5 Powerful Ways to Increase Mental Health

2024-10-09Don Grier

The Benefits of Fellowship on Mental Health

Today, October 10, 2024 is World Mental Health Day. Accordingly, our blog today focuses on the positive impact of fellowship and companionship on mental well-being and overall wellness.

Numerous studies have shown the positive effects of companionship. One study found that married people have a longer life expectancy than single people: an average of 2.2 years for married men and 1.5 years for married women (Read Article from U.S. Medicare Health Outcome Survey (HOS)). The longer life expectancy of happily married people is partly due to their mutual support.

Humans are inherently social animals. Friendship and group participation provides support, accountability, and meaning. But despite the positive impact of companionship, we are getting lonelier.

A disturbing fact is that 15% of men have no close friends. The same Western Oregon Study stated that the U.S. Men’s suicide rate is at its highest level ever at 14.3 men per 100,000. We need to do something to stem this epidemic of loneliness.

But not all people are joiners. For those less inclined to engage in groups, interacting with pets positively impacts well-being. These include decreased levels of cortisol, blood pressure, and loneliness.

One look at our daughter’s dog Beau, pictured below, waiting expectantly, shows why. Pets love us unconditionally if we treat them right. They can serve as a sounding board and comfort as you face daily anxieties. One look at Beau playing with his toy can brighten the darkest day.

Why is companionship, whether it be human or pet, so critical to mental well-being? Here are the five reasons for this and examples from my life.

Emotional Support and Encouragement

One of the best reasons to join a group or form a friendship is to encourage one another. Life alone is tough, and tackling hardships or an addiction is even more challenging. Finding a friend or group to share mutual support can keep you on track when confronting an addiction or facing a medical or other type of obstacle.

I could never have overcome my stressful eating habits without my friends at the Round Rock, Texas, WW group. For the last ten years, I have shared my successes and failures with a group of like-minded weight loss journeyers. Their encouragement and support during the ups and downs of my weight loss journey were instrumental to my getting healthy. I now love playing it forward, helping others improve their health in the group.

Sharing Ideas Improves Mental Health

Fellowship also helps us grow intellectually through the sharing of ideas. I have grown in areas of interest by engaging with people interested in the same topic. Two such groups were the Learning to Lead Book Club at my prior company and the two business networks I am currently a member of, BXN in Austin and 10X Vets.

I established the Learning to Lead Book Club for those interested in improving their management and team-building abilities. Each month, the group read and discussed a book that improved their leadership abilities. The leader responsible for that month also wrote a blog on the group’s discussion. I am initiating a new free program hosted by Wellness Leadership, LLC. If interested, please sign up for the Learning to Lead Informational Session.

The Business Exchange Network in Austin has several monthly sessions around Austin and its suburbs to bring business owners together to share ideas on running a business and referrals. 10X Vets does a similar thing for Veterans on a national level. Both of them have helped me learn and move outside my comfort zone.

Sense of Belonging and Sharing Activities

We all crave belonging to a group and a higher purpose. A few weeks back, I blogged about a remarkable group supporting the mental well-being of returning veterans: Irreverent Warriors. During a day-long march and social event, this group brings together veterans to share stories and humor to lighten the load and support Veteran mental health. Don, the Change Well podcast host, will lead a similar team on a 6+ mile ruck march on Veterans Day in Temple, Texas. If interested, sign up for Rucks on Main on our Event site.

Employee resource groups (ERGs) are a good way for companies to establish a sense of belonging and share activities. Companies such as Accenture have an ERG program to accommodate their employees’ diverse interests.

Reduced Loneliness Improves Mental Health

Our opening statistics demonstrated that companionship with family, friends, and pets reduces loneliness. I gave a shout earlier to my granddog, Beau, but I would be remiss if I failed to mention our dog Boots.

Boots’ impact on my and my wife’s well-being is well chronicled in previous blog posts. Boots was by my side as we both got healthy, and he has been a stalwart companion to my wife and me when we are apart. But there is one other area of mental health that Boots has assisted me with – patience. Boots is getting up in dog years. He is 16 or 114 years old in human years. He is still spry in many ways, but he has improved my and my wife’s patience as we take him on slow, wandering walks.

