Written by Rebecca Braitling of UpSpiral Leadership and Pamela J. Brown of Crunch Fitness
At Crunch Fitness, employee wellbeing isn’t just a corporate initiative, it’s a core value that drives success. Their dedication to cultivating a positive, resilient workplace culture recently led to a collaboration with UpSpiral Leadership, focused on equipping employees with strategies to shift mindsets and enhance mental wellbeing.
From Stress to Strength: Embracing the UpSpiral Mindset
In today’s fast-paced world, it’s easy to get caught in cycles of stress and negativity—what we call the DownSpiral. In our interactive session, Choosing to UpSpiral – Strategies for Mental Wellbeing, Crunch employees explored how to interrupt that cycle and consciously choose thoughts and actions that foster individual and team success.
The Power of Mental Models
Our beliefs and past experiences shape how we interpret and respond to the world around us. By becoming aware of these mental models, employees can begin to challenge limiting beliefs and adopt a more empowering internal dialogue. Even a small mindset shift—like changing “I have to do this” to “I get to do this”—can profoundly impact how we experience daily challenges.
From DownSpiral to UpSpiral
Understanding the neuroscience behind stress and resilience was a key component of the training. When operating from a DownSpiral Mindset, the brain’s stress response activates, often resulting in fight, flight, or freeze behaviors. Over time, this can lead to anxiety, disengagement, and diminished performance.
By contrast, the UpSpiral Mindset encourages creativity, collaboration, and curiosity—engaging the neurochemistry that enhances motivation and wellbeing. With awareness and intention, employees can disrupt stress patterns, reframe challenges as opportunities, and take purposeful actions that elevate both individual and team outcomes.
Real-World Tools for Everyday Challenges
During the session, Crunch employees applied UpSpiral strategies to real workplace stressors—like staffing challenges, membership demands, and performance pressures. By pausing, becoming aware, and reframing their responses, they uncovered new ways to lead with clarity, confidence, and purpose.
One of the most impactful tools introduced was the Mindset Reset, which helps individuals:
✔ Pause to recognize their thoughts and emotions
✔ Become aware of limiting beliefs or stress-driven reactions
✔ Choose to reframe the situation with a solution-oriented perspective
Wellbeing as a Collective Responsibility
At UpSpiral Leadership, we believe wellbeing is not just about self-care—it’s about how we show up for ourselves and for others. When organizations like Crunch Fitness promote a culture of shared responsibility for mental wellbeing, they empower employees to support one another, collaborate more effectively, and thrive together.
Crunch’s commitment to employee mental health goes beyond words—it’s a daily practice grounded in mindset, intention, and action. For the NYC SHRM community, this story offers a compelling example of how strategic partnerships and practical mindset tools can create lasting cultural impact. As HR professionals, we have a unique opportunity to champion these kinds of initiatives—fostering environments where people feel empowered, resilient, and ready to succeed.
