What is Thrive?

There is one thing that defines your quality of life but also how fulfilled you are in life. This one thing is, for every individual, either an asset or a liability. Whether we are aware of it or not, it defines who and what you become. I am talking about mindset. What is mindset and how does one look at it and identify how to make it stronger, better, healthier? Something we don’t realise is that mindset is responsible for a lot of our challenges in life. But it can also be our place of strength, motivation, and happiness. If you are for example: Feeling stuck in life Lacking motivation Feeling you’re not enough Fighting with imposter syndrome Anxious and afraid Lacking confidence All of these issues and so many more are as a result of our mindset. Mindset is everything. But what exactly is it? Mindset is made up of what you believe to be true about you, the people in your life, and the world. It is based on our beliefs and values. Our perception and understanding of all we go through and all that we are. So yes, mindset is pretty important. After a nervous breakdown I discovered that everything hinges on our mindset. How we see the world and how the world sees us. How we get stuck in life not knowing that our mindset needs rebooting. For a lot of people their mindset is not serving them well at all, maybe it’s even broken or irrational in how they see things. For example, self-sabotaging is such an issue of mindset. So too is how we act in our interpersonal relationships. There are two types of mindsets, a growth mindset and a fixed mindset. Whether you are male or female doesn’t matter to mindset. But whether you have a fixed or growth mindset does matter to everything. A Growth Mindset: A thinking that says challenges are not bad, learning is good, and a self-belief that they will be successful. They like feedback, they love to grow and learn. They are not limited in their thinking. A Fixed Mindset: A thinking that believes their skills and talents are a fixed trait and they settle for what comes their way as they feel success is achieved by being safe and secure, and not taking chances. You’re either successful or not but don’t take risks. At Thrive’s webinar, I’ll be sharing my story of a broken mindset but also what real motivation looks like, and the five pillars you can use to build yourself a personal and professional life that makes you smile. Pillars that have helped me and others get through dark times, but also reach their true potential. If you want a different result, you must change the process, and I’ll be teaching all about how to achieve this and reach your full potential in life. As a life coach I work with individuals and groups on a weekly basis helping them adjust or even reset their mindset. This is key to unlocking your full potential to be happy and successful in life. Please join us on November 23rd at 3.00pm for what promises to be an insightful and inspiring hour for all on the power of mindset. Book your free place here. If you are interested in hearing more, you can connect with Mark on Instagram @markfennell.ie or on his website www.markfennell.ie.  Mark is a personal and career development life coach for over 15 years. He works in the areas of mindset and self-belief, and how this impacts our mental health, confidence, interpersonal relations, and most areas of our lives. Mark’s approach is practical and motivational, and he speaks at workshops and seminars as well as working with groups and individuals. As host of This Adult Life podcast, which looks at the good, bad and the ugly of adult life, Mark discusses solutions and practical mindset tips.

