Home Knowledge Mindfulness Blog – Final Entry

Mindfulness Blog - Final Entry

Will Dekorte 

 The positive impact of mindfulness in the workplace is increasingly clear, and we are delighted to be collaborating with Barry Lee to roll out a Mindfulness Programme here at William Fry. Will Dekorte from our IT team has agreed to share his personal experience of participating in the programme over the coming weeks. Find a link to his first blog here and the second part here.  

 

 

 

Up until six weeks ago I don’t think I have ever jumped out of bed and said, “oh I cannot wait to go to work”.  Surely, we are all like that, especially on a Monday morning?!  I like work don’t get me wrong but ever since the mindfulness course started, I could not wait to go to the sixth floor every Thursday for Barry’s mindfulness session.  In the last session Barry asked us what we had learned from these past six weeks. Some people explained where they felt it improved their daily lives. A few of the people who were in attendance had seemed to gain a little more mindfulness in work and how to manage overload.  For me mindfulness was more about focus in my personal life, as the way I work I tend not to get to stressed out as I tend to manage my days carefully. I’m often slagged by my colleagues for my love of calendar planning, but I do so in order to keep some sort of frame around my day. 

Now we have finished the course let me tell you of my transformation. I feel like my life has been like a shop that has been closed for years, every now and then it opens its doors. I am living in Dublin ten years this week, those first five years included finding my feet, joining William Fry, meeting my wife Joanne and getting married. The subsequent five years were a series of ups and downs, that led me to closing the metaphorical shop doors so many times. The culmination of those bad times which led to my panic attacks and anxiety were a result of being told we would not be parents no matter how hard or what treatments we tried.   We have got through it since 2016, but I have been trundling along, struggling for purpose in life. Not becoming a parent as I had hoped I have struggled to find belonging in society.  

Now I feel I am back. I have opened myself up to everything that comes my way. I wake up every morning without fail and cannot wait to go to work. I have gained new friends these past few weeks by opening myself up, I have joined committees one most notably the Environment Committee. A few months ago, I was insular and cared about myself. Right now, I know zero about the environment, but I want to learn. My awareness from mindfulness has made my mind clearer.  Drastic it may sound three weeks ago I decided to go full on vegan and follow a plant-based diet. As a previous chef, z list baking celebrity and all-round lover of food I would have told you six weeks ago that me going vegan is a stupid idea.  But it is best thing I have ever done, I have learned so much, it feels like I am learning to cook and bake again with completely new produce. My life has changed immeasurably by opening my shop doors and becoming more aware of who I am. 

I have also been using the app “HeadSpace” on my phone for mindfulness and working on a self-esteem course.  During these six weeks I also signed to be a performer in the Firm’s Charity Lip Sync battle heading up a crew of people. I have no idea what I am doing or how an extroverted introvert like myself is going to be up on a stage performing in the Sugar Club. 

Thinking and linking these developments there is no way I would have been open to this before doing the mindfulness course. I feel so comfortable right now in my own skin and awareness.  It has both enriched my personal life and my work life where I didn’t even think I needed it. Whereas one of my friends recently referred to me as Will 2.0, I prefer to say my shop is now fully open and ready for business.

Will