Setting boundaries with friends is crucial for maintaining healthy relationships and prioritizing your well-being. Here are four assertive ways to decline requests from friends while preserving your boundaries:
1. Be Clear And Direct
Communicate your boundaries clearly and honestly. For example, if you can’t lend money, say, “I’m currently unable to lend money due to financial constraints.”
2. Offer Alternatives
While you may not be able to fulfill their request, suggest alternatives or other resources. Say, “I can’t do this, but I can help you find someone else who can.”
3. Firmly Assert Your Boundaries
Politely decline while reaffirming your existing commitments or limitations. For instance, “Due to my current workload, I’m unable to take on additional tasks.”
4. Express Gratitude
Thank your friend for considering you, even if you can’t meet their request. For example, you can say “Thank you for thinking of me, but I need to prioritize my own responsibilities right now.”
Setting boundaries with friends is crucial for maintaining healthy relationships and prioritizing your well-being.
Remember, setting boundaries is about self-care, not rejection. By communicating assertively, you can strengthen your relationships while honoring your own needs.
If you’re looking to enhance your assertiveness, build better boundaries, and improve your communication abilities, book a session with a MindNation psychologist. Our experts offer personalized guidance to help you navigate challenging situations confidently. Download the MindNation app today to book your session and improve your communication skills.
It’s Christmas! And amidst the festive decorations and twinkling lights, there’s an opportunity for something truly special—self-reflection. Engaging in reflective practices not only deepens your connection to the magic of Christmas but also offers a myriad of benefits for your well-being. Here are some Christmas Day journaling prompts that can help you discover how you really feel about the holiday season.
Prompt 1: What’s the best Christmas gift you ever received?
Unwrapping memories of cherished gifts can transport you back to moments of pure joy. Whether it’s a childhood present or a recent surprise, reflecting on these gifts helps you reconnect with the magic of Christmas and appreciate the love that surrounds you.
Prompt 2: Who is involved in your favorite Christmas memories? Are you still connected with them?
Christmas is a time for togetherness, and this prompt encourages you to reflect on the people who have played a significant role in your holiday memories. Reconnecting with loved ones, even if it’s just in your thoughts, can bring warmth and a sense of belonging.
Prompt 3: What emotions does Christmas Day bring up for you?
The holiday season can evoke a range of emotions, from excitement to nostalgia. Reflecting on your feelings allows you to navigate the complex landscape of emotions, promoting emotional intelligence and self-awareness.
Engaging in reflective practices not only deepens your connection to the magic of Christmas but also offers a myriad of benefits for your well-being.
Prompt 4: What parts of the holidays do you enjoy? What do you not enjoy? Why?
Examining your favorite holiday traditions and acknowledging the aspects you may not enjoy allows you to tailor your celebrations to align with what brings you genuine happiness, fostering a more meaningful and joyful experience.
Prompt 5: Describe what Christmas means to you.
Articulating the personal significance of Christmas helps you define its meaning in your life. Whether it’s about love, gratitude, or spiritual connection, understanding your unique perspective enhances your appreciation for the season.
This Christmas, gift yourself the time for self-reflection. As you explore the prompts, remember that MindNation mental health experts are here to support whatever you may be feeling. If you ever feel the need to share your thoughts or emotions, book a session with our psychologists and WellBeing Coaches through the MindNation app (mindnation.com/app).
The holiday season is synonymous with gift-giving, but this year, consider spreading joy with presents that go beyond material possessions. Here are five thoughtful gift ideas that emphasize connection and well-being:
1. Low-maintenance Plants
A touch of greenery can make a significant difference in one’s living space. Low-maintenance plants like succulents or snake plants symbolize growth, bring a connection to nature, and even purify the air. Besides their aesthetic appeal, these plants contribute to stress reduction, making them a perfect gift for someone who could use a bit of peace and calm.
2. Donation To A Charity
Select a cause that aligns with their values and passions. Whether it’s supporting education, healthcare, or environmental initiatives, this gift not only benefits the chosen cause but also brings a sense of fulfillment and joy to the recipient.
3. Skill Development Course
Invest in your loved one’s growth by gifting them an online course. It shows that you value their journey of continuous learning. Platforms like Udemy or Coursera offer a wide range of courses, allowing you to tailor the gift to their specific interests.
4. Streaming Service Subscription For Films/TV Shows
WD TV Live Streaming Media Player .Modell WDBGXT0000NBK-01
In the era of on-demand entertainment, a subscription to a streaming service can be a delightful present. Whether they’re into movies, TV shows, or documentaries, this gift provides a convenient way to unwind, relax, and enjoy moments of joy, especially during the holiday season.
5. Teletherapy Sessions With Mental Health Experts
Prioritize mental well-being by gifting teletherapy sessions with mental health experts like psychologists and WellBeing Coaches. In a world that often moves at a hectic pace, providing the opportunity for self-reflection and professional guidance can be a valuable and considerate present.
MindNation mental health experts are available 24/7/365 if your loved one wants to get started on the road to a Better Mind, Better You. To purchase sessions, simply email [email protected].
This Christmas, consider the impact of your gifts on the well-being and personal growth of your loved ones. By focusing on connection and experiences, you can create lasting memories and contribute to a more meaningful holiday celebration.
Are you consumed by heightened anxiety while waiting for a future event such as a work presentation, an exam, or a first-time plane ride? You might be experiencing anticipatory stress or “pre-event” stress. This happens when dread builds up and you stress out ahead of time, leading you to experience extra stress. This unhealthy amount of worrying can leave you restless, trapped, and mentally depleted.
How Is Anticipatory Stress Different From Other Forms Of Stress?
Stress, anxiety, and anticipatory stress are related but distinct experiences. Stress is the body’s physical response to current external pressures or demands, such as managing a heavy workload or dealing with a difficult colleague. Anxiety, on the other hand, refers to the general state of unease and intense worrying about things that may be absent and without clear triggers. Anticipatory stress is related to anxiety, but what sets it apart is a specific trigger: an uncertain future outcome.
In contrast with other forms of stress, anticipatory stress, on the other hand, is based on perceptions and expectations rather than the actual situation itself. It often stems from uncertainty, lack of confidence and control, and fear of the unknown. Moreover, this form of stress can be prolonged if the waiting period takes longer.
In contrast with other forms of stress, anticipatory stress, on the other hand, is based on perceptions and expectations rather than the actual situation itself.
What Are The Signs And Symptoms Of Anticipatory Stress?
Feeling tense and on edge
Racing thoughts
Increased heart rate and breathing difficulties
Sleep problems
Upset stomach, diarrhea, and frequent urination
Irritability
Difficulty in concentration
Anticipating the worst
Unhealthy behaviors such as stress eating, drinking, avoidance, and procrastination
Low levels of self-esteem and confidence
How Can You Cope With Anticipatory Stress?
While worrying is normal, people with greater tendency to be a worrier or to overthink things may be more prone to anticipatory stress. Fortunately, there are many strategies that can help you cope with anticipatory stress and prevent it from taking over your life.
Challenge and reframe your thoughts. Anticipatory stress is often based on negative or irrational thoughts, such as “I’m going to fail” or “Everyone will judge me.” Challenge these thoughts by acknowledging that the event you dread may not play out as negatively as you imagine. You may try to create facts or action steps to counter the negative thoughts. Remember the ratio 1:5. Pair 1 negative thought with 5 healthy or positive thoughts and facts about the situation.
Preparing and planning ahead as much as possible may reduce anticipatory stress. You can do this by rehearsing the situation, visualizing positive outcomes, or making a checklist to help you feel more in control.
Ground yourself by focusing your attention on what you can control in your day-to-day activities. You can also do this by reflecting on your routine prior to the event that causes anticipatory stress
Be compassionate to yourself. Positive affirmations can help to establish strength of character. Recognize the things that you have successfully completed despite facing anticipatory stress. Remind yourself that you can take one step at a time.
Seek help from a trusted friend or family member to manage and release anticipatory stress and develop effective coping strategies.
