Publisher’s Note | Spring 2024
It’s October and it’s hard to believe we are already thinking about Christmas festivities, but here we are!
Business owners and managers are exhausted, skilled staff shortages are weighing heavy on them, and the mental health burden on society is certainly front and centre as post COVID data begins to flow in and the rate of mentally unwell people in Australia and right here in FNQ becomes more prevalent. While October might be Halloween and Christmas preparations for so many of us, it is also a very important time of year, it’s Mental Health Awareness month.
So while I could be hyping you up about what’s inside this fabulous spring edition, I’d much rather dedicate this space to talk about a topic very close to my heart – mental health.
Here’s the thing, mental health is something we all have, it’s not a dirty word, some of us are just more mentally healthy or mentally fit than others at different stages of our lives. Your mental state can shift quite quickly just with a few unexpected events in your life occurring, or it can shift gradually without you even realising.
If you’re noticing someone in your life who is not their usual self, check in. It’s easy for us all to get caught up in our own world’s and just brush certain behaviours off in others, or even get offended by it sometimes and take it personally (i.e people cancelling on you, not returning your calls or text messages etc). Often people don’t even know they’re becoming mentally unwell, they just feel off and don’t want to socialise, or connect, so they push everyone and everything away as they are unable to cope with any more than just putting one foot in front of the other some days. But it’s up to us as friends, colleagues and family to do our very best to take notice of changes in body language and behaviour in those closest to us, and to genuinely check in without judgement.
If you are going to check in with someone, you’ve also got to be prepared to assist, or refer people onto the many wrap around services in our community. People don’t always have to be looking sad, or depressed to be mentally unwell. They could be the absolute opposite – over the top happy, constantly on the treadmill of busy-ness and to the average Joe they look like they have it all together and under control. But to those who know them, if it’s a little bit more than usual, then stop and ask yourself if there’s more to the story. And don’t do what’s easy for you and brush it aside, lean in and make some caring enquiries.
Holding space for people and meeting them where they’re at and being willing to put our own lives on hold for a moment and sit with someone, talk with them, and genuinely listen and try and understand, is the most powerful thing you can do for someone. What’s the old saying … “a problem shared is a problem halved.” Sometimes people just need to sit with others they know and trust to unload and get things off their chest. It’s up to us to take the time to allow people to do that. So if I was to ask you to do anything this October, it’s to give your time to people with no strings attached. Time – it’s the greatest gift we can give anyone in this life. Give it to people you care about. It’ll be therapy in itself, for them and you 😉 … bringing some colour into what was once a wintery grey season, and shine some light into both your hearts as you enter this magical season of spring.
Danae xx
COVER IMAGE:
Momento Road Photography
Model :Mardi Cunningham
Designer: Funoas
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