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July 22 2020

Kia ora <<First Name>>

Many of us are doing it tough right now - if you're feeling a bit on edge or worried you're not alone.

How well we’re able to bounce back from hard times can depend on our resilience.

Being resilient means we're more able to cope with whatever life throws at us. You don't need special qualities or super powers to build resilience and grow your wellbeing - here's three things we can all do:

Stay connected - build a network that you can reach out to in tough times.
Look for the good - take notice and linger longer in the moments that bring you joy.
Control what you can - take control of what you can and let go of things that you can’t easily change.

For more about growing resilience we recommend this great Tedx Talk by New Zealand’s Dr Lucy Hone.

In this issue, we share some powerful stories of people who have faced tough times and have learned a lot along the way about how to navigate life's challenges. It's our pleasure, and privilege, to be able to share them with you.

Finally, on the subject of tough times, we're sending heaps of aroha to whānau in Northland who are coping as best they can as flood waters recede. Kia kaha.

Arohanui,

All Right? and the Mental Health Foundation of New Zealand

Lockdown round two for expat and family

Kiwi expat, Simon O’Regan is in lockdown for a second time.

He and his whānau are among those riding out the Covid-19 pandemic in Melbourne, where case numbers have ramped up.

“You never like to think you’re going to have to do it again but you have to prepare yourself… and when we started seeing things get worse, we wanted to be back there, because we knew that was a safer place to be,” says Simon.

Although he knows it’s the best place to be, going back in to lockdown comes with mixed emotions.

You can read his full story here.

ZM's Bree Tomasel on managing life with anxiety

Last week ZM radio host Bree Tomasel shared her story about the challenges of staying connected with loved ones overseas.

Ever since she was very young, Bree has experienced mental distress. This week she shares her story about living with anxiety and what she does to get through.

Thanks for being so brave and sharing your story Bree!

Tips and resources on how to get well sooner

Like Bree, Rangimarie Mita has struggled with anxiety over the years. In this amazing video he shares his anxiety story, and what he does to keep on top of his worries.

Thanks to our friends at Melon for sharing Rangimarie's story. Melon is an app which provides a health journal, resources and self-awareness tools to help people manage their emotional wellbeing. Discover more about what Melon has to offer here.

Prioritising wellbeing from the get-go

Most will agree that we’ve never been more aware of our health in relation to others than right now – if you’ve sneezed or coughed in a public place over the last few months, you would have noticed that people’s reactions are somewhat heightened.

For Briar Edmonds, who lives with two auto-immune diseases, that kind of constant vigilance is commonplace.

“It’s frustrating when people say – in terms of immune-compromised people – ‘oh well, that’s not me, so I don’t need to worry. I don’t need to stay home when I’m sick.’ It can make me quite angry,” she says. “There’s a common misconception that immune-compromised people are just the elderly. It can be anyone – it can even be kids.”

For those who are going through the diagnosis journey, Briar says it’s crucial to remember things do improve with time. “Everything will change – but it will get better. There are a lot of people going through similar things, so you don’t ever have to feel alone.”

Read Briar's full story here. If you’re living with a long term health condition or know someone who is managing one, you can find more advice here.

Not all right?

For many of us, these new challenges and the loss of our regular routines is causing stress. We want you to know that however you’re feeling, there is someone to talk to and free help available. It’s all right to reach out if you need to - we all need a bit of support from time-to-time.

Call or text 1737 to speak with a trained counsellor anytime - it’s free and completely confidential. You can also call Lifeline on 0800 543354 or text HELP to 4357. Check out this page on the Mental Health Foundation’s website if you'd like some further advice on how to stay mentally well during this time.

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Until next time, stay well Aotearoa.
And remember, we'll get through this - together.