‘’Hi! Are you alright?’’
As Yorkshire folk I think this is probably our most frequently used greeting when we meet friends and family, but how often do we ask this of ourselves?
As a nation we have endured years of change, adaptation, anxiety and loss due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent cost of living crisis.
For many, some of the changes to everyday life have caused longstanding anxiety, loneliness, depression, and feelings of self doubt when venturing out into the ‘new normal’ post Covid.
As a Wellness Health Coach, I have conversations with people whose goals are to make positive changes to their lifestyles and health, become more resilient and to take back control of their own life.
Over the past couple of months I have shadowed and then led my very first My Wellbeing group. When I started I had the expectation that I would direct the learners through the course content, facilitate discussion and then assist with any questions and with goal setting. What I gained personally from the courses was so much more than that. The course is structured in such a way that you really reflect on your lifestyle, choices, habits and start to unpick why you do the things you do and how could you change this to feel both emotionally and physically healthier.
Since lockdown and the resultant social isolation being in a group setting has become almost an abnormal situation for most of us, and for some, creates so much anxiety. Over the six weeks it has been lovely to see people who didn’t feel comfortable speaking in session one offering their thoughts and ideas by session four and the laughter and funny stories shared, coupled with an honest and open minded attitude from all present.
By week five people had set some very achievable small goals, made them a reality, and had started to plan for the future. The support and encouragement given by the session members has been brilliant, by having a group of people who have different strengths and experiences working in unity it empowered the group as a whole to talk around barriers to change and share things they have tried in the past.
In my absolute favourite session we discussed self awareness and how we use ‘self-talk’. As a group we agreed that generally we were never as kind to ourselves as we would be to another person.
I feel that given what we have all been through since March 2020 we need to give ourselves the opportunity to be more mindful of how we feel, put time aside to relax and reflect and to talk to others and re-connect.
Whatever walk of life you are in, if you need to take a breath and focus on you, Wellbeing sessions could be a brilliant starting point, whether you would like to focus on sleep, mood, food, habits, setting boundaries or self-care, you will find this a thought provoking but welcoming course.
My Wellbeing Course (6 week programme) | Kirklees Wellness Service