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Today I presented ’60 really useful minutes’ to members of Liverpool Chamber of Commerce.
http://liverpoolchamber.wordpress.com/2009/03/26/60-really-useful-minutes/

The invitation read

With all the doom and gloom around us in the current economic climate do you need a boost to your outlook? Are you feeling like a hamster in a wheel that daren’t or can’t get out of it?
1 in 4 of us are likely to suffer a mental health problem which requires treatment at some point in our adult life. Look around at your friends and colleagues – if they appear okay then could it be you?!
Do you know what to look out for and what to do to help yourself or others?
I will share some really useful tips to identify the dangers of ignoring symptoms of stress and
give members a tool-kit to encourage positive mental health and well-being.
Happy and healthy businesses will be the ones to go from strength to strength, so come along and spend 60 Really Useful Minutes to increase your chances of being one!

I learnt something really useful – not all PC’s are compatible with Windows Vista and just before I was due to start had to do a dash back to my car for my laptop! After what my son Dominic would call a ‘run like a woman’ in high heels on cobbles, I got started a few minutes later than anticipated. I learnt early on in my speaking career not to assume that IT works and always have a back-up, but today’s learning point for me was not to leave it in the car!

Feedback after the session was that I related my mental illness well to parallels with business – having a baby was the catalyst to my mental illness and I asked the audience ‘What is yours?’

From the nodding of heads I touched nerves when I outlined some of the signs and symptoms to look out for!

Chamber staff feel my message needs to be heard by many in business as the warnings to look after our mental health are very relevant today.

It was an new angle for me to relate my story and lessons to be learnt from it for the purpose of a business audience – I hope those present left realising the need to be kind to themselves!

Elaine

www.hanzak.com