Accountability

One of the most essential things to mental well-being is being accountable for your actions and direction. Well-intentioned groups and friends can hold you accountable as you strive to change well. A weekly weigh-in holds us responsible for our weekly health goals in WW. Another group that has been instrumental in helping me improve my prayer life is Exodus 90. I will ever be grateful to my seven fellow Exodus 90 brothers for our weekly accountability

Memorial Day Walk with Heroes – Respect Their Sacrifice and Each Other

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I just finished watching my favorite annual show – The National Memorial Day Concert. But this year it was different. Unlike other years, the show was not live in front of a large crowd because of the current pandemic. Despite being apart, the stories, speeches, and songs of the soldiers that sacrificed their lives for this country served to unite. And served to remind us we are all in this together. Also, how important it is to respect the sacrifice of our fallen by being kind to each other and working together to defeat today’s silent enemy.

I believe one of the most improbable goals in human history was undertaken by our founding fathers and mothers when they established this country. A country formed for the ideals of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

But the experiment is fragile. Too often in today’s time, we do not listen to our fellow Americans. To see their side and to honor their equal right to life, liberty and pursuit of happiness. Indeed, there is too much me and not enough us. And it is a disgrace to the sacrifices that these brave service men and women gave. They gave all for us. Can’t we honor their memory by at least listening to the ideas of our fellow Americans and engage in Civil Discourse?

We all must endeavor to see in shades of grey. To listen with open ears and understand what the other side is saying to honor the memories of our fallen. Indeed, it is fitting that the uniform of the United States Military Academy is Grey. Life is seldom Black and White. It is grey! And it is our responsibility to diligently discern the grey by nurturing this fragile dream of democracy and listening to our fellow Americans. To hear a compelling podcast on this topic from a guy pleading to you as I do, listen to Dan Carlin’s Common-Sense podcast linked here Common Sense – Shades of Grey.

A few years back, I walked 50 miles in honor of Veterans. It at the time seemed an “improbable goal”. But what is more improbable, is that a citizenry of people of every creed and race giving their lives for a single idea. So today as a plea for all of us to get along and work together to defeat this pandemic, I take you through a virtual 50-mile walk with each 10-mile marker in honor of the fallen in the Army, Air Force, Marines, Navy and Coast Guard.

Mile Marker 0 to 10. Army. Col. Richard (Dick) McEvoy. I will start with the person that I know best. Richard (Dick) McEvoy, USMA class of 1980, was KIA in Afghanistan on August 22nd, 2015 while training the Afghani police. He was a contractor with DynCorp after serving 28 years in the service. Col McEvoy (then Captain) and I served together. He was the epitome of the USMA motto: Duty, Honor, and Country. He was the S-3 and I was the S-2. I also worked with him when he was the Commander of A Company. His company always got the highest scores in inspections and had astounding Esprit de Corps. I looked up to Dick and he was a role model as a calm, no nonsense commander that balanced mission and troops. He went on to train other soldiers as the Commander of the National Training Center. Here’s more about Col. McEvoy here McEvoy Memorial

Mile Marker 10 to 20. Navy. LAUREL BLAIR SALTON CLARK, M.D. (CAPTAIN, USN), NASA ASTRONAUT. Service is not confined to battle in wars, but also advancing the cause of freedom through the courageous act of exploration. Captain Clark perished in Space Shuttle Columbia on February 1, 2003 while reentering the earth’s orbit. I remember it like it was yesterday since she perished near Palestine, Texas where the Space Shuttle broke apart upon reentry. She advanced the US Space mission by conducting over 80 experiments. She also had a distinguished career in the Navy prior to her mission. Her squadron won the Marine Attack Squadron of the year for its successful deployment. She represents the brave women that defend our country and advance the cause of freedom. Nearly 200 women have been KIA in Afghanistan and Iraq alone. Read more about Captain Clark here Captain Clark

Mile Marker 20 to 30. Coast Guard. Petty Officer 3rd Class Nathan Brandt Bruckenthal. The Coast Guard is a crucial branch of the Armed Services. They defend our country and embark on humanitarian missions that serve our country and advance our image. Petty Officer Bruckenthal was a damage controlman, who with two U. S. Navy sailors were killed in the line of duty while conducting maritime intercept operations in the North Arabian Gulf.

