On the Coast – Families Issue 92 | February / March 18 | Page 18

Developing Dreams
Developing Wellbeing:
STEP 1 OF 5
Developing Dreams
“Fostering empowerment in children,
educators and families by learned optimism,
cultivating happiness, and building resiliency”
A little more than five years ago, a good
friend of mine and I met for coffee to discuss
the beginning of our company Developing
Dreams. This discussion included everything
from branding to structure, to employees to
financials. Most importantly and of most
influence, was our discussion about our
intentions for the company, not just ‘what’ we
were creating, but ‘why’ we were creating it.
The vision was to create safe and welcoming
environments which fostered the mental and
emotional wellbeing of children, educators
and mothers, by providing personal
empowerment information and services. Fast
forward to 2018 and our intention has only
strengthened.
18
KIDZ O N T H E C OA ST
On Monday 15th January, we gathered with
our team to begin another year of Developing
Dreams. As always, we opened the meeting by
reflecting on all we could be grateful for before
engaging in the first of our staff trainings, the
implementation of a program titled Developing
Wellbeing: Developing Dreams. The passion for
this program was quickly embraced by the
educators due to their aligned passions for
promoting wellbeing in their own lives and the
lives of those we come in contact with. When
discussing mental and emotional wellbeing,
topics such as learned optimism, happiness,
engagement and gratitude are reflected upon.
So too are anxiety, depression and
unfortunately, suicide. At the time of writing
this article, the devastation of a 14 year old
taking her life is in the news and inevitably
became incorporated into our discussion. When
a life is intentionally taken, particularly of a
young person, questions arise of the what if’s
and how’s. Could this have been prevented? For
the loved ones left to mourn these tragedies,
these questions must be haunting,