If talking to a friend doesn’t work, help can also come from a MindNation WellBeing Coach or Psychologist. They can help you manage your stress, anxiety so that you can live your best life today without constantly worrying about tomorrow. Book a session now by downloading the MindNation app at mindnation.com/app.
Women’s presence makes the workplace more meaningful. But do organizations create an equally nurturing environment where they can flourish? Companies should cultivate psychologically safe spaces for female employees. And that’s what Home Credit Philippines and its Chief People Officer, Alpha Omega Aquino, are doing.
Alpha was one of the many Filipinas who struggled with work-life balance when she worked abroad. Apart from long, stressful work hours, she had to be absent from important family events, felt isolated, and was constantly on the verge of burnout. Working as a woman in a non-Catholic country and male-dominated industry was challenging due to her gender. These negative experiences led to frustration and anger, feelings of inadequacy, and even depression.
After 15 years of working overseas, Alpha decided to go back home and eventually found her way to Home Credit in 2019.
Home Credit provides world-class financial inclusion, lending, and other similar services to customers, mostly first-time borrowers. They take pride in being a financial ally that develops and delivers innovative financial services for financing purchases, for their clients to save for the future, and for businesses to develop closer relationships with their customers. As the company’s current Chief People Officer for four years now, Alpha takes care of over 14,000 employees, ensuring that their physical, mental, social and financial needs are met. She especially strives to make sure that the women of Home Credit won’t have to experience what she has gone through.
Creating a #HavenForHer: What Companies Can Do To Promote Women’s Safety And Wellbeing In The Workplace
Home Credit and Alpha are at the forefront of ensuring that Home Credit’s employees, especially women, work in a safe space where they won’t have to feel excluded, stressed, and mentally depleted. “Twice a year we have our eNPS survey, [in] which more than 85% of our employees participate. It’s a very good data point for us to improve the services we provide for our employees,” Alpha tells MindNation. This way, Home Credit can stay on top of employee wellbeing, maintain their job satisfaction, and foster engagement. The data that they gather also informs how Home Credit can address their concerns, create positive mental health outcomes, reduce stress and anxiety, and help employees at risk for mental health issues by providing them with psychosocial support and resources.
Home Credit is also committed to promoting gender equality in the workplace by providing equal pay and opportunities for women to advance in their careers. They also offer hybrid work arrangements and wellness leaves to support work-life balance. In addition, they foster a culture of respect and inclusion by addressing and preventing harassment and discrimination of women and promoting diversity and inclusion.
Home Credit is also committed to promoting gender equality in the workplace by providing equal pay and opportunities for women to advance in their careers.
Supporting Companies In Creating A Gender-Inclusive Workplace Culture
The commitment of Home Credit and Alpha to building a work culture that prioritizes health and wellbeing has earned them Workbean’s Workplace Health Advocate of the Year Award. last March 2023. Read all about it here. With the initiatives mentioned, Home Credit and Alpha successfully created a positive, respectful, and supportive workplace culture that every woman can describe as a #HavenForHer.
MindNation is also committed to supporting companies in creating a gender-inclusive workplace culture that prioritizes employee wellbeing. With the help of our mental health professionals, we can guide you in building a culture of empathy and mutual support that employees will find healthy, fulfilling, and meaningful. For more information, email us at [email protected].
The social and economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has exposed people to situations linked to poor mental health outcomes, such as isolation from loved ones, fear of the virus, business bankruptcy and job loss, and even return-to-work anxiety. Because of this, experts have declared that the next global health crisis will be a mental health pandemic.
To help address these issues, the local government of Pasig City in the Philippines and MindNation renewed and expanded the partnership that began in December 2020. Under the terms of the revised agreement, MindNation will be providing FREE mental health services to City Government frontliners. Plans are also underway to extend the same service to Pasig City residents who are small and mid-size enterprise owners.
These services include 24/7 teletherapy sessions with psychologists, 24/7 chat support with a trained mental health professional, mental health webinars, and Premium access to the MindNation app.
“We are very thankful to MindNation for reaching out to our local government unit and greatly alleviating the stresses of our public servant employees through their advocacies in mental health.”
