May 2023 Newsletter
May 11, 2023
Women, Self-Care and Mental Health: A Strained Relationship
Women can struggle when it comes to addressing and prioritizing their mental and physical health. As a result, they can complicate their own self-care, keeping it out of reach or ignoring it completely.
According to Dr. Elissa Brown, Quorum Initiative Advisory Board member and Professor of Psychology, St. John’s University, there are three steps that can help us improve self-care and mental wellness:
- Awareness: Start with a body scan to better understand how you react to stress. What resources do you have at your disposal – breathwork, meditation, etc.- to address these reactions when they occur?
- Balance: While one hundred percent life balance may be unrealistic and unattainable, it is possible to identify the things you need to maintain good mental health as well as the steps to make them a priority. This begins by establishing a personal value system which includes giving ourselves enough time for rest and sleep.
- Connection and Higher Purpose: People use social support to manage their stress such as friendships and peer relationships. Having a spiritual practice can also reinforce one’s sense of purpose.
So, how do you “flip the switch” and make self-care more of a priority? Here are two things to consider:
- Mindset Reset: Changing our thinking around self-care from a “nice to have” to a “must have” similar to eating breakfast or getting a haircut can help push it to the top of your “to do” list. Alter your thinking to position self-care as a requirement and make a commitment by setting aside time for it each day or every week, whatever is realistic for you. Dr. Brown shared that she sets aside one hour to work one-on-one with a personal trainer, which has made a marked difference in her mental and physical well-being.
- Role Model: Women should also think of themselves as role models to others – the children in their lives, team members and peers. By thinking this way, self-care takes on greater importance – we all want to be at our best for others in our sphere of influence.
“A Woman’s Leadership Support Team Is Her Path To The Top”
Meg Sullivan Featured in Mentor’s Collective
Meg Sullivan recently published an article on Mentors Collective entitled, “A Woman’s Leadership Support Team Is Her Path To The Top.” In it, she describes leadership as a never-ending journey that begins with knowing oneself and what we need to not just survive but thrive. She notes that one of the good things to come out of the pandemic was seeing the benefits of remote work and having more time for reflection. While women still want to foster their own ambition and rise up the corporate ranks, hopefully they’ll do it in a more mindful manner and with a leadership support team – Mentors, Sponsors, Allies, and a Personal Board of Directors.
Quorum Live on LinkedIn
We continue our Quorum Live – an ongoing series of conversations with Quorum members and friends on hot topics.
On May 10th, Dr. Barb DePree, Founder, Middlesex MD addressed a topic that’s been on the minds of many Quorum members, “Misconceptions About Menopause And How Women Can Flourish During A Time Of Change.” She dispels popular myths about menopause.
Watch the replay here.
Subscribe to our YouTube channel to watch future episodes. Reach out to Diane Silverman to be a guest on Quorum Live.
Congratulations to a Quorum member!
- Amy Ho, Managing Director of Bank of America, has been named the Chinatown Branch of the YMCA of Greater New York’s 2022 Volunteer of the Year!
- Quorum Initiative Advisory Board member Tommy Loper on his new position as Vice President, Enterprise Development at The Aspen Institute!
