Introduction

Hi and welcome again to Empower.

There are 3 core ways in which to fully engage in the program over the coming 6 weeks:

Your Empower eJournal can be downloaded by clicking on the button below.

Your journal is something to treasure as it will track your journey in your own words. This is a space where you can workshop your thoughts, feelings and program activities in your own time and in your own way. You will also benefit from having it available to view when you attend your live workshops. By fully engaging in the journal activities you can easily keep up-to-date with the progression of the program. It will also help you discover where to focus your attention each week to improve your wellbeing.

At Fernwood we understand that holistic health is not just about exercising and eating well. True health is reflected in the wellbeing of our mind, body and soul. The connection between these three aspects of self is undeniable - we are what we eat, drink and think.

With the prevalence of stress, anxiety and other emotional and mental health issues affecting how we think and feel, we understand the importance of empowering you with the tools to live your most authentic and happy life.

Before you read on, you may wish to download a copy of the program schedule so you know exactly what’s coming up and when throughout Empower.

Over the course of the next six weeks we will be introducing you to a range of wellness-related topics, taking you on a journey to find the areas in your life and self that may require some attention. These topics include:

Stress and anxiety: It's important to understand what physically happens to our body when we experience stress to help manage it. In the first half of Empower, we explore the physical and psychological implications of stress, and in particular long-term stress. We give you the knowledge and tools to combat stress on a day-to-day basis, to help prevent some of the negative long-term effects.

Mindfulness and meditation: One of the most effective ways to cope with stress, mild to moderate anxiety and the 'stuff' that derails our general wellbeing from time to time, is the practice of mindfulness and meditation.

Emotional intelligence (EQ): Stress management, mindfulness and meditation have been proven to enhance emotional intelligence (EQ). EQ describes the ability to identify and manage your own emotions and understand the emotions of other people. Research suggests that people with a higher sense of EQ are able to manage life's stressors, adopt a positive growth mindset and are less likely to experience mental health issues.

Positive psychology: Positive psychology is not simply trying to 'think positively'. We've all tried that and know that unless there is a shift in our default way of thinking, being positive can only last so long. Our thoughts and feelings determine our ultimate actions and experiences with the world, and this is driven by our belief system. Through developing emotional intelligence and working towards a growth mindset, we can start to have more positive experiences, enhancing our mental health and overall wellbeing.

Sleep health: Getting enough quality sleep is an essential human need. We heal both physiologically and psychologically when we are sound asleep. Starving our body and mind of sleep has significant implications for long-term mental and physical health. We will explore what healthy sleep really looks like and ways to achieve this.

Gratitude: Gratitude is not just an action or saying 'thank you'. It is a real, heartfelt positive emotion and deep appreciation for someone or something which produces long-lasting positivity, and often feelings of elation. Reflecting in gratitude is a powerful mindfulness and self-care practice. Done daily for a prolonged period of time, gratitude can have positive benefits on mental health and emotional intelligence.

Self-care and loving kindness: The practice of loving kindness and self-care is at the very heart of Empower. Knowing our value and worth in our most authentic self is not something that comes naturally to most of us. It can be one of the hardest things we do on the journey to positive mental health and total wellbeing. We will explore compassionate practices including loving kindness, gratitude and forgiveness. It could be time to dig deep – but you've got this!

So, let's prepare for the start of your program with two activities to complete in your own time.

‘oWN Time’ Activities

Where are you now?

Pre-Program Activity 1: Emotional Intelligence (EQ) Questionnaire and your personal wellbeing index (PWI)
An important part of any personal development journey is understanding where you are now. It is exciting to witness the growth within ourselves that emerges when we move through a process of positive change. Over the coming weeks you will have the opportunity to reflect on your own wellbeing and what that means to you. Wellbeing can essentially be described as general happiness and life satisfaction. The personal wellbeing index (PWI) provides space for reflection and subjective assessment on how happy and satisfied you are with various aspects of your life right now. Another area of wellbeing we will be exploring over the coming weeks is Emotional Intelligence (EQ).

You will find an EQ Questionnaire and Personal Wellbeing Index below. Please take some time to download and complete both before you attend week 1 workshop.

Pre-Program Activity 2: Your food affects your mood
You’re probably familiar with the phrase 'you are what you eat'. We know that the food you choose to fuel your body not only affects your metabolism and physique, but also your gut health, mental health and mood.

We encourage you to support all the work you are doing with Empower with foods that are going to nourish your brain and your body, and support a healthy mood. To help you out, you will find a variety of 'mood food' recipes in the Empower Recipe eBook.

These recipes are not compulsory meals, but are a highly recommended addition to enhance the benefits of the program.

Why are you here?

Pre-program activity 3: Your 'program why'

An example program why:
I want to learn practical techniques to cope with stress at work and learn to meditate.

An example program intention:
”I intend to use meditation as a way to manage work stress and dedicate more time to myself.”

Your program why and program intention are not set in stone, in fact, they will likely change and evolve as you move through the coming weeks, and that’s okay. Now it's time to meditate.

Meditative Practice

Throughout your Empower experience we will be exploring a number of powerful mindfulness activities. These include meditations and certain yoga asanas (poses). Of course, all activities are optional and it is important you make this program your own by engaging in activities that work for you. Everything we have included in the program has been done so intentionally to enhance your program experience.

Why Meditation?
If you have never intentionally meditated before, it's important to know there is no right or wrong way to meditate. Everyone practices meditation differently and experiences varied benefits.

Meditation is about directing the mind to a point of focus instead of simply clearing it. Meditations may be guided or self-directed and can be as simple as focusing on one’s pace or rhythm of breath, or on a specific topic for reflection. This brings us to your final preparation task before starting next week.

Take a moment to watch this shot video above on ‘setting up for meditation’ Once you’ve found your ideal meditation time and space, take a few moments to engage in the ‘Active reflection meditation’ below, sometime before your first workshop.

Why yoga?
Though yoga is fast becoming a popular practice within the fitness industry, our reasons for including yoga postures in the Empower program go far beyond what is trendy.

Yoga is more widely known today as a physical ‘doing’ practice, but it also serves as a powerful mindful or ‘being’ practice. Even in the ‘doing’ of the postures, we can bring an element of mindfulness to the movements to deepen and enhance the overall benefits. Yoga (‘Yog’ – the original Sanskrit word) essentially means union, to join/unite/unify; that can be interpreted however you wish. But the two main unifying practices in yoga are: mind to body and body to breath.

Physically: Yoga both stretches and strengthens the muscles (something a lot of traditional exercises don’t do; generally, it’s one or the other) and of course it helps to mobilise joints. The relaxation aspects of yoga can help to physically relax not only our muscles but our nervous systems, bringing our body into a restful state for better digestion, better sleep and restoration, which you’ll learn more about in week 2.

Mentally: Yoga challenges us through the toughness of some of the physical poses but also through the mental space. Yogic practices invite us to expand our thinking and our mindset, of which the benefits can spill over into other areas of life.