It would be remiss to discount the effects of this challenging time on mental health. Not only does the pandemic put a physical strain on the human bodies, but it also impacts our minds as well as the economy. Social distancing and self-isolation add even more stressors to our already-altered way of life.
According to a very recent study by Maru/Blue on the emotional state of the country, 84 per cent of Canadians feel the economic impact will last at least two years.
“Mindfulness and mental health are more crucial now than ever for us to work together and be able to see opportunities; be able to work from home virtually without being in the same space how it used to be,” says Floria Aghdamimehr.
Floria is a leadership-trust consultant and mindfulness coach at Recognize Your Potential by Floria. She believes wholeheartedly the work she does, and her practice of mindfulness are both the essence of her being.
“What I do is really who I am and for me it's not a separation. It is an integration and alignment of my passion,” she says.
Her recent Navigating COVID-19 webinar with the Halifax Chamber titled Mindfulness for Mental Health, urged to see opportunities in the now. It shifts focus on soft skills, which have often been after-thoughts in business and society. The webinar focuses on managing stress and improving wellbeing as incentives for leaders and their teams to navigate the pandemic.
Mindfulness, as described by its founder and Medicine Professor Jon Kabat-Zinn, is paying attention in a particular way and on purpose. It’s the practice of being in the present and in the moment in a nonjudgmental way. Through this practice, Floria remained unfazed when the pandemic hit and throughout.
“Personally, it hasn't affected me negatively,” says Floria. “The impact has been interesting because I’m enjoying quiet time and investing time to plan, learn and grow. And that's what my focus has been.”
With 60 to 80 thousand thoughts a day, mindfulness practice involves quieting the mind. It’s used as a therapeutic technique to deal with real-time emotions, feelings and stressors and focusing on the now.
“I encourage people to really change their mindset. So they can see opportunities and focus on what they can do, rather than on what they can no longer do,” says Floria.
She offers her services through various trainings in person and online plus coaching one-on-one or in a team.
Floria uses mindfulness to bring many benefits to businesses, which can be extremely helpful during the reopening phase. Some of the benefits include feeling more confident, being more self-aware, reducing anxiety and increased concentration and focus.
“Same old, same old is no longer good enough. If we do the same things over and over, we will continue having the same results,” says Floria. “This is the time for us to really do things differently.”
Even with her business taking a hit due to the pandemic, she is still determined to share the practice of mindfulness. She is urging business owners to take a step back from reactive actions and focusing on the now as an opportunity.
“There has been less interest from businesses to do training, because they have been focused on quick reactions,” says Floria. “ But now, as we are passing through this collective challenge, we have to put quick reactions behind us.”
Floria offers many services that can have a positive impact on business owners and their teams. Along with consulting, she offers training services in communication, performance, growth mindset and leadership.
Her podcast Attitude for Altitude allows her to become a co-partner in people’s mindfulness journey. From transformation to information, she guides them through a new way of thinking and adapting new behaviours.
“I teach through leadership because for me it's multidisciplinary and I bring it all together,” she says. “A growth-mindset mindfulness is when we truly embrace challenges and really see opportunities.”
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