Torch - 2021 Edition

“For me, a big part of that is exercise and activity. I am an ultimate Frisbee player and I run. Being able to keep my physical shape as part of my daily routine really helps me, from a wellness standpoint, to promote my own mental health.” She says it’s also important that students identify their passions and aspects of their lives that provide them with energy and agency. “For me, [it’s] cooking. I’ve been taking courses at George Brown College— because I’m a lifelong learner,” which is another principle promoted at Havergal. “Continuous learning gives me a lot of joy and grounding.” Putting Wellbeing into Perspective Old Girl Maggie (Coulter) DiStasi 1991 left a successful first career in finance as Vice President, Technology, in the Capital Markets division of a major Canadian bank to become a Professional Certified Coach (PCC) specializing in leadership development, career development for leaders and coaching skills training. As Co-Principal of PeopleDynamics Learning Group Inc., she helps people learn today, and shape tomorrow. DiStasi’s work with PeopleDynamics includes focus on building resilience, reducing stress and practising mindfulness. “We invite our clients to respond to what’s happening in their lives and the world around us with creativity and compassion.” When she started her second career as a Professional Coach in 2009, the world was already a place of increasing complexity and flux. When the pandemic hit in March 2020, DiStasi found that many of her clients were pushed beyond their edges. One way she recommends staying grounded during stressful times is to connect to meaning through purpose and core values, which can provide focus on what’s important in the moment. Wellbeing professionals call

Norberg says that a key aspect of being able to teach exceptional high- performing students is to have Faculty and Staff who can role model resilience and a growth mindset. “Each day, they have the opportunity to demonstrate that even though some things are more challenging, we have the skills to overcome it.” She often recounts an anecdote that resonated with her. “Imagine that going to school is like the most amazing weight-training program. You go to the gym, you lift weights and your muscles get sore. There’s nothing wrong with your muscles getting sore

because you’re building more strength. It is key that you need to know how to take rest days and recover. “In life, you want to stretch and push yourself, but you also need downtime. When something’s challenging, you need to remember that you have the skills to take it on. Remind yourself that it might feel hard some days, but you’re building your strength and resilience.” As our students continue to build their academic, physical, social, emotional and cognitive strengths, Havergal’s Faculty and Staff will continue to offer experiences and support to help prepare future-ready graduates.

this mindfulness, which DiStasi explains is simply noticing the way things are.

She shared her work on mindfulness and

PeopleDynamics’ approach to resilience with the Old Girl community in a virtual session on November 3, 2020. Her goal was to empower attendees to take control of their minds and where they focus their attention: to notice emotions without resistance, judgment or a need to fix things; to observe themselves in their suffering; and to see themselves with objectivity. When people feel stress, taking

way—include becoming more responsive, feeling more accomplished and increasing creativity through new ideas and connections. When we take the time to listen to our minds, our creativity can flourish. “Being mindfully aware is about standing back and thinking about what’s going on without actually being engaged in those thoughts.” Through her career in Professional Coaching and her connections to our Old Girl community, DiStasi has realized her passion to help others help themselves. She encourages everyone to create the support necessary to adapt to the ever-changing world we live in.

a purposeful pause allows a moment to reflect and stay focused before reacting emotionally. “Through pausing and being responsive, we have can act in a way that gives us self-confidence and makes us proud of ourselves.” This provides the opportunity to be in choice, which DiStasi explains means that we can put thought and attention into the areas that need it and make decisions based on our values. The benefits of practising mindfulness— which can be done in only a few minutes a day by slowing down to listen to your thoughts, feelings and senses, and evaluating them in a non-judgmental

2021 EDITION • TORCH 21

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