Circle of Intrapreneurs

It's Mental Health Mondays! 🧠 I've been reflecting lately on how we've created a false narrative whereby life feels like a relentless competition. Social media has amplified this, turning even happiness into a scoreboard. Who's more successful? Who’s having more fun? Who’s “winning” at life? It’s a game no one can win because happiness isn’t a contest—it’s deeply personal, and comparison is the quickest way to lose. This hyper-individualistic race leaves us disconnected, especially when life throws its inevitable challenges our way. Lack of connection isn’t just an emotional burden; it’s a health crisis. The pressure to endure hardship alone is especially intense for men. Society tells us to “tough it out,” but the truth is, no one can—or should—navigate life’s storms in isolation. Community matters. Connection matters. The key to a fulfilling life isn’t in a string of achievements but in the thread that connects them. It’s the relationships, values, and experiences that tie our moments together into a life well-lived. That thread should guide the choices we make, not the other way around. So, how do we start? It begins with understanding what truly makes us happy—not what impresses others, but what fills us with purpose and joy. Do more of that. And don’t stop there. Extend this practice to the people in your life. Ask your friends what makes them happy. Check in with them often. Support them in chasing their version of a meaningful life. A better world starts with rebuilding the sense of community we’ve lost. We thrive together, not apart. Helping others live authentically doesn’t diminish our own happiness; it multiplies it. Life isn’t about winning. It’s about weaving a tapestry of moments that matter—to us and to those we care about. Let’s focus on the thread, not the race. Make sure you set aside time tonight to do something that makes you happy. #mentalhealthmonday

It was an absolute pleasure to re-connect with my favourite topic; Social Intrapreneurship earlier this week. The past year I've been focusing on Mental Health Mondays and a few other projects but... this event has re-energised me about the power of the individual to drive change inside organisations (as well as refreshing my own knowledge!) thankyou for the invite Elisa Alt and to all those trying to drive positive Social change through large organisations good luck (and check out Circle of Intrapreneurs for a community of like minded people!)

Daniela Osio of Kloopify poses an important question for social intrapreneurs and organizations focused on ESG…🌎 What are your thoughts? #Dowelldogood

It's Mental Health Mondays 💃 🕺 Lately, I've been thinking a lot about how we often confuse communication with understanding. We live in an age where it’s easier than ever to communicate, but how often do we truly understand each other? Communication is simply the exchange of information; understanding requires empathy, patience, and genuine connection. Certainly, social media is good for connectivity but bad for connection. Too often, our conversations are surface-level, caught up in the grind of daily tasks and digital distractions. To support our mental health and well-being, we need to slow down and reconnect—not just by talking, but by really listening and understanding. Then we can learn to reconnect with each other and, in doing so, ourselves. As adults, we lost ourselves somewhere along the way when we traded in fun for responsibility and forgot how to communicate properly with each other. Stress became a badge of honour, and we forgot how to simply enjoy life. It’s important to ask ourselves: why is everything so serious? Where did the joy go? Why is the way we communicate to each other at work often so weird? From a young age, we’re taught to chase success by following a rigid path—get the degree, the job, the promotion, the house. But what if the ways we’ve been taught to measure success are wrong? What if a meaningful life isn’t about how much we earn or how busy we stay, but about how present we are, how we treat others, and how much joy we can create? You only get one life. We’ve all heard that before. But are we really living like it? Instead of following the traditional scripts of achievement, it’s time to create our own definitions of success. Let’s choose fulfillment over hustle for hustles sake, and connection over comparison. Let’s make time for what brings us peace, purpose, and happiness. Our mental health is closely tied to how we live and what we value. If we can communicate more deeply, laugh more freely, and redefine success in ways that truly matter, we might just rediscover what it means to live fully. Let’s make the one life we all have truly count. Do something this evening that makes you happy.