Atty. Diego Luis Santiago, Asst. City Government Department Head II from the Office of The City Administrator.
The partnership kicked off this morning with an onboarding talk from MindNation Chief Product and Data Officer, Cat Triviño, and a stress management seminar conducted by MindNation Chief WellBeing Officer, Eiza Fusingan for members of the City Government’s Ugnayan sa Pasig Unit and the Office of the City Administrator.
“A barrier to mental health support is inaccessibility; many are unable to receive appropriate, affordable services in a timely manner ” says MindNation Chief Impact Officer Kana Takahashi. “Community partnerships like these are key to improving access to mental health care and ensuring that people know where to go for help.”
“The importance of mental health cannot be overstated, especially from our experience during the time of the pandemic and even during our daily duties. Oftentimes, our frontliners come face to face with stressful situations, affecting us mentally and emotionally, causing new or aggravating already existing psychosocial disorders. We are very thankful to Mindnation for reaching out to our local government unit and greatly alleviating the stresses of our public servant employees through their advocacies in mental health.” says Atty. Diego Luis Santuago, Asst. City Government Department Head II from the Office of the City Administrator.
To explore partnership opportunities with MindNation, email [email protected].
MindNation is running a series of articles about how the finalists for the Workbean Employer Brand Awards are building exemplary work cultures and making health and wellbeing a true organizational priority.
Winners will be announced on March 2, 2023.
MindNation is the official judging partner for the Workplace Health Advocate Award.
Omni Channel Solutions is an organization based in the Philippines with Omni-Channel Retail, Sales, and Digital Marketing expertise that helps brands, retailers, and agencies drive conversion, implement marketing strategies, and scale their businesses.
MindNation: In what ways is the company’s leadership team prioritizing mental health, and how is it incorporated into overall business strategy?
Omni Channel Solutions: As an organization composed of employees from diverse backgrounds, Omni leaders ensure that the company is inclusive, equal, and has an accepting work environment. At Omni, leaders put great significance on the psychological wellbeing of team members as much as they value their physical health. Omni has several benefits which aim to alleviate the psychological distress employees may experience, including seven (7) paid mental health leaves per year. For further psychological consultations, Omni has partnered with a mental health and wellbeing provider to give employees unlimited counseling sessions on occasions when they need personal help. Our Human Resources team also conducts focus group discussions with all teams as a substantial way of checking our members’ welfare as a group beyond work discussions.
To protect their physical and mental well-being. Omni holds specific Equal Employment Opportunity and Harassment-Free Workplace provisions through the employee handbook and in-house seminars.
In addition, the organization is committed to strict compliance with Republic Act 10911, otherwise known as the “Anti-Age Discrimination in Employment Act.”
Ultimately, Omni promotes a healthy culture and a good working environment where discrimination, stigma, harassment, and such will not be tolerated.
MindNation: How does Omni promote a culture of open communication and support for employees experiencing mental health issues?
Omni Channel Solutions: Omni believes that the plight towards mental wellness has to be organized, realistic, and properly executed. To accomplish this, awareness is not enough; a solid support system is needed to directly address each employee in times of mental crisis. So on top of our partnership with a mental health provider, Omni fervently believes that having in-house mental health assistance will also be extra beneficial for its members. Two members of the Human Resources team, both psychology graduates, one of whom is a Registered Psychometrician, have been trained and designated as the company’s mental health officers.
Ultimately, Omni promotes a healthy culture and a good working environment where discrimination, stigma, harassment, and such will not be tolerated.
In 2021, the company implemented seven (7) paid mental health leaves as an additional benefit to its employees to help them regain themselves in times of mental anxiety, anguish, stress, and overwhelmed feelings. Omni strongly advocates for employees to have enough time to rest—both physically and mentally—to be productive. Providing such benefits that would specifically be used for this purpose reduces the stigma associated with mental illnesses. With this, employees will no longer shy away from acknowledging their anxieties and seeking professional help.
