Our Wellness and Self-Care Stories: From Mountain Adventures to Soulful Retreats
This guest blog was written by Marina Saif, a nutritionist, diabetes prevention coach and Clinical Team Supervisor with Express Medicals. Follow Marina on LinkedIn or Instagram to get her expert advice and motivation directly to your feed.
In the fast-paced rhythm of today's world, carving out moments of relaxation and joy is essential.
For me, walks and runs in nature are truly my simple pleasures of life. I like to keep my week active, and I do this by sticking to my weekly gym/ spin classes, which I try to attend at least 4 times. These give me a real boost of endorphins! I really feel the impact and benefits that moving has to both my physical and mental health. The biggest reason for my smile and positivity though, is beginning/ ending my week with church attendance and fellowship, this keeps my mind and spirit at peace. It’s perfect for self-reflection, connecting and gratitude to life, creation, and the creator.
As part of our health-conscious team, my curiosity was piqued: how do my fellow teammates balance their busy lives and self-care? Join me as we take a walk through our personal pathways to happiness and well-being…
Laura Carey, OHT, Newcastle:
Laura's dedication to fitness is truly commendable. Sharing her weekly routine, she said, “I have a PT session 3-5 times a week, which I am loving.” Taking regular exercise is fantastic not only for one’s physical health but can be enormously beneficial to your mental health. Laura is truly setting an example to us all.
Laura Underhill, RGN, Birmingham
Laura is another harnessing the power of exercise for self-care. She has an active routine to manage stress: “I do kick boxing and run regularly which helps keep the brain fog away”
Aasha Garway, Results Executive:
Aasha’s approach is simple – “I spend 1 hour of ‘me time’, doing something that makes me happy, like shopping or meditation.” Too often, we forget to make some time for the things that bring us joy, but what simpler way to show yourself care than to carve that time out just for enjoyment.
She offers more valuable advice: “do something creative that expresses your emotions, like writing or drawing or music. Boost your self-esteem by focusing on your strengths, achievements, and gratitude, and challenging your negative thoughts”. I couldn’t have said it better, Aasha!
Helen Grace, RGN, Milton Keynes:
Helen’s approach to wellness is multifaceted and includes regular exercise (swimming, weightlifting, and running), spending time with family, enjoying great food, travel, skincare, and indulging in her favourite shows on TV and radio. She told me, “In my younger days, I was raving! But I can’t do that anymore… maybe a bit of a kitchen disco now and again”.
Jackie McLintock, Marketing Manager
Jackie’s perspective on well-being offers an inward reflection. She told me, “While I do love binge-watching or indulging in skincare, self-care for me is an inner exercise. Battling self-criticism and anxiety, I work hard to accept and forgive myself. It's challenging but imagining how I'd treat a friend or loved one in a similar situation helps.”
Anonymous:
One colleague, who preferred not to be named, had an exploratory answer for me: “I climb mountains and wild camp, my ultimate escape and boost to wellbeing!” They went on, “Living on the south coast of England where there are no mountains I run in the New Forest on my own and as part of a club. This is a year-round activity with social benefits too. Gardening, growing fruit and veg and in wintertime a bit of knitting and cross-stitch also make me happy and relaxed.
“As I have experienced anxiety with diagnosed checking OCD (treated fairly successfully) since childhood, I am very self-aware of my emotional state. I feel massive benefit from activities that provide me with a sense of release and escape.” This mix of adventure and tranquillity is certainly inspiring!
Faye Withecomb, Account Manager:
Faye has found a wonderful way to double up on endorphins – enjoying walks with her furry companions. “I like to take my dog for long walks,” she says, “a good dog walk can be anything from 3o to 90 minutes if I take her to Blackheath to bounce through the long grass”. Faye also shared how she likes to relax afterwards: “I love to soak in the bath with a Lush bath bomb”. What a fantastic combination.
