We might have a blast at our markets, but in reality our busy schedules can stress us out leading to unwanted tension. We equipped our vans with "wellness first aid kits" as a way to keep our fruit masters feeling calm, cool, and collected as they get through their busy weeks.
The Mini Book of Mindfulness:
This little book is full of fantastic breathing exercises for us to use when we're feeling overwhelmed or tired. They can even help us set a tone for our day. Deep, mindful breaths will calm the nervous system, increase energy, and give more mental clarity to make better decisions.
The 4 Agreements cards:
It's easy to get caught up in negative thoughts, like "I'm stressed, I'm tired, I'm stupid." In order to shift our perspective on things, it helps to be mindful of our phrasing and words. Whenever we feel stuck, we reach for a card and keep in mind not to take things personally, always do our best, be mindful of our words and gossip, and don’t make assumptions.
Anger ball:
It's okay to let your anger out. Anger, sadness, and anxiety are normal emotions and we recognize that sometimes they need an outlet. A few squeezes of a stress ball can take our mind off a bad day instead of stuffing it down inside.
The fun stuff:
We're in the fruit business, but we're also in the business of making people happy. To do that, we have to have fun throughout the day! In our wellness kits, we added in some special treats to give us a pick-me-up when we need it. Silly string, a joke pack, and a few games can help us relax, let loose, and remind us that life is good!
Essential oils:
Smell is a powerful sense, as it activates the limbic system in the brain. It can remind us our childhood, a close friend, or a family vacation. This is why we ask customers to smell the fruit. It creates an even closer bond with the product.
We put two essential oils in our kit to be inhaled (by placing a few drops on the skin or directly from the bottle) when we're feeling stressed or flustered. The two oils we carry with us are
I Am At Ease, which is a blend to calm the nervous system and mind, and Japanese Mint Oil to help with pain and low energy.
* A big thank you to Wellness on Whyte for these blends!
Creating a space of wellness for yourself and others takes practice and vulnerability. It can help us to develop our business, our staff, and most importantly, the community around us. We think that's something to be very proud of.