MindNation is committed to supporting companies in creating a workplace culture that prioritizes the mental and emotional well-being of their employees. With the help of our team of experienced mental health professionals, we can guide you in building a culture of empathy, inclusivity, and mutual support that can help you create a workplace culture that is not only healthy but also fulfilling and meaningful. For more information, email us at [email protected].
MindNation is running a series of articles about how the finalists for the Workbean Employer Brand Awards are building exemplary work cultures and making health and wellbeing a true organizational priority.
Winners will be announced on March 2, 2023. MindNation is the official judging partner for the Workplace Health Advocate Award.
Tala is a global technology company building the world’s most accessible financial services.
MindNation: In what ways is the company’s leadership team prioritizing mental health, and how is it incorporated into the overall business strategy?
TALA: Tala promotes psychological or mental wellbeing and safety in the workplace. Talazens are empowered to speak up with ideas, questions, and concerns. Well-being is also one of the key areas that the management checks every year during our quarterly pulse survey, indicating that Tala is very much aware and concerned about the mental health of our team members, which is also aligned with our overall business strategy and performance.
Talazens have an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) that can help them deal with the issues that somehow diverted their performance. We’ve also utilized our wellbeing and health insurance providers to create a robust annual wellness plan comprised of fitness sessions, webinars, kamustahans, and weekly boosts. In addition to this, Tala has implemented a global company holiday called “Sloth Day ” where Talazens are encouraged to disconnect, unwind, and recharge (on top of their planned leaves and paid time off), and enjoy a relaxing weekend. We also encourage our Talazens to take regular time off when they are able to unplug from work and don’t expect to answer emails or sSack messages until they get back to work.
Global working norms were implemented during the pandemic and are being practiced to this day to help with burnout, increase our effectiveness as a global organization, and prevent work from affecting our personal lives. This includes but are not limited to turning off Slack notifications when not working, not booking any meetings on a late Friday afternoon to prepare for the weekend, and not messaging your colleagues on their time offs or weekends.
Talazens have an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) that can help them deal with the issues that somehow diverted their performance. We’ve also utilized our wellbeing and health insurance providers to create a robust annual wellness plan comprised of fitness sessions, webinars, kamustahans, and weekly boosts.
Meeting Free Week for the last week of December (during the December holidays) was also implemented globally for our team members to unplug so that they’re able to enjoy a relaxing week of zero meetings.
MindNation: How does Tala promote a culture of open communication and support for employees experiencing mental health issues?
TALA: Tala promotes good mental health to help create a holistic working environment that increases Talazens’ productivity and keeps them engaged at work. We’ve built a culture of connection and feedback through regular 1:1s, group huddles, kamustahans, and office hours where everyone can ask questions and open up. We advocate a good work-life balance and make wellbeing one of the top priorities at Tala. We have a weekly reminder on the Employee Assistance Program wherein they can always reach out to our mental health provider if they’re experiencing any well-being issues or concerns. With our mental health policy in place, we’re also able to communicate and raise awareness among our team members to stay mentally healthy, and not be afraid to raise concerns related to depression, anxiety, stress, burnout, and other mental health issues. We emphasize that Talazens health matters to us.
MindNation is committed to supporting companies in creating a workplace culture that prioritizes the mental and emotional well-being of their employees. With the help of our team of experienced mental health professionals, we can guide you in building a culture of empathy, inclusivity, and mutual support that can help you create a workplace culture that is not only healthy but also fulfilling and meaningful. For more information, email us at [email protected].
MindNation is running a series of articles about how the finalists for the Workbean Employer Brand Awards are building exemplary work cultures and making health and wellbeing a true organizational priority.
Winners will be announced on March 2, 2023. MindNation is the official judging partner for the Workplace Health Advocate Award.
Asticom Group of Companies is a Philippine-based shared services company that provides staffing and tech solutions that empower businesses towards meaningful growth.
MindNation:In what ways is the company’s leadership team prioritizing mental health, and how is it incorporated into the overall business strategy?
Asticom Group Of Companies: The leadership and management of the Asticom Group of Companies give importance to the mental health and holistic wellbeing of its people through various professional development and wellbeing programs.
