Meet Well-Being Cohort Leader Angie Hamstead
By Sam on June 25, 2021
The 2021 Well-Being Cohort will be held on six Fridays from 9-10am starting July 9 to August 13. Learn more and register HERE.
Angie Hamstead founded The Hozho Project in 2015. She is passionate about the creative process of designing and facilitating retreats and workshops, where her talents and passions intersect for the good of others. This avenue of personal and professional support is infused with the desire to support others toward self-care, healthy management of energy, highly effective communication, and intentional living. Her mission in founding The Hozho Project is to uplift, inspire, educate, and empower others through personal growth that encourages professional excellence.
Over a span of 30 years working within the educational and nonprofit realms, Angie has facilitated hundreds of learning sessions. A native of Atlanta, GA who embraces Knoxville as home, Angie earned her degrees from Spring Hill College (Bachelor of Arts in Communications/Business) and Georgia State University (master’s degree in Education). Angie has also earned certifications from the Consortium for Social Enterprise Effectiveness (CSEE) at the University of Tennessee, Advanced Cognitive Coaching training through the Center for Cognitive Coaching, and holds a Specialization in Positive Psychology from The University of Pennsylvania.
Learn more about self-care and the Well-Being Cohort in our interview with Angie below.
When some people hear the words self-care, they may think it just means activities like bubble baths and manicures. Can you explain what real self-care is?
Self-care is at the core of our personal well-being and ultimately our success in life. By mindfully giving to our self, we are able to more energetically pour into the lives of others. Self-care means different things for each person, during different seasons of life. In the cohort, we will discuss many beneficial ways to nurture our best selves emotionally, mentally, spiritually, and physically.
What is NOT self-care?
Self-care is not…
- Getting too little sleep;
- Lethargy;
- Setting boundaries and not honoring them;
- An industry;
- Falling prey to thinking traps; and
- Ignoring signs that we need to recharge – and there are always signs!
Many people have negative habits that don’t contribute to their own self-care. How can they go about switching these negative habits to positive self-care habits?
The answer to this question differs depending on what the specific bad habit is. But one universal truth is that we will not be effective at changing a habit if our strategy is negative self-talk.
Can you speak to the importance of making time for self-care?
The best way to answer this is with a quote by Parker Palmer: “Self-care is never a selfish act – it is simply good stewardship of the only gift I have, the gift I was put on earth to offer others. Anytime we can listen to true self and give the care it requires, we do it not only for ourselves, but for the many others whose lives we touch.”
I would also say it is about shifting the paradigm from “self-care is optional or selfish” to “self-care is mandatory.”
Boundaries are an important aspect of self-care. What are some ways we can set boundaries with people in our lives?
This is another question that has to be answered individually for each person, considering the specifics of the relationship. In general, I would offer that if we don’t effectively address these boundaries or the lack thereof, we are saying all is well. We should be at peace with the situations in our lives or we need to make a change.
Tell us one thing you’re passionate about?
Creating space for and supporting open dialogue – listening and learning from one another to break down biases and build relationships.
What will participants take away from the Well-Being Cohort?
Participants will leave the cohort with a specific plan and multiple strategies for achieving their personal well-being goals, taking into account their emotional, mental, physical, and spiritual health.