R U OK DAY
Staying connected is more important than ever right now. As we continue to face many challenges in our lives, due hugely to the pandemic we have all been experiencing over the last 2 years, we know a simple check in with the people we know and love can go a long way. Being mindful of the impacts of isolation and uncertainty in people’s daily lives and simply getting in touch for a short chat can improve someone’s day, and as R U OK’s mantra says:
A conversation could change a life.
WHAT IT’S ABOUT
More than 8 Australian’s take their life every day. For every death by suicide, it’s estimated that 30 people will attempt to take their life, 89% of people report knowing someone who has made a suicide attempt, and more than 3 million people in Australia are living with anxiety or depression.
R U OK? is a harm prevention charity that encourages people to stay connected and invest more time in their personal relationships, helping people who might be struggling and identifying signs of distress or difficulty, long before they are in crisis. Their mission is to inspire and empower people to meaningfully connect with those in their world and lend support when they are struggling with life.
Our founder Steph, resonates so much with this cause, having experienced anxiety and depression herself. Having meaningful conversations and regular check-ins from her family and friends, Steph was able to overcome her anxieties and build up the confidence to truly open up and seek help.
“It’s always okay to not feel okay, and we should all empower each other to meaningfully connect with one another and lend support when one is struggling. That’s what being human is all about.”
To help such an important charity do important work, we are encouraging the people around us to make an effort and check in on someone who may be struggling. We will also be donating 25% of all proceeds between the 9th and 12th of September to Beyond Blue, a non-profit organisation that provides support to the community to improve mental health and prevent suicide.
Photo by OUR ADVICE
There is no doubt that the constant changes in lockdown rules and restrictions have been incredibly stressful and most people are feeling a great sense of unease. There are new realities of working from home for the foreseeable future, temporary unemployment for some, the home-schooling of children and significant lack of contact with other family members friends and colleagues, all of which have played a major part in our lockdown blues.
To combat this, we have come up with a few things to practise every day, to look after our own mental health and the wellbeing of others:
1. Get up and go to bed at similar times each day.
Keeping a routine can help with focus, energy levels and our outlook on the day.
2. Eat healthier meals at regular times.
What we put into our body has a huge impact on how we feel, and so looking after our health is more important than ever, not to mention keeping up our immunity from this awful virus.
3. Exercise regularly.
A simple yoga routine at home or a brisk walk around the block will get our heart rates pumping, and boost serotonin levels in our brain, improving our mood and overall sense of wellbeing.
4. Allocate time for working and time for resting - and stick to this!
It’s difficult to turn off from work when your desk is at the end of your bed, but separating work from home and rest is so important to not feel overwhelmed, and that you are taking some much needed “me-time”.
5. Make time for doing things you enjoy.
To reiterate the above, plan your week and allocate some time to do something you love at home. Have a bath, watch a movie without checking your emails, have a cook-off with your partner or try out your cocktail making skills. Having fun and laughing will always do wonders for your mental health.
6. Call someone you love.
Although we might not be able to visit them or join them at the pub, keeping in contact with your friends and loved ones is more important than ever, and a quick check-in via phone or FaceTime could make a big difference in their (and your) day. A 5-minute chat will do - we all have time for that don’t we?
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7. Help someone else in a small way.
Whether it’s booking in a food delivery for your mum, or walking your neighbour's dog, helping others in your community will reignite that sense of humanity we are all craving at the moment and will help you, and them, feel less isolated from the world around them.
8. Be kind. Don't discriminate. Don’t judge.
We are all in this together and you never know what is going on behind closed doors. We will get through this by helping each other, not hating, and spreading love and kindness will always have a more positive effect in the long run.
WE WILL SUPPORT YOU
We can all relate to feeling down or lost at some point during this pandemic, and this is totally normal and completely acceptable. What is important is how we handle this. Talking about our feelings makes a world of difference. A problem shared is a problem halved as the saying goes and we want everyone to know we are here to help and support you, should you need us. With this in mind. we want to open our doors and say please get in contact below or DM us on Instagram to confide, rant, moan or chat with us about what’s going on with you. We promise this will always be entirely confidential and we will try and support you in whichever way we can.
CONTACT US
Send us an email at info@roohcollective.com or DM us on Insta @rooh.collective.
RESOURCES:
Beyond Blue - Suicide Prevention
Conversations Matter - Someone thinking about suicide
