It’s no secret; the best performing organizations are continuously championing wellness and inclusivity. Unfortunately, determining what makes your team diverse isn’t as straightforward as it seems. It takes a trained eye to highlight the social and cultural aspects of our lives that make us unique.   

While different ingredients define uniqueness, you, as a leader, have the responsibility to discern what makes your team unique. Establishing a work environment where your team members can feel appreciated for their diversity is the first step in making your team an inclusive one. 

Being a Black Woman Leading Wellness and Inclusion Conversations – 05:40

The opportunity gap people of color have to deal with in virtually every industry is sometimes choking. For women, the issue is even more pronounced. Breaking into the Fortune 500 space will require you to have a unique set of abilities and a different kind of mental strength. By birth, women of color are experts in wellness, inclusion, and staying relevant in a society that wasn’t built for them. If you ever find yourself in a room where you believe you can make an impact, speak up, and make your voice heard. 

Don’t Tire – 08:32  

The road to success is not an easy one. You’ll climb mountains and go down valleys before you can finally get to your destination. While all this will need you to keep on grinding, don’t kill yourself with constant grinding. I won’t tell you to quit; No! I won’t do that. But what I’ll say to you is to take a pause and just breath. Perform wellness checks on yourself and refill your energy cup. Remember, grinding is good for you, but wellness is even better for your grind. 

Balancing all Aspects of Your Life – 09:50 

The one thing most people don’t like talking about is what they consume. Nutrition is the last thing people will want to talk about as part of their wellness routines. The fact of the matter is that nutrition is at the core of balancing all aspects of our lives. Sleep patterns and what you eat is what determines your concentration rates and energy levels throughout the day. 

How Much is Too Much – 13:50

Being productive is practically the cornerstone of every society. Work hard and be productive, they said. But how much is too much? If you are increasingly finding yourself struggling to handle every task thrown at you, you need to reevaluate what’s on your plate. To contribute your best bits in every task you take part in, you’ll need to minimize your involvement and let go of some roles. It can be a bitter pill to swallow but one that needs to be swallowed nonetheless. 

Finding Time For Yourself – 17:36

Deep down, there is always that craving of wanting some alone time to unwind and just be you. While this can sometimes be hard to get, you need to start treating your alone time as a need rather than a want. That said, don’t be too hard on yourself and start creating time to unwind and just being you. Whether it’s a bubble bath or an afternoon watching reality TV, do that and get the stress out of your system.

How To Take The Next Step – 22:30

You obviously have goals and dreams you’d like to achieve. But, these dreams will remain dreams until you do something about them. If something is keeping you up at night, then that’s something you should consider pursuing. These kinds of things often find ways to haunt you once you neglect them. You don’t want your dreams to turn into nightmares, now do you?   

Shantia Coley is a nationally recognized attorney for a Fortune 500 Corporation. She handles an international defensive litigation caseload and at any given time is handling over 100 cases globally. As a millennial and first generation college graduate, she is passionate about wellness, leadership and race, equity and inclusion. As such, she travels nationally engaging in courageous conversations and training on these and other topics.

Shantia is a graduate of Elon University where she currently serves on the President’s Young Leaders Council and North Carolina Central University School of Law. In her community she was appointed to the Domestic Violence Advisory Board by the Charlotte City Council. She is also extremely active in her local bar, serving on their Communication, Young Lawyer’s Division and Bar Leadership Institute committees. 

Shantia recently served as Parliamentarian of the National Bar Association’s Young Lawyer’s Division and was also recognized by the same as one of the top 40 litigators in the nation in 2018. Shantia is married and is the mother of identical twin boys.

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