Take a look in the mirror. What do you see? I know I’m not always happy with the person who stares back at me. I know for a fact I’m not the only person in the country that feels this way.

I’m not a thin person. I wear a size 12-14 in clothes and I’ve always had curves. I have a large chest and I feel it makes me look heavier than I actually am. I was always the curviest of my friends in school and college, and I’ve always been the one that has struggled with my body image.

Negative comments

When I was in school my best friend turned to me and said “curvy is just another word for fat.” It is the one comment that has stuck with me, even ten years after it was said.

I’ve been thinking about it even more recently, with the Abercrombie & Fitch coverage recently. In case you haven’t heard, the CEO has said he only wants to sell their clothes to cool, thin people. Ellen Degeneres retaliated.

Latest trends

It makes me angry to think that people are so obnoxious. Do these people not understand how damaging comments like these can be? Luckily, Ellen Degeneres retaliated.

Some of us already feel like we’re not good looking enough to pull off the latest trends, that our bodies aren’t slim enough to be considered attractive. Living with these views of our own bodies is bad enough without clothing companies affirming our negative beliefs. This needs to stop.

Not all the same 

Clothing companies and media, need to take responsibility for the messages they put out. Mannequins in shops shouldn’t resemble stick-creatures. Most importantly, we need to learn not to take as much notice! We need to realise that every single person on this planet was not created to look the same.

Learn to love the skin you’re in and pay no attention to those over-priced hoodies.

This week is International Men’s Health Week, landing at the same time as the release of Man of Steel, the new superman film.

Action men

“Action Men: Turning Words into Action” could be a slogan for the superman movie, but is actually Ireland’s theme for men’s health week.

This couldn’t be more appropriate. Who doesn’t have a father, uncle or brother that doesn’t pay attention to aches and pains and refuses to ‘take action’ and get them checked out?

For that matter, who amongst us can say we don’t need more exercise, less junk-food and to keep an eye on the multiplying alcohol units each weekend? Thinking and saying we know how to lead healthier lives isn’t the same as leading them. This is as true for our mental well-being as it is for physical health.

What would Clark Kent do?

No matter what the weather it’s time to change those bad habits. Eat a few more vegetables and spend a bit more time outside. Hopefully we’ll get more of that unseasonal sunshine, but if we don’t, we should ask ourselves whether a little rain would stop Clark Kent?

Learning to ‘take action’ with your mental health by doing your best to look after it, is important. But, it’s also important to know how to get through a stressful period, or even what to do when you’re just feeling a bit crap.

Communicate

Sometimes when going through a tough time, talking can be the action that’s needed. How we talk to someone can make a huge difference in dealing with problems. But opening up can be hard. Brush up on some effective communication tips.

Improving communications with ourselves is also a necessary part of any mission, or just the ups and downs of life. A bit of positive self-talk, giving negative comparisons a rest and not reducing everything to black and white can make everyday living easier.

We’re not all men of steel

It’s important to remember that while we might not all be superheroes, that doesn’t mean we don’t have the power to change our own destiny and put those words into action.

Men’s health week runs until Sunday, 16 June with events around the country.

“I’m not a runner!” Elaine admits, “but I wanted something physical, to help me de-stress and that wasn’t a gym.” Through Twitter, she found a local organisation that arranged running for women and signed up. Before she knew it Elaine was out twice a week, with a beginners group of joggers.

Being connected

Getting involved in shared activities and connecting with other people outside of our usual lives is brilliant for helping to boost our self-esteem. “It’s good for your head, your body and your heart,” Elaine says. “I met a group of people from all walks of life, and some of us still meet up. It’s a great sense of community.”

The physical advantages of exercise are well known, with improvements in energy, strength and fitness. But benefits also extend to mental health such as confidence, sleep patterns, and body image – all positively affected. “No matter what kind of day you’ve had you can step outside and de-stress,” Elaine continues, “you can think about nothing at all, or everything. It’s your choice”.

Setting goals

Whether aiming to run a marathon or just creating an exercise routine to improve our day to day life, it’s important to have a focus and create a plan. Setting goals can help us stay on track and achieve what we set out to do. For Elaine, fitness was the motivation, along with the chance to raise funds for ReachOut.com.

Creating mini-goals, an overall plan and focusing on rewards helps us overcome obstacles, which are a part of any activity. It’s worth remembering that this applies to all sorts of situations, like study, exams, and getting rid of a bad habit – not just for getting into exercise.

Baby steps

Breaking anything down into chunks will make it more manageable. 30 minutes of non-stop jogging was one of Elaine’s aims, “Which I can now do – but not always!” she laughs.
Following the plan, walking a little and running a little, and keeping the routine helped Elaine stay on Track. She achieved her goal, started a healthy hobby and made new friends. I don’t know about you, but I’m thinking of dusting off my old runners and taking a step outside.

With players from Ireland, Wales, Scotland and England, being selected for the team is an honour, but, with this prestige comes stress. As the Lions haven’t won a series since 1997 this year’s matches will be closely followed. Media, fans, managers and sponsors all have reasons to want success, which is a lot of added pressure on the players.

External pressure

While we might not all get to be involved in such high-profile events, we nevertheless have to cope with stressful situations, where we feel pressure from all angles. There are lots of situations where we can feel the pressure from the expectations of others. 

The Leaving Cert for example has the interest of many, including family, friends and teachers. Therefore we may feel we have a lot more to live up to than our own expectations. But it’s important to remember that the exams are yours, and you are in control.

Managing the situation and your health

Like any potentially stressful situation, there are things we can do to manage what’s going on and look after our mental health in the process.

Planning ahead, keeping a routine and ensuring that we mind ourselves by taking breaks, keeping an eye on nutrition all helps to manage stress. See more information about managing exam stress.

Seeing the bigger picture 

Remember there are always people to turn to, for help or advice. Keep in mind that times of high pressure such as the Leaving Cert do have an end point, and like other trying times you will get past this and move on to the next stage in life.

