Empathy Tools and Resources for Productivity and Well-being This Mental Health Awareness Month
Make empathy a part of your self-care routine this month and all year long
Each Mental Health Awareness Month I aim to find a healthy balance between pouring into my community and taking care of myself.
If I’m honest, often I end up feeling a bit overextended.
This month, the key difference is that I’ve anticipated this feeling and have built in intentions for grace and emotional first aid.
I’ve also done a lot of the work in advance to program ways of providing support.
One of the offerings I’m most proud of is the work that I’ll be doing alongside The Steve Fund to bring support to Men of Color.
The video featured in this newsletter is a recap of an experience I convened with The Steve Fund in Los Angeles in February to inspire you all to lean into empathy this month. Our goal is to bring the same vibe to virtual convenings.
Below is a list of paid and free resources I’ve made over the years, and am a part of, to help you pour into yourself this Mental Health Awareness Month.
Be well. And have fun!
- The Free Five Phases of Empathy Intro course: This self-guided course brings my book to life. The model I teach in corporate settings to foster connection and fight burnout was also created to help individuals find purpose and well-being. I’ve packed a lot into the free course which is worth 20 minutes of your time this month.
- The Power of Empathy book: Available at book and audio booksellers everywhere, The Power of Empathy will leave you with mindfulness routines, empathy routines, and routines that help you maintain your focus on your purpose. Written for those inspired to do the self-work necessary to maximize their impact around them, this 30-days of empathy model is worth starting now. Allow yourself to go at your own pace as your first test in empathy.
- (Free) Values Exercise: Your values are a valuable tool for helping to make sense of your emotions, and to identify your own truth amidst the noise. Whether you are new or a veteran of self-care, start curating your own self-discovery day and weave an exploration of your values into the agenda. Also a great exercise for intentional connection among romantic partners, friends, and colleagues, this values exercise is a key tool in my semi-annal self-audit and self-care toolkit.
- Actually Curious Starter Bundle: Looking for a little more fun and games to share with your community this Mental Health Awareness month, Actually Curious allows you to share empathy, vulnerability, and self-reflection without saying any of those buzzy words. With editions for kids, and adults, game nights, and even workshops. We’ve made Actually Curious to support connection and personal growth and this bundle will equip you for any situation this month.
- (Free) My SXSW Keynote Speech: Here is inspiration for you. When you believe in something, invest in it. I hired a film crew and scripted and practiced for three full days to bring the message of The Power of Empathy to you. I want you to see how practicing empathy, and strengthening emotional intelligence can help you overcome challenges and to unlock your dreams. The speech is 60 minutes but worth that time. Join the hundreds of people who’ve watched the full video and share this important message with your community this month.
- Money + Empathy ($30): With the state of the economy and the threat of layoffs rampant, many of us are experiencing fear and uncertainty around money. Let’s learn from these moments. Money + Empathy is a collaboration with finance expert Akash Kanojia which looks at the relationship between emotions and our financial decision-making, and uses the Five Phases of Empathy to help us identify and remove blocks to our financial and non-material abundance.
- Men of Color for Mental Wellness ( May 21st 6pm EST): One of two collaborations this month where we get to bring support and tools to men of color to support in their mental health journey. Men of Color for Mental Wellness centers AAPI awareness month and thought leaders Anuj Ghandi and Mike Sagun, alongside The Steve Fund mental health expert Dr. David Rivera to explore, mental health, identity, and leadership.
- Wellness Circles with NAMI Pinellas County and The Steve Fund ( Four Thursdays beginning May 23rd): We are all on a personal growth journey. I’m proud of my own growth going from a brand marketing strategist to a mental health thought leader. Now I get to pay that forward by recruiting more thought leaders who look like me. This May and June, I’ll inviting 10 Men of Color to join me for a 4 part Men’s group series sponsored by The Steve Fund and NAMI Pinellas County. Men of Color Only. Attend at least 3 of 4 and earn $100.
- Actually Curious Free PDF: Looking for a light way to start your wellness journey with no cost and a few comfort zones crossed as possible? The curate a little game brunch or lunch and use the questions from one of our free PDFs to lead a little journaling session. If you are feeling extra craft, print the sheet, cut the questions out, and pick them at random. This PDFs was made during the pandemic to help people foster connection and it’s still kicking around to spread curiosity and empathy.
- The Five Phase of Empathy Course ($99): The same course I’ve taught at places like NASA, John’s Hopkins, Stanford, Lincoln Financial groups, and dozens of other organizations is available to you for only $99. Take this course if you want to accelerate your personal growth regardless of what you are pursuing. Take this course if you are trying to overcome a challenging moment in your life. Take this course if you see the potential in your community and want to play a bigger role. I made this course to accelerate my purpose of bringing the Power of Empathy to you.
Would you believe it if I told you there are probably more offerings than this that I could share? I’m pretty obsessed with this mission of making empathy easy and accessible to you and hope that you will save this list and make your way across these tools when the time is right for you.
I’m grateful for this opportunity to serve you and to be a steward of this movement to spread empathy. Sending wishes of well-being to all.
About Michael Tennant
Michael Tennant, CEO of Curiosity Lab is an entrepreneur, keynote speaker, and author of The Power of Empathy available at Barnes & Noble, Amazon, Target, and described by Inc. Magazine’s 100 NonObvious Business Books as “A Thirty-Day Path to Personal Growth and Social Change effectively balancing a self-help approach with a practical explanation of how we can use empathy as a tool.” He’s also the creator of Actually Curious™ the empathy conversation game, Values Exercise™, and the Five Phases of Empathy™. In 2022, Curiosity Lab received an investment from Pharrell and the Black Ambition Prize.