We’ve just passed the one-year anniversary of Mental Health Mondays and I’ve been reflecting on why I started this journey of exploring mental health. I once believed that my career success would insulate me from hardship. I’d checked all the boxes—achievements, accolades, promotions. But when my mental health collapsed unexpectedly, none of it mattered. Like the misguided millennial I am, I'd collected accomplishments and accolades but honestly, these became meaningless. In the end, our careers and achievements are fleeting. What remains is the connection we foster with ourselves and those around us—the shared humanity that transcends all of it. It’s the relationships we build, the joy we pursue, and the growth we embrace that give our lives meaning not something you're 'delighted to announce' on LinkedIn. These are not new ideas. But something useful I have learned is that it is in the good times that we can best prepare ourselves for when the bad times hit. This isn’t a pessimistic exercise—it’s a liberating one. It's about focusing on what genuinely makes us happy, rather than what looks good on paper. And that process starts with three simple questions: Am I happy? Am I prioritising the things that make me happy? If not, why not? These are the questions we rarely ask ourselves when things are going well, but they become urgent when life throws us off course. There may be valid reasons for why we neglect what brings us joy—work is busy, life is hectic, time is short. But understanding why we’re not prioritising our happiness gives us the power to make changes. If there’s no real reason, then it’s time to shift the structure of our days, weeks, and years to focus on what matters most. I call this “The Happiness Project,” and it’s the most important one we’ll ever undertake. In our darkest moments, we become rooted in despair, and it feels like there’s no escape. Because of a series of paper achievements and accolades…I used to think, “That won’t happen to me.”  But the truth is, it can happen to any of us. All it takes is the wrong situation at the wrong time, the wrong person at the wrong moment. In some ways, my lowest point was a beginning in disguise and, honestly, when I emerged from it, I saw that the pain and growth I experienced shaped me into someone stronger. It’s this kind of transformation that enables you to reach new heights, to grasp opportunities you never imagined possible. The darkness teaches us resilience, perspective, and a deeper sense of what truly matters. What you see when you emerge is that the growth you found at your lowest point shaped you to better maintain you at your best. Life is too short to chase things that won’t bring lasting fulfilment. The bad times will come, but when they do, remember that they are not the end. I hope you win the battles you tell noone about and emerge stronger into the light. May your own happiness project guide you there. #mentalhealthmondays

It's Mental Health Monday! Remember to prioritise doing something for you this evening :)

Welcome to Mental Health Mondays I've been travelling a lot lately so we've all had a little break from MHM posts, but hopefully not putting things into action :). Earlier this month, I was lucky enough to spend a few days in the Lofoten Islands up in Arctic Norway. Being somewhere this beautiful and remote gave me time for thought and reflection. I've was thinking about how we are all a product of our experiences; some that make us smile and others that we’d rather forget. This is true both at work and in life in general. With this in mind, someone once told me that "we aren't to blame for who we are...but we have to be accountable for it". Ownership is the most important thing I've learned about mental health in the past few years. There's a tonne of things in life that are unfair, unjust or painful. And im not shying away that going through that sucks...I've been there...but finding a way to change our relationships with those things over time so that they can add fuel to the fire rather than extinguish us has been liberating for me personally. It sounds cliché but there's one thing to say these things, and another thing to actually take action. Think back to the moments that have made you who you are. Those wins build confidence and show us what we’re capable of. But what about the setbacks? The mistakes that keep you up at night, or the conflicts that still make your stomach churn? These tougher moments are just as important. They might leave us feeling unsure, anxious, or even afraid to try again. But they also hold lessons that can help us grow. By looking at these experiences, we can start to see patterns in how we react and understand why we feel the way we do. The first step in turning these experiences into something positive is self-reflection. Taking a moment to reflect on what’s happened in the past can help you see how it affects your present. Are you still carrying the weight of a mistake that makes you hesitant to take risks? Or maybe you’re downplaying your successes, leading to unnecessary self-doubt. Is past trauma preventing you from moving forwards in the present? (Side quest - read The Body Keeps the Score on this particular point) Once you spot these influences, you can start to challenge them. Reframing your experiences this way helps break the cycle of negative thinking and supports better mental health. Yes, we’re all shaped by our experiences, but that doesn’t mean we’re stuck in the past. By understanding how our history influences our present, we can take charge of our mental health. Engage with everything that’s brought you to this point—both the highs and the lows—and use those lessons to build a better future. In doing so, you’ll not only see growth in your career but also find a deeper sense of self-awareness and resilience that will serve you well in all areas of life. I hope you find ways to win the battles you tell no-one about. ❤️

