FOUR WAYS TO LOVE YOUR HEART WITHIN THE WORKDAY
We all know our hearts (literally and figuratively) matter all year long, but February is always a nice reminder to be extra intentional about loving your heart – which can manifest in a myriad of ways.
This month I’m encouraging you to strengthen your heart (it is a muscle after all!), love with all your heart (expressing extra self & community love) and listen to your heart (cue song!) as you have much insight and wisdom about what you and others might need. And what about all those beautiful hearts within your workplace? Don’t worry, I have ideas and inspiration for your groups, too!
Strengthen your heart.
It’s fairly well-known that physical activity guidelines suggest 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity each week. I couldn’t agree more – beautiful things happen when individuals begin exercising, or better yet, they fall in love with it. I do, however, see massive opportunity to reframe exercise so that some people are less averse to it. I believe we need to get people moving in new, small and simple ways – especially during the workday. Those who already exercise are likely to continue doing so. I’m compelled to engage those employees who aren’t.
Examples of this in action: Stair climbing events, weekly dance parties, specialty groups (salsa dancing, martial arts, cycling), organized movement breaks, walking meetings … the list goes on and on. You can roll your eyes, but don’t knock it ‘til you try it. 😉
Love with all your heart.
What’s coming up for me in this moment is the reminder to “Be the light you wish to see in the world.” A quote which likely evolved from Mahatma Gandhi’s “Be the change you wish to see in the world.” I also believe love is a synonym for light.
So, the question becomes, how to encourage love and light to shine bright?
In my work, I sometimes see people struggling to love themselves and that, in turn, impacts their ability to love beyond, including loving where they work. I see the opportunity to support people (in general and within the workday) with tools to build confidence, lean into strengths and to continually learn, grow and discover. I feel confident that supporting the whole person (which is what integrative wellness is all about) will support someone in loving where they work, the relationships they build, all by strengthening self-love if there is in fact a deficit there.
Examples of this in action: individual coaching (health or career) | mental health counseling (onsite or telemedicine) | workplace sponsored support groups | strength-finding | group book studies | creating psychological safety at work.
Listen to your heart.
Much like the brain, the heart is known to be intelligent. It’s associated with feeling and sensing, while also potentially experiencing strong intuition. I have a dear colleague who talks about things that make her “heart leap” and I love that visual. Our hearts indeed leap when we fall in love with something. Therefore, the heart – like so many other body parts – gives us feedback all day long. Providing opportunities to slow down and listen could be transformative to the workday. We’re continuing to see a strong demand for midday meditation and mindfulness practices which makes my heart leap, too! A simple practice, like meditation, allows space to slow down, reset and listen.
Examples of this in action: physical space for prayer and meditation | mind/body classes like yoga, Pilates, meditation and mindfulness | open-door policies to encourage idea sharing and open, authentic conversation.
Connect the dots … to connect hearts!
I have a client who consistently replies to my emails with the simple phrase “we are one team.” This modest, yet powerful, gesture reminds me that I’m not “just a vendor,” but a part of their department. It illustrates that we’re working toward a common goal. I’m certain there are infinite ways to connect hearts all day long if we stay intentional and inclusive. We can celebrate individual and collective wins (successes), we can unite on philanthropic initiatives, and we can support our fellow teammates who are navigating difficult life events.
Consider this: How else might you connect the dots between your group’s organizational core values and your teams’ well-being? That is where the magic happens.
Examples of this in action: planning a group fundraiser | departmental philanthropic efforts | meal trains for sick team members | onsite grief counseling as needed | spotlighting heartwarming stories and testimonials | creating a culture of gratitude.
It does my heart good to connect with you and idea-share in this way. My heart tells me to stay in this lane of transforming businesses and lives through health and happiness. I’m literally one message or call away from serving you and your workplace (alongside the full Wellness Collective team). I’d love to hear from you – specifically on current barriers or obstacles – so that we can work to create massive positive impact for all.
Author: Katy Tombaugh