Floria Wellness Life Coach
“Did you know that in 2007, Canadian employers spent over $3.9 billion on stress-related leave?” When Floria Aghdamimehr poses the question, the importance of her work as a wellness life coach comes into sharp focus.
Floria is the owner of Recognize Your Potential, a Halifax, Nova Scotia, business specializing in workshops and training on such topics as employee engagement, stress management, work-life balance, healthy living and effective communication skills. She also offers one-on-one consulting.
Floria says the response to the workshops and consultations can take one of two forms. “For some people, I see a light bulb go on because something that they have been contemplating for many years all of a sudden can make sense. For others, it is like a flower blooming and it is absolutely amazing, and I feel honoured and humbled to be part of that journey.”
A variety of factors fuel the need for coaching in healthy workplace and wellness issues. “We see more crimes, we see higher rates of poverty, we see higher levels of stress for people,” Floria says. “Everybody is literally doing more with fewer resources at some level. And that is across the board whether for an individual or a company or a government department.”
An investment in healthy workplace and wellness training can pay significant dividends. “Absenteeism, turnovers, sick leave, stress leave, all of these are extremely costly. We all pay for it,” she says.
Floria delivers her wellness message to public and private sector organizations and non-profit groups. For example, this fall she will be the keynote speaker and present a wellness workshop for the Family Studies Teachers Association’s provincial conference.
She also writes a wellness column for the Nova Scotia Business Journal and is delivering a series of health and wellness presentations through the Halifax Chamber of Commerce. In November Floria will give a public presentation called “conscious living” at the Halifax Club.
“Wellness is my passion and I truly believe in the human potential to achieve more out of life – to reach our goals, to overcome challenges and fears and really achieve true happiness,” she says.
Her passion is appreciated. Floria delivered a series of wellness workshops to staff at the Council on African Canadian Education, which is based in Halifax. Topics covered included nutrition, time and stress management. “I just think she does a wonderful job,” says office manager Casamara Grant. “She treated us like we were friends. She helped us understand how to eat better, how to reduce stress and to live better.”
Patricia Russell also speaks highly of Floria, from whom she receives executive coaching. Russell owns Halifax’s Design Balance, a green company which designs, renovates and builds homes.
“I knew that when I was opening up my own business the only way for me to succeed was to always surround myself with people who were like-minded and supportive and believed in me, and I looked for people with very positive energy,” she says. “Floria just emanates from her every pore positive energy.”
Floria also shares her positive outlook with participants in Second Chance, delivered by the Centre for Entrepreneurship Education and Development (CEED). She’s a workshop facilitator in the entrepreneurial program directed toward youth who’ve had involvement with the law.
“It is wonderful to help these individuals, some of whom have never had role models, some of whom have not experienced life and its opportunities as most of us have,” Floria says.
She and the participants cover many elements of wellness – from eating well on the run to confidence and self-esteem, time management to forgiveness. Rewards come both during the program and after, when “I see one of the graduates five years later and they come and give me a hug and they say, ‘Floria, I still remember what you said. I am eating healthier, I’m drinking more water, I’ve stayed out of trouble, I am doing something wonderful with my life.’”
Floria practises what she preaches when it comes to work-life balance. In addition to working hard, her routine includes meditation, laughter, regular physical activity – she performs and teaches Persian dance – and a healthy diet.
She’s happy to be living and working in the province. “It feels like a community and I love that about Nova Scotia. Life is a lot simpler and I can accomplish a lot more here.”
As for the future of Recognize Your Potential – Floria sums it up this way: “I want to be part of healthy workplaces and health promotion in Nova Scotia.”
