Code of Balance Wellness Toolkit: Nourishing Your Roots
Written by Manda Frederick & Sarah Healy
Welcome to the WWCode Code of Balance — your wellness toolkit for diverse technologists. This month, we’re exploring “nourishing your roots” as a diverse technologist. Engage with this toolkit through thought-provoking self-reflections, valuable resources, cool tools, affirmations to guide you, and a curated Spotify playlist to empower you throughout the workday.
As we celebrate Earth Day, it’s a reminder of the interconnectedness between nature and our lives. Much like the intricate web of roots that anchor a towering tree, our journey as diverse women in technology is deeply intertwined with our roots – our values, experiences, and connections. In this spirit, Earth Day serves as a powerful metaphor for the importance of nourishing our roots as we navigate the ever-evolving landscape of the tech industry. Just as a healthy ecosystem relies on the vitality of its roots to flourish, nurturing our roots empowers us to thrive as technologists, advocates, and leaders. Join us as we explore the metaphorical parallels between “nourishing our roots” and Earth Day, uncovering insights and inspiration for cultivating resilience, growth, and sustainability in our tech journeys.
This toolkit will help you nourish your well-being and give you a healthier foundation for your tech career journey.
❣️Just a reminder, we are not mental health professionals—we are your techie besties sharing what works for us! If you are experiencing any health issues or mental health crises in the workplace, please contact your People Team/HR or a mental health professional.
Wellness Toolkit: Nourishing Your Roots
🎧 We encourage starting this month’s April “Nourishing Your Roots” Playlist as you go through the rest of the toolkit.
Checking in
Explore this check-in to evaluate your level of self-nourishment for your “roots”— your community, well-being, sense of self, workplace, and more—and reflect on where you can improve. Take a moment, sip some water, vibe with our curated playlist, and breathe.
If you answered “yes” to all or most of these questions, great work! You are nourishing your mental and career wellness. If you answered “no,” that’s okay! Keep reading for tools and resources to feed the roots in your life.
Tools we love for nourishing all areas of your life!
Check out some tools to encourage you more on your self-advocacy journey. Below, you’ll find some great examples of apps, books, podcasts, and more to empower you each month to thrive on your wellness journey!
📱 Apps
- Nextdoor | Nextdoor is a social networking app for neighbors to connect, share resources, and organize community events, such as neighborhood clean-ups or fundraisers for local causes.
- Taproot Plus: Taproot Plus connects skilled professionals with nonprofit organizations in need of pro bono services, such as marketing, graphic design, or web development.
- VolunteerMatch: VolunteerMatch connects volunteers with local nonprofit organizations and community service opportunities based on their interests, skills, and location.
- AllTrails: AllTrails provides a database of trails for hiking, biking, and running, with detailed maps, reviews, and photos to help users discover new outdoor adventures.
😎 Cool Things
📺 Media
- You Are a Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life by Jen Sincero
- The Happiness Project: Or, Why I Spent a Year Trying to Sing in the Morning, Clean My Closets, Fight Right, Read Aristotle, and Generally Have More Fun by Gretchen Rubin
- The Life Coach School Podcast: Hosted by Brooke Castillo, this podcast offers insights and strategies for personal development, mindset shifts, and achieving personal and professional goals.
- Untangle: Untangle explores mindfulness and meditation practices for reducing stress, improving relationships, and enhancing overall well-being through interviews with mindfulness experts and practitioners.
🧘🏼♀️ WWCode Content
- The Importance of Financial Wellness and Budgeting
- Let’s Talk FemTech: Empowering Women and Disrupting Digital Health
- How to Conduct a Self-Audit on Learning Styles
- Self Upskilling 101
- The Courage to Be Uniquely You
Affirmations for Self-Nourishment
An affirmation is a positive statement you say or think that reinforces self-belief or personal goals. Research tells us that affirmations work because of neuroplasticity — the brain’s ability to reorganize itself by forming new neural connections in response to learning. You can change your brain by changing your thinking, which can support a more constructive mindset.
Take a few minutes, find a quiet place, and read this month’s WWCode affirmations on nourishing your roots as a diverse technologist:
- I am proud of my diverse background and the valuable perspectives I bring to the tech industry.
- My unique experiences empower me to navigate challenges and seize opportunities in my tech journey.
- I am committed to continuous learning and growth, expanding my skills and expertise in technology.
- I embrace my cultural heritage as a source of strength and inspiration in my career as a technologist.
- I am a champion for diversity, equity, and inclusion, advocating for positive change in the tech community.
- I am a mentor and role model, empowering others from underrepresented backgrounds to pursue careers in tech.
- I prioritize my well-being and balance, nurturing my resilience and sustainability in the fast-paced tech industry.
- I lead with integrity, fostering inclusive environments where everyone can thrive and contribute their best.
- I am a lifelong learner seeking new challenges and opportunities to innovate and make a difference.
- I trust in my abilities and value my contributions, knowing that I have the power to create positive change in the world of technology.
- These affirmations can serve as reminders for diverse technologists to embrace their identity, strengths, and potential, empowering them to nourish their roots and thrive in their tech careers.
Wellness Resources
If you or someone you know is in crisis, free and confidential 24-hour support is available. Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), or call or text 988.
- Center for Workplace Mental Health
- Common Mental Health Issues in Women | Everyday Health
- Employee Assistance Group | Workplace Wellness Blog
- Find a Treatment Facility
- Help for Mental Illnesses | National Institute of Mental Health
- Mental Health | Office of Women’s Health
- Postpartum Support International
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Admin | Disaster Distress Helpline
Previous WWCode Wellness Toolkits
Check out our previous toolkits to help you thrive in your personal life and your career!