My name is Karen Cumming. I’m a journalist who loves to tell a good story. Lately, my friends tell me I have an interesting story of my own to share. I’m one of “The Mars 100”: one hundred people from around the world who have made it to the final round of astronaut selection in a legitimate mission to colonize Mars. Really.

The prospect of leaving Earth for good has given me the chance to take a fresh look at the way we live our lives here. Let’s face it: Earth is a stressed-out place. We wrestle with traffic, financial pressures, family issues, concerns over politics and terrorism, and the list goes on.

Figures from the Mental Health Commission of Canada (2018) show that 500,000 Canadian employees are unable to work every week due to mental health problems or illnesses. The primary cause: workplace stress.

Recent studies show that lost productivity due to absenteeism costs the Canadian economy close to 17 billion dollars per year.

On top of this, millions of us are now part of “the sandwich generation”, caring for elderly parents as well as kids and grandkids. Even more stress.

In today’s world, workplace wellness and mindfulness training is no longer a luxury, but a necessity.

Here’s the good news. Stress doesn’t have to make us miserable. All we need are a few simple mindfulness tools to help us manage our state of mind more effectively. And that’s what Self-care is… treating ourselves with kindness in order to thrive.

I firmly believe that we are not just here to “make it through the day”. We are here on planet Earth to feel good, to feel joy, and to make a contribution we can point to with pride.

“The Martian’s Guide to Self-care and Stress Relief” is designed to help you do just that.

Imagine:

• Developing a deep sense of well-being, calm and work-life balance
• Reducing feelings of worry and anxiety
• Enhancing your body’s immune system
• Reducing your risk of heart disease

Now Imagine:

• Increasing your ability to focus on the job
• Managing deadlines and pressure with greater ease
• Improving your relationships with clients, suppliers, patients, customers co-workers, family and friends
• Becoming a happier human being

I have been where you and/or your employees may be right now. And I decided to do something about it.

I took stock of all the healing and transformational experiences I’ve had in life. Everything from becoming a yoga/meditation teacher and health promoter to spending time at a Buddhist monastery (the home of Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh), to living in the largest eco village in the UK. Add to these the coping strategies I’ve learned over the years from some of the world’s great spiritual teachers, and you have what I call “The Self-care 7”.

You will learn to:

1. Love yourself
2. Make friends with “Now”
3. Meditate in a simple way
4. Appreciate life
5. Focus on what’s good
6. Speak with positivity
7. Let go of what no longer serves you

The bottom line? You’ll leave this workshop with a set of tools designed to help you and your company or organization live long and prosper.