Poor mental health is something that I have had to deal with over the last 6 years or so. Not just personally, but amongst my friends, family, colleagues and teammates.
This November I will be focusing on getting out into nature and walking at least 150KM. I will also be looking to have more courageous conversations withIN my communities, trying to empower them to do the same and share my experiences.
Mental ill health and its awareness has grown so much over the years but there is so much that is still unknown. INcourage are implementing their own approach whereby they try to empower men to have the courage to do something positive about it, for themselves, and for their communities.
This fundraiser is called Courage withIN, courage starts from within, but it needs spaces to grow. It’s built through vulnerability, shared with friends, and practiced in everyday settings—whether at work, in a sports club, or at home.
Courage withIN means finding strength within ourselves and our surroundings.
It’s realising that wellbeing is a shared responsibility. Our personal growth is empowered by those who walk with us.
It’s giving men the space to practice courage, to lighten their burdens by sharing them, and to find the strength to support one another.
I have suffered with anxiety and depression for a while now. Sometimes it's good and other times it isn't. Sometimes my anxiety affects me the most and other times my depression can take over.
Mental illness can change day-to-day and things that help one day, may not the next. It is the hard work of charities like INcourage that are taking a stand for men and helping to create stronger individuals, who then in turn can create stronger communities of people.