equilibrium. was created by Nicole Blonder and Marni Wandner to educate the music industry about wellness-related issues and provide resources through ideas, solutions, and community. The third edition of equilibrium. event series was hosted at The Orchard’s NYC office and the conversation theme was Harvesting Healthy Habits.
The panel featured mindset coach and Rock/Star Advocate founder Suzanne Paulinski, along with Carey Davidson, founder of Tournesol Wellness. Lastly, Daniel McBride joined us and is a professor of yoga and an artist known as Dalien/13Hands. He initiated the evening by leading a calming Native American flute meditation to settle into the space as the panel began.
We learned about how Rock/Star Advocate helps artists gain clarity on their goals and develop time management skills. Tournesol Wellness is another mindful resource that disrupts the traditional medical model and personalizes holistic healthcare to an individual’s overall needs. The Tournesol Assessment helps you to understand yourself by measuring the strength of each of the five elements of Traditional Chinese Medicine present within your overall nature.
Fall is a reset season, a new chapter. A main theme of the panel was how to utilize self-awareness and reflect how we move throughout the day and our lives, instead of just going on autopilot. Habits can be shifted and the easiest way to do that is to replace them with good habits. Suzanne advised to take on one habit at a time and give yourself 30 days to adjust.
Getting enough sleep so we don’t experience burnout and become irritable with our clients and co-workers is an important, sustainable habit. One method to get more sleep is to set boundaries when you are available for work-related communication. Shift your mindset away from the 24/7 approach and towards working smarter not harder. Aim to be mindful of the way we relate to the artists we work with and have compassion for their perspective and sensitivity.
Since our jobs require going out to shows with the option to drink alcohol, being mindful and aware of when you’re drinking, why, and how much is very important. “Know that it’s OK to say ‘no thanks’ when offered a drink,” Nicole stated.
Another very important pillar of wellness is nutrition and the best way to eat well with a busy schedule is to plan ahead of time and meal prep. What you put into your body affects your brain function and ability to work at your highest potential. Get to know your body’s specific dietary needs. “Be kind, patient, and enjoy the process of getting to know yourself in a deeper way,” Daniel said. Community and connection also do wonders for our immune response and hormone regulation.
The panelists shared their morning routines, some practices including Tapping/EFT, yoga, deep breathing, and drinking hot water with lemon.
In conclusion, it takes practice to become more resilient in the face of shifting habits and developing new ones. Don’t judge yourself and build in flexibility. The Orchard thanks equilibrium and the guest speakers for leading such an important conversation. For more information on equilibrium, visit their website for ongoing updates.
