Words for Wellbeing - The Student Leaders' Edition!

Welcome to Words for Wellbeing

Welcome to this week’s wellbeing newsletter: the RUOK? Day edition, specially curated by the year 12 leaders! RUOK Day is a really important day in the calendar (especially this year), and helps people to reach out to those in their lives who may be struggling.

On RUOK Day, we bring attention to 4 steps in reaching out. 1. Ask RUOK?. 2. Listen. 3. Encourage action. 4 Check in. These are all really important steps that can help change someone’s life, so if you are in a place where you can help someone who is not doing so well, just ask “RUOK?” These past 18 months have been a significant challenge for everyone, and I think it’s fair to say that more than ever, we’re all struggling with being away from our ‘normal’ lives for so long. Which is why the Year 11 and 12 leaders have collaborated and decided to not only check on those in our lives, but ask ourselves “RUOK?”. So what are the things that are really important in our lives right now that can help us get back to feeling like ourselves, or at least give us a break from the many stresses life is causing us?

Currently, lockdowns and restrictions can be very isolating, which is why connection to family and friends is so crucial. Family can be such a great source of support, and are great to talk to about the worries and fears we’re feeling right now, whether that be keeping up with school work or thinking about what the coming weeks look like. And since we can’t have a whole lot of interaction with people outside of our families right now, try spending some time with your siblings or parents! Make some snacks and have a movie night, or just listen to some music and play a game or study with a sibling. For those with siblings at uni or who are now living in other cities, Facetime them! When you haven’t seen them in so long, conversations can take up entire evenings, but it’s so worth it for all the laughs. 

Don’t forget to message your friends either, or even organise a group Facetime! These are the people who understand best how the pandemic is affecting you, because they are experiencing the same stresses about school or feeling isolated, so it is really important to stay connected with each other. And if you feel like they’re struggling, send them a quick message to check in, and let them know you’re there for them. Afterall, that's what RUOK? Day is all about.

Finally, take some time out for yourself! Get outside and go for a walk to clear your mind. Grab a snack and soak up the sun when the weather’s nice and play your favorite music. Go for a skate, or paint your nails afterschool. Whatever it is that makes you happy! It might not solve whatever you’re feeling right now, but it might bring you some happiness. So look after yourself this RUOK? Day.

From Holly Klem, Year 12

An R U OK? Day Message from School Captain Wil Woolstencroft

Dear Emmanuel, Love Gorgi Coghlan

How are you? By Leigha Lehmann

How are you? 

I think mental health is often romanticised in our society. That heartbreak is beautiful and makes you see who you are, or what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.

But in reality, people tend to care about mental health until it gets too messy. Too much to deal with.

Everyone talks about the crying every night or the not wanting to get out of bed. But no one talks about not brushing your teeth for a week, not showering or not cleaning your room to the point where you genuinely can’t see the floor anymore.

It’s important to understand that there is no handbook on how to overcome mental illness. No step by step, no person guiding you all the way.

There will be times that you’ll think you’re okay and the next day you’ll be right back where you started.

There will be times when everyone checks up on you and also times where you have to walk through it alone.

Unfortunately we’ve all had no choice but to be alone lately.

But there also will be times where you WILL celebrate the small victories of your recovery. When you didn’t cry for 2 days straight. When you ate your first full meal in 2 weeks. When you smiled at the memories instead of dwelling in them. When you looked in the mirror and saw a person, not a problem.

It’s easy to tell someone that you’re okay. It’s harder to make them believe it.

Recovery is not all sunshine and rainbows, it’s full of bends and hills as well as cross roads where YOU have to make the decision to turn left or right. But the first step to even getting on this road is by validating your feelings.

Not comparing your problems to other people’s, but accepting that you feel like shit, and don’t want to anymore.

Now I’m not trying to sound like an expert because you know what, I’m still on that journey. But I’ve witnessed heartbreakingly beautiful, messy, tragic stories of people’s recovery but also simply heart wrenching stories of people who felt like they could never recover. This includes the 9 people who die everyday in Australia due to suicide.

I think it’s time we stop joking about depression, anxiety, anorexia (just to name a few), and instead start recognising these illnesses as real issues. Real issues that people deal with daily, even if we don’t notice.

We shouldn’t feel ashamed to reach out for help because we have to “deal with it alone.”

We should be lifting people up for being brave enough to acknowledge that they’re not okay. We shouldn’t have to fake smiles, to pretend we’re okay, to feel like we’re just existing and not living.

I encourage you to be honest with yourself when a friend/family member asks “how are you?”

Find the courage to speak the truth about your feelings, to say “you know what I’ve actually had a really shit day.” And this will be scary for most people, down right petrifying.

It can be so hard to let yourself be vulnerable. 

It’s easy to say a simple message, a phone call, a FaceTime, could change someone’s life. But it’s harder to make sure that the person keeps thinking that their life has changed.

Let’s open up the conversation now, so people who are struggling can start their journey to recovery.

Let’s open up to the idea of not being ashamed of our own feelings. And let’s open up to the fact that the road to recovery isn’t simple or romantic, it’s actually terrifyingly fucking beautiful.