With Asti SPACE (Asticom Shared Platform of Accessible Courses for Employees), employees are able to engage in various learning and development courses ranging in both technical and people skills. In line with this, Asticom also supports the career development of its employees by encouraging them to pursue opportunities in other positions within the organization. This is done on multiple levels, inter-division as well as inter-company. Some key leaders have been rotated to as many as 3 companies.
Asticom also taps mental health professionals, registered psychologists, and psychometricians to conduct seminars that talk about recognizing emotions, communicating them, as well as having a growth mindset. Through these, Asticom is able to help its people become resilient, productive, and impactful.
More than those initiatives, Asticom Group of Companies, together with all of its subsidiaries, takes a firm stance against discrimination. Asticom does not tolerate any discriminatory acts, be it physical, verbal, or any form of harassment or sexual assault. Declared in Asticom’s Code of Discipline, the Professional Conduct section, are provisions highlighting the proper behavior our people should have towards their fellow employees.
Asticom also prides itself as a company that continuously pushes for diversion and inclusion in the workplace. As a people-focused business and organization, they welcome people of different gender, ethnicity, age, disabilities, sexual orientations, and cultural backgrounds.
Asticom also taps mental health professionals, registered psychologists, and psychometricians to conduct seminars that talk about recognizing emotions, communicating them, as well as having a growth mindset. Through these, Asticom is able to help its people become resilient, productive, and impactful.
All these efforts are cognizant of their purpose and aim of improving people’s lives.
MindNation: How does Asticom promote a culture of open communication and support for employees experiencing mental health issues?
Asticom Group Of Companies: Asticom Group of Companies promotes open communication by giving importance to the “voice of the employees”. Through quarterly pulse surveys, employees can voice out their concerns, thoughts, and point-of-views. It also surfaces the different motivators and levels of employee satisfaction.
To support that, the AGC management also hears from the employees through quarterly town halls and open forums. Feedback and data are gathered and used in action planning as well as in the improvement of various programs.
Asticom also made efforts to improve the quality of conversations even when done virtually and offline. They do this by communicating with honesty and transparency, being direct with one’s feedback, offering solutions, and promoting understanding among each individual.
Finally, the challenges of changing work styles made it necessary to refocus on one’s well-being and mental health. With a hybrid work set-up, regular check-ins made it possible to build authentic and strong connections among the people of Asticom. This created opportunities for them to interact with one another on a personal level.
All these efforts boil down to having empathy and knowing where someone is coming from.
MindNation is committed to supporting companies in creating a workplace culture that prioritizes the mental and emotional well-being of their employees. With the help of our team of experienced mental health professionals, we can guide you in building a culture of empathy, inclusivity, and mutual support that can help you create a workplace culture that is not only healthy but also fulfilling and meaningful.To know more, email [email protected].
To cap off International Women’s Month, here are five women who are breaking biases, smashing the glass ceiling, and paving the way for future generations.
Jessica Jung Korean-American singer, songwriter, actress, novelist, and businesswoman
Jessica Jung (Photo from Vogue)
“I actually learned that you should never give up, and if you love something, take courage and absolutely go after it.” — Jessica Jung
Jessica rose to fame in 2007 as one of nine members of the K-pop girl group Girls’ Generation. The group was dubbed by TIME Magazine as one of the most influential K-pop acts that helped introduce Korean music to the world, and in 2013 even became the first K-pop group to reach 100 million views on YouTube.
In 2014, Jessica launched her luxury brand business Blanc & Eclare. She was subsequently dismissed from Girls’ Generation due to conflicts between the group’s schedule and her work with Blanc & Eclare. Even though fans questioned her decision, Jessica continued to follow her own path, releasing new music as a solo artist and becoming an actress. Blanc & Declare’s products are now being sold in around sixty stores in locations such as Seoul, New York, Beijing, Hong Kong, Bangkok, Taiwan, Shanghai, Tokyo, and Vancouver. In 2020, she published Shine, a young adult romance novel about a Korean-American K-pop trainee whose experience closely mirrors Jessica’s. A sequel, Bright, is currently in the works.