Half of workplace illnesses are tied to mental health issues, emphasising the need for better wellbeing supports in organisations. Here are two work-friendly mindfulness methods from Louisa Meehan that can be utilised if you are stressed and anxious. An ongoing and persistent high level of stress is detrimental. It can impact on us emotionally, mentally, and physically. Work-related stress, anxiety and depression accounts for 50% of work-related illnesses according to the ESRI, so it makes sense for organisations to put supports in place to reduce stress at work – especially as the island opens up, people return to the office, and COVID-19 cases rise. Meditation and breath work is proven to benefit our brains. It reduces stress and introduces a level of calm. Employees can do a simple piece of breath work in just a couple of minutes, so it can be easily incorporated into anyone’s daily habits. Mindfulness methods There are many ways one can practice mindfulness, but two good methods for the office are the box breath and the body scan. Both can be achieved while sitting in an office chair with two feet on the ground. Box breath Box breathing is a simple technique that can be practiced almost anywhere. It is regularly used by individuals in high-stress jobs when they face a fight or flight response, and is excellent for re-centring yourself and improving focus and concentration. Close your eyes. Breathe in through your nose while counting to four slowly. Feel the air enter your lungs and pay attention to it energising you. Hold your breath inside while counting slowly to four. Try not to clamp your mouth or nose shut. Simply avoid inhaling or exhaling for four seconds. Begin to slowly exhale for four seconds. Hold your breath out for a count of four seconds. Repeat steps one to four at least three times. Ideally, repeat the three steps for four minutes, or until calm returns. Body scan There are different ways to do a body scan, but the aim is to draw your attention away from your thoughts and into your body. We know that the more connected we are with our own bodies, the better able we are to address issues as they arise. Here is my suggested method. Begin by bringing your attention into your body. You can close your eyes if that’s comfortable for you. You can notice your body seated wherever you’re seated, feeling the weight of your body on the chair. Take a few deep breaths. As you take in a deep breath, bring in more oxygen, enlivening the body. And as you exhale, pay attention to the sense of relaxation. Take notice your feet on the floor, and the sensations of your feet touching the floor; the weight, pressure, vibration and heat. Notice your legs against the chair – the pressure, pulsing, heaviness or lightness. Notice your back against the chair. Is there any tension or tightness? Bring your attention into your stomach area. Is your stomach tense or tight? If so, let it soften. Take a breath. Notice your hands. Are your hands tense or tight? If so, allow them to soften. Concentrate on each finger, one at a time. Relax the muscles as you go. Notice your arms. Feel any sensation in your arms. Let your shoulders be soft. Notice your neck and throat. Let them be soft. Relax. Soften your jaw. If your tongue is touching the roof of your mouth, let it fall away. Let your face and facial muscles be soft. Finally, note your whole body present. Recognise how it is all interconnected. Take one more deep breath. When you’re ready, open your eyes. These are just two simple options that are fast and easy for anyone at home or in the office to help with stress and anxiety. If you are in need of assistance in the area of mental health, emotional and wellbeing supports are available at the Thrive wellbeing hub on https://www.charteredaccountants.ie/thrive-wellbeing-hub/thrive-wellbeing-home Louisa Meehan is the Founder of Woodview HRM.

We are constantly evolving and adapting to the changing needs of our profession ensuring that we are set up to anticipate the future challenges of all our members and students.  Tomorrow for Good is one of the guiding principles highlighted in our Strategy24 document. As an Institute, we have been called upon to provide a roadmap for the path ahead that ensures our profession is equipped with all the necessary support and guidance that the future demands. Our mental health and resilience have been particularly tested during the last 20 months, and we have seen the detrimental impact the pandemic has had on our individual and collective wellbeing.  As a result, a frank and honest conversation on the topic has been accelerated and embraced, and this is to be welcomed. We know a considerable number of members and students in our own community have been challenged greatly during this time, and we have listened to the requests for more support in this area.  A recent survey, conducted by the Institute’s Diversity & Inclusion Committee, found the number one sought-after support that members (56%) and students (67%) are seeking from the Institute is wellness and mental health support. In light of these findings, Chartered Accountants Ireland is delighted to announce the launch of Thrive, the Institute’s new dedicated wellbeing hub. The wellbeing of the chartered accountancy community has always been of the upmost importance to the Institute. In 2019, CA Support’s remit was expanded to include wellbeing and mental health supports.  However, after the devastating mental health impact of the past 20 months, and having engaged with our members, Chartered Accountants Ireland felt the need to transition these supports to a standard service to our members. CA Support’s services are now streamlined to focus solely on providing financial assistance to members who are experiencing financial hardship or distress, and your donations to this hardship fund will be gratefully received. We are making a long-term commitment to support the wellbeing of our community and our objective is to educate and support in the area of mental fitness and resilience. As a member-focused organisation, we want to ensure that members and students feel supported and can easily access wellbeing services that allow them to adapt to the changing landscape and an uncertain future. Thrive’s comprehensive mental health and wellbeing programme offers a wide range of services that are tailored to support our members and students and are delivered in complete confidence at any stage of your journey with the Institute and include: Confidential 1:1 listening service Professional counselling sessions Wellness coaching delivered by our in-house wellbeing team Career supports Wellbeing events/webinars with leading mental health and wellbeing experts Dedicated website with weekly updated resources and advice to help members and students be proactive in protecting their own wellbeing. Chartered Accountants Ireland is an institution that members can rely on. We want Thrive to foster good wellbeing in the chartered accountancy community and help facilitate our members in coming forward and seeking help when needed. Please visit Thrive wellbeing hub for more information on how we can help you safeguard your wellbeing.