Bell Let’s Talk Day is January 28, 2021. As part of our commitment to supporting our employees’ mental health and wellbeing, Axis Insurance Group encourages everyone to reach out and connect with one another, not just today, but every day.
Read on to find out about our company initiatives to help employees support and stay connected with each other:
Let’s talk.
This pandemic has been hard on everyone and some more than others. Each of us has suffered some level of loss and some of us have not taken the time to take inventory of what we have lost, struggled with, or how we truly are feeling.
We live in a world full of distractions and short-term solutions such as social media, streaming networks, alcohol and so much more. We make jokes, say we are fine and put on “brave faces” because we have lived in a society that has told us emotions are bad or good; negative or positive. We reject our true feelings out of fear, societal expectations, or habits because we were told to suppress them. We do this because we believe we can control our feelings.
However, when we do not allow ourselves to recognize our feelings and where they are coming from, we allow them to slowly control us. Our feelings are there for a reason. All of them. Susan David, a renowned phycologist and expert on emotions says, “the conventional view of emotions being good or bad; positive and negative is rigid” and ultimately unhealthy for our own well-being. “There are studies that show that emotions pushed aside or ignored become amplified.”
Many of you have most likely experienced it at one point in your life where your emotions have come out in ways you wish they maybe did not. At Axis Insurance Group, we as an organization care about each and every one of our staff. Emotions have a stigma around them, and even while reading content about mental health may make some of you feel uncomfortable and that is ok. You are exploring an area you may never have had to face before.
The reality is we are grieving. George Bonanno, a researcher and professor of clinical psychology says, “you can experience grief over anything that feels like a loss of identity.” This is untouched territory and we have lost bits of our identity. COVID has forced us into a position where it makes it impossible to ignore our feelings. George says, “it is ok to feel grief over what we lost. When we do that, it allows us to let grief do its job so that we can move on” and adapt. However, you are not alone in this. We are stronger when we communicate and support each other.
Company Initiatives: Bringing Back the Breakroom
To help better celebrate Bell Let’s Talk Day, we are launching a new channel in Microsoft Teams called Breakroom. The purpose of this team and the associated channels are to allow staff to feel a sense of connection, community, and support from each other. We wanted to set up an environment like the breakrooms at the office, where we encourage staff members to grab a morning coffee or have an afternoon lunch just to connect with whoever is in there at the time.
As we all are trying to keep our own cups full, we understand that you might not have the ability nor capacity to help, but that is not necessarily the purpose of this. The purpose is to provide you with a nonjudgmental place to feel and connect. The loss of our ability to pop by and catch up in-person creates more isolation. We encourage you not to isolate as that can be detrimental to your mental and physical health. So please connect with each other as much or as little as you need.
Tips for Sharing
When Sharing:
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- When sharing something to the group, try to describe how you are feeling, how something is impacting you.
- Remember that feeling emotions is not the same as acting on them. You can feel what you need to feel and then choose what is the most appropriate action for you.
- Being vulnerable takes courage and is a sign of strength.
- Being vulnerable allows others to connect with us at a much deeper level.
- Try to use you whole body not just the mind when sharing.
- If possible, locate the body sensations you are feeling as you describe them.
- Emotions can be released once we or others notice them, accept them, and have empathy for them.
When receiving someone’s shares:
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- Try not to give unsolicited advice, people do not want or need to be fixed.
- Empathize with others by letting them know how their share resonates with you. Share how you can connect to that feeling by telling a story how you felt similarly.
- Share how you are impacted by them sharing by naming a feeling.
- Thank them for sharing.
Together, we can end the negative stigmas surrounding mental health and wellbeing. We can connect with each other, support one another, and grow towards a more positive life where mental health and wellbeing are encouraged rather than dismissed.
So let’s talk.
#BellLetsTalk