Bruckenthal and six other coalition sailors attempted to board a small boat near the Iraqi Khawr Al Amaya Oil Terminal. As they boarded the boat, it exploded. Bruckenthal later died from the wounds he sustained in the explosion. Bruckenthal was the first Coast Guard member killed in action since the Vietnam War. His service as well as others in the Coast Guard such as our family friends the Lawrence’s advance the cause of freedom by defending our coasts. Read more here about Petty Officer Bruckenthal here Petty Officer Bruckenthal

Mile Marker 30 – 40. Marines. Ira Hayes. Ira Hayes was a Pima Native American who was immortalized both in the statue in Washington as he lifted the flag on Iwo Jima during WWII but also in one of my favorite songs by Johnny Cash called the Ballad of Ira Hayes linked here Ballad of Ira Hayes. Ira did not die on the hills of Iwo Jima but back in the country he defended. He represents all the Veterans that defend us with all their hearts, guts and souls but when they return we do not care for them adequately or honor their sacrifice. He is memorialized in a statue; let us remember him in our hearts and our actions as we care for the cause of the Native Americans.

Mile Marker 40 – 50. Air Force (Army Air Corps). The fallen of the Tuskegee Airmen. The Tuskegee Airmen is the popular name of a group of African-American military pilots (fighter and bomber) who fought in World War II. They formed the 332nd Fighter Group and the 477th Bombardment Group of the United States Army Air Forces. They have been immortalized in the movie Red Tails and they went on to produce 3 Generals in the Air Force – Daniel James was appointed a brigadier general by President Nixon for keeping his cool in the face of Qaddafi’s troops, Benjamin O. Davis Jr., the original commander of the 332nd Fighter Group and the first black general in the U.S. Air Force and Lucius Theus, who retired a major general after dedicating most of his 36-year career in the Air Force. They were one of the most decorated units in WW II and had an amazing record against the German Luftwaffe. This group of the first African American Aviators fought valiantly in WW II even though they did not have rights in the Jim Crow South. 66 of the 450 Tuskegee Airmen lost their lives in WW II, dying for a country that did not accept them in some areas. Read more about the importance of memorializing these great Americans and others on Memorial Day here in a letter from the Tuskegee Airman Institute President Tuskegee Airmen Memorial Letter.

Our journey of 50 miles on Memorial Day demonstrates the resilience and sacrifice of the men and women of this nation. Immigrant or native, white or black, men and women -each gave the ultimate sacrifice. The least we can do on this Memorial Day is to listen to one another with respect and support this fragile goal of Democracy! We are all brothers and sisters with one idea – life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. So, the least we can do is to love and understand one another!

March Back to Fitness!

2019-08-23Don Grier

Back in my Army and West Point days, I never thought of marching and carrying a ruck in fitness terms. It was a necessity. What you carried on your back is what you brought into combat. The more you put in, the more you were weighed down. The less you put in, the more you ran the risk of being ill-prepared.

Recently, however, I realized the fitness benefits of rucking for civilians. I started carrying a weighted ruck in preparation for the Shadow West Point March back that happened last week. The March Back coincides with the annual 13-mile march back of the United States Military Academy’s Plebe Class at the conclusion of summer Cadet Basic Training. I and about 15 fellow members of the West Point Society of Central Texas finished the march last week. The March included loaded Rucksacks and the Texas Heat! See the picture below. The Weather Channel even filmed a piece about us! I will let you know when it comes out.

Rucking has many benefits and is my latest fitness obsession. There is even a community of Veterans that go on rucking events. It is called GoRuck and raises money for Veterans dealing with PTSD. I am currently training for the next major event near Austin.

Here are the five major benefits of Rucking:

Low Impact. Unlike running that puts stress on your joints, rucking is low impact especially if you pack your ruck correctly.
Burns Calories. It burns 3 times the calories that walking does (even more in Texas heat).
Carry your Hydration. A ruck provides a convenient compartment to store water and remain hydrate. I fill up the bladder from my Camelback in my ruck. It adds weight and prevents me from passing out int the Texas heat!
Low Cost. I bought my rucksack for less than 40 dollars on Amazon. There is no need to get a specialized rucksack unless you want to. To weight it down, I just evenly distributed 5 lbs. weights that I already had in pouches.
Fun and social. I loved marching with fellow members of the Long Grey Line and being out in nature.

