MAKE MARCH MATTER

I'm fundraising for a great cause!

Did you know that roughly 9 people take their own lives in Australia every day? NINE people every. single. day. That's more than double the road toll. 

Did you know that for every death, it’s estimated another 30 people will attempt suicide? On average this means that 270 Australians attempt suicide each day.

Did you know that suicide is the leading cause of death for Australians between the ages of 15 and 44? This one hits me hard.

There are plenty more statistics where these ones came from and, even if you're not a nerdy numbers person like me, the statistics speak so loudly. 

I want to help change these numbers.

So, this March I have decided to take on a challenge to MAKE MARCH MATTER.

To help R U OK? to spread their message and help prevent suicide. 

R U OK?’s vision is of a world where we are all connected and protected from suicide.

Their mission is to inspire everyone to meaningfully connect with the people around them and support anyone struggling with life.

By inspiring people to take the time to ask, “Are you OK?” and listen, we can help people who are struggling with life to feel connected long before they even think about suicide. 

R U OK Day is held in September each year but the question needs to be at the forefront of our minds every single day, not just once a year.

So what am I going to do to MAKE MARCH MATTER?

I am going to go for a swim at the beach every single day in March.

Rain, hail or sunshine I am going to get my body in the water. 

Yes, some days are going to be hard. It's going to be uncomfortable going for a swim if the weather is cool. The temptation to silence my morning alarm might be strong. 

But, living with anxiety and depression is uncomfortable. Asking someone if they are OK might feel uncomfortable. Trying to silence the thoughts in your head is hard. Opening up to people is hard. But, I'm here as a living example to show that once you reach the other side you can feel liberated. Some days are still hard, but more days are incredible. 

So if the negative thoughts pop into my head during March and I don't feel like going for a swim, I'm going to remember that sometimes we have to experience something and feel all of the feels before we feel better. We have to have tough conversations to help someone, or even ourselves, get through to the other side. I know that once I'm in the ocean it's going to be amazing. I'm going to come out the other side feeling liberated.

More than raising money (my target is $1,000 FYI), I want to raise awareness. I want people to know that it's completely OK to experience immense pain and anguish. I want people to know that there is support available to them long before they even think about suicide. 

A conversation really could change a life.

How are you going to make March matter?