Rest, Recover & Renewal
0December can be a valuable time to pause, take stock and reflect on the events and occurrences that have shaped and defined us as individuals, and more broadly as a collective.
Join us as we look back over the past year and set intentions for the year ahead.
“If we know the divine art of concentration, if we know the divine art of meditation, if we know the divine art of contemplation, easily and consciously we can unite the inner world and the outer world.” – Sri Chinmoy
December can be a valuable time to pause, take stock and reflect on the events and occurrences that have shaped and defined us as individuals, and more broadly as a collective.
Reflection is a powerful and helpful tool, physically, mentally and emotionally. It takes many forms and can even inform our meditation, movement or self-care. Introspective practices are a way to tune into our inner world; hindsight often blessing us with a new perspective or profound realisation. This kind of contemplation is not about criticism or judgement, simply a neutral evaluation of how our body, thoughts, emotions and spirit are experiencing the world.
"Vulnerability is the birthplace of innovation, creativity and change." - Brené Brown
There is an interesting ‘dance’ between resilience and vulnerability. The expansive definition of vulnerability can largely be attributed to Brené Brown, who has defined vulnerability as "uncertainty, risk, and emotional exposure." We may think being vulnerable prevents us from being resilient, yet resilience requires overcoming these very things - uncertainty, risk and emotional exposure. For many of us, the past few years have given us a taste of what it means to be more openly vulnerable, as individuals and collectively; within both the business sectors and as part of wider society.
As individuals, being vulnerable, especially in combination with reflection, provides a pathway of engagement with ourselves; we can ask important questions, gain deeper insight into our values and dreams, Through introspective exploration, we grow in resilience and depth, and ultimately form a deep understanding of who we are and what’s important to us. As health psychologist, Shilagh Mirgain has said “We can shut down emotionally and let ourselves become hardened by it, or we can grow from the experience.”
As a business, being vulnerable provides a pathway for change and evolving for the better. This period of global vulnerability has been tough, with plenty of risk, uncertainty and exposure. However, these challenges have also provided businesses time to reflect and re-evaluate the way they operate, and the opportunity to adapt and change their practices for the better. Overall, we’ve seen a surge across all businesses sectors becoming more people-centric and environmentally oriented, to design and deliver experiences, services and products that serve and respect humans and the planet alike.
“Companies that adapt their offerings to reflect changing preferences and behaviours demonstrate their desire to listen, understand, and respond to their customers. In the near term, this can help deepen consumer trust in the organization, fostering the kind of bond that can drive future growth and success. Consumers will remember the brands that paid attention and “took care” of them.” – The Future of Hospitality 2020 report, Deloitte
Individuals and businesses have infinite potential to use their vulnerability as a resilience tool; to overcome adversity through deep evaluation and reflection, in order to create new ways of doing and new ways of being. And that’s exactly what we have done here at BELIEVE over the past two years. In the face of ultimate challenges and change, we have turned setbacks into new opportunities and used vulnerability as a force for good. We can’t wait to share our latest updates with you all.
We hope that you all enjoy a restful festive season filled with love, health and happiness. See you in the new year!
Sources
https://www.chathamhouse.org/2020/08/covid-19-teaches-resilience-and-vulnerability-paradox
https://www.uwhealth.org/news/the-surprising-benefit-of-going-through-difficult-times
https://hbr.org/2020/03/build-your-resiliency-in-the-face-of-a-crisis
https://www.ted.com/talks/brene_brown_the_power_of_vulnerability
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