Mindful Monday’s

Transcript

Michelle

Hello, and welcome to Mindful Mondays. It's such a pleasure to be with you here today. I see already in the chat we've got some folks waiting to start. Before we do that, a couple of noteworthy points I'd like to make. First and foremost, I like to recognize where I'm calling in from today, which is the territory in the lands of the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh people. I really honour and respect the work that they do around the stewardship of our lands. And for those of you who may not know the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh people are here in Squamish, British Columbia. I also have an amazing guest with us here today, Gurdeep, I'm going to get to you right away, but a couple of other points just want to make. First of all, this show is all about positivity, we're going to get to that right away. This is Episode 18, of Mindful Mondays, the very first one of 2023. I can't think of a better way to kick off 2023 than with a message about hope, joy, and positivity. But, why am I doing this? Mindful Monday’s has been a passion project of mine for about a year or so. And it's really about at the core of it, it's about creating healthier humans, healthier workplace cultures, and more sustainable environments. And how I try to do that is through talking with experts like Gurdeep about, you know, community connection, the power of collective wisdom. My background is in human resources and some of the previous guests we've had, we've talked about corporate culture, we've talked about career-related stress, mental health at work, and employee wellness, and I think today's guest really feeds in nicely with this topic of wellness. So let me tell you about Gurdeep. Gurdeep Pandher is based in the Yukon, he's a Bhangra dance artist. He lives off the grid, he lives just north of Whitehorse near Lac Laberge and he has created dance videos in nature outdoors. And what it does is it brings people together, and I can speak to that firsthand, I'm going to tell you about that in a moment. He is known for spreading a message of joy and hope and positivity, especially through the pandemic. But even more than that, he has touched millions of viewers throughout the world who's watched his wilderness videos, and I can't thank you enough for being here today. Welcome, Gurdeep.

Gurdeep

Thank you very much, Michelle, for having me. And I'm feeling honored and thrilled to be in this episode of Mindful Monday.

Michelle

Thank you so much. I'm going to see here what's in the comments. So James had popped in here. Will we see you dance as well? Yes, you will. I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing. But you will see me dance today for sure. Gurdeep, I'm wondering if you can give just a little bit of a snippet of what to expect.

Gurdeep

Yeah sure.

Michelle

I love it. I love it. It's, there's gonna be more of that, more of that to come. I encourage our viewers to please share in the chat. Where are you calling from? Maybe you've seen Gurdeep perform live as well? Share that in the chat. And if you have any questions for him, right? Those of you who've seen him perform know that there's always a big long string of folks who want to talk to him. And if you haven't had an opportunity to speak to him you have you can do that today. So share your comments in the chat here. Speaking of which, I'm just going to take a quick peek here and here we go. There we are. So yeah, Tara, thanks so much. I'm gonna pop this up on the screen here. Oops, hang on. Tara's question here are her comments. Thanks so much, Tara for sharing that. Yeah, I love his videos as well. Let me also just take this away because I know LinkedIn also has closed captioning, which is very, very important. But there's a lot happening on the chat here. So oh, we have someone here Whistler Gurdeep seeing you perform in Whistler. That's where you and I met. Do you remember when we met Gurdeep?

Gurdeep

Yes, I clearly remember it.

Michelle

You're muted, I think. What's that? Oh, are you okay? Hang on chat. Here we go. So we think we're good now.

Gurdeep

Okay, can you hear me?

Michelle

Yeah, sorry. That was my fault.

Gurdeep

No worries, technical things happen. Yeah, I clearly remember that evening in Whistler BC, at that beautiful Whistler Olympic Plaza stage. Yeah, it was very positive. Very, very wonderful crowd.

Michelle

It was, it was great. I got up on stage with your team as well. It was a lot of fun. I had a great, I had a great time there. And what happened was, before Gurdeep, was performing, he did a soundtrack. And I said to my husband, I'm like, that's Gurdeep! Let's go see him! And I waved up the stage and waved on stage to him. And then, of course, he came down and we took some photos. And then, of course, I was in the audience afterward. I felt like I was floating on air. So this is why I wanted to have you here on Mindful Mondays. And so with that, with that, let's talk about some of the things that that I'd like to learn a little bit more about, you Gurdeep. So you know, I reached out to you. And I said, would you be on Mindful Mondays? You said yes. But I'd like to know more about you know, why this dance? And why this message? Can you tell us a little bit more about that.

