A few years ago I became involved with Mental First Aid England, training to deliver their outstanding courses into workplaces, large and small. This one small step made a huge difference to my life. And over 12 months, really encouraged me to ask myself a few pretty significant questions:
- How mentally ‘healthy’ I was; did I really enjoy what I was spending 90% of my time doing? Answer; I couldn’t answer
- If someone asked me what defined me what would I say? Answer: My business…and ….erm….
- If I could do anything in the world, what would I do? Answer: Work to live. Not live to work.
- What did I REALLY enjoy? Answer: Anything to do with the mind, health, and helping people – that IS where Talent started out.
- How important was a ‘growing’, ‘profitable’ company, and what actually is ‘success’? Answer: It depends on the weighting you put on each. Ultimately, we come into this life alone, we leave alone.
What happens in-between defines us. Success…well actually that is how you define yourself.
And so, as we embraced 2018, I devised my happy live to work. Enjoy when you aren’t working. Work when you are enjoying life and without doubt, the results will happen. And so, I decided to divert. Remove myself from the expectation and be inspired by doing the very best I could to educate around mental health, support those who need support and empower those who can be empowered to support.
And thus, Talent Inspire; where the focus is on education in mental health and wellbeing in workplaces and linking that into the HR remit (it still runs through my blood!).
In between my work, instead of ‘growing’ and making more ‘profit’, I live. I travel. I enjoy. And I work to live. Hopefully when we next meet, you will see the difference that has made.
Understanding mental health has massively influenced my life, and I truly believe it does the same to anyone.
If you have time 🙂
Katie Bancroft MD Talent Inspire Ltd
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