By Leigha Lehmann - full text

R U OK? Day 2021

R U OK? is a harm prevention charity that encourages people to stay connected and have conversations that can help others through difficult times in their lives.

Our work focuses on building the motivation, confidence and skills of the  help-giver – the person who can have a meaningful conversation with someone who is struggling with life.

R U OK? contributes to suicide prevention efforts by encouraging  people to invest more time in their personal relationships and building the capacity of informal support networks – friends, family and colleagues - to be alert to those around them, have a conversation if they identify signs of distress or difficulty and connect someone to appropriate support, long before they're in crisis.

Simple Question by The Dreggs

Simple Question by The Dreggs

Take my hand and everything will be alright
Save your blades for something else
Don't hurt yourself
Just fight

I understand it must be hard for you
But there's not one thing I wouldn't do
I'll give you my heart
If you feel like yours is cracked in two

So let me ask you one thing
A simple question, I need an answer
Are you ok? Are you ok?

And all these voices
I know they're giving you pains
You're one more bottle from a bottom of a river
Feeling like you're going insane

But did you know?
Did you know I'll be there for you?
I want you to tell me all your thoughts
And all your feelings
So I know what to do

So let me ask you one thing
A simple question, I need an answer
Are you ok?

Are you ok?
Are you ok?
Are you ok?
Are you ok?

Take my hand and everything will be alright
I know it so damn hard to hold on for another night
Well I understand the pain is severe
Wont you hold my hand for another year
Or maybe 2 or 3 or 4 or more
Because your life is as beautiful as your soul

So let me ask you one thing
A simple question, I need an answer
Are you ok? Are you ok?

Yes Theory

'These guys live by the philosophy 'seek discomfort' and remind me that my greatest moments of growth occur when I'm in the most discomfort. They also talk really open and honestly about mental health and their battles, they really are like another friend during lockdown.' 

R U OK? A Rap by Grace Kenny & Tom Richardson

Our very own Year 12 student Grace Kenny has written and recorded a rap for R U OK? Day along with musician and mentor Tom Richardson.

Well done Grace and Tom.

Take a listen!

Gratitude

QuaranTeens - Teenagers Reveal What Being in Quarantine During Covid-19 is Really Like

The Happiness Trap by Dr Russ Harris

What if almost everything we believed about finding happiness turned out to be inaccurate, misleading, or false? And what if those very beliefs were making us miserable? What if our efforts to find happiness were actually preventing it?

A growing body of scientific research suggests that we are all caught in a powerful psychological trap: a vicious cycle, whereby the more we strive for happiness, the more we suffer. This book provides an escape from "the happiness trap", via a revolutionary new development in human psychology: a powerful model for change, known as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT).

ACT helps people to create a rich, full and meaningful life, whilst effectively handling the pain that inevitably comes with it. It has been clinically proven to be highly effective in a wide range of psychological disorders, ranging from depression and anxiety to drug addiction and schizophrenia.

This book shows you how to apply ACT in your own life to increase self-awareness, develop emotional intelligence, enhance relationships, create a sense of meaning and purpose, access a transcendent sense of self, and fundamentally transform painful thoughts and feelings so they have much less impact and influence over your life.

About the Author
Dr Russ Harris was born in Liverpool, England. After graduating in medicine from the University of Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, he emigrated to Australia. As a family doctor, he became increasingly interested in the psychological aspects of medical illness (and increasingly less interested in writing prescriptions). In his eclectic career, he has been a stand-up comedian, filmmaker, novelist (as-yet-unpublished!), and workshop presenter. He now practices as a psychological health physician in Melbourne.

Teenager Therapy Podcast

Five stressed, sleep deprived, yet energetic teens sit down and talk about the struggles that come with being a teenager. Is high school really as bad as everyone says?

About us

We are 5 friends from very different backgrounds with a love for helping others. We created this podcast with a genuine passion for helping others. However, we are pretty average so don't expect any amazing talents.

Gael - Hellooo I'm Gael and I love creating things. I really just want to help as many people as possible. Also I always have a tweet in mind hehe

Isaac - Hi, I'm Isaac! I really care about my friends and love being active. I want to become someone that I can be proud of!

Thomas - Hi guys! I'm just your basic, stressed teenager who wants to make the world a better place.

Mark - I'm Mark! I’m pretty spontaneous. I play volleyball and watch rom-coms in my free time.

Kayla - Hey! I'm Kayla, and I am 17 years old and if you ever see me I'll most likely be smiling or laughing. Also, I love Netflix so send me some recommendations!

Words for Wellbeing on Instagram - Competition on now!

We’re so excited!

Follow us before the first day of Term 4 and go in the draw to win one of 5 $20 gift vouchers at the place of your choice.

Our Insta page will provide you with bite sized chunks of helpful, fun, motivating stuff, so head on over and give us a follow @ecwwords4wellbeing

Winners announced Words for Wellbeing on Thursday October 7^th!

For extra entries, why not tag us in posts and on pages that you think we’d like!

Best of luck everyone. See you on the Gram!

Your Fit4Life Team