2. Kathrin Jansen, Kizzmekia Corbett, Elena Smolyarchuk, Nita Patel, Hanneke Schuitemaker, Sarah Gilbert, et al. The women who gave us the COVID-19 vaccine
Nita Patel
“Women often don’t recognize, you have incredible strength inside you. It just needs the right moment to come out. I think in science, you can do this.” – Nita Patel
Throughout the pandemic, women scientists, researchers, and medical professionals have been at the forefront of the rapid development of the COVID-19 vaccines.
Kathrin Jansen led the effort at Pfizer that produced the first vaccine approved for emergency use.
Kizzmekia Corbett is an immunologist in the U.S. National Institutes of Health who helped design the Moderna vaccine.
Elena Smolyarchuk is the chief researcher of the first completed clinical trials for the vaccine Sputnik V.
Nita Patel – and her all-women team of scientists in Maryland – led development of the vaccine for Novavax.
Hanneke Schuitemaker is the global head of viral vaccine discovery for Janssen Pharmaceuticals (owned by Johnson & Johnson).
Sarah GIlbert is the architect of the University of Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine.
This good news comes at a time when many working women are feeling the double burden of managing full-time work and household responsibilities due to pandemic-related school closures and work-from-home orders. According to Nita, the COVID-19 crisis is negatively affecting women’s “productivity, boundary setting … and mental well-being.” But she also hopes there is a silver lining to the pandemic: A new generation inspired to get into science.
3. Angelina Mead King Restaurateur, hotelier, race car enthusiast, sustainability advocate
Angie Mead King (L) with her wife Joey Mead King
“The greatest lesson I’ve learned is that life is very short to do things you don’t want to do, so make sure you spend your waking moments doing the things you love doing…”
After Angie King came out as a transgender woman in 2016, she experienced many instances of discrimination, from being questioned by an immigration officer at the Changi Airport in Singapore to being asked to leave women’s bathrooms in public establishments. But with the support of her wife – international host and model Joey Mead King – the two are now one of the most prominent LGBTQ+ couples in the Philippines.
“I think a lot of shock value [comes from questions like], ‘How can a real woman still have a relationship with a transwoman?’ It’s so categorised,” Joey said in a 2021 interview. “[People think] if you’re a transwoman then you must automatically favour a male. Our relationship broadens people’s perspective on the possibilities of love. It’s not just A, B, or C.”
4. Monique Ong Traumatic Brain Injury Survivor, MindNation co-founder and Chairman
Monique Ong
“If I just believed the doctor telling me that [I was] below average and cannot go back to work, then I would never get better.” Mon sustained a devastating traumatic brain injury (TBI) in 2017 that left her with aphasia, a disorder that causes the patient to have trouble speaking, reading, writing, and understanding language. She was told that with therapy, her brain capacity could improve up to 80% — at the most. But she refused to let doctors determine her fate; in her quest to return to her normal life, she challenged herself and those tasked to treat her. When she was tested by her neurologist six months after her accident, her brain was operating at 95%.
In 2019, she co-founded MindNation, an innovative mental health and well-being company that has grown globally as a trusted partner for organizations and communities alike.
5. Hidilyn Diaz Weightlifter, the first Filipino to ever win an Olympic gold medal for the Philippines
Hidilyn Diaz (Photo from Tatler Asia)
“Don’t ever give up. Even if some are saying that you are not capable or limiting you… we are born to break barriers. You can do it.”
For the longest time, there are clear categories in sports based on which gender is most represented. For example, football, basketball, boxing, boxing, and weightlifting are examples of male-dominated sports because they are thought of as being more “masculine.” On the other hand, gymnastics and figure skating are thought to be female-dominated sports because they are more “feminine.” Hidilyn changed all that by not only getting the gold for weightlifting in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, but also setting a new Olympic record for her efforts.
Hidilyn’s success has attracted many young Filipinas to start taking up weightlifting themselves, bringing new meaning to the phrase “lift like a girl.”
Talk to a MindNation WellBeing Coach so you can reach your full potential and become the best version of yourself. Book a session now through bit.ly/mn-chat or email [email protected].
MindNation Blog 