Notes on Wellbeing #3

Check-in Mondays

Just over three years ago I set up Be More You.

Be More You are a collective of runners who are passionate about community and mental health. Our mission is to support runners and communities worldwide with positive mental health and guidance. We do this through a series of online and offline events, talks, webinars and by creating safe spaces for runners to come and be their authentic selves, without fear of judgement or criticism. A space where runners can come to listen, be heard or just be present to the moment, while learning new skills to improve their mental wellbeing and outlook on life.

Wellbeing check-in

When we ask someone in the UK how they are doing, we are typically faced with an "I'm okay", "I'm good" or I'm fine" response, which doesn't really help us understand how that person is actually doing. So, when we launched Be More You in October 2018, one of the first things we introduced was the wellbeing index check-in. The way it works is you ask someone how they are feeling (emotionally, physically and phsyiologically) on a scale of 1-10 (1 feeling their lowest and 10 feeling their best), in addition to this you allow them to provide some context behind their score, as little or as much as they feel comfortable sharing. The main thing to point out is that it's okay to be not okay and that this is a safe space to share how they are really doing.

Running through Wanstead en route to Hackney.

Example of a wellbeing index

Today, I am feeling like a 8 out of 10. I got up this morning and told myself one thing that I could count on today, which was nature being all around me when I stepped outside of my home. I then made myself some oats with hot milk for breakfast and a black coffee to fuel me for my long run of 17 miles. I am in week 4 of training for the Boston Marathon in April, and in order to motivate and get me through this huge workout, I decided to run from my home in Essex to the family home where I grew up in Hackney, East London. I knew that this would keep me running as I longed to see the square where I lived and the house and neighbourhood which holds so many cherished memories for me. It was a 12 mile run to get there and it did not dissapoint, the miles just flew by. When I arrived, I stood outside and took a picture of the house and the square in all its splendour then and took moment to take it all in. I need to do more things like this I said to myself and then carried on with my run along the streets of Hackney that I know like the back of my hand.

The family home where I grew up in Hackney.

The square which holds so many cherished memories of my childhood.

Wellbeing Index check-in

The idea is that when one person shares how they are doing. Whether that be a positive or negative experience, they're unconciously giving others permission to share too. This can engender a spirit of community, where people feel seen, appreciated and understood and I believe these are the things we all need to experience to feel part of a community, group, workplace and so on.

When the pandemic hit in March 2020, I started to introduce this concept to my clients and to date I have delivered over 100 of these initiatives in the form of webinars since. I have also trained managers, networks and mental health leads on how to run these type of check-ins and workshops within their teams, departments and organisations.

Why am I talking about this today?

Because, with your support I'd like to kick off a check-in Mondays initiative across workplaces around the world, helping to engender a spirit of togetherness and belonging. A simple check-in can make a big difference to someone's day and help change the culture of a business for the better.

- Society has become polarised and we need to create a forum for our colleagues to come together and share what they are going through, without fear of judgement or criticism.

- We need to normalise the conversation around mental health and this is a simple way to do this, one conversation at a time.

- An outlet to help humanise the workplace and normalise vulnerability - an escape from the corporate norm and discussions about work.

- An initiative like this can help connect a diverse group of people and encourage open conversations about how people feel.

If you are comfortable using the information provided above to start your own check-in sessions please do so.

If you'd like further information and guidelines on how to run your own check-ins, then comment below and I will be in touch to send across relevant material.

Let's normalise the conversation around mental health, one conversation at a time!

Thank you!

Sha Hussain