“I used to think that I had to quit my corporate job to pursue mindfulness, but I’ve come to realize through my continuing education that they can co-exist and become one.” - Peggy Loa, SCS learner
After years of working in the fast-paced banking industry, Peggy Loa was feeling overwhelmed in a new way. “My mindfulness journey began with feelings of burnout. Six years ago, I was in a very demanding financial role in the project delivery space. I was handling a lot of complex projects, and was struggling to manage my stress. I needed a way to release negative energy and find my centre, which led me to explore mindfulness and meditation,” reflects Peggy. “Seeing how mindfulness helped me re-balance, get stronger and embrace positivity, both at work and in my personal life, it became clear that this was the right path for me.”
In fact, while continuing to work in the financial industry, Peggy followed her mindfulness passion and became a certified mindfulness meditation coach. When the pandemic hit, her company embraced a stronger focus on employee wellness, and Peggy was given the opportunity to share her new skills with her colleagues. “I began hosting weekly virtual mindfulness meditation sessions for teams at my company. I really loved the opportunity, and the chance to share with my colleagues how mindfulness can support our collective efforts while making work a more positive experience,” says Peggy. “I came to realize that my true purpose at work is to infuse positivity, joy, inner peace, and strength into all my daily interactions, incorporating the values of mindfulness into my work and sharing this knowledge with those around me. When you feel peaceful on the inside, you approach meetings, challenging situations, and differences of opinion with empathy, curiosity, and positivity. It’s also a way of building greater inclusion, and through my mindfulness practice I have a consistent impact on my community at work.”
Peggy was determined to further grow her mindfulness meditation skills, and began pursuing her Foundations of Applied Mindfulness Meditation certificate at the School of Continuing Studies in February 2022. Scheduled to earn her certificate this Spring, Peggy has enjoyed learning about different types of practices and mindfulness theories. “The courses were online on weekend mornings, which worked perfect for me due to my busy weekday schedule. It was great to start my weekend with meditation theory and practice. One of my instructors, Moustafa Abdelrahman, created such an open, safe, and comfortable environment. Participation was active, and I learned a lot about how to further make mindfulness applicable in our daily lives,” Peggy recalls. “I used to think that I had to quit my corporate job to pursue mindfulness, but I’ve come to realize through my continuing education that they can co-exist and become one. I’m passionate about sharing how mindfulness can reduce stress and make teams significantly more collaborative and effective.”
As a project management professional who is currently pursuing her certification, Peggy draws compelling parallels between project management-specifically Agile practices- and mindfulness. “Now that I’m at a new company, and pursuing my Agile PMI certificate, I’m seeing so many similarities between Agile and mindfulness theory and practice. Agile is a new way of working; there’s the knowledge that you need to acquire, but what makes it successful is adopting the agile mindset. It’s about our attitude to mindfully bring value to your team, and collaborate in an open and safe space so you can operate at your best. Mindfulness meditation is so similar! It’s the practice of being present, positively impacting and helping others,” says Peggy. “I’m still coaching people from my previous company, and am working on bringing mindfulness to our Agile team in my new role. I want to demystify how mindfulness can support employee well-being and company goals. This is my purpose, and I’m excited to share my passion with others.”