It's Mental Health Monday! Someone once told me that the key to happiness is finding joy in little things, and I think it's one of the best pieces of advice I've ever received. In the hustle and bustle of our daily lives, it's easy to dismiss the significance of small pleasures. These seemingly "unimportant" things, such as a favourite sport, a hobby, or simply enjoying a sunset, can often be overlooked. However, embracing these moments can have a profound impact on our mental health. Research has consistently shown that engaging in activities that bring us joy, no matter how trivial they may seem, can significantly improve our mental well-being. This concept is rooted in the idea that happiness isn't just about achieving grand milestones but also about appreciating the little moments that make life enjoyable. I was thinking about this last night while watching football not coming home (again). Many people view following sports as trivial. However, sports can be such a powerful source of joy and community. Watching a game with friends, cheering for your team, or even playing a sport can create moments of pure happiness and excitement (and sadness of course). Being part of a community of fans or teammates provides a support system and can be incredibly uplifting. The camaraderie, the shared highs and lows, and the collective identity that comes with being a sports fan or player can contribute to a sense of purpose and fulfillment. We're often told that these things are 'just a game'. It is precisely because they are 'just a game' that they are so important... Because they are not a key determinant of our own 'success', they allow us to dissociate from the things that are and feel more energised to approach them when we do. It's often easier to find joy in things where we don't have to individually 'achieve' anything. In conclusion, taking joy in the little things, including those activities deemed "not important," is essential for a balanced and happy life. These moments of pleasure, whether found in sports, hobbies, or simple daily rituals, play a crucial role in maintaining our mental health. So, let's embrace them and allow ourselves to find happiness in the everyday. Mental Health Mondays

🌟 Inspiration Alert to Changemakers 🌟   I'm truly happy to share the latest episode of the King's Business School Connections Podcast, featuring an inspiring conversation with Manuela Pastore. In this episode, we dive deep into the practice of social intrapreneurship and systems change, exploring how individuals can drive positive social change from within their workplaces and beyond.   🎙 Meet our Guest: Manuela Pastore Manuela has dedicated nearly three decades to Boehringer Ingelheim, one of the world's leading pharmaceutical companies. As the Associate Director of Making More Health Community Activation, she has been at the forefront of social intrapreneurial initiatives since 2013. Her role transcends traditional corporate boundaries as she collaborates with social enterprises, NGOs, academia, and local public authorities to build networks that create systemic change, particularly in vulnerable communities.   In this episode, Manuela shares: 🔹 Her journey to becoming an insider social change agent at Boehringer Ingelheim. 🔹 Strategies for organizations to achieve large-scale positive social impact. 🔹 Insights on overcoming barriers to social change within large organizations. 🔹 How connecting localized small victories can lead to broader systemic change, with examples from her work in Kenya and India. 🔹 Her go-to strategy for dealing with frustration. 🔹 Valuable advice for graduates and aspiring changemakers.   Tune in to hear Manuela’s incredible story and gain actionable insights on driving social change from within. Please share with anyone who will find these insights useful, and let us know your thoughts in the comments.   🎧 **Listen now:** https://pod.fo/e/24101c   #KBSConnections #SocialIntrapreneurship #Podcast #SocialChange #Entrepreneurship #BoehringerIngelheim #MakingMoreHealth #SystemChange #SocialImpact #KingsBusinessSchool #Leadership #Inspiration #ChangeMakers

Hi friends! Are there any social intrapreneurs out there who will be attending One Young World in Montreal in September? We're helping to pull together a panel for a workshop and would love to hear from you. Please get in touch!