Listowel’s international writers’ week kicked off yesterday and runs until Sunday, 2 June. If you missed authors such as Dan Brown or Colum McCaan at the Dublin writer’s festival then this could be a chance to hear some of the world’s most popular writers.

Getting connected with literature

There will also be discussions with up-and-coming writers, workshops and even an open-mic session to showcase hidden talent. It seems our country’s appetite for literature is as strong as ever.

Interestingly, festivals like this are still popular – even with the fast changing landscape of technology and online communications. Connecting and socialising with like-minded people may play a part in the strength of such gatherings, but equally could be as much to do with the cathartic nature of the writing.

Writing as a release

Whether professional, amateur, or even just writing for yourself – it can be a great way to let go of built up feelings. Keeping a journal or even just writing about what’s going on may help with understanding emotions or even just release tension.

Using the process of writing as a tool to help us cope could be an end in itself. Maybe keeping a daily journal is as daunting as the idea of writing a novel, but scribbling a few words of anger on scrap paper could be all it takes to help feel a bit lighter.

Making it easier

Whether using the written word as a release or for better understanding, it may make it easier to relax, talk to someone else or even contact a support group.

“And so with the sunshine and the great bursts of leaves growing on the trees, just as things grow in fast movies, I had that familiar conviction that life was beginning over again with the summer.”

While we might not have the sunshine, there’s a certain “je ne sais quoi” about this time of year that can make one feel as if life is, beginning all over again – especially for young people.

End of a chapter

Whether you’re about to sit your Leaving Certificate or you’ve just completed your final semester in college, there’s a finality that occurs with the beginning of summer.

As a chapter in your life closes, it’s time to examine how far you’ve come, before embarking on a new journey. This can be a wonderful, but scary time.

So many questions

Will I still be friends with the same people this time next year? What will I be doing this time next year? Graduation ceremonies and final exams can conjure up feelings of nostalgia and make us feel a little fragile; but this isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

When I finished school, I was a melting pot of emotions. There was relief (post exams) that I had managed to navigate six years of education. I was excited at the prospect of what my life would be in six months time along with feeling slightly terrified that my friends and I would grow apart. 

How much I’d grown

But, it also gave me the time to examine how much I had grown as a person throughout my teenage years and give myself a pat on the back. More than likely, along with recieveing your graudation diploma, you will have accumulated wisdom in more than maths and biology.

Relationships

You’ve gained and lost friendships, had relationships, faced a multitude of problems – personal and otherwise – and learned some valuable life lessons. I believe it’s always good for your mental health to revel in these special moments when they present themselves. They pass by quicker than you think!

Getting through stronger 

Every now and then, it’s good to sit and take a moment to think of all you’ve conquered and the amazing journey that lies ahead. It doesn’t matter who you are, life kicks all of our asses at times. But, you won. You got through the tough times and emerged a stronger individual.

Your past has prepared you for what’s about to come and even though it’s daunting, you should embrace your future. It’s not always going to be easy, but I can promise it’s going to be a lot of fun.

Graffiti

Last week, one of our ambassadors, the very talented (and damn hard-working) Kev, gave our office a bit of a makeover. 

Tough going

At some stage or other many of us will understand what Rocky means in the above quote. Life isn’t a simple stroll in the sun for us. It’s tough going and it presents obstacles in our path, all the time. Dealing with and overcoming these obstacles isn’t easy, but far from impossible.

For the past two years, I have had a knee injury that has left me missing the chance to play in pretty much all of the 2011, 2012 and most of the 2013 GAA seasons and feeling a lot of discomfort in day-to-day living.

Constant feeling

I’ve undergone surgery twice previously (and am having some more minor surgery again) to try and cure the problem. I’ve had times where I’d experience pain when simply walking around at home and the injury has become a constant in my life for the last 27 months.

Coping mechanism

As a result I have had to work on overcoming this obstacle, both in the physical sense through rehabilitation exercises, and mentally by employing coping mechanisms to ensure I continue to get better.

Now, I know many people are suffering much worse than I am. I’m extremely lucky in comparison to what some people have to deal with. But, I can only offer my own experience of dealing with this as everyone can only explain their own situation.

How I overcame my obstacle

Surrounding yourself with good people is vital. Whether your obstacle is physical, mental or otherwise, being around people who support you, offers you guidance, listens to you and stays positive is critical to overcome any tough time.

Taking control

Living in the present moment is critical also. Overcoming obstacles requires you to deal with the situation as it is right now, not in the past or into the future, right now in the present. You have to take responsibility for what you can control. You can control your mindset every day towards the problem.

You can control your attitude. Do you set small improvement goals or do you apportion blame for your problem elsewhere? Do you seek out the opportunities that lie in your obstacle or feel despondent about the opportunities it takes away?

Building resilience

You have to be resilient. In the face of difficult times, you must work to survive and thrive. This is hard work, but showing resilience is really important in overcoming the problems you face. I’m not the only person who ever hurt their knee, and you’re unlikely to be the only person ever who faced the obstacle your facing, so how you deal with the challenge is the important thing. Ultimate success in overcoming the obstacle is determined by your attitude to it.

Attitude is key

You either decide to tackle it head on and overcome it step-by-step or as Rocky says, you can get beat to your knees and stay there if you let it. Overcoming obstacles is not easy for any of us. If it were, there would be no such thing as struggle or pain. Life isn’t lived in such a fantasyland however.

We have to be strong in order to move forward. Surrounding myself with good people, living in the present as much as possible, being resilient, having the attitude that I will overcome it and staying positive helps me keep moving forward. I’d be thrilled if it helped you to do likewise.

This is an exciting opportunity to develop a new app that markets mental fitness to young men across Ireland.