Gurdeep

So this, this has been very important for me, in many, many ways. For my personal growth, when I dance, it makes me happy, it makes me joyful. I feel myself uplift, uplifted. But it is also very important that through this dance, I'm able to broadcast that energy. I'm able to create those smiles and I can, I'm able to share the joy with other people. Because I believe that when joy is shared, shared with many people across the world, it is multiplied. If someone's day is bad, someone is not feeling well, someone is sick, or someone's relative or near or dear is not doing well, or some other issues at home or at work. When people see someone dancing, because dance is a universal language, it just makes their day better. You know, sometimes times we talk about being in a good mood, it just creates that good mood that sometimes it wipes away those worries, worry lines and, and I like that too. And also it creates a unity together and as people appreciate a different side of someone. And people it creates learning, it creates an understanding. So this has been very, very important for me in many, many ways.

Michelle

Thank you. Thank you. So you're bringing in some of your own self-development, and personal development, and then spreading it out, fanning it out that way. Well, I certainly appreciate it because I think it was here. James, where you said both of your smiles are infectious, right? Yeah. We know this. So there's someone that I follow. His name is psychologist Dr. Rick Hansen. And what he says is that negativity or negative thoughts stick like Velcro, but the positive thoughts slide away like Teflon. When we can cultivate more positivity, we're actually training the brain. This is a little bit of neuroscience, little neuroscience and leadership here. We can train the brain to be more positive, right? We've all been in those situations where one person starts talking negative another person does and it becomes this big cloud of negativity Gurdeep is doing the exact opposite so thank you. I want to say hello to Tammy. Tammy Khanna is calling in from Victoria. Ally's excited to be here to love the intro dance. Yes, we're gonna be doing some dancing for sure. Sherrie Rauth calling in from Winnipeg, and James James actually has a question here for you Gurdeep. So you seem to live a very quiet and private life, but you have now attracted the attention of millions. How has that affected your desire for tranquil solitude?

Gurdeep

Thank you, James, for asking this question. Yes, that's true, that I live in a cabin in the wilderness of the Yukon and I don't have any civilized around me, I have 360 forests, a beautiful boreal forest. Yeah, it's very solitude life, very different. After my videos started being watched by many, many people, people started appreciating them, people started recognizing me. It changed my life. It created different kinds of connections. In this virtual space through the internet, it definitely brought some changes in my life, my life, even saying in the wilderness, not in that much solitude anymore. Because every day I go through so many messages, so many letters, so many emails, I will say that, in the beginning, it used to be feeling like bit too much. But with the time I started to enjoy it, I started feeling that this is very good, that creating connections while being in solitude, it, brings people to the point, when we can connect beyond many borders, beyond many barriers. Sometimes people share, their struggles with me, they send me a message, even if they don't share their struggles with a friend or family, sometimes they feel comfortable enough to write me a message that that hey, I went through this terrible time today. And this happened. I feel that was also the purpose of that dance, inspiring people to connect, inspiring people to share, inspiring people to find positivity because when people see my videos, they watch my videos. I want them to receive something, I want them to see the message to send to the video, a message of positivity messages of inclusivity messages of coming together messages of joy. Then when people connect with me, and I started feeling that actually is also fulfilling the purpose behind the videos, why I post my videos on social media. I just don't want people to watch and leave them I want people to do something accordingly. When people connect with me and interact with me, even though sometimes I don't have time to respond to their messages, but I read them and it kind of validates it kind of confirms that the message I sent yesterday or last week about joy, hope, and positivity that was well received. So then I felt that those connections were valuable and I started enjoying it and nowadays my life is in the balance of solitude and in the in the wilderness of the cabin. And also a cultivate waiting these kinds of virtual connections that we are cultivating with Michelle today and with you too James.

Michelle

What I'm hearing you say and correct me if I'm wrong is that you find some balance there between being on stage then exuding energy, and then yet you can go back home to your cabin and just appreciate you know the nature around you and the quiet.

Gurdeep

Yeah, exactly, exactly. Balance is very important in our life, like to balance. In work life in everyday life is very important. For example, work is important. Work is very important, not just to make money just to keep our minds engaged. But when there's too much work, that's also not good in a similar way. Like interacting with people, creating performances, and creating videos. It takes time and space and then being quiet in the cabin, brings that balance.

Michelle

I hear you there because in December, my husband and I went to Costa Rica for a month and it was really quite luxurious. I'll put it that way. And it's not who we are, we're not luxurious people. But there was a point where I just said, you know, I need a break, I really need a break. It's amazing that Mindful HR Services, I've got amazing clients, that people trust in the work that I do. But I also needed a break. That's where that self-care comes in. And you're right, there can be too much work. And so I think that this is a way your work, is a way to put a smile on your face, we've been doing a lot of that this morning, already. It's a way to get some physical energy into the bodies, we're going to be doing that right away. But it also brings people together. And so I want to talk a little bit about this, this idea of inclusivity. So in my work as a human resources consultant, the world of diversity, and equity inclusion are really important. And so maybe tell our viewers a little bit about your perspective on inclusivity. And how does the work that you do bring people together?

Gurdeep

Inclusivity is very important. Inclusivity means there can't be joy if some people are excluded. Inclusivity creates a joy not in just one or two people in the whole community. In a whole country in the world. Sometimes the things that happen when people are not included. Only a few people are included. Then it doesn't create real positivity, real joy. It doesn't create a what we call “constructive positive” because positivity can be two types of positivity. I'm talking about healthy positive deconstructive positivity, positive positivity. So for that, when we create smiles and share with everyone, in our circle, in our community, in our country, without limiting in those barriers in those borders, like hey, I want to work with these specific kinds of people, I won't be working with this kind, specific kinds of people, then it won't lead to true joy. In search of true joy. We need to make sure that people from all walks of life, people from all backgrounds, people from all kinds of faiths, all kinds of groups, they are included, which also includes import, including all genders different age groups, people from different colors people from like, seeing everyone as a fellow human being, that creates true inclusivity. And that leads to hope and positivity. So that's why it is very important.

Michelle

Yeah, yeah. And Tara, thanks for sharing this. There can't be joy if some people are excluded. Ah, yes, she's picking up on your message here. Thanks for that, Tara. I want to also pop on screen here. Oh yeah, we've got thanks so much Vraya for sharing this. Vraya is working behind the scenes. She's our marketing manager here at Mindful HR Services, sharing a little bit of information on how you can learn more about Mindful HR Services. We'll also pop some information up here for Gurdeep as well. I've got another question here. So Hi, Michelle, and Gurdeep I learned about Gurdeep from colleagues who live in Australia. Amazing around the world your work is going! It's great how far a reach a positive message can have. Any recommendations and how people can bring positive experience of Bhangra dancing while in an office environment where people may not want to get up and dance near the aisle of their desk? And also Gurdeep. You could win the world's fittest person. Bhangra is a great workout.

Gurdeep

Thank you, thank you for asking this question, how to bring this kind of culture into an office environment? Yes, I understand that. Like when you're working in an office, your schedule is back to back, you have meetings, you have so many things in your task list and there are pressures from everywhere from your colleagues, from your bosses, even people you are serving too, there could be too much. I feel that, too. To develop that culture, there needs to be a collective effort at your organization and your organization, you folks need to meet. And you folks need to talk about how we can include more breaks, that can be positive breaks, that could be dance breaks, you can name anything, that could be just a mindful pause. You know, because when there are pressures, it's not easy to take time. And if you just stand up by yourself and start dancing, probably that may feel a bit awkward to you. But if everyone is doing, if everybody knows that, hey, at 10:30 am or 11 am, or whatever time you set up for 10 minutes, or maybe for 15 minutes, people will have their, their positive, their mindful break. So during that time, during those minutes, everyone gets up, they can dance, they can create some art pieces, they can do something like dancing is one way one great way of creating positive bickering joy, if some other people who are not too much into dancing, they can do something else. They can go running, they can go for a walk, but those people who are willing to participate in any kind of dancing or any kind of exercise, they should do that. So like my point is that you folks at your office, at your organization, the national level need to create those breaks. It could be before noon, the afternoon, like twice a day that will allow actually everybody to participate. And keep that balance which we talked about earlier.

Michelle

Yeah, what you're talking about Gurdeep. What it makes me think about is corporate culture, what is the culture? I've also talked in length with Tara Adams who, who shared in the chat here about this, the healthy mindset of about, you know what, I gotta go guys, I've got to go, its time for my family time. Now I need to go my family is waiting for me. Or, you know what, it's almost 930. This is when I go to the gym. So we got to wrap this up in the next seven minutes, right? It's about positive leader role modeling on whatever it might be, maybe it is bhangra dancing, I highly encourage bhangra dancing. We're going to get there next. But whatever it is, it's something when I think of well-being I think about clearing the mind. And how do you do that? The way to do that is to go to a different place. I use mindful meditation to do that. It could be in different ways. So in terms of different ways, I want to show this up here because this is exactly where we're going next. Moving our bodies regularly positively impacts our physical and mental wellness. Moving with others brings another joyful element, Gurdeep. So I'm going to we're going to switch gears here. I'm going to make Gurdeep bigger. Yeah. And he's going to take the stage I'm going to mute myself and we're going to do some bhangra dancing. Please continue to share your comments in the chat. We have a few minutes left we'll try to get to all of them but for now, the floor is yours.

Gurdeep

Okay my dear friends, now we are talking about movement. Movement is very important. Movement gets blood flow, which is very good for your mind. Very good for your heart. Any dance activity, any exercise can be a great movement. So today, today we'll do one program move for joy, hope, and positivity and creating that great mental space, creating that good, the good vibe, good, the good thoughts. So at this time alone, I invite everybody to stand up, please. And if you're not, for some reason not able to stand up, you are totally fine to do it while being in your seat. Okay. So if you're able to stand up, then please stand up. So stand up straight, and engage your core, bring a big smile on your face, and also inside your heart. So, when I'll be teaching, sometimes I'll be turning this wave backing you and then I'll turn back. So when I'll be turning, you don't need to turn you just continue watching me straight. So everybody together, you raise your left leg up, and then tap, raise your left leg up, and then tap. When you tap you call number one, when you tap again, you call number two. So 1, 2, 1, 2, 1, to say Happy, happy, happy, happy, happy, happy, and happy. Happy. So in a similar way, we'll do on the right side, you bring your right foot up, and then tap up and tap. So when you tap, you count number three. When you tap it again, you call number four. So 3, 4, 3, 4, 3 Whoa, happy, happy, happy. Happy. Yes, three, four, and three, four. Awesome! So good. So now we'll be tapping twice on the left side, twice on the right side, then again, twice on left, standing straight standing tall, bringing lots of joy in your heart. Let's start from the left side. Be ready, folks. 5, 6, 7, 8 start one, two, switch, three, four, switch, 1, 2, 3, 1, 2 and three, four. And now we are going to include the arms. All you need to do you bring your hands how the way up like this. And with the count you bring them down. So this is one up again. When you count you bring them down, this is two then three, four, so 1, 2, 3, and four. So now we will be using legs and arms at the same time. So for example, when your leg is up, your arms are up, when your leg is down, your arms are down. So this is one, two, then switch. Three, four, switch 1, 2, 3, 4 I'm going to play some music, drum beat and we are going to dance together. Are you ready?

Michelle

Thank you Thank you. Thank you. Hang on. I've got to set myself back up again. Okay, so if anyone watches this replay again, do not look at my rhythm. Okay, don't look at my rhythm. Thank you so much Gurdeep. That was amazing. I don't think I've had such an energizing Monday morning for a very long time. I really, really appreciate the time that you shared. I'm a little out of breath actually. So maybe I need to practice more so that I can be as good at fitness as you. Let's see here. What's happening in the chat here? Greg so much fun! I couldn't agree with you more. Let's take a look here. Oh, this is so nice. You're a great human great dancer and a great teacher. Easy to follow now. So nice. Thank you so much. Yeah, continue with the sharing. Continuous sharing, feeling energized. I see here. Lovely. Gurdeep is a national treasure. I agree. Thank you so much. All right, we've come to our time. It's 930. Thank you everyone for showing up so many regulars. Elizabeth, I see you're back here again. Thank you, Vraya for sharing the information behind the scenes here. Sherrie, Ronnie, Tara, and James, thank you so much. Before we close, I want to tell you a little bit more about what's coming up next. Our next Mindful Monday is on February 13th. And we're changing things up a little bit. I am probably one of the least technological people. I know I count on my husband a lot for tech support. And on February the 13th. We're speaking with John Stroud of AI Guides. Artificial intelligence is around all of us in a variety of contexts, whether it's personal or business, including human resources, and we'll be talking with John about different ways, AI enhances the HR profession. And so that's on February the 13th. Thank you, Gurdeep. Thank you for taking the time out of your day, to share your wisdom to share your knowledge to share your message.

Gurdeep

Thank you so much, Michelle, for having me. You're a wonderful host. And thank you to everyone. For your nice, lovely comments, lovely words, I felt the warmth. I appreciate. And it was great to share and learn together in this virtual space today.

Michelle

Thank you again, you can learn more about Gurdeep on his website. I follow him on Instagram and on LinkedIn here. His schedule is starting to fill up. So if you've got a conference, a seminar, a team-building activity, I highly encourage you to reach out to Gurdeep. He made time for me which I really, really appreciate. And I expect he can also make time for you. So with that, thank you again, thank you to all of our viewers, and thank you to you Gurdeep. And on that note, we'll say goodbye and be well everyone.