The third and final night of the 2022 Women’s Investment Webinar was as fulfilling and informative as the preceding sessions. This exciting event could not have ended any better with discussions on the theme, “Released to Prosper”. Participants were blessed to go forth as stewards, aware of the treasures they have been entrusted with.
Two vibrant women of God facilitated mental health discussions, providing clinical, practical, and spiritual insights on managing stress at work, home or even your business. Minister Marcia Walker shared on cultivating good emotional well-being, while Minister Ingrid Bristol did not withhold sharing on the general response to the Covid-19 pandemic as a business owner.
First up was Minister Bristol, who explained that her posture as a believer during the pandemic and currently is a continued testimony of keeping the fire of the Holy Spirit burning within. Even though the world “shut down” and operations changed for many businesses, her response through God’s wisdom has guaranteed the business an increase that only can be attributed to Him.
Minister Bristol is the owner of the Guywill Shipping Company Limited and a franchise holder for DHL in Guyana. Even throughout the pandemic, the services they continued to provide were critical since travelling was minimised and more persons were sending and receiving items to and from loved ones overseas.
“For the first month, I wondered how this would impact the business. I was worried for those close to me, but I was building my faith through it all. We recognised that the impact was tremendous on many lives around us, but we did not allow that to impact how we operate,” stated Minister Bristol.
Observing the impact the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic had on the world, Minister Bristol’s business catered to the mental needs of staff while remaining committed to providing a congenial work environment that can be considered a “safe space” for employees. This required strong leadership with accurate information to make necessary adjustments moving forward.
“We had to let them know (first and foremost) that we care for their health and that of their families… we cared for the team even better than before there was a pandemic.” The measures put in place objectively sought to boost staff morale, a key in prioritising their mental health.
Some measures included financial assistance and time off to those who had families affected by the pandemic, and protecting the staff while on the job by providing personal protective equipment, sanitisers, scheduled work hours, and scheduled pick-up times, just to mention a few.
Most importantly, staff continued to receive full salaries, and no termination of employment contracts occurred during this period. Minister Bristol testified that as a response to the faith of the business’s leadership, they did not decrease and were never forced to downsize or scale back operations.
Customers were also specially catered to, especially those working on the frontline. Healthcare professionals, and law enforcement officers, among others, were given priority in transacting their business, giving them more time to take care of their more important responsibilities.
Even in her family life, Minister Ingrid said she kept God at the helm of the family’s response to a deadly disease. Even as the threat of Covid 19 came very close to her home, no family member was harmed.
“This brought alive faith and hope. We did one thing, and that was to stand firm on God’s Word. I encouraged the family to return to the presence of God and pray; for it is prayers that brought us through and are still taking us through….”
Minister Marcia Walker, a Mental Health and Wellness practitioner in Columbus, Ohio, made a fitting presentation on caring for one’s mental health, bringing the curtains down on three impactful nights of discussion. Her focus was on how each of us should react to stressors that may weigh us down mentally. She singled out the Covid 19 pandemic and the severe impact it had on the mental health of individuals.
She opened by saying every crisis is an opportunity for possibilities, and if we see life through those lenses, the stressors we face are mitigated. “We’re able to face those challenges and cope more positively because of the way we see things and the way we see life… The fact that we are still here demonstrates that we are resilient,” Minister Walker offered.
Further, Minister Walker spoke about how some women tapped into the treasure within them and became entrepreneurs. This became a popular avenue out of poverty since the pandemic had placed a financial burden on individuals and families worldwide. Such a step is full of challenges, but it’s a start many women took by faith.
Minister Walker also addressed using practical tools and strategies for bolstering one’s mental health. “Identify and normalise stress reactions; this can go a long way. What is going around you is abnormal, and your brain is trying to make sense of what is going on,” she encouraged.
She noted that we must be self-aware of how stress shows up on, in, and around us. When you feel overwhelmed or extremely stressed, it may seem safe to pretend it is nothing but you must talk about your feelings and whatever is happening. It is impossible to have control over everything. The truth is we don’t; we have been aptly reminded of that throughout the pandemic.
So how can you reduce stress? According to Minister Marcia Walker to reduce stress you can:
◦ Encourage yourself in the Word of God.
◦ Live in the moment. Our brain likes to worry about everything else but the present.
◦ Be mindful of boundaries. ‘No’ is a complete sentence. There are times we have to say no. We cannot be all things to everyone.
◦ Set firm and healthy boundaries.
◦ Manage expectations
◦ Entertain positive self-talk
◦ Quiet your minds. Step away from all the distractions, spend it quietly with God or even journal your thoughts which can help you put things into perspective.
◦ Connect with others. We are our brother’s and sisters’ keepers.
◦ Change the way we think. Our thinking is highly critical when it comes to our emotional well-being.
You must know that your spiritual well-being depends on your emotional and mental well-being. We can talk to God and seek His intervention in our daily lives. The benefit of this guarantees growth.
“You can come open before the Lord…sometimes you have to get into your closet and do a praise dance, which can shift your mood. You can go from the basement of depression to the penthouse of feeling well, feeling rejuvenated,” Minister Walker explained.
The Women’s Investment Webinar 2023 focused on having each woman look within to find that treasure God has placed there. As we do this, the total ‘man’ (individual) is reviewed; how we must be, how we should live, what we need to know, etc. The testimonies expected out of WIW 2022 are highly anticipated.
