“Restore our Earth” is this year’s Earth Day call to action and certainly a goal we, as a proud B Corporation, work towards every single day. But we also wanted to step back and think more broadly about that resonant word: restore. Its definition, “to bring back, to return, to renew,” has particular resonance in this time we find ourselves in, as we slowly and safely begin our collective return back to normalcy. Let’s dive into a few different ways we’ve been restoring our environments, our bodies, and our minds over this past year and how these projects inspire us not to go back to normal, but forward to an even better future.
It’s a Small World
Our immediate environments have come into focus this past year as we’ve embarked on restorative projects big and small around the house. From home renovations to furniture upcycle projects, we’ve been working to make our personal spaces more comfortable and more personalized.
“My Christmas lights have been repurposed as secondary office lighting.”
– Jennifer Cheng, Billing Manager
And making your spaces more “livable” often means adding more things that are alive, such as houseplants and home gardens.
“We have a collection of 20 plants in our home which we’ve purchased/adopted over the past year. My pride and joy is our Fiddle Leaf Fig but we get the most use out of our Aerogarden.”
– Rukmani Nayyar, Senior Integrated Planner
Step by Step
As we return back to normal one step at a time, we cannot forget to get our steps in. Physical activity, especially when you’re feeling cooped up, is so restorative and important for our health. All April long we’ve been participating in Move More 2021 with the American Heart Association, which includes movement breaks, workouts, podcasts, streaming events, all meant to motivate you to move more every day.
“Over the last year I’ve taken up walking, getting between 3-5 miles in each day. This, combined with improvements in eating habits, has improved my wellbeing and overall health tenfold. I’ve shed 40lbs and feel amazing.”
– Jill Tobin, Process Manager
We’ve also started the “Sip, Smart Challenge,” which tracks how much water you’re drinking. After every 10 eight-ounce glasses of water you’ve consumed, you’re entered into a raffle.
“I find drinking water improves my wellbeing by staying super hydrated, which is good for weight loss, physical health, and great for skin and hair!”
– Amanda Hagen, Account Executive
Group Think
When your time outside is limited, you naturally spend a lot of time introspecting. Finding a personal restorative practice is such an important way to stay positive and productive, despite the groundlessness going on in the outside world.
“I practice yoga and meditate every day. It’s a contemplative practice with an inward focus that helps me be in touch with myself, have perspective, and stay grounded.”
– Allie Manikas, Account Executive
And we’re approaching May, which is Mental Health Awareness Month. Let’s always remember that the personal restorative work we do just makes us better at helping others around us.
“Restore” is a verb which means it’s more about the act than the end result. It’s an ongoing project that may never be finished and it’s the ritual, the progress, no matter how small or incremental, that is in itself restorative. This shared experience we’ve all had this past year will forever affect our futures and there’s no going back. It’s our collective responsibilities to use what we’ve learned, what we’ve lived through, to make us, our communities, and the Earth better than before.
