On Thursday 13th January, the Future Leap Network hosted a hybrid event titled “Supporting Your Health and Wellbeing. Before the event began, the attendees enjoyed some pre-sessional networking.
Katherine Piper of Future Leap welcomed the attendees before giving an insight into The Future Leap Network, Future Leap Hub and the many benefits of membership, as well as the Festival of Sustainable Business. She then introduced the speakers:
- Naomi Stone, St Monica’s Trust
- Ann McCluskey, Finding True North
- Leyth Hampshire, Somatic Coach
Naomi Stone, St Monica’s Trust
Discussing the impact of nature on the working day and pro-environmental behaviours, Naomi outlined the relationship between being in green spaces and the benefits to our state of being. The audience was encouraged to consider how we can relate this to our work space. Surrounding ourselves with accents of the outdoors, through fresh air and potted plants, we can improve our mood and concentration. Drawing attention to the Biophillia Hypothesis, Naomi shared the quote: “human identity and personal fulfilment…depend on our relationship with nature”. We must close the gap in the way we live our lives, particularly within the work place.
Ann McCluskey, Finding True North
Setting the tone for the rest of her talk, Ann began with a brief meditation. Attention then turned to investigating how stress arises, and how stress hormones in our brain alert us to fight, flight or freeze. The brain also has the power to calm these responses, avoiding cellular lockdown and survival mode. We must consider what our main stressors have become in modern life, as well as the signs and indicators that may be present once stress has set in. Ann highlighted the importance of finding balance between positive energy and taking the time to restore ourselves, ultimately avoiding burnout. The audience was also encouraged to practice box breathing as a method of calming nerves and reducing stress. Ann’s takeaway tips included prioritising self care on a daily basis, noticing and minimising stress before it takes hold, as well as “beware the chair’“, as we are certainly designed to move.
Leyth Hampshire, Somatic Coach
The audience were first asked to visualise a place in nature that bought them the most joy. This exercise helped attendees to understand the power of the mind before Leyth shared his near death experience, which left him in a coma, and then on to a lengthy recovery process. After being told that he may never walk again, Leyth decided that this would not be his reality. Using his own experience has enabled Leyth to help others understand the power of the mind, the importance of self-care and the fact that our wellness must come first.
60 Second Pitches
To encourage networking, attendees made use of the 60 second pitch opportunity. This sessions pitches included Great Western Credit Union, Tusko, Presca, The Community Farm and Embody Flow.
Close
After a final round of networking, Katherine brought the event to a close, thanking all the speakers and attendees, which without our events calendar would not be possible.
