The Garrett Learning newsletter. A mental health and well-being update to find out what has been happening, what’s new & what’s coming up!
Inside this month’s issue:
- The transferable skills of running the London Marathon
- A new service for the Workplace Well-being Heroes out there!
- Mental Health Awareness dates for your diary
We are
* Supportive * Curious * Welcoming * Encouraging * Straightforward *
We are Garrett Learning.
What’s been happening?
I finished the London Marathon in 5 hours, 38 minutes and 33 seconds! Not only that, I raised a staggering £5,086 for the Samaritans! Pretty incredible!
My journey to running the London Marathon started twelve months ago, on the 1st May 2023. I downloaded the NHS app Couch to 5K (C25K), we’ve all got to start somewhere eh?!
I’ve taken some time since finishing the marathon to reflect on the last twelve months. I thought about how I’ve approached ‘Couch to Marathon’. I’d like to share five transferable skills which can help in the working world.
- It all starts with an idea!
The idea might not seem realistic, it might be extreme/ feel impossible/’too out there’ but if we don’t dream and try, we will never know what could be achieved with the right mindset, a plan and determination.
The idea could be anything! Something to better your life and your well-being. Perhaps you want to go for a promotion, change your career direction, start your own business, make a new product, create a new service, move abroad, end a relationship that no longer serves you, start a new hobby, meet new people, or ‘just be’!
Ask yourself, what have you got to lose if you go for it?! The world is full of incredible opportunities. Change can be a good thing!
If you’d asked me twelve months ago ‘Do you think you could run 26.2 miles Wendy?’ the answer was definitely no! I couldn’t even run around the block!
I had a plan. Week one of C25K enabled me to run a full six minutes over a thirty-minute session.
Business lesson: Make a start! Give it a go!
- Planning
It’s all in the planning. The C25K programme is nine weeks in total. I reconnected with people – my cousins and friends. The support was great! Especially the 6am runs with Callum! By the end of week nine, I was running a full thirty minutes/three miles. It worked! It actually worked! I finished the programme by running the Wyre Forest 5K Park run!
In December 2023 I started a strict sixteen-week marathon training plan (For those that did the maths, I started it four weeks early to prepare for any miscellaneous setbacks). I engaged in other physical activities such as CrossFit to strengthen my body and yoga to stretch and relax. I went on holiday and packed my running gear, this was unheard of for me! I made sure I ran three times a week.
Business lesson: Have a plan, believe in the vision. Know your reason and purpose. Give yourself some wiggle room!
- Things not going to plan!
Oh dear! Two accidents that took me off my feet! That’s it. The vision of passing the finish line evaporated from my thoughts.
After an X-Ray and MRI scan I received the OK but needed to rest for six weeks! THIS WAS NOT IN THE PLAN! I did what I was told to give my body the best chance of recovery.
I worked on my upper body strength during that time. The focus and energy can always be transferred to something else. Six weeks later, I put my trainers aka ‘clown shoes’ back on and off I went on a gentle intermittent jog.
Business lesson: Life/plans/ideas won’t always go to plan, we might not always think of a ‘plan b’. We need to adapt, be resilient, positively use our energy and keep looking forward. Remain hopeful. The finish line was back in sight!
- Thinking outside the box!
Running for a charity comes with some pressure. £2,000 of pressure to be exact! I emailed the Samaritans and said I felt doubtful raising £1,000! They were amazing, their email response stated ‘Do your best’. I have supported the right charity here. No added pressure or stress.
For those of you who have seen my social posts about the marathon (there were a few!) you’ll know we raised an incredible amount of money – £5,086 in total.
How? Not having the pressure would be the main reason!
I posted on social media, kept people up to date with my training and accidents. Before I knew it, the £1,000 mark had been hit. I felt great to know that the kindness and generosity of others had helped me reach this milestone. For every person who donated I used my Strava (running tracker app) to map out the letter of their first name. For example, I met with the Monday morning 7am Sydney runners and ran a ‘P’ for my mother Polly around the Sydney Opera House!
I raised £1,200 and thought, I’m going to try to get to £2k but I need to do more… I needed to think outside the box!
Sitting in the pub with some mates (where all the best ideas pop up?!) I mentioned running a quiz night with a difference. I wanted a night that was full of fun, connecting people, making memories and it would involve people in many different ways.
I had big ambitions and big ideas! It all came together and it was an absolutely fantastic night, we also raised an incredible amount of money, over £1,000! I’d hit the target!
We’d filled the room! We had a massive raffle – over eighty prizes donated! Tickets were sold, we played Bingo, The Generation Game, Play Your Cards Right, ‘The Big Bake’ Competition (and the cakes were then sliced up and sold) and my hubby pulled out his sparkly jacket and played Quiz Master! We ended the night with a disco and karaoke!
Business lesson: Surround yourself with the right people. I could not have achieved any of the above without the support of friends, family and local businesses. People who believed in me, people who wanted the best for me and the charity. The generosity of others was phenomenal. This was a combined effort. Teamwork was key. I will be eternally grateful.
