🗣 To the Window, to the Wall: A Wellness Story

🎉 Yo! We are back at the weekly office party, where everyday feels like #casualFridays. Dropping mics and sounding off.

How did y’all do last week with feeling the FLOW?

I’m learning that the art + science of wellbeing can evolve in every season of our life. In the times that we feel stuck in our careers or creatively, we just have to pause and make that journey back to who we are at the core. Remove the labels of Mom/Dad, Business Partner, People Leader, Wife/Husband, etc etc. Who are you under all that?

While we continue to put our creativity above our chaos in various life spaces, don’t forget to pause for yourself. ALWAYS. 

Now onto this newsletter. We’re diving into the deep end with a very transparent journey to more wellbeing tapping into the areas of 1) Recognizing 2) Resetting and 3) Reconnecting.

⛽️ Fueling creativity + community + connections ⛽️

🗣 Special Sound Off: The ‘You Got This’ Journal created by Cassandra Babilya has been really getting me through my wellness journey daily. Focus on your wellbeing has to happen daily! It has also been keeping me anchored into my intention word for 2024 - Gratitude.

If this email was forwarded to you, tap in and join the cool collective.

.50cent Club Fridays and Corporate America had me f*cked up.

Trips down memory lane are always so introspective. To be quite honest, my wellbeing journey started off ROUGH. Let’s do a quick audit:

The 20s: I was borderline reckless on weekends (insert the party girl era), but would always show up to work on time during the week. I definitely wasn’t drinking enough water, lacking any physical activity outside of the weekend Pop, Lock, and Drop it, and my self-care routine consisted of Redbulls + Vodka. You can imagine how this impacted how I showed up at work, even if I was literally present. Through all this, I loved working in HR and finding solutions so that people could also love their work. Seeds planted.

The 30s:  I was learning that wellbeing was important AF. In this decade, I began to think about how my work could impact lives and how sneakers could become a common thread for connection (+ creative expression). I was conditioning my hair more, building in some mindfulness practices, and being more intentional about the blueprint for career meets creative. I grew to understand I didn’t have to settle for the microagressions I was facing in Coporate America, alongside the lack of representation in leadership. I found mentors, but I also begin to find my core and my own personal values - being of service.

Side note: We are also trying to age like wine and not milk. Therefore, take care of your temple (read: body/mind/spirit). A shoutout to therapy, too.

💡If you missed the first part of this January series, head on back to Dry January meets the HR Mood Board.  

I began to shift the journey to more wellbeing through much trial and error (read lots of error). One theme always stood firmly staring right back at me, and that was the journey home. This journey was rooted in returning to myself time and time again. That spark of creativity from childhood, that longing to dream hella big (is this a hardcore Pisces trait or what?!), and that desire to make a difference. What are some ways you show up for yourself that make you feel really good?

Fast forward to this next decade of womanhood in the 40/40 club, and here are a few ways to support your wellbeing journey.

👀 We Recognize.

Before we even have the secret sauce to crafting the perfect wellbeing recipe for ourselves, we have to recognize the need upfront. As an example, burnout in itself can sit silently behind the scenes and compound into mental chaos. Ask yourself these questions:

Am I constantly feeling:

• Lack of energy

• Increase in irritability

• Difficulty concentrating or making decisions

• Physical discomfort (I literally got hives because of a job once 😅)

• Feeling disconnected

🧘🏽‍♀️ We Reset.

Not being OK is OK. Now that we recognize it, if your wellbeing journey has derailed, don't overwhelm yourself with massive changes right away. Set small, achievable goals that you can gradually build upon. If you may have fallen off track, it could be an implication that something wasn’t sustainable for you. Also, life be life’n - as my favorite Gen Zers would say.

Let’s get on track by:

• Seek support and accountability

• Integrate mindfulness practices and reflection time

• Evaluate and adjust your plan

• Celebrate the small wins (not just the big ones)

• Forgive and be kind to yourself

🤎 We Reconnect.

Social support provides a safety net during tough times. When we share our experiences with others, the emotional load is distributed, making challenges more manageable. These shared experiences not only reduce stress ,but also enhances emotional resilience, enabling us to bounce back from setbacks more effectively.

Community helps us:

• Improve our mental health

• Enhance our self-esteem and confidence

• Learn and grow

• Share experiences + find avenues to be creative

How can I help amplify your wellbeing journey or be an accountability partner ? Reply to this newsletter and let me know.

✋🏽 One of my fave authors Alex Elle once noted "Taking care of myself doesn't mean 'me first.' It means 'me, too.'"

🪴 we could all use affirmations, right?

Take as many as you need today, and share with someone who has helped your wellbeing journey or just been an awesome f*cking human.

1️⃣ I am not alone in my journey, and I am open to seeking support from others.

2️⃣ Surrounding myself with positive influences contributes to my well-being.

3️⃣ I deserve a healthy balance between my work and personal life.

4️⃣ Rest and leisure are essential for my productivity and creativity.

5️⃣ Each step forward is a success to be proud of.

🎙 time to sound off in HR/People Operations.

As People leaders, we can play a crucial role in cultivating a workplace culture where employee wellbeing is prioritized. Disclaimer: we are not responsible for all of this, however we can help enable this initiative. Also, you have to also take care of your wellbeing too.

This can manifest in our everyday work as initiatives like mental health days, access to EAP/counseling services, or regular check-ins with team members at every level. By recognizing and addressing the mental and emotional needs of employees, HR/People Ops contributes to a more supportive and understanding work environment. This is all with the goal of leading to reduced burnout and improved employee satisfaction at the end of the day.

Let’s let 2024 be the year where our creativity takes over our chaos AND wellbeing is prioritized. Aren’t you tired?

⚡️QUICKSTRIKE HR SOUND BITES

The HR/People Operations landscape is evolving. As the HR World Turns 🌎 could be its own show. Check out some of the happenings below.

• If you’re feeling burnt out, PLEASE listen to the latest episode of the I Hate it Here podcast. Thank me later.

• Want to join the #RevolutionofWork ? Then you need to tap in with Anessa Fike. She is about to create more impact around the HR/People Ops space (and beyond). Stay connected!

• Kat Fergerson is creating a beautiful connection between leadership and parenting. Be a part of her research here. 👀 

👟 SNEAKER INDUSTRY SOUND BITES

Some HR people may like pilates and shopping trips to Ulta. You could say my thing is sneakers + streetwear. If you enjoy sneaker culture - this section is for you.

• This upcoming Air Jordan 3 Craft ‘Ivory’ has landed on my wish list.

• Are brands delivering on their promises to Black people? Read about it here.

🗣 COMMUNITY SOUND BITES

Supporting the small biz/brand owner is important to me. Each newsletter, I’ll introduce you to some talented people in my network and beyond.

• Mentoring is something I love. Read about how we created a workshop for ‘Creative Activism’ through our CNK PowHER Forward Program.

🎧 A SONG I DIDN’T SKIP ON MY PLAYLIST TODAY

I LOVE the Tiny Desk concert series and music plays an integral role in my mindfulness practices. Hasn’t a song taken you to a joyful place before?

Juvenile was a staple in our household and my mama would let us jam to this Cash Money Millionaire while we cleaned up. Shout out to cool mamas.

Remember: If you are a Corporate Creative, Entrepreneur, or slanging knowledge through the startup space - I am rooting for you. 👏🏽. Your work [and rest] is important.

Next up we have the January finale with a guest to introduce. Your fave HR lady in sneakers meets your favorite therapist in sneakers. 😉