Often when we talk about wellbeing, we talk about the practice of wellbeing. How we look after our bodies and our minds, the importance of sleep and taking breaks. We talk about walking meetings, desk stretches, seeking support, setting boundaries and asking for help. We talk about how we recharge, manage our energy, and have a life outside of work. 

But what about the perspective of wellbeing?

The truth is, it’s our perspective of wellbeing that will determine whether we practice it at all.

Do you see wellbeing as fuel or luxury? Is it the fuel that enables us to give our best, the luxury we treat ourselves with when everything else is done, or the bandage we put on when we can no longer ignore it? 

Is it a strength or weakness? Does it show more strength to ignore our needs or to meet our needs?

Who does it serve? Is wellbeing self-serving, or the thing that helps us to serve others?

I love that in Productivity Ninja workshops I get to champion the perspective of being human, not superhero. This perspective comes from  

Recognising we have limits

Recognising we are imperfect

Recognising we have quirks & foibles

When we recognise these things, the surprising truth is that we can come from a place of strength. When we recognise our limits we can start to deliberately choose what we give our best to, rather than be caught short when we run out.

When we recognise we can’t do it all ourselves we discover the beauty and brilliance of working as part of a team.

When we are willing to make mistakes, we learn, we discover, we innovate. We expand the possibilities of success beyond what’s safe.

When we embrace our individual quirks and tendencies as human beings we stop hiding from ourselves. We show up more fully, bring more of ourselves to our work, our homes and our community. We live and work more wholeheartedly.

Human beings are absolutely brilliant, when we stop trying to be superhuman.

That’s my perspective. What’s yours?