For full functional spec please contact naoise@inspireireland.ie or phone on +353 1 7645666

One of the most beautiful aspects of life is that it’s full of the unexpected. You never know when you’ll find €10 in the street or meet somebody who will become your best friend. But everything has a flip side and the unexpectedness with which life can change is something that can make you feel more deflated than elated. 


When least expected


Having a fight with your family, going through a relationship break-up, not getting the job you were sure you had in the bag…These are all curve balls that life throws at us when we’re least expecting them. When something hits you unprepared, it can be difficult to deal with.

Out of the blue


The truth is, we can’t prepare ourselves for everything. While the Boy Scouts mantra is “Be prepared”, there are some things you just can’t prepare for. They hit you out of the blue and take the wind out of your sails. Suddenly, you’re in a situation you didn’t see coming and feel like you don’t even know how to begin coping with it.

OK not to be OK


Feelings of despair are natural when difficult situations unexpectedly occur. It’s OK to not be OK with what’s happened. But the hopelessness you feel in the aftermath of some form of heartbreak will not last forever. The feelings are temporary as is the situation you’re in.

Affecting people of all types


For Bressie, musician and well-loved judge on “The Voice”, his battle with panic attacks hit him out of the blue. Speaking about them recently, he said “Everything was going so well and it just came along, it doesn’t pick it’s victims and for me it was all consuming”.

 The thing is, tough times affect people in all walks of life and everyone finds themselves in situations they did not expect and are unsure of how to deal with.

Writing stuff down

Bottling up your thoughts and emotions is only going to zap the energy you need. Talking might seem like an obvious step, but it’s a powerful one. If you don’t feel like you’ve the capacity to talk aloud about what you’re going through, write it down on paper.

I’ve always found this to be very therapeutic; you can get all the feelings and thoughts swimming around in your head out. You can say whatever you want and then, get rid of it – rip the paper into a million pieces or (safely) burn it. There’s a catharsis by doing this that can really help. 


Time is a healer


You also need to keep on living; even when at times the last thing you feel like doing is going out to see your friends or getting yourself through a school day or work day. Take each day at a time and in that day, take each hour at a time.


Mostly, time is the best healer. Especially for a situation or tough time you desperately wish was different, but unfortunately, they are what they are and you can’t change them. But you’re in control of your life and how you choose to live that life in the aftermath. There’s no overnight solution to a sudden, life-changing shock.

Allow yourself the time

There’s no clock ticking to tell you “Ding dong, you should be better by now!” It’s a process and a necessary one. Allow yourself to grieve for the situation the way you need to and then one day, you’ll find the grieving has stopped.

So when life throws you a curve ball, don’t let it knock you down. Whether you feel like that right now or not, it’s important to remember that you are a survivor and you will get through this. There’s no instant fix to your situation, but the smaller steps are the ones that will help you emerge from how you’re feeling right now.

I don’t really count myself as an adult although technically I am, being just out of the young person (12-25 year-old) category. In any case, it can be easy for people my age and older to think we know what’s best for young people.

What people want

So, it’s always good to get out and talk to young people to find out what they think and want, and to do it in a meaningful way.

This is what we did last Saturday in Kilkenny. Lifeline Kilkenny invited us (ReachOut.com) to facilitate a consultation with young people called “Speak Out, Be Heard. Have your say about youth mental health!”

Energetic and enthusiastic

It’s not an easy thing to do to give up a Saturday morning to come and discuss mental health with a group of people you probably don’t know. So, it was really encouraging to see so many young people there, all full of energy and enthusiasm.

Discussing mental health

After a couple of ‘ice-breakers’, the main work got underway and myself and Derek did a workshop about mental health in general and ReachOut.com. We had a few discussions with the full group and then in smaller groups about mental health and what it’s like to be young in Ireland today.

We haven’t yet gone through all of our notes from the day but some of the issues that came up were things like:

• getting through everyday issues like stress, bullying and exams
• formal and informal supports that are out there and what should be available for young people
• how we talk about mental health
• huge advances in technology
• school and the academic stress put on young people today.

Informing a plan

All of the discussions, stories and experiences shared will feed into a Kilkenny county Youth Mental Health Plan in an effort to make Kilkenny a great place to be young. 

Thanks to Lifeline Kilkenny for inviting us and to Community Consultants, KASES, Comhairle na nOg and most especially to all the inspirational young people who were there.

With Silver Linings Playbook seeing Jennifer Lawrence win best actress at the 2013 Oscars and now, another movie, Side Effects, just released that deals with depression, mental health is being actively discussed in our culture.

Control your own culture

Chuck Palahnuik, the author of Fight Club once said, “The first step – especially for young people with energy and drive and talent, but not money – the first step to controlling your world is to control your culture. To model and demonstrate the kind of world you demand to live in. To write the books. Make the music. Shoot the films. Paint the art.”

It’s an interesting observation that seems quite relevant now, as popular culture takes on the topic of depression and mental health.

Viewing the process

I’m glad to see the subject entering mainstream discussion and in a mainly, approachable, positive way. In Silver Linings Playbook, Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence portray the process of recovery with poise, humour and honesty. It’s not all sunshine and roses and it’s also not easy; but it’s real.

Different approach

I’ve yet to see Side Effects and from what I can gather, it takes a different approach to the topic. The film is a psychological thriller which examines the dangers of easy prescription of medication for depression. However, what the two films do have in common is the theme of mental health.

Common experience 

The fact that the topic is becoming so prevalent in our films, books and even music demonstrates how common struggles with one’s mental health actually are. We all experience times when our mental health is put under strain. The parameters of that strain differs from those experiencing a difficult time to those who are suffering from long-term depression or anxiety. But we all have our own brush with the area, so why is the topic still so stigmatised?

That question raises more issues than I could address in an entire book. People still see mental health as a mystery, something dark and scary and dangerous. Will an admission of difficulty make me weak? Make people think I’m crazy? Isolate me?

Importance of good mental health

But as our media is showing us in different ways, many of us have feelings of despair or despondency. There isn’t a mystery to mental health, but there is a lack of awareness about the importance of good mental health and how to take care of yours, which is different to mystery.

Mental health needs to be normalised in how we discuss it. It’s not something which should be talked about in hushed tones or shame.

Taking away the mystery

Turning around and telling a friend that you’ve been having a crap time lately because work is getting on top of you and your boyfriend is annoying you and your family is just plain doing your head in, doesn’t make you crazy or abnormal.

In fact, it’s the most normal thing in the world. If we could just recognise and believe in that truth, we can see that the mystery is nothing but smoke and mirrors.

Myself and Roisin went along the other night to watch seven teams of two people from all the medical schools in Ireland, lay out very well-rounded arguments on the topic “Mental health services for Generation Y – online or out of touch”.

Definition of “Generation Y”

Obviously we would have a certain bias here, but it was a great opportunity to hear what our future doctors think.

It was as entertaining as much as it was enlightening to listen to a group of Generation Y-ers firstly define themselves, who they are, what they’re about and what their needs from mental health services actually are.

Need to share

Some of the teams took an alternative approach to public speaking by acting out certain scenarios, giving nods to some people’s attachment to their phones, the need to be connected and share, well, everything…how delicious their omelets were for breakfast and the likes.

Going online

It was of absolutely no surprise to us, every team pretty much concluded that of course, mental health services need to be online! That’s where everyone goes to for work, school, entertainment, staying in touch with friends and information.

But, in certain cases, online services should be used to compliment traditional forms of support. It was also acknowledged as the internet changes the way we all work, so must the way we provide mental health care. 

We’ve absolutely no dispute with that. What we’re about is encouraging and informing people about informal supports as well as formal supports, for the times they’re needed. 

Laughter – the best medicine 

What struck me most about the evening, was that a bunch of people can speak about mental health in a way that’s irreverent and funny. Spike Milligan would be proud. The audience was giddy initially in anticipation of the night and with support for their teams.

But, all of the speeches used humour in a way that’s effective not only for public speaking and engaging your audience but in a way that’s disarming. It allows us to talk about some of the heavy stuff in a positive, lighter way and people laughed, great big belliers. Which is great for your mental health.

They were not disrespectful or uninformed. Seriously, these were very engaged speakers who put a lot of research into their speeches. No one made fun of anyone’s distress. It was just about the stuff that happens everyday that can chip away at us. 

Shifting the conversation

Who would believe it? You go to a evening of talks about mental health and it was actually a barrel of laughs.

Public conversations about mental health tend to be so negative…”what are we doing wrong?”…”he spent years of being unwell”…”couldn’t get the right help”. It’s no wonder people can find it hard acknowledge when they need extra support sometimes. It’s off-putting and scary, sounding like no good can come of it.

Positive approach

Mental health is so much a part of our everyday experience. So, if we can shift our approach to be a bit more positive some of the time, and not be afraid to inject a bit of humour into it, it helps take away some fear of asking for seeking that extra support when we need it.

So on that note, a psychiatrist walks into a bar…erm, no. I’ll work on that one.

What it means to us

Mental health is something we all have and it’s an essential part of each of us. As the World Health Organisation says “There is no health without mental health”.

When we talk about mental health, we’re talking about how we feel, how we relate to other people and how we do day-to-day things. We’re not just talking about the absence of a mental health problem. To us, having good mental health is about feeling good about ourselves and being able to get on effectively in daily life.

Changing levels of mental health

A person’s mental health can be positive and good, or it can be poor and people can feel down and unwell. Either way, it’s important to know the quality of a person’s mental health isn’t fixed. It can get better or worse at different times as we journey through life. Even day-to-day experiences can affect our mental health for better or for worse.

Tough times

We can all experience tough times when we feel stressed, upset, worried or afraid.

We consider it a ‘mental health problem’ when our feelings, thoughts or beliefs negatively affect our day-to-day lives and activities and we cannot seem to, or don’t know how to, move past those feelings, thoughts or beliefs. It’s at times like this that we can use a hand or extra support.

Mental health problems tend to begin when we’re young . This is when support and resources are needed and one of the many reasons ReachOut.com focuses on youth mental health.

Minding our mental health

Our level of mental health can change as we go through life, and even on a daily basis. There are things we can do to look after our mental health. Making sure we get enough sleep and enough exercise, making sure we eat healthily and to take time out to relax and do the things we enjoy.

One of the most important things we can do is to talk to someone. This can be a trusted friend or family member if there’s something bothering us. Talking about how we feel and sharing our thoughts and worries can help us to feel better and can help us to come up with ways of coping with our feelings and emotions.

What does mental health mean to you?

As we said, mental health can mean different things to different people. Let us know what it means to you.

Eight young men, aged 15-18-years-old, from Kircubbin started using WorkOut on Monday, 12 November 2012 and they worked through the missions in this order:

• Week 1 – introduction, gym induction and worked through expectations 
• Week 2 – being practical
• Week 3 – building confidence
• Week 4 – taking control
• Week 5 – team player
• Week 6 – evaluation and group activity

We explored the four mission areas from the WorkOut App, on separate weeks, using group work to digest some of the tasks that had been completed online. We also looked at some case studies such as Ronnie O’Sullivan and Ricky Hatton and some film clips. (A beautiful mind)

Working through the missions

Each week we spent time in our community internet café doing group stuff. Sometimes we worked through the online tasks, before heading next door to the gym, which is also part of the community centre.

Completing tasks

On the whole, they reported quite varying use of WorkOut. Some didn’t have internet access at home which meant time in the café was more crucial for them. When we did agree tasks to complete at home, some went in their own direction as their interest took them.

Working through it together

Specifically, one young man reported great improvement in his sleeping routine. The entire group felt that being able to work through much of the stuff together was useful.