Marching with a ruck is not just for the military. Pick up your ruck, lace up your shoes and march back to health!

Fitness: A Corporate and Personal Responsibility

2019-07-012019-08-23Don Grier

Accenture fitness walk to raise money for Vets — Memorial Walk for Veterans

I had the good fortune in my early adult life to be in the Army. One of the perks in the Army is that you are paid to work-out every day. It was part of your role description and responsibility. An unfit soldier will put himself and his platoon at risk. I therefore had the pleasure and pain both at West Point and later active duty to exercise on a regular basis. Sometimes, it was exhilarating like singing cadence at the top of your lungs while on a battalion run. Other times brutal, such as the yearly Obstacle Course administered by the Department with a Heart at West Point. All of it good, necessary and part of your job description!

This all seemed to change when I left the Army and joined the consulting world. Early morning calls replaced morning PT. Long hours on planes and in front of a desk slinging code took a toll on my health. It seemed in my mind at the time that fitness and taking care of myself was no longer part of my job description or even opposed to it. I and companies at that time did not yet see the impact of wellness on work. The drive for more billable hours and seemingly higher productivity dominated. This corporate culture (or my take on it) resulted in weight gain, lost health, and a decline in productivity over time.

Luckily the corporate culture and my thought processes have recently changed. Corporate wellness programs, such as Accenture’s Truly Human Campaign are now focused on fitness and the human aspects of work. To read about this campaign, look at my prior blog here: https://weightlossleadership.com/2018/09/04/five-accenture-wellness-programs-that-saved-my-life/

Like the Army, corporations have now come to realize that being fit is a necessary part of the job. Indeed, wellness is almost as important to the survival and strength of the company as it is to an Army platoon. Here are three reasons why:

Improves Decision Making. The enemy of all good decisions is stress. Exercise and fitness help relieve stress and keep away fatigue. A simple 20-minute walk will provide a few minutes to clear your mind, allowing you to focus on the problem on hand. Better yet, get up and walk around the office when taking a phone call meeting when things get heated. The simple step of standing up will shake off the cobwebs that tend to collect during back to back calls.
Builds Comradery. The best thing about the Army was the comradery. One way it was built was through morning PT. While I am not advocating each company go on a company run each morning, I am recommending a common fitness program like Accenture Active. This program has really helped me to know my colleagues better through fitness events (MS 150, Annual Veterans Walk, etc.) and programs (active rewards programs, Fitbit competition). One example was a random competition that I and some colleagues engaged in on one Saturday. One of my friends started a Fitbit weekend competition and although we were all in different states, we kept apprised with the others’ progress. We all engaged in friendly and sometimes hilarious banter through the Fitbit app as we each surpassed 10 miles.
Cuts Down on Sick Days. Staying fit helps to keep you out of the doctor’s office and in yours during working hours. Research conducted at Brigham Young University, the Center for Health Research at Healthways and the Health Enhancement Research Organization, suggests unhealthy eating is linked with a 66% increased risk of loss of productivity while lack of exercise is associated with a 50% increase risk of low productivity. My experience bears this out. Before returning to fitness, I was habitually hit with bronchitis and, at least twice a year, pneumonia. Both resulted in sick days and loss of productivity when I worked through it. Since returning to my target weight in Nov. 2015, I have had neither bronchitis or pneumonia. Not sure how many days have been saved but approximate it as at least a week a year. And, an increase of productivity on those days that I should have been recovering and drove through and worked despite my illness.

These are just the top three reasons why you should consider staying fit as part of your role description as a consultant. Increased productivity, esprit de corps and better decisions are just three reasons exercise is an imperative in the working world. Let me close with a cadence I wrote for my team as we run from one project to another:

Everywhere we go,

people want to know,

who we are,

where we come from,

so, we tell them,

we are Accenture,

Pivot Wise Accenture,

Future forward Accenture,

focus on the human Accenture.

Hooah!

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