– How often do you eat lunch at your desk or skip meals?
– Do you rely on caffeine and stimulants, but constantly feel tired and drained?
– How often do you compromise your values to maintain this crazy pace?
The result is that strain starts to accumulate, anxieties take over and bad habits take control. Life is characterised by not noticing the somatic messages our body is sending, exhaustion and a displaced sense of positive achievement.
In a nutshell, better health and well-being are something we all seek, yet deadlines, schedules, mobile phones, running a household and other life stresses disrupt that balance.
My story – how Covid-19 illuminated my shadow
Decades spent in stressful corporate environments and a family history of diabetes and cancer had left me feeling deeply anxious about living with some unknown level of inflammation in my body. I feared that I had a high likelihood of contracting a chronic disease, and constantly drifting in and out of the “fight or flight” mode left me deeply concerned.
In the years prior to Covid-19, I consciously focused on exercise, I avoided sugar and chose foods that supported my system and lowered my cortisol levels.
When I contracted Covid-19 in August 2021, my body experienced a chemical crisis. I had an underlying inflammatory condition and my pancreas stopped working. My doctor confirmed that this was a common experience with the Covid-19 Delta Variant, and I was hospitalised in a high-care unit.
Extensive blood tests illuminated my condition, holding up a mirror to what I had been experiencing internally: Inflammation in my body and significant chemical deficiencies.
With this intelligence understood, I sought out information that would give me a strategy to support my body on a courageous path forward, to restore balance to my unconditioned self where calm is the rule and chaos a distant memory. This experience is what I term a “Well-within Journey”.
The blueprint of my ‘Well-within Journey’
1 I explored different aspects of physical, mental and emotional health through research, reflection and refocusing to support my body, mind, spirit and shadow. This helped me to make meaning of the term “self-care”.
2 Together with my doctor and dietitian, I determined the requisite actions and milestones toward my desired health-state and connected each of these to a clear purpose.
3 Most importantly, I focused on amplifying my sense of self-worth to ensure that I pivoted my “Well- within Journey” from a place of worthiness and living wholeheartedly. Dignity is at the root of self-care.
When we believe we are worthy, we believe we are worth caring for.” – Dan Newby.
Ultimately, the goal was to make my life better than it was before and to support myself to thrive, rather than simply survive.
The liberating impact of the ‘Well-within Journey’ for the workspace
1 Well-being, self-care and personal growth support conscious leadership and transformation. Besides being more intentional in the workspace, I now live a well-integrated life.
1 By remaining in service to my deepest purpose, I have created ripple effects within my team, associates, as well as the organisations I serve.
I believe that leaders deserve tools that connect to all their intelligence centres – mind, body, spirit and shadow – each of which can be a resource of wisdom, intuition and truth.
If organisations want leaders to bounce back higher from unexpected situations and crises, they should promote leading with a full tank and amplify resilience. This includes understanding the psychology and culture of how burnout manifests within organisations and actionable steps to manage this effectively.
Three critical focus areas
1 Amplify knowledge of chronic inflammation in the body:
– How to naturally reduce inflammation and support a more balanced internal ecosystem.
- Understanding what factors lead to burnout and exploring wellness practices that support our bodies and minds.
These support leaders to reset, recommit and reclaim control of their health and well-being.
2 Connect with meditation practices that ground your energy, soothe your nervous system and engage in “active rest”.
Yoga nidra (a type of guided meditation) supports you to experience a sense of “letting go” and to connect to self. There are many yoga nidra practices available online and it can be practised anywhere.
3. Explore simple breathing techniques to take your nervous system from “fight/flight/freeze” mode to “digest” mode. Employ lymph drainage practices to encourage the removal of waste products and toxins from the body.
These support your nervous system and immune function. Being “Well-within” is a journey of personal mastery that requires us to pay attention; amplify our levels of self-awareness; make tough choices and practice our new habits to ultimately live wholeheartedly.
“If you don’t say ‘no’, your body will say it for you through symptoms and chronic illness.” – Gabor Mate.
I wish you well with yours.
Samantha Wilcox-Diedericks is the founder of the SEVA Collective,; executive leadership coach; Leadership Development; Enneagram Practitioner
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