All of have us have so much to express. Thoughts, feelings, lived experiences….our ups, downs and in-betweens…our joys, our grief…hopes and dreams, fears and doubts…all of what makes us human, all of what contributes to what we can contribute. 

Yet, so much of what makes us human goes unexpressed and, therefore, unshared. Whether it’s because we don’t know how to or don’t have the space to engage in concerted self expression activities, we lose an opportunity to connect with our richness and, in turn, can’t offer it to the world.

So how does this relate to employee wellness? How does this relate to art? How does this relate to me?

I’ve been working for the last thirty five years. Therefore, I can say the following very confidently: many work environments have traditionally fostered a “leave your personal life at the door so you can get the job done” mentality. It goes without saying that we all have a job to do. However, making time and space for self reflection and expression can enhance our jobs vs detract from them.

This is not a criticism of traditional work environments but, rather, an observation as well as a personal experience. It could very well be that this modus operandi was representative of a particular moment in history. It’s my sincere hope that this moment is shifting. Thankfully, we’ve seen that emotional wellness has become an increasingly prevalent issue in recent years.

I recently listened to a talk by Brene Brown and she spoke so eloquently about creativity, innovation and change, in conjunction with a more expansive work environment. I completely agree. When we periodically carve out time and space for people to explore what makes them tick, we open up the possibility for richer experiences. Richer experiences breed possibility. Possibility breeds innovation.

-Change doesn’t come from contraction. 

-Change comes from from expansion. 

-Change comes from people. 

Recently, I hosted The ART of Wellness with a team from Family & Children’s Services in Monterey County. Imagine the work that this team does with the most vulnerable part of our population…at-risk children and youth. I was both excited and impressed by the invitation to bring artistic expression into the workplace.

My goal for that session was twofold:

1. Have fun (yes, it’s ok to have fun at work)
2. Create an opportunity for staff to learn how art can be another tool in their toolkit to navigate life’s ups and downs (both professional and personal)

On that day, we shared time and space to foster self expression through mixed media art journaling.

As an observer, I marveled at:

-the animated conversation and laughter that erupted (*team cohesion)

-the willingness to participate in an activity not typically associated with work (*employee engagement) and 

-the depth and breadth of self reflection that occurred. (*employee wellness)

Sometimes, we just can’t fully put into words what we’re thinking, feeling and envisioning. That’s where art can be a valuable tool and experience. This has been true for me.

Might it be true for you and your organization? If you allow yourself to envision it, you, too, can bring this into your workgroups.

Feel free to contact me for more information.

831-275-2465

dmouradian14@gmail.com

dianemouradian.com

(title quote on Vocation: Frederick Buechner)