Pamela Ajogbeje, Account Manager
Pamela maintains a well-rounded routine that includes weekly spa sessions. As she puts it, "I aim to visit the gym and spa around twice a week. Swimming and participating in water aerobics are my go-to activities."
Pam doesn’t just look after her body, but her mind and spirit. “I do try to take a break away as often as possible to do the things I enjoy. I enjoy reading and having quiet moments to myself” she says, "I dedicate time to self-reflection and practice positive affirmations rooted in my faith.”
Angela Chetty, OHT, Reading
Angela keeps her health in check by dedicating herself to three gym sessions every week. She also combines her active lifestyle with her social life: “I like to go walking with my friends and their dogs”. Angela is clearly an animal lover, and told me that spending time with her feline fur-baby Lady Bee boosts her wellbeing. She added, "I also follow my vegan lifestyle which I been doing for around 20 years, and still enjoy that aspect of my life.”
Jayne Bennett, Senior OHT, Doncaster
Social connections are also important to Jayne. She told me that whenever she’s feeling low, “having a chat with a friend helps”. As they say, a problem shared is a problem halved! She also recommends the Headspace app to help manage stress, meditate and get a good nights sleep. And she needs to get good sleep to get up for her 3x weekly 6tam HIIT sessions. A few other treats to help improve Jayne’s well-being are “a reflexology session, a trip to the cinema, having a cuppa in a tea shop and people watching, or just having a bit of a duvet day watching all my favourite rubbish tv.” Sometimes, it really is the small things in life that matter most.
Vaida Valuckaite, Clinical Manager
Vaida is not only in charge at work, she’s the boss in the kitchen too. “I love cooking, especially with healthy foods,” she tells me with a wink. Whilst her passion is home-cooking, she loves exploring restaurants and cuisines whilst catching up with her loved ones. Beyond that, she finds joy in spending time with her daughter and travelling, ideally “somewhere warm, by the sea.” She went on to tell me how fulfilling she finds working here at Express Medicals. It’s been 13 years, and she’s certainly part of the furniture now! Vaida's insights reminds us that self-care is woven into the fabric of our passions, connections, and everyday joys.
Matthew Fedyk, COO & Head of Finance:
Matthew sings the praises of a “hearty kick of adrenaline on a weekly basis” to boosting his mental health and wellbeing. His adrenaline source of choice is rock climbing:
“Rock climbing is a fantastic sport and is very fast growing all around the world especially since its recent inclusion in the summer Olympics. There is a great community aspect and a real sense of support for one another with people regularly cheering you on and sharing ideas on how to do certain moves. It promotes and improves balance and coordination whilst also providing a full workout for both the body and the mind.” Adrenaline and endorphins all in one, what a great way to feel your best!
Dr Dan Hegarty, CEO of Express Medicals:
Dr. Dan finds joy in various activities that greatly contribute to his well-being. He enjoys walking, watching movies, and particularly delights in the immersive experience a cinema provides. His passion for swimming is equally evident, with fond memories of scuba diving and snorkeling trips.
Friendship holds great value for Dr. Dan. He appreciates the simple joys of spending time with friends and loved ones– “friends are precious. I do enjoy catching up with good friends and doing those simple things in life that bring joy – walking in a park whilst chatting; conversations over a meal and sharing a drink or two.”
Dr Dan also shares that traveling is his way to “recharge the batteries”. A recent trip to St. Austell, Cornwall, brought relaxation through walks, swims, and local sightseeing. He believes that simple pleasures hold the key to relaxation and rejuvenation, capturing the essence of a fulfilling life, and I could not agree more.
Reflecting on Our Journeys:
It's clear that the roads to relaxation and rejuvenation are as diverse as our personalities. Each one of us, in our unique way, finds that balance between the chaos of work and the calm of personal time. Whether it's an adventurous trek, a creative outlet, or simply a cherished daily ritual, it's these moments that add richness to our lives. Here’s to celebrating our individual paths to well-being and encouraging others to discover theirs!
