S2 Episode 008 - Raj Markandoo - From Emotions Bubbling Over to Breath work and Bubala

We Recover Loudly - Serving Essential Hospitality Conversations

On this week’s episode, we are joined by Raj Markandoo, an openly queer sober legend who currently works as Operations Manager at London based Bubala. Raj shares his personal journey of overcoming challenges growing up feeling disconnected from his community and how he finally found a sense of belonging when he started working in hospitality in Cumbria. We connected on how we both previously used drugs and alcohol to escape our thoughts and emotions, and how as the years went past that behaviour became more and more problematic. Raj describes finding sobriety during the COVID-19 lockdown, and emphasises the importance of breathwork and mindfulness in his recovery.

We also discussed

• How a personalised approach to recovery can be beneficial, and that finding what works best for the individual, whether it's meditation, support groups, or other forms of therapy is important.
• The value of gratitude and self-reflection in recovery.
• The importance of mindfulness practices and boundary-setting in your personal journeys and professional lives, emphasizing the need for ongoing conversations and resources to support mental health and well-being in the workplace
• The significance of honesty, resourcing oneself, and seeking help when managing team members struggling with addiction or mental health issues and how the best approach is always with compassion when addressing these challenges.

Raj is a great example of what we should be striving for in our managers. He is open and honest about where he has made mistakes, but he has owned up to them and now he works hard to provide a shining example to not just his team, but the whole industry. Raj proves that you can be in recovery and work not only at a high level in the industry, but work there with humility and abundance.

And if you live in London, get to Bubala now!

Connect with Raj:

@rajmarkandoo

@bubala_london

For more information on We Recover Loudly and to reach out for speaking engagements or support:

@werecoverloudly www.werecoverloudly.com

[e-mail]

This episode is brought to you by our proud sponsors:

The Burnt Chef Project @theburntchefproject

www.theburntchefproject.com

AND

No Low Drinker Magazine @lownodrinkermagazine

www.lownodrinkermagazine.com

For more information on We Recover Loudly and to reach out for speaking engagements or support email [e-mail]

@werecoverloudly
www.werecoverloudly.com

This episode is brought to you by our proud sponsors:

Low No Drinker Magazine @lownodrinkermagazine

www.lownodrinkermagazine.com