5. Social media and celebrating our achievements
Where would I have been without the socials! I shared, posted photos and updates, commented, engaged the audience, went ‘live’, raised awareness, promoted the charity, and updated people on my progress. The local newspaper, Kidderminster Shuttle published a couple of articles too, thanks to Miriam!
I wanted to make this whole experience fun for everyone. It worked! Together we crossed that finish line!
Business lesson: Be visible, get out there, shout about it! People will only know about your idea, business, plan if you share it with people.
Who are the Samaritans? They are a listening service that responds to a call every 10 seconds! They’re there, day or night, for anyone who is struggling to cope, who needs someone to listen without judgement or pressure.
The Samaritans are not only for the moment of crisis, they’re taking action to prevent the crisis. They provide support and suggest skills to help people cope. They encourage, promote and celebrate those moments of connection between people that can save lives. The Samaritans are working with people who are going through a difficult time and they train volunteers to do the same. Every life lost to suicide is a tragedy, and Samaritans’ vision is that fewer people die by suicide. That’s why they work tirelessly to reach more people and make suicide prevention a priority.
You can call the Samaritans on 116 123.
What’s new?
We ran a new course!
In September 2023 I upskilled in a new MHFA England programme. The Mental Health Skills for Managers.
I’m not sure why, but I hadn’t received much interest in the programme until last week! A learner booked on the programme and this week we delivered a 1:1 session and it was great!
It costs £150 per person and the return on investment for you’ll:
– Confidently talk about mental health in the workplace
– Be equipped with tools and resources to support others and yourself!
– Lead by example
The course is running on the following time/dates:
– Thursday 13th June 09:00-13:00
– Wednesday 17th June 09:00-13:00
– Thursday 22nd August 09:00-13:00
– Thursday 12th September 09:00-13:00
Want to book on/want more information, please send me an email wendy@garrettlearning.co.uk
All upcoming open course dates can be found here: https://mhfaengland.org/public-profile/?id=53e0d92a-9711-e811-8127-e0071b664191
A fantastic new service has been launched for Workplace Well-being Heroes!
– Are you flying the flag to promote mental health in the workplace?
– Are you already a Mental Health First Aider?
– Are you a Well-being Ambassador?
We welcome you to become a Workplace Mental Health and Wellbeing Hero!
– Each month you can attend/watch the recording of an educational workshop.
– Attend quarterly workshops, invite your colleagues to help spread the message and raise awareness of mental health and wellbeing. You are a hero after all!
– You’ll connect with other like-minded people to exchange best practices, share ideas and support each other. Ideal if you’re the only mental health-trained person in your organisation.
– Each session will host a Q&A section so you can bring your questions and queries.
Find out more by visiting: www.garrettlearning.co.uk/services/workplace-well-being-hero/
For the first 10 people who sign up to become a Workplace Mental Health and Wellbeing Hero can join for £20 per month per person (forever!)
You’ll need to sign up by Friday 7th June (please email me the name of the members) and our first meeting is on Monday 10th June at 2pm. We look forward to welcoming you along.
What’s coming up?
Prepare for the month ahead with the upcoming mental health awareness dates. Please find some useful links to offer further information.
Look after your own well-being by taking a break from it all. Whether you are a business owner or employed, The Work Retreat is a time to recharge and reconnect with your passion and decide where to progress and develop. Taking time out of the normal day/routine will allow you to get creative and enjoy where your mind takes you in a new environment! No ironing or washing pile in sight!
Find out more here: www.garrettlearning.co.uk/work-retreat
Trust the process of The Work Retreat. Join us at the start of the year in full luxury and get motivated from Wednesday 29th to Friday 31st January 2025 at Studley Castle, Warwickshire. (Limited to 8 places – 5 remaining)
Find out more here: www.garrettlearning.co.uk/work-retreat
Want some help?
Garrett Learning creates welcoming, memorable, and learner-focused learning experiences to reach individual and business goals. Book a discovery call with us to see how Garrett Learning ( www.garrettlearning.co.uk ) can help:
- Lunch and learn workshops
- Leadership and development sessions
- MHFA England Programmes Open courses
- Bespoke training
- 1:1 mentoring
- The Work Retreat
- Become a Workplace Well-being Hero!
Book a chat with Wendy here: https://scheduler.zoom.us/garrettlearning/1-1-cuppa-and-chat
We (Wendy and her growing team!) are here for you when you need us. We are here to hear you! We are kind in nature and open to hearing everyone’s point of view. Our training and overall learning experiences are built to ensure you feel comfortable and can be yourself.
If you want to discuss your future plans, I’d love to hear them! Get in touch!
m: 07859 878 599
c: https://scheduler.zoom.us/garrettlearning/1-1-cuppa-and-chat
l: www.linkedin.com/in/wendy-garrett-7522bb50/
f: www.facebook.com/GarrettLearning
i: www.instagram.com/garrettlearning
t: www.tiktok.com/@garrettlearning
Y: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRq7TIWs7iqeaOvA3hdFN3w