This was true in relation to identifying some of the key areas that brought on stress, i.e. relationships and school. This was also true in relation to identifying some strategies for coping and taking the time to assess some of these. One participant started to play a particular sport again as a result of realising its potential to affect his mental well-being and sense of achievement.

The combination of gym sessions and the use of online technology to promote self-reflection were effective in tackling the topic of looking after your mental health and encouraging ways to work on your mental fitness. 

Sign up and work on your mental fitness, visit: www.workoutapp.ie .

Support to get results

As a Liverpool fan it hurts me to say that but it’s true and it happened becaused the club’s executives had some perspective and knew then that you need to back people to get results. Arsene Wenger needs that same type of support now and there is no reason to believe that it wouldn’t pay off.

Transformed

Ok, it’s been nearly eight years since Wenger has won anything as Arsenal manager but please Gooners, don’t forget what he’s done for your club. The Arsenal have been transformed forever because of Wenger and his methods and teams have given millions of football fans unbelievable entertainment – who can ever forget the invincibles of 2003-’04?

Kept going

Or the pure joy and almost childish messiness that sparked between some of the great Arsenal players of the last decade? One stand out moment was that ridiculous penalty missed by a lame combination of Pires and Henry when the pair couldn’t stop laughing afterwards. Moments like that keep us going as sports fans. Respect is one of the buzzwords in modern day football – but what about perspective?

Need to appreciate the now

It was sad to see people like Piers Morgan on Twitter last night saying “In Arsene we rust”. People have short memories, need quick fixes and don’t appreciate what they have in the here and now. Sure, Arsenal look laboured and lacking in confidence and it looks like the wait for silverware will go on.

Warrants respect

But there is so much for Arsenal Football Club to be proud of and one man in particular must be credited with transforming that club from the offside specialists of the early 1990s to the football purists of today. He deserves a little respect and fans need to have some perspective.

Developing patience

Don’t forget what he’s done for the club and consider that you might just want to give him the time he needs to get you back to winning ways. I’m seeing this as a long-suffering Liverpool fan – we’ve had to develop a lot of resilience, patience and perspective, believe me.

When you’re going through a hard time you can forget the things that normally make you feel better. We asked a group of young people what helps them get their tough times and we came up with this bucket list.

Music 

“When I have an issue I listen to the same song over and over. It clears my mind, keeps me sane and makes me tranquil.”

“When I’m feeling down, music lifts me up. Although I have family and friends to talk to, music is there immediately! It helps me when I’m sad, angry or even when I just feel like giving up! There’s always a song that relates to how I’m feeling at the time. But even though I listen to music to help me, I still talk about it to those that I trust, it’s definitely not healthy keeping it inside!”

Sport

“To get through the tough times, I like to go out and play camogie with my friends or even by myself. I find it a great way to relieve stress and it is something I’m passionate about and love to do. It helps my get through the tough times because it’s something more then just a sport to me now it’s part of my lively-hood. I’m in my comfort zone when I play camogie or even any sport. It makes me happy and that’s all that matters to me!! ”

“I rarely go through hard times but when I do I get over them though physical activity and sport. By doing so I meet my friends and enjoy myself. This helps me get over all my problems no matter how major or minor they may be.”

“I use Gaelic football as my way of getting through the tough times I face. I LOVE Gaelic football and the pitch is my second home. I really feel at ease there. Hail, rain or snow it’s still my go to during the bad times. Its my life and such a big part of me.”

Tea

“The best way I have found to get through tough times is just take a step back we all need time to process it. Just step back clear you head find something you love to do and just get away try forgetting about the problem. When you go back to deal with it it will be so much easier. If all else fails get together with you friends for a cup of tea it ALWAYS helps.”

Play an instrument

“When I’m really stressed out I play guitar and maybe write a song. Music is a medium that I have always found to be easy to speak through. Some of the greatest songs in the world come out of feelings of sadness and loneliness. Take the negative emotions and use them to make something positive.”

“Whenever I am feeling down or upset about something I always turn to my music! Music is my life and it has always been here for me, through everything! I either turn on my favourite cd or my radio or I play piano! I love to play piano and sing and it really relaxes me and cheers me up!”

Sing and dance

“When I was younger I was really down all the time. But my love of music had helped me through it. I love to sing, dance and listen to all types of music. I try to listen to happy upbeat music when I am feeling low. I started dancing a few years ago and it has made me have confidence in myself even if I do mess up a lot! I used to be really shy and wouldn’t talk to anyone. Music has helped connect with people I never thought would like me let alone be my friends. If you haven’t thought of music as a hobby, I suggest that you try it sometime”

“When I’m down and I have a problem I usually listen or write music. Music means everything to me. I have based my life around music, it’s a way of expressing my self.”

Take a break

“When I am going through a tough time I usually try to find a way to go somewhere that I can have a good time, enjoy myself and take a break from my stressful situations.”

Friends and family

“Friends and family: they’re the people you spend a lot of time with. When you’re at your best, they’re there with you to join you in happiness. And when you’re feeling bad, they can be the ones to pull you back up into the light. Remember that there are people you can trust, and you should not fear opening up to them. Say how you’re feeling, explain your problems. More often than not, I find, they can remind you of something you forgot in your worries, give you a little encouragement, and help you get to where you want to be, physically or emotionally.”

Talking

“A problem shared is a problem halved…talking for me has always helped in tough times.”

“I find talking to my best friend really helps me get through a tough time! Whether it’s eating ice cream on the couch or walking the dog it’s the best form of relaxation for me.”

But there are a few things to make getting back into a routine easier.

Start slow

Try easing your way into a routine. If you need to start waking up earlier, try going to bed a little bit earlier each night. Each day, slowly work things back into your day that you hope to start doing in the future. This will help keep you from feeling overwhelmed or burnt out after a couple weeks.

