This week; week commencing 9/5/2022 is mental health awareness week.
It's a subject close to my heart.
6 years ago; in-spite of seeing lots of success, moving to the Isle of Wight, having a great job, beautiful house, three cars and living by the sea - I had a breakdown.
The simple fact was that I put myself under too much pressure to be more and to do more - when the facts showed that I was already enough.
Subsequently, I opened with my wife becky, what is now an award wining coffee house on the Isle of Wight - The Freshwater coffee house as well as the gallery and barista training school I'm writing to you from now. Thankfully I don'y feel embarrassed about my mental health challenges - if anything - they've made me a better coach and are helping me to help others even more effectively.
Lots have improved, so much so that I've returned to coaching in the past year and am now back working with senior leaders who want to create business and personal change; it's blowing brilliant - but it doesn't mean I'm always 'A1' - I still have my 'down moments'.
Thankfully however, as well as working with my own coach/counsellor, I have created some tools and approaches that I used to keep me fully functioning. Below is one of them; the latest iteration of my daily reflection form (blank and as well as an example).
Blank
Example
This form gets me focused upon the good stuff, challenges what I perceive as the bad stuff and in a gentle way enables me to challenge and overcome the stuff thats making me feel A1.
Mental health, like physical health takes practice and training. I hope you find it useful.
If you have any questions fire away or thought - drop them over via the contacts page
Would love to hear your thoughts.
Stefan #thelittleboatiow