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Carlton McGee

Writing Thank You Letters

According to the American Institute of Stress’ Employee Workplace Survey, nearly 80% of workers feel stress on the job. About half of workers say they need help in learning how to manage stress, and 42% say their co-workers need such help. To help reduce those numbers locally, a wellness seminar was conducted to help workers manage the stress of the workplace.

On Jan. 30, ASEZ WAO, the World Mission Society Church of God, Worldwide Young Adult Worker Volunteer Group, hosted “Seeking Happiness,” a wellness seminar consisting of four different workshops to allow participants to relieve stress in relation to the workplace. The workshops were as follows: Air It Out, Build Up Goodness, Break Your Bad Habits and Thank You Card.

The Air It Out station consisted of blown-up balloons attached to a wall. The participants mentioned any negative feelings they would have at work out loud, like becoming annoyed at a coworker or feeling lazy, then threw darts at each balloon to “air out” the feelings they once had. After the balloons were popped, they received a scroll consisting of positive words like, “Although others do not work, let us work faithfully without complaining. When we work with the mindset of an owner, we can work with joy and ease.”

Then at the Build Up Goodness station, participants received possible scenarios in the workplace with two possible solutions. One solution was more emotional, while the other was more level-headed and healthier. By the participant picking the better solution for the situation, it allowed for that person to become aware of the habits that are detrimental to the overall wellness in the workplace, while also providing a solution to those habits. 

At the Break Your Bad Habits station, participants identified bad habits they needed to get rid of, wrote them down and taped them to a wooden board. Then, they broke the board in half by a punch, karate chop or even a kick to symbolize the breaking of that habit. 

Lastly, at the Thank You Card station, participants wrote letters to someone to express gratitude and appreciation. 

The seminar concluded with the remaining presentation that expressed the value of giving thanks to alleviate stress caused by work. Using examples like Oprah Winfrey’s gratitude journal and the actions of Nelson Mandela, who was able to smile even in prison because he was thankful to God everyday. 

Through the seminar, attendees saw how being thankful was a healthy and effective way to transform the dynamic of the workplace. Guests who participated in the seminar voiced their appreciation to be able to take part in the event, one being a College of DuPage student named James Richardson.

“The biggest lesson I learned in order to get through the day is practicing thankfulness. There are times at work where managing other employees can be difficult,” he said. “What really got me was the ‘Building Up Goodness’ activity. I learned there are better ways to navigate through conflict in a respectful manner. That way, not only my feelings can be expressed, but in addition, even considering the employee’s feelings can make that person feel respected also. This is important when representing the company you work for.” 

Among the guests was Bolingbrook Mayor, Mary Alexander-Basta, who was also able to participate despite her busy schedule. She expressed how grateful she was to one of the members of the Church of God who invited her saying, “Thank you so much! I had a blast, I absolutely loved the event and all the energy. Keep up the amazing work!”

Richardson agreed, saying, “It was fun and educational. I was able to reflect and focus on myself when finding better ways to navigate stress as a working student…I encourage others to check out events like this from the church more often.”

More information regarding ASEZ WAO can be found at asezwao.org.