Wellbeing means something different to everyone. As a team of twenty, almost half of us have formed an internal network at Future Arc that we have coined the ‘Wellbeing Warriors’ and we wanted to do this storytelling piece as a collective. Why? To be completely transparent, even in this day and age, it is still difficult to talk about mental health experiences and so we wanted to make sure everyone felt comfortable doing so and this is our first step as a small collective to tell the stories of our people.
This year’s theme for World Mental Health Day was ‘Mental Health in an Unequal World’. We wished for this to be a piece that gives equal representation of our Wellbeing Champions and so we asked them to take a small moment from their day to ask them what wellbeing means to them.
So what does wellbeing mean to Future Arc? In a nutshell, a lot of things because we are a group of people with our own backgrounds, experiences, voices and thoughts. We believe in putting people first and all of us have mental health. Therefore rather than a blanket statement, take it from our individuals…
“Wellbeing to me is being in a state of good mental and physical health.”
“To me, ‘wellbeing’ means feeling like you have enough time for you. Checking in with yourself – although it’s quite an overused buzzword – makes a world of difference. Being able to get to a point of balance, being present in your surroundings, and being productive enough in your day-to-day life to make some time for yourself.”
“It’s about choosing to do what feels and is good for our mind and body.”
“Wellbeing for me is about nurturing, growing, educating ourselves and those around us so that we can be kinder to ourselves and to others. It’s about taking care/looking out for one another in the littlest of ways. It’s about compassion.”
“To me, wellbeing means creating a state of physical, mental and emotional peace within yourself.”
So where did the idea to create a wellbeing network at Future Arc evolve from? Our Wellbeing Lead, had been part of one previously and saw the benefit it had in uniting people from all walks of life and levels of seniority. Being open about mental health can be difficult and so joining a group in this way can really help to break down the stigma. Why did our people decide to join this entirely optional network, here’s what they said …
“…To help support and encourage others to focus on their wellbeing. It’s important to break down the stigma surrounding mental health; to make sure people know it’s okay not to be okay and that there’s a support network around you to help whenever you need it.”
“I’m excited about being a part of the wellbeing network because I understand how difficult it can be to face challenges with your wellbeing and mental health. Supporting individuals on best practices, sharing thoughts and solutions and just checking in with one another is a great way to feel like I’m helping others overcome their challenges. “
“The reason I wanted to be part of Wellbeing warriors is because I want to be a part of provoking conversations and providing space for employees to tell their stories and be challenged to how they can be kinder to themselves and others.”
“People are at the heart of any workplace and with that comes a responsibility to ensure that those people have the necessary resources and access to take care of their wellbeing, especially where the effect of work is concerned.”
“I am part of the network as I believe that our state of wellbeing affects every area of our lives and that through helping others to maintain their wellbeing we not only help to improve their lives but also our own.”
Our aim – to keep the conversation going. So what does wellbeing mean to you and how are you supporting yourself as well as others?