Take care of important tasks first

Having a large to do list can be stressful, especially if some of them have deadlines attached to them. Taking care of the things that are most important first, instead of procrastinating until the last minute, will help to lift some of the stress off your shoulders.

Make a list

Make a list of the things you need to finish, or habits you would like to work on. Break them into the small steps, and rank them in order of priority. By breaking the “to dos” or habits into small steps, it is easier to see your progress as you mark them off.

Take breaks           

It can be tiring when you first start working on getting back into your routine. After you finish certain tasks or goals, take a break and do something fun that you enjoy. Getting back into a routine doesn’t have to be tedious. Even if you haven’t finished everything you wanted to finish yet, take a break!

Remember, this is the time of year that everyone is getting back into their routine, so don’t stress too much if it takes you a little while to get back into yours.  

The winning film

This year winner was 22-year-old Kate Dolan with her film “Subtitles”. Kate is a freelance filmmaker from Dublin and we interviewed her about what inspired her to make her film and the challenges she faced. 

What is your film about?

The film is about breaking the habit of silence in this country in terms of mental health. We all know somebody with problems in their life yet we choose to keep quiet about it. Hopefully the new generation of young people in this country can start to change that. 

What inspired you to make the film?

As I said above, this country has a very hush-hush attitude to many things, including mental health. I find it quite frustrating so making this piece is hopefully one small step in the right direction for young people in Ireland. 

Were there any challenges in making this film?

We hadn’t got a lot of funds for getting paid actors/sets/props/extras/equipment so I had to call in friends and family to all do a small part for us. It worked out very well and I’m glad I have such a great support system of people to help me out. 

What did you enjoy most about the process?

I enjoyed shooting the scene, and explaining what I was trying to achieve to everyone there, they really understood what I meant about breaking the silence. So it was a great feeling to have everyone on board, working together to complete the project.

Check out the other entries:

Winner – Kate Dolan’s Subtitles

First runner up – Maureen Walshe’s Depression is a monster

Second runner up – Darren O’Connor’s What is depression?

Highly commended – Michelle Duong’s Benjamin

Highly commended – Homejam Productions Pimp my mental health

Highly commended – Anytime Productions A new day

Highly commended – Jonathan Victory’s That voice inside

Highly commended – James Keating’s Whatstigma

Highly commended – Gavin Fitzgerald’s Find a light

Highly commended – Darragh Mc Cashin’s Making silence visible

Reflect

Just because everyone else is making resolutions doesn’t mean you have to. But, if there are things you want to change, there are things to make those resolutions more successful. Find a time where you can sit for 10-15 minutes and reflect about where you are. Picture yourself being content and happy; does that person look different than you do now?

Write it down

Take another 10 minutes or so and just write down the thoughts about what you want to change. Avoid letting it become a to-do list. Include the ideas, and the thoughts and emotions associated with those ideas. Writing your ideas and thoughts down increase the likelihood that you will follow through with your goals.

Be S.M.A.R.T.

Once you’ve decided the changes you want to make, it’s a bit business-speak, but no harm in making the goals SMART.

• Specific: Take the general ideas and make them more specific. What do you want to accomplish? For example a resolution like, “be healthier” is too vague (although on most people’s list). Try defining what it means to you to be healthy, what specifically about your health do you want to improve?
• Measureable: Once you’ve broken your goals down into something specific, try to identify how to measure it. Recognise how to know when you’ve reached your goals, and what it will take to get there.
• Attainable: Make sure your goals are attainable. Can your goal or resolution be broken down to an even smaller chunk? For example, instead of, “I want to save 1000 euro for an upcoming trip,” try breaking it down to how much money you would need to save each week. How will you save this money? Will you go out less, or make sure to make your own lunches? Once you determine how much you want to save each week, how long will it take you to save the 1000 euros?
• Realistic and relevant: How is this goal relevant to you? How will it improve your life? Does it seem worthwhile? Is this the right time to work towards this goal? Does it help you to meet other needs or desires?
• Timed: Make a (realistic) deadline for yourself. Organise the activities needed to reach your goal. Are there steps to break it down? Identify what things you can start now, and what things you will need to start down the road.

Get going!

Identifying and making new goals energises us to get motivated. There are stages we all go through when trying to change our behaviour and knowing what these are helps, as we all need to try a few times. 

Good luck! 

Whether it’s things you’re happy about, or maybe not so happy about, focusing too much on the past can keep you from enjoying the present.

Don’t think so hard

When we focus too much about what we’re doing, sometimes it can make our performance worse. So, when we feel anxious about giving a presentation and we focus on how anxious we feel, it can actually cause our anxiety to build up.

However, completely zoning out isn’t the answer either. Instead of focusing on how worried you are about presenting in front of people, try to notice different things in the room that are happening outside of your head.

Savour the moment

Usually our thoughts become distracted by past or future events. Sometimes we can be out with friends, having a great time and start thinking, “we must do this again sometime.” Next thing, we’re only focusing on how we’d plan it or what we would do instead of focusing on how much fun we’re having at that time.

Be neutral

When you’re noticing things happening in the moment, try not to think of them as being good or bad. Instead, try viewing them as just what they are and that’s it. If you don’t get the marks you want on an exam or assignment, don’t judge it as necessarily being bad. Consider it a score that’s provided you feedback as to what you need to do differently for next time.

Stick with it

Let 2013 be the year you enjoy what’s going on in the here and now. It can be easier said than done in a world where we’re encouraged to multi-task continuously but focusing on the now is a valuable life skill, doing wonders for our sense of well-being.

It if doesn’t work today, give it another go tomorrow. Check out Mindfulness for more information.

What is Mindfulness?

Mindfulness is when you practice paying attention to what’s going on with yourself physically and emotionally instead of going through the day on autopilot. When we’re on autopilot, we’re more likely to react to our buttons being pushed by people or events.

