How much weight can a horse carry?

“How much weight can a horse carry? In my experience, a horse can carry an infinite amount. They carry physical, mental, and emotional handicaps. 

They carry hopes and dreams, and they will carry the stress from your day when you can't carry it anymore. 

They will carry you to success when all you have felt is a failure. They will carry you, never knowing the weight of your burdens and triumphs. 

If you let them, they will carry you through life, and life is hard, life is heavy. But a horse will make you feel weightless under it all.” Author Unknown 

I don’t remember a time when horses weren’t a part of my life. They have always been my passion and my escape. I have learned so much about myself from caring for horses. I am still alive because of them. 

Many years ago, I reached a breaking point where my depression and anxiety were so bad, I no longer felt my life mattered. I believed that the world and those I loved would be better off without me. I was working long hours in an environment that was not positively impacting my mental wellbeing.  In that terribly difficult time, my horses gave me purpose, a reason to carry on.  Looking back, I realize that my life has meaning, and I’ve worked hard over the years to continue to grow, set goals for myself, and surround myself with positive influences. And luckily, I found an amazing company that allows me to help others find their passion and purpose, while also giving me opportunities to find mine. 

Talking about my struggles with depression and anxiety hasn’t come easy. I hope that by opening myself up others will feel empowered to do the same. 

If we can take one thing away from 2020, it’s that this year has made many of us face uncomfortable truths about the world we’ve been living in. We’ve all been juggling work remotely, taking care of ourselves and our family, and I think I can speak for most of us when I say, it has been a struggle. So, I think it’s important that we address mental health awareness in the workplace. 

Mental health in the workplace and why it matters 

According to Google, “the average person will spend 90,000 hours at work over their lifetime”, which means you spend roughly 1/3rd of your life spent at work. I don’t know if there is a more significant point I can make about why mental health in the workplace is something we need to be talking about and addressing. 

According to WHO “Globally, an estimated 264 million people suffer from depression, one of the leading causes of disability, with many of these people also suffering from symptoms of anxiety. A recent WHO-led study estimates that depression and anxiety disorders cost the global economy $ 1 trillion each year in lost productivity.” 

Poor mental health and stress can negatively affect employees 

• Job performance and productivity 

• Engagement with one’s work 

• Communication with coworkers 

• Physical capability and daily functioning 

Leading causes of poor mental health in the workplace 

Mental and physical stress leading to burnout is something that plagues the modern workforce. Especially now, when we are sharing a work and home space for many of us, it can be hard to separate it all. Below are just a few of the typical daily stressors that negatively impact an employee’s wellbeing. 

• Long hours 

• Job Insecurity 

• Lack of Autonomy 

•  Over-supervision 

•  Harassment 

• Discrimination 

• Poor relationships with colleagues or manager 

What can you do? 

• Talk about it! Share personal experiences with others to help reduce stigma, when appropriate. 

• Be open-minded about the experiences and feelings of colleagues. Respond with empathy, offer peer support, and encourage others to seek help. 

• Serve as dedicated wellness champions and participate in training on financial planning, stress management, and how to manage unacceptable behaviors and attitudes in the workplace to help others. 

• Take part in activities that promote stress management and relaxation. 

• Take the time to reflect on positive experiences and express happiness and gratitude. 

• Set and work toward personal, wellness, and work-related goals and ask for help when it is needed. 

What employers can do 

Make Wellness a Priority 

Offering health and well-being benefits to employees to encourage exercise, healthy eating, and leisure actives. It’s important to remind employees that building good health habits can improve both physical and mental health. 

Reduce Stigma 

High-performing teams can sometimes isolate coworkers who may be feeling depressed or anxious. Finding ways to reduce the stigma around mental health and talking about concerns, stress management and self-care openly can help employees feel more comfortable and less alone. 

Provide Comprehensive Health Benefits 

Offering free or subsidized clinical screenings, or health insurance with no or low out-of-pocket costs for mental health counseling. To allow employees to seek professional help where needed without the added stress of financial burden 

Change doesn’t happen overnight, it’s something we must chip away at consistently over time. I encourage you to check in with family and friends, coworkers, and employees. “Are you okay?” and  “How can I help?” can go a long way in opening the lines of communication with someone who requires support. 

Not everyone has a horse to carry their “weight” but I’d love for you to share a comment, or better yet a picture, of your hobby or whatever gives you purpose and helps you recharge. 

*Statistics, quotes, and ways to get involved came from WHO, the CDC website, and Google. Unfortunately, the horse quote came from Facebook, and unfortunately, I have not been able to track down the original author.