EMOTIONS
What to do, when you’re already doing everything
Rather than ticking off a happiness to-do list, follow the path to wellness by welcoming in difficult feelings and wallowing in them awhile, writes Dr Stephanie Fitzgerald
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Expert advice
Dr Stephanie Fitzgerald is a clinical psychologist, an author, and a health and wellbeing consultant. soyoltd.com; @workplace_wellbeing
Helen Russell is an author, a journalist, and a speaker who has spent the past ten years studying cultural approaches to emotions. helenrussell.co.uk; @MsHelenRussell
Jack Green is a double Olympian, a mental health ambassador, and a keynote speaker. linkedin. com/in/jackgreenoly/
I’m leading a wellbeing webinar and, although Stacie*is a small square on my screen, her frustration fills the room. ‘I cycle to work, I eat healthily, I get enough sleep. So why am I not happy? What else do I have to do?!’ she asks.
Stacie, like many of us, feels she is doing everything right. On paper, she is ticking all the wellbeing boxes – and yet she’s not feeling any better for it. What’s going wrong?