Having just recovered from a two-week bout with the flu, I definitely have wellness on my mind. There is nothing like being in bed for an extended period of time to remind us of the great gift of feeling well. As we move toward the halfway mark of 2020, it’s a good time to reflect on how our overall wellness affects our career success.

Rule your mind or it will rule you.

First, let’s establish that a successful career involves more than just what happens during each workday. What happens outside of work and our quality of life have a cumulative effect on our focus, energy and motivation at work. We each have a routine consumption of certain thought patterns, self-talk and ways of communicating (including avoiding communicating). We make entertainment choices, select reading material and decide who is in our inner circle. In addition, our physical intake of nutrients affects brain function, as well as our overall health and well-being.

Unbidden thoughts come to us throughout the day, and we must choose what to do with them. We can’t allow them to run rampant in whichever direction they choose. As the famous Roman poet Horace once said, “Rule your mind or it will rule you.”

Additionally, we need to actively monitor our self-talk to avoid thinking of ourselves more highly or lowly than we should. Both extremes are rooted in pride that causes us to fluctuate, constantly comparing ourselves to others (up or down) and leading to a feeling of superiority or inferiority. This rollercoaster can certainly affect our confidence levels and work relationships. Instead, we should be grateful for the gifts — and even limitations – we have been given. This mindset fuels a team environment and allows us to collaborate and celebrate others who are gifted differently than we are, without falling into the comparison trap.

What about our communication patterns? These are hard to break, but we can commit to continue growing in this area. We all grew up learning ways to relate with one another. Some of us grew up with frequent, open conflict. Others learned to avoid conflict at all costs while issues rumbled just below the surface. Some of our families were dominated by one person with whom everyone agreed in order to “keep the peace.” Of course, there are many variations of these patterns. Whichever is more familiar for us, it’s important to recognize the shortcomings in our learned patterns so we can relearn better communication skills and practice expressing our needs and opinions in our work relationships, while respecting those of others.

When it comes to our inner circle at work, do we surround ourselves with positive people who are there for us? Do they cheer us on in our endeavors or pour negativity on our best efforts, competing for a higher rank? Can we trust our closest associates enough to be authentic and to speak truth to us, even when it’s hard, knowing they have our best interests in mind? Or do we huddle up in groups that like to gossip about fellow employees and the company? This kind of negativity is toxic and, when possible, we must distance ourselves from those with this mindset. If we find ourselves in a culture that largely operates in this vein, we should consider connecting with a qualified recruiter who can help us make a healthy change.

Finally, we’re all guilty of allowing thoughts to dictate an emotional eating response at times, and a diet high in processed foods and refined sugars can negatively affect our mood, ability to focus and energy levels at work. It’s good to consider how our thoughts are fueling our physical diets and affecting our work lives.

As we approach the summer months, it’s advisable to take inventory of our current thought practices, self-talk, communication style, entertainment choices, inner circle and even our physical intake. Let’s show up for ourselves, our families and our co-workers by focusing on our wellness, which includes a healthy thought life that contributes to a healthy work environment for the benefit of all.