Marlborough Express - Weekend Express
Keeping the beasts at bay
Unaware how everything would unfold when I announced I was doing something so ‘crazy’, I certainly couldn’t have predicted what was to come, and as time has gone by it has become clear to me that Unicycle Molesworth has become so much more.
When learning to ride, the old saying, ‘‘To stay balanced, you must keep moving forward’’ couldn’t help but spring to mind. Symmetries in dealing with my own mental health were starting to prevail.
Now it is clear that this isn’t just about raising awareness, but a need I have within myself to help keep me from falling back into old thoughts. Unbeknown to me until recently, everything that I’m doing with Unicycle Molesworth ticks every box of the five ways to wellbeing.
A part of the goal of Unicycle Molesworth was to promote the benefits that learning new skills and exercising has on mental health. These were two things that helped me immensely in the past. With exercise helping to rebalance chemicals in our brains and creating proteins to rebuild neural pathways, and learning new skills to help reinforce those new pathways and give us the sense of moving forward and progression.
But it was the other three ways to wellness I wasn’t aware of, and hadn’t really applied to the recovery of my mental health before.
Being someone who has suffered from social anxiety, connecting is something I always considered myself ‘not good at’. But in taking on this project, I’ve been blown away by the people who have offered their support. From my sponsors; Unicycle.comAu, Banjo Brews and Harcourts, to the offerings of charity dinners and support crew.
Connect.
But most of all, by those who have come to me and shared their story of mental health. It’s fair to say Unicycle Molesworth has created its own community and has me well and truly connected.
From giving hope and compassion, to giving time and energy. I do this as we should, not to expect anything in return.
However, I’ve been overwhelmed with the way it has already given back to me. It’s given me the gift of being able to see that there is still hope, compassion, love and support in humanity. Something I truly lost when my depression was at its worst. It’s true that when we give without expectation, life gives back to us unexpectedly.
To appreciate the small things and the good you have in your life comes so naturally in this project, unlike any other.
Whether it’s the connections
When he set himself the challenge of riding 182 kilometres across Molesworth Station on a unicycle, it was solely to raise awareness for mental health. explains how his record-breaking bid has brought about so much more.
Give. Taking Notice.
with others, the heightened attention to my environment, or the brain/body connection that is firing so intensely. Taking notice is easy. Again something that was lost in times gone by.
If you’re suffering mentally now or in the future. Find a way to connect, give, learn, exercise and take notice, and if all that fails learn to ride a unicycle.
Visit facebook.com/search/ str/unicycle or facebook.com for further information and to donate visit Mental Health NZ at mental health.org.nz.