For Impact

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Summer of Health

Daily Nuggets | | Nick Fellers

In the spring of 2014, The Suddes Group team members encountered several health setbacks, ranging from physical injuries to the emotional / mental toll of losing family members. As a team, we decided to commit the summer to health and healing. On June 21, the Summer Solstice we started our SUMMER OF HEALTH.

This really simple concept defined our TEAM STORY for the summer.

We read books… took cooking classes… held each other accountable to fitness goals... rehabbed old injuries… There was an open and ongoing conversation about managing energy, finding flow, and the process of mental renewal.

The Summer of Health had many expected benefits, but also a few that we didn’t even see coming:

  • We went wayyyy beyond diet and fitness. The team conversation shaped around vitality, balance and meaning!!!
  • Team members involved families. This seems obvious in hindsight, but everyone reported having family members who also lost weight, gained energy, and transformed their health. As one team member shared with me, “We took the time to learn how to cook and prepare healthy food as a family, and this is a value that will be passed on to our kids!” (THAT’S IMPACT!)
  • We had an impact on broader social circles and extended families. Our team members became incidental health leaders and coaches. Let me tell you, there is nothing more fulfilling than helping a family member find health!
  • I think it had a permanent impression on our culture. Since last summer we’ve observed an awareness of energy and work-life integration.

The team journey was so powerful that we’re making it again. Hopefully a few of you will make a commitment to a SUMMER OF HEALTH too.

Obviously, this is something you can do yourself, but I would encourage you to do this with your team or with some friends.

Write to me at nick@forimpact.org. Tell me about your INDIVIDUAL or TEAM commitment to a SUMMER OF HEALTH. I will include you on notes we share with our team about focus, renewal and vitality. I’ll also send out some of the books below to a few randomly selected people.

Here are a few of the books we shared last summer: