Hi team
I manage people at work and over the last 3 years there has been an increase in stress, anxiety and depression with people I work with. There are many contributing factors work demand has increased but 80% of people that seem to be suffering with anxiety and depression and stress it seems come from personal problems.
Things we call life.
The more I try and support them the patterns seem to emerge that we are living in a world where people feel lonely and going through life alone. Even though they have friends and family around them. They feel isolated and seem to have no outlet.
It’s work and family life and work and family life. And still feel like they are going through life alone.
I used to be obsessed with Dawson’s Creek (kids look it up!!) it’s a show that showed teenage life, the ups and downs and the angst of well… Growing up.
The tag line for the show was:-
Your problems aren’t that original.
There hasn’t been a truer word spoken.
The world has been around for millions of years. People in the human race have been through it all, beat cancer, World worlds, stress, pregnancy, raising kids, inflation, recession, food rations. You name it the world and people around you have been through it.
But yet in the year we are in. There are so many people that do not feel that they can cope with life. And with all the technology advances in the western world life should be easier and less stressful! Right?
I look around and the community spirit, the commandry, the sense of belonging to a group, outside the stress of work and family is severely lacking.
I know it’s even true on my part, family life come first, looking after my family is number one. But the times I get to speak to friends and do things with them life just seems a little lighter!
I have friends that come to my house to workout, we go for runs and recently have been going to more bbqs (the kids are getting better at travelling) we have been seeing long lost family members and having days out and life feels lighter and I feel a sense of belonging to something more and less alone.
I’m reading a boom called “Strong fathers, Strong daughters” by) Dr. Meg Meeker.
In the book it explains that females connect by talking so as a father to feel connected to your daughter, you must talk and make time to ask your daughter questions about what she thinks and what she does. Guys, you need to do this with your partners too otherwise they feel disconnected from you.
Males connect over doing activities because they feel comfortable doing things and as they do things, they will talk and the connections are made through communicating through a common goal and they other issues in life come up when trust is gained.
Connection is missing I feel when I talk to people at work.
They feel less connected to work, their friends, their community and they feel anxious and depressed.
You can’t do life alone.
When you are down and need help and at your lowest you need your friends and community need to push and shove you into a better place.
Sometimes your friends and community will give you a hug and take you by the hand show you the way out of a dark place..
Please remember you need people share your issues with and you will feel lighter.
- Chris
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