Company Gathering Day: Happiness and Appreciation
Notre Dame College Holds Annual Retreat and Wellbeing Day
On Thursday, July 11th, the staff of Notre Dame College gathered for their annual Retreat and Wellbeing Day. This event, held with great anticipation, is designed to promote joy, gratitude, and well-being among staff, providing them with a dedicated time and space to reflect, rejuvenate, and connect on a deeper level.
The theme for this year's retreat was 'joy and gratitude'. The Principal, Justine Barlow, emphasized the importance of staff having space to reflect on things they are grateful for and that bring them joy. To this end, students were asked to write a prayer or reflect on what brought them joy. One student expressed that joy is friends and family, while another expressed gratitude for God's faithfulness, peace, teachers, friends, and their belief in her.
The retreat began with a shared lunch, offering an opportunity for staff to connect and enjoy each other's company. Following this, staff participated in the 'Three Good Things' activity, a gratitude exercise. This was led by Sophie Simpson from SSD Dance and Wellbeing, who expressed her enthusiasm for the retreat concept and her connection with the staff.
Sophie Simpson also led a dance class for staff, providing an engaging and fun way to promote physical and emotional well-being. The day continued with the Examen exercise led by Maria Coyle, a reflective practice designed to increase awareness of God's presence in one's life.
Lay Chaplain, Agnes Colantuoni, led a short liturgy, offering a spiritual dimension to the retreat. The day ended with the Notre Dame quiz led by Steve Johnston, Head of Digital, providing a light-hearted and fun conclusion to the day's events.
Retreats, such as the one held at Notre Dame College, are increasingly recognized in educational and healthcare settings as vital to sustaining wellness and preventing burnout. They serve as an opportunity to step away from daily work pressures, engage in reflective practices, and embrace spiritual or emotional renewal. This aligns with broader themes of pilgrimage and well-being, such as removing veils to see oneself and others more clearly, fostering connection, and embracing joy and gratitude as core elements of wellness and faith.
Such retreats reinforce a positive, grateful outlook supportive of sustained personal and professional fulfillment. They provide a structured occasion to pause and reflect outside routine demands, deepen connections within the college community, engage in practices that nurture mental, emotional, and spiritual health, and reinforce a positive, grateful outlook.
Notre Dame College's commitment to holistic well-being is evident in the scheduling of Retreat and Wellbeing Days for various groups, such as Year 10 students. These days likely combine activities that reaffirm staff’s sense of purpose and community, support mental health through mindfulness or spiritual reflection, and encourage expressions of gratitude, which research links to increased happiness and resilience.
In conclusion, the annual Retreat and Wellbeing Day at Notre Dame College is a valuable event that promotes joy, gratitude, and well-being among staff, fostering a supportive community atmosphere and contributing to the overall wellness of the college.
- As part of their holistic approach to well-being, Notre Dame College may consider incorporating sessions focused on fashion-and-beauty and personal-growth, encouraging staff to explore their individual styles and embrace self-improvement.
- To further reinforce joy and gratitude, staff could participate in workshops related to food-and-drink, learning new recipes or techniques that bring them happiness and enhance their well-being.
- In line with fostering connections within the college community, Notre Dame College might organize events centered around relationships and shopping, such as a partnership with local businesses for team-building activities or organizing charity sales to support pets and causes close to staff members' hearts.
- Recognizing the importance of home-and-garden to overall well-being, workshops or activities could be included to teach staff simple gardening techniques or DIY projects for creating a comforting living space.
- For a balanced retreat experience, Notre Dame College could consider including travel-themed activities, such as virtual tours of inspiring destinations or guided meditation sessions that evoke relaxing natural landscapes, promoting a sense of adventure and relaxation in staff members' lives.
