Sustainable Spaces

  What is an activity you do every day that contributes to your happiness and joy? This is the question asked by Mental Health coach Zarah Hernaez in the conclusion of our Feel Good webinar series. In her talk about Managing Stress and Happiness, she started by saying “stress is not a weakness. It is us being human.” This resonated with Donnie from SM Store Operations who said, “Stress will always be there. Through this session with Ms. Zarah, I learned that I can manage stress through focusing on what I can control and always looking at the positive side of things.” Hernaez reminded us that one of the ways to manage stress is to “let your brain rest.” This can be done by exercising consistently, eating healthy, and sleeping on a regular schedule. One employee asked how to be better when dealing with overwhelming, anxiety-inducing situations. “Organization is the enemy of anxiety,” answered Hernaez. She also reminded everyone to “define who you are and what you want otherwise other people will do it for you.” This is just how Irene from Treasury views mental health sessions like this. “This webinar series reminds us to feel blessed and helps us stay on track.” Hernaez concluded her talk with a reminder that “joy is something that you create so do one task every day for one minute that makes you happy.” When one learns to manage stress, happiness eventually follows. One’s happy, hopeful, and ready for adventure side might just be a few deep breaths away.