Practising Mindfulness

The good thing about Mindfulness is that you can do it anywhere. You could even use it while walking or doing the dishes at home. The next time you find yourself waking to the local shop, or walking home from work or school, try just noticing what’s happening around you.

Usually, when we walk somewhere familiar, we get stuck in our own thoughts and may not even remember the walk by the time we get home. Try noticing the buildings or people as you walk past. Tune into what it feels like as your feet hit the ground, or the movement of your arms and legs.

Interfering thoughts

Chances are as you’re walking, thoughts will keep popping into your head, like, “I have so much work due next week, how am I going to get this all done?” or “I wonder what drama is in store for Christmas this year with aunt so-n-so and gran in the same room.” 
Don’t get too frustrated at yourself, just notice these thoughts you have and turn your attention back to your walk.

Keep practising

Practising Mindfulness may not feel natural, or may be difficult for you, but try sticking with it. The more you practise, the easier it will get. Keep in mind, that as long as you’re noticing what’s going on, it’s impossible to fail at being mindful. Check out Mindfulness for more information on the benefits and how to incorporate into your life.

Today is International Men’s Day and it comes in the middle of a month (Movember) when men are being encouraged to think about their health.

There’s no harm in that is there? We’re all about looking after yourself at ReachOut.com and a lot of the same principles apply to the upkeep of mental fitness as they do to physical fitness. 

Where to start

We’ve developed a new online tool, WorkOut, for you to gauge your mental fitness levels and work on ways to improve it.

Take the quiz

When you login you’ll need to take a quiz in different areas like confidence, practicality, control and being a team player. These are areas that everyone could improve on.

Take a mission

The results of these tests will show where improvements can be made and which missions to undertake to do this. These include tasks like regulating your sleep or practicing some breathing exercises. All of which will help you deal with stress better.

Obviously there’s a bit of work required, you’ll be on a mission after all. Really it’s only you who can increase your confidence or take control of your life. WorkOut is a tool that helps you along and encourages you to be mindful of your networks, taking time for things you enjoy and your strengths.

Talking to someone

We’re always stressing the importance of talking to someone when going through a tough time, be it a friend, a family member or a counselor. There’s no change there, it can be one of the most helpful things to get through those times. What you learn from WorkOut are ways to develop your own resilience for the day-to-day stuff.

So gentlemen, get working out and increase your mental fitness, for life, not just for Christmas or International Men’s Day.

It is of course open to ladypersons too, as we can all benefit from being mentally fit.

There’s nothing nicer then making somebody else smile, but what makes you smile?

This week the Union of Students in Ireland (USI) in partnership with HeadsUp.ie, PleaseTalk.org and ReachOut.com are asking students to tweet about #whatmakesyousmile.

It’s a clever way to get some positivity into our day. Also, by joining the conversation and tweeting a picture of what makes you smile, you’re in with a chance of winning a ‘feel good’ hamper.

What makes us smile?

We asked some of our youth ambassadors what makes them smile:

•    “Coming home from a long day and having a cup of tea with Mammy.”

•    “Making someone laugh when they’re angry.”

•    “A bath after a long day of work, having dinner made for me, getting letters in the post and watching trashy TV shows with my cat. It’s all about the little things!”

•    “Going for a run (especially if it’s slightly drizzling!) after a frustrating day. You can’t beat the feeling of pounding the pavement for a few miles and returning exhausted but weirdly energised at the same time.”

•    “Sunshine, tea, tunes and friends.”

Whether it’s puppies, pandas or cake that make you smile it’s time to get tweeting as today is the last day to win that hamper.

How or what to wear

So, which look to go for? Scary or sexy? Funny or cute? No matter what you’re doing, heading to a party or out in town for the night a bit of creative effort is called for. Brilliant for some, but what if you don’t feel great about yourself, if your body image is pretty poor anyway.

Feeling judged

Even if you’re not entering a competition for your outfit, it can be pretty competitive out there, and we’re not just talking about Halloween anymore.

A recent Dáil na nÓg Council survey of young people and body image came out with some interesting, yet no so surprising results. Those questioned between the ages of 10 to 21 said that for girls peer pressure or comparing themselves to other girls had the largest negative impact on their body image. Bullying was deemed to have the most negative impact on boys’ body image.

Caring about your appearance

Our body image is made up of how we see ourselves, as well as how we think others see us. Sure, it’s a good thing to care about your appearance and when you do, should you not care what others think?

There is a limit though. Like everything else moderation is the key. When anything gets to a stage where it has a negative impact, something needs to be done.

Loving the skin you’re in

Feeling bad about how you look can be all consuming, and can interfere with your social life, not just at costume party time.

The good news is if you’ve negative body image, you can change it without changing your body. After all, the way you look is not who you are. Your physical appearance is just a small part of what you offer to the world.

If you’re happy with yourself, you won’t give yourself a hard time making comparison and what other people say matters less.

Changing those negative thoughts

Developing a positive body image can be hard work, but so worth it. Whenever you hear that little voice telling you you’re too fat, skinny, small, tall or have wonky something, stop it. It’s actually your voice so you can.

Learning to challenge negative self-talk is a skill for life, and starting it with how you think about your body is a good first step.

If you’re still thinking easier said than done, yes it is, no doubt about it. There are always going to people you compare yourself to. Unfortunately, there will also always be people who say something they shouldn’t about how you look. Just, remind yourself of people who are self-confident and comfortable in their skin (not cocky, but self-assured) and aren’t they just nicer to be around?

Catwoman, Wally, hobbit or zombie?

So, maybe start working on your body image by just having a bit of fun with your costume this Halloween and not taking it too seriously. Sure the bin bag and mask is still making an effort, right?

There are a lot of angry, disappointed football fans out there this week. Only the very optimistic would have expected a win for Ireland last Friday. The game against Germany was more of a massacre than a loss, with a final score of six – one to Germany.

Disappointment

We will all experience disappointment at some stage and more often it will be a lot more personal than a football match.

