How Arianna Huffington Ended Up In My Email Inbox.

How did Arianna Huffington end up in my email inbox? Here’s my story about my work in corporate wellness and where I’m going next.

Corporate Wellness

Photo Credit Josh Leung

“Arianna,

I hope this finds you healthy, happy, and thriving.

I have been following your work for years and find you to be one of the most inspiring, empowering, and incredible leaders.

My name is Caroline Jordan and I am a San Francisco based corporate wellness consultant, fitness professional, and community spokesperson. I believe that self-care is health care and that with the right support anyone can achieve their vision of living well and being successful. I work to help others create a life that feels good on the inside and to live every moment with wisdom, well-being, and gratitude.

Thrive changed my life in 2014, not only is it what I teach in my corporate wellness work today, but it’s what I live by. Little did I know, your book was the catalyst to push me in the direction of what ultimately is becoming my life’s work.

I’m reaching out to you as I’m aware of your new movement of Thrive Global and would greatly appreciate the opportunity to get involved in anyway possible while you’re looking at expansions into the Bay Area. (Be it now, or in the near future – we both know SF needs it). We all need support in learning how to take care of ourselves and live full, meaningful lives.

Would love the opportunity to connect with Thrive Global to learn more – would you or someone on your team in charge of local partnerships be free to connect this month? Let me know!

With gratitude,

Caroline”

“Many thanks for your email, Caroline. Our team is fully focused on our launch November 30th and I would love to discuss ways we can collaborate. Adding Margaux McGrath who can follow up when we’re live. And I would love for you to write on the site about your passion for wellness. Adding Rachel Stern, who oversees content for the site, to follow up. All the best, Arianna”

An email reply from Arianna is one that I’ll always cherish (in fact I may or may not have it printed out for view on my fridge…. Don’t judge!) . It served as an empowering reminder and an extra dose of encouragement to continue to be the change in helping others work smarter, beat burnout, get more sleep, and live well through my work.

So now I get to write for Arianna Huffington and contribute to Thrive Global! How did I get here? Well let me tell you…

I was raised in dance and fitness. My mother was a nurse full time and group fitness instructor on the side – I would go with her to take class growing up and got the opportunity to get certified and start teaching hi-lo aerobics when I was 15 (the 90’s were so fun). I continued teaching through high school, then went on to UCD where I majored in Dance while teaching full time, personal training, and student managing the Fitness + Wellness department. After college I moved to the “big city” of San Francisco to pursue working in fitness full time. My fitness career was blessed and full, but after a few years I completely burnt out – and this was the moment that helped launch me and my business into a powerful new path.

I pressed pause and went back to school in 2012 to earn my Health + Wellness Coach certification. Studying positive psychology and coaching lit a fire in me. I discovered my unique voice, gained expertise and skills, and was able to clearly define how to best to serve others in health. Not only did this process help me personally heal from burnout, it allowed me create a business inline with my own strengths and definition of success.

After my certification, I got my first real opportunity working as a corporate wellness consultant with Genentech helping them develop wellness initiatives, present programs, facilitate and manage events, and support the company in a healthier culture. From Genentech, my work began to take off, and I started working with other companies in the bay area like Google, Sephora, RMC water and Environment, Vista Equity, Credit Karma, ReedSmith, CalPERS, Hines, and more. The work came naturally and allowed me to use my coaching skills and wellness expertise to powerfully influence other’s health and wellbeing. I take pride in the fact that many of the wellness programs I contributed to ranked companies I worked with as Healthiest Companies in America.

Over the years, my work within corporate wellness has continued to grow and take me on adventures supporting others in health. Feedback from every workshop, presentation, and session affirms how much the work is needed, helpful, and appreciated. I believe personal well being drives professional well being, the healthier you are in your life the better you are in your work. The results are undeniable. Intentional corporate wellness programs work.

The only problem is, there are a lot of corporate wellness programs out there that don’t. Let me ask you a serious question: is your company culture healthy?

  • Do you have a “work wellness program” that no one knows about or knows how to access to benefit their health?
  • Do you or your co workers get sick all of the time or have colds that linger for weeks?
  • Do you or your colleagues make simple mistakes on projects due to lack of sleep, energy, or focus?
  • Do you have meetings just to have meetings and then lack time to focus on meaningful projects?
  • Do you or your colleagues suffer from neck, shoulder, upper back, lower back, hip, wrist, elbow, or eye tension from nonstop sitting or screen time?
  • Are there high sugar, processed, and heavy foods hidden in every work hallway, kitchen, and corner?
  • Are meetings so tightly scheduled that eating regular meals or taking brief movement breaks to stretch out desk aches impossible?
  • Are co-workers moody, reactive, overwhelmed, stressed, frazzled, or burnout?
  • Do work socializing events mostly involve  heavy meals, late nights, or lots of alcohol? 

If you answered yes to any of the above, chances are your work culture could use a healthy makeover. For many companies, wellness programs have become just another check in the box, which is why the return on their investment is miniscule. Many companies have corporate wellness programs in place, but until the work culture and environment supports health there will not be positive change. It’s not about going through the motions or having a wellness program just for show. It’s about taking action and helping build a corporate culture to be one that embraces a lifestyle of health.

The work within corporate wellness has only just begun to scratch the surface. Reducing burnout will require making fundamental changes to how we work, live, and approach performance. Change has to come from the top down, the bottom up, and in-between. The organization, management, and employees must all be on board for a healthier work life. This kind of culture change is hard, but not impossible. And it’s already happening. But there are millions who will pay a hefty health price for delay.

I am determined to create work that has a powerful impact. Getting sick from stress should not be an expected side effect life. Want to follow along as I write for Arianna Huffington? Follow my Thrive Global writer profile here or start by digging in with these juicy wellness articles:

I am proud to play a small part with Arianna Huffington and her remarkable team to educate and provide leadership in the health space.

I put my heart and soul into my corporate wellness programs and customize my services to benefit the unique needs of the company and the individuals within it.  If you are interested in scheduling a consultation to discuss ways we can work with together and improve the health of your company, contact me at: [email protected]

Here’s to working smarter and thriving in life.

Caroline

Want to build a balanced body? Check out my book, Balanced Body Breakthrough and get your mind, body, and spirit in great shape so you can love your life.

Other Things To Check Out:

 

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *