International HR Expert, Sharon Kinder, has published her debut book, The Wellness Journal. With over 25 years of experience in HR and Mental Health, wellness is a topic Huddersfield-based Sharon is incredibly passionate about. She wrote the book to share her own experiences and provide comfort and support to others.
“We all have mental health”, says Sharon, “some days are fantastic, and we feel on top of the world. Some days can be harder than others. When our worlds go into turmoil, we don’t always realise its effects on our health. Recognising those behaviours and making tweaks, talking or seeking further support can help us on a speedier road to recovery.”
Sharon felt there was a gap in the market for a book about wellness written in plain English. She designed the book as an interactive journal, encouraging readers to pause, reflect and become more self-aware.
“The book is challenging and gets people to look at themselves in a very honest way. It encourages readers to write their own reflections and document their wellness journey. The interactive experience is about changing behaviours and creating good habits that last. We all have our own variation of what wellbeing means to us. But we often don’t talk about it or press pause on our busy lives to think about it.
Nobody has a magic wand to make things disappear, but understanding why you are feeling the way you are and creating a plan to keep you on track can make a big difference. The Journal is well-suited for anyone who feels out of sorts but doesn’t know why and people in a good space who want to understand why so they can cement the difference.”
The book focuses on self-confidence, self-esteem and resilience, as well as the ten ‘anchors’ developed by Sharon. These anchors are the headers in our lives that give us stability and help us to feel safe, wanted and loved. Changes to any of these anchors, from a poor diet to financial stress, can significantly impact wellbeing.
Sharon has already begun work on a second book focusing specifically on men’s mental health, which will be published early next year. “I still regularly come across men who struggle to talk about their emotions,” Sharon adds. “I hope that by designing a journal tailored for them, I can create a safe space where they can get their feelings out, even if they don’t feel they can talk to anybody.”
Building upon the foundations of the Journal, Sharon has designed an online course to accompany the book. The half-day session encourages participants to look inward at their mental health, understand their values system and discover how to put themselves and their mental health centre stage.
The independent HR consultancy Sharon founded in 2015, Northern Powerhouse Consulting, is thriving as it moves into its eighth year. Alongside the launch of The Wellness Journal, the business has welcomed several new clients in 2022, including a European engineering company, a European food manufacturing business, an American consumer goods manufacturing business, and a global consumer goods business. Gill Bryant of Qdos leadership has joined the Board as a non-executive Director to support the senior team with strategic growth, bringing valuable insight and vast experience. The business plans to expand its service offering into leadership development courses, apprenticeship programmes and other areas in the coming months.
Copies of The Wellness Journal are available on Amazon and at https://wellness-journal.co.uk/. You can learn more about Northern Powerhouse Consulting and its specialist HR services at https://northernpowerhouseconsulting.com/.
