Collaboration, Encouragement, and Mental Wellbeing: Why We Need Each Other

As we step out of Suicide Awareness Month and into Women’s Month, it’s important to pause and reflect, not only on business growth but also on our mental wellbeing.

Running a business, raising a family, studying, achieving in sport/cultural activities and navigating everyday life can feel like a juggling act. At times, we are juggling everything at once. The truth is, when we try to carry it all alone, despair can quietly creep in. Self-care slips, responsibilities pile up, and the weight can feel unbearable.

This is where collaboration and community become so much more than a business strategy. They become a lifeline.

Leaning on Each Other’s Strengths

Brain profiling shows us that each of us has thinking preferences - natural strengths as well as areas that don’t come as easily. For example:

• An Analytical (L1) thinker may thrive with data but struggle with communication.

• A Relational (R2) thinker may excel in empathy but absorb the weight of others’ emotions.

• A Creative (R1) thinker may dream up ideas but feel lost in the detail.

• An Organised (L2) thinker may build systems but feel stuck in uncertainty.

  
  

In life (and in business), we often face challenges that sit in our least preferred quadrants…Life happens! That’s why collaboration is so vital - someone else’s strength can fill our weakness.

When we lean on each other, we balance what feels heavy and remind each other of what’s possible.

The Emotional Side of Collaboration

Collaboration isn’t just about skills; it’s about encouragement, honesty, and support. It’s about surrounding yourself with people who can:

• Cheer you on when you doubt yourself.

• Hold you up when things feel bleak.

• Speak into your life with positivity, clarity, and truth.

  
  

When the road feels long, collaboration is the reminder that you are not alone.

Reaching out a hand to someone

The Danger of Isolation

Many of us, especially those with strong Relational (R2 Empathiser) preferences, tend to internalise challenges. We carry the weight silently, absorbing stress, discouragement, and fear. Yet isolation only deepens despair.

The breakthrough comes when we open ourselves, even to just one trusted colleague, friend, or family member. In sharing, we release the weight and invite others to carry it with us.

The Cycle of Support

Life is seasonal. Today, you may need encouragement. Tomorrow, you may be the one encouraging someone else. The mountain you’re climbing today becomes the wisdom you share tomorrow in someone else’s valley.

This cycle of giving and receiving is how community sustains us. Collaboration allows us to transform hardship into tools, scars into stories, and challenges into victories.

Clarity and Purpose

When life feels overwhelming, it’s easy to lose sight of our purpose. This is where a brain profile can be a powerful guide. By understanding your thinking preferences, you gain insight into:

• What energises you.

• What drains you.

• Where your purpose may lie.

  
  

With that clarity, you can pursue your calling with intention and remind yourself, even in hard times, of the bigger picture.

Final Thought

When life feels tough, remember: breakthrough is often just around the corner. Stay open, stay involved, lean on your community, and never stop encouraging others.

Collaboration makes us stronger. Community makes us whole. And self-awareness, knowing your brain profile, equips you to move forward with confidence, purpose, and resilience.