to find a way through.
For some, that’s trying to change the world around them, to the detriment of their own well-being. And for others who choose to spiritually by-pass any action, they might also avoid the current reality. There is no right answer. As always, there is no wrong answer. There’s just your answer.
And now is the best opportunity for this generation to find tolerance and non-judgement with how we are with each other. Because we all have different levels of awareness and perspective of the world around us.
Our bodies know the score
Soulhub have been working with Mindful Memorials to support their business and employee wellbeing. For a business that faces into death and loss each day, we created educational workshops around grief and loss. The Kubler-Ross 5 stages of Grief was a wonderful place to start. As so many of us are going through some form of loss be it, identity, freedom, loved ones and jobs. Show me someone who hasn’t lost something?
As we delved into the depth of grief, what we realised is that it is a tall order right now to go there. To face our own mortality on top of that which we are losing around us each day. We are in a period of survival and right now there are only glimpses of light. But like any other journey, we can only see over the next brow of the hill, and if we’ve learnt anything in the last 18 months, who knows what lies the other side.
With that in mind, we adjusted the offering for the business to go deeper into their own wellbeing. To come back to self. We know that if our own cup is half empty, how are we expected, able or capable of looking after others. We can’t. Therefore, we can only start with us. Giving ourselves permission to look after ourselves. So often we have critically seen this as ‘selfishness’, when it is purely self-love. A shift to that thinking is what can change the world we live in.
To that point, we re-focused our practices to listen to ourselves.
“Our greatest source of our suffering are the lies we tell ourselves.’ Abram Kardiner (Source: The Body Keeps the Score)
We ask. Are you really feeling okay? What do you need from yourselves? What is your body telling you right now? Really. It is exhausted. What are the pains warning you?
When we start here, we are finally holding ourselves to count, and we stop the lying here and now. Our bodies are our biggest assets, and hold our whole stories. They are forever warning us that something isn’t right. That we are out of balance, and need to slow down, stop, rest. Do we listen? Heck, no.
Listening to your employees
We gathered last Friday, and sat still. Together. Breathed deeply. Scanned our bodies and thanked it for everything it’s done for us. Stretched, moved, lay down. This is what we need. More than anything in the world right now. Time to be with our bodies, and provide them with the emotional connection they’re desiring. Looking after the emotional body, so that it can support us, fight off viruses, cope with the emotional rollercoaster, with the grief, the loss. Not battle on. Not put the wall up, and say ‘Oh I’m fine’. But get real. And say ‘No, my body says it’s tired, it’s sick, it’s had enough’. Listen to it, and give it what it wants. In general, and for most. It’s the simple things. Lie down on the grass, walk slowly, eat healthy, sleep more. It’s really not rocket science when we get back to basics.
Fortunately Anna and Adrian Buckley, owners of Mindful Memorials, have a foresight to provide for their teams, not just a tick-in-the-box exercise, but to listen to them, and get under the skin of what’s most important for them right now, and intuitively work alongside them. Not surprising for a business that beautifully centres it’s leading mission as ‘It’s the story that matters, not just the ending.”
We kick-started with meetings online, but very quickly understood that we needed to gather together. Under the trees, outside in nature, in the open and in stillness. The environment, no distractions, permission to turn off the work phone, to shut off the outside world are also simple but rarely accomplished tools to give employees the headspace to drop into their own bodies.
We are acutely aware, as according to the ONS (UK’s Office of National Statistics ) nearly two thirds (63%) of individuals experienced at least mild symptoms of anxiety last year, while an even greater number (73%) said they had had trouble relaxing.
As Soulhub, we are committed to help individuals and businesses to navigate their wellbeing journey.
“We are grateful to Carmen and Andrew for the work they’ve been doing with us over the past few months, in helping provide support for our team. It can be emotionally challenging for us in our work and having this time with Soulhub to focus on our own well-being and to provide some helpful tools has been invaluable. Thank you both.” Anna Buckley
Listen to you. Listen to your teams. Your family. And ask what your body really needs. We think you’ll be surprised how simple it can be.
We look forward to continuing the journey with Mindful Memorials and other businesses who want to deeply listen to their employees and do things differently.
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