LESS TALKING, MORE DOING

yesterday i finally did what i’ve been talking about doing for a while - i ran my first mental health training session for individuals to learn how to navigate difficult conversations.

since graduating from college in 2015, i’ve spent years acquiring knowledge from books, people, and life experiences. but none of this knowledge is any good unless you decide to do something with it.

and so this week i decided to act on what i’ve been talking about for months. in the space of one night, i designed a two hour training program which i held yesterday for five fabulous volunteers. and although there’s much for me to learn, the act of doing is where the growing and learning occurs; for both the participants and myself.

so for those of you who have supported me in my visions - either by your participation or your interest, i thank you. and for anyone else - if you’re interested in being a part of this training program, in learning how to respond to individuals who might be suicidal or who are just struggling in general, please contact me.

and together we can learn to take better care of each other.

FRIENDSHIP APPRECIATION POST

recent events have had me reflecting on my past, specifically my time in college. my four years in college were particularly challenging and it wasn't until i re-read my journal that i was reminded of the emotional struggle i experienced and the extreme loneliness i felt. i was also reminded of the all-encompassing darkness that consumed my mind and soul for almost a year.

i've written a lot about what it means to be a friend when someone is struggling - it's someone who doesn't try to fix you, but someone who is willing to sit with you through your shit. and i can write about this because i've experienced it.

and i've experienced it from my former teammate and roommate Ida Hepsø. she was the first person who showed me what being a friend really meant. i went through a really difficult, dark time in college and i put ida through a lot of shit too. i was horrible to her

- i often vented to her that no one cared, even though i knew she cared. and i said this because i was sick; my needs weren't being met. not by her, but by other people in my life.

it was ida though, who called my doctor when i was crying out for help. it was ida who came looking for me when i left a suicide note. and it was ida who was there for me, before, during, and after i hit rock bottom. and she was there despite everything i said, everything i did. and i genuinely could not be more thankful for the love, kindness, and patience she gave me. she helped save my life and she did so by never turning her back on me.

so for that, i thank her. i thank her for being the friend i so desperately needed. her friendship changed my life and i will forever be grateful to her for that.

MONEY MONEY MONEY

"raise money for charity" - how many times have you been asked to either raise funds for an organisation or donate money to a cause? how did you feel after doing so? did donating that money significantly change your life? did it significantly change someone else's?

society operates around money. but companies are always going to be asking for more money because we're caught up in this more more more mentality. what would happen if we let go of trying to raise more money and instead, committed to being creative with the money we did have? with the resources we already possessed? innovation in Australia is at its lowest because we live in one of the most luxurious countries in the world. why get creative when you can get busy spending?

the problem i have with charities and organisations is this is invariably the approach they take - to seek money. and we donate because it's easy. it's convenient. but the joy of donating is only temporary. why? because it's not changing someone's life. it's impersonal. it's passive. what these companies need isn't your money, they need your time. instead of donating to companies, what if you instead offered to volunteer?

when was the last time money changed your life? has it ever? if the answer is no, why then are we constantly striving for more money if we know it's not the most important thing in our lives? how can you make a difference where you are with what you have?

on the contrary, when was the last time a person changed your life? people remember people that inspired them. that listened to them. that accepted them. the person that gave them their time and presence. not the person that donated money. society doesn't need more money, society needs more people willing to make a difference. to change people's lives. to donating their most precious gift: time. so how can you be this difference? how can you go forth and impact someone’s life?