Unlocking Success with a Mental Wellness Routine for High Performers
In a recent Gallup study, more than half of women, 53%, in the U.S. in 2023 reported feeling frequent stress in their daily lives, and 45% of men said the same.
77% of people feel stress has some impact on their physical health.
May is Mental Health Awareness Month, which has me reflecting and thinking.
This week, during a keynote for Women@Ogilvy, I asked:
When you hear the term "mental health," what comes to mind?
Depression
Anxiety
Stress
Overwhelm
Fear
Their responses came without hesitation.
I’m not a therapist or an expert in mental health. I am a coach who helps high achievers reimagine success and scale their lives by managing their brains so they feel less stress.
You can feel less stress AND feel more joy, ease, and impact...
...But you can't get there outrunning your mental health. You can’t outwork it.
High achievers "don't have time to be depressed or burnt out -- too many people are counting on them."
This is pervasive. But not sustainable.
Ignoring or even suppressing your state of mind leads to unhappiness, burnout, depression, and a cascade of other health issues.
I’ve had a trifecta of serious health challenges - cervical cancer (stage 1), hysterectomy, AML Leukemia. I believe in my heart, each was ignited and accelerated by stress.
I’m on a mission to achieve more without the damaging, unsustainable stress.
Success = More impact + less stress.
Stress never fully disappears (some stress is good stress), but it is possible to recognize the stress signals before they take their toll.
Research shows that we spend more time planning our vacations than planning our futures.
We have routines in our lives: skincare, haircare, workouts, laundry, reading, and eating regimes.
What about a mental wellness routine? A practice, a daily habit, like washing your face, that you reflexively do to launch your day that has a cascading effect on your day, your impact, and your leadership.
My Mental Wellness Routine has given me a new relationship with stress. It allows me to see the signals and manage them better.
As I say this, it's also important to say I'm a work in progress. There are many days I resist, forget, skip, and cheat. Those days are typically the days that I needed my routine more than ever.
My 4-part Mental Wellness Routine includes:
Nutrition and Exercise - less processed food and sugar and some form of exercise every day.
Community and connection - the loneliness epidemic crisis is real and stress-inducing.
Purpose - Midlife high achievers often lose sight of their purpose. Spending time thinking about your future FROM your future self (desired identity) makes your present more purposeful. This is a fundamental in my coaching program.
Mindfulness - the social media death scrolls eat up 2.5 hours a day on average. Use 10 minutes, a fraction of that time, to sit in quiet or journal or meditate or walk (without headphones). Puzzles also work!
10-minutes a day is a proven life changer, leaving you feeling:
More in control.
Clearer in your mind.
Seeing things differently.
Mind-blowing new thoughts about your future.
Here's how you can get started.
(BTW: Some of the wealthiest people in the world journal - Buffet, Oprah, Ariana Huffington).
When we take responsibility for our emotional leadership and health we are better prepared for the hardships when they come.
If you are curious about creating your extraordinary future and want to learn more, let's examine what may seem complex or difficult and distill it down to simple, relatable concepts with actionable and accessible steps forward. Reach out for a possibilities call.
Have a wonderful Sunday!