Express it

Disappointment can lead to a rage of emotions such as anger, hurt and sadness. Sometimes it can be hard to admit when we’re disappointed.

At times it feels easier to try to laugh to off. But, it’s OK to talk about how you feel. It helps you vent and get things into perspective.

Learning

It’s hard when things don’t work out the way you hope. Talking about it will help you figure why it didn’t work out. Finding out what you can try differently will improve your chances next time round.

Changing thoughts

Dwelling on “what could have been” isn’t helpful. Don’t beat yourself up about things you’d no control over.

Making yourself feel bad could prevent you from trying again.

Looking to the future

Use the things you learned to move forward. Now that you know what hasn’t worked in the past, concentrate on what does. The Irish team is definitely not letting this defeat get them down and is looking ahead to tonight’s game against the Faroe Islands.

Stand-in captain for Friday’s game John O’Shea has been quoted as saying “Obviously we are still massively disappointed by how it went the other night. We cannot forget it but hopefully we can move on from it.”

Let’s hope that they can learn from their disappointment and “bring it” tonight. COYBIG.

The underdogs

No surprise, but we’re the underdogs. Despite winning our last game against Kazakhstan, scoring two goals in the last two minutes, Germany are still the clear favorites. One of the reasons being a spate of injuries that have befallen the Irish team.

Injuries

Giovanni Trapattoni’s planned team for the game has been destroyed by the loss a several key players.

Opportunity

It could be easy to be disheartened by the absence of certain players. It’ll certainly be a challenge for the team. But in this challenge lies a silver lining.

The situation provides an excellent opportunity for some of our younger and less weathered players to gain some valuable experience. In fact it’s necessary to insure future years of great Irish football.

Learning from experience

We all have challenges in life but one thing we can learn from the Irish team is to try and see the hidden opportunities. It can be really hard but tough times don’t last forever and what we learn from these experiences will benefit us for years to come. One of the things that makes this possible is support from family and friends.

The best fans

Winning would be an unexpected treat but even if we don’t manage it the Irish always win in term of having the best fans anyways. To be sure, to be sure.

The Ploughing Championships

Festival-goers are already beginning to pour into New Ross, Co Wexford in their thousands. The weather might be damp but spirits certainly are not!

Part of the fun of the annual event is catching up on all the news with neighbours, relatives and friends from other parts of the country.

But with levels of emigration rising all the time, especially amongst young people, there are sure to be some missing faces in the crowd this year.

Missing faces

Lots of questions will be asked about absent daughters, sons, brothers, sisters and friends.

How are they coping with their new lives abroad? Is there any work to be had in London, Sydney, Toronto or wherever the wind has taken them?

Emigrating is a challenging experience for anyone. Managing your independence and leaving friends and family behind can be a struggle.

Feeling isolated

But what about those who are left behind? Life may look like it’s business as usual, but shrinking social circles can leave us feeling isolated and lonely.

We might still have friends around and people who love and support us, but it can feel like the familiar faces are slowly slipping away.

Friendships are so important. We need people to turn to for advice and comfort, or just a listening ear.

Staying in touch

While everyone around you might seem to be disappearing, staying in Ireland obviously makes sense for you right now.

That’s why you need to focus on staying positive and on keeping in touch with friends, at home and abroad.

Long-distance relationships take work, but luckily, the internet makes communication so much easier. Google Chat, Skype and webcams can help you feel like people on the other side of the planet are just around the corner.

Make the effort

Push yourself to make the effort. You don’t need to send your friend a 1000 – word email, not if you don’t feel like it anyway.

Just drop them a line every now and then to let them know you’re thinking about them.

Or you could try writing them a letter. Sending a hand-written message through the post is a really great way to let someone know you care.

Making new friends

Meeting new people can also help relieve any feelings of isolation. They’re not going to replace your old friends of course, but it’s always great to gain new ones.

So if you’re dropping into the National Ploughing Championships this week, keep our tips in mind.

Make sure to take some photos of all the fun – it’ll help to keep friends and family overseas in the loop about what you’re up to.

Look at it as an opportunity to make some new friends or maybe even strengthen existing bonds with school mates or cousins. You might find you have more friends in Ireland than you thought you did.

And try to stay positive. Who knows? A few years down the line, the Ploughing Championships might be a good excuse for your absent friends to plan a reunion at home.

Growing work loads

There are school shirts to iron, grants to apply for, essays to write and the carefree days of summer now seem like a distant memory.

It can be easy to feel like you’re slowly being buried under a mound of tasks and assignments.

The colder weather too can make us feel like hibernating at home when we have a free evening.

Don’t neglect yourself

But with increased work loads, also comes the responsibility to look after ourselves so we don’t get snowed under.

You’ve made time for that essay on French literature, now make time for yourself.

Catch up with friends, go see a movie, but most importantly, get out of the house.

Get out and about

If your life is beginning to seem like one long return journey between school and your bed, then you’ll know what we’re talking about.

A change of scene, a little stimulation or a dash of culture can snap you out of it and refresh your tired brain.

After all, we need regular injections of fun and excitement to prepare us for a long season of study and assignments.

Culture Night

There are no excuses, especially when tonight sees the return of Culture Night, an evening when venues, galleries, studios and theatres all over Ireland open their doors to the public for free.

It’s just the motivation we need to leave the house when it’s getting colder and the evenings are getting shorter.

From Jazz singing in the Unitarian Church at St Stephen’s Green in Dublin to “Art in the Park” in Fitzgerald Park, Cork city, there’s something to please everyone around the country tonight.

Sneak a peek at the workings of the Dublin Buddhist Centre who will be opening their doors all day for a series of workshops on Mindfulness, meditation and much more, sure to banish the back-to-school blues!

Or head along for a creative writing session or film workshop with Waterford Youth Arts at the Arch on Barrack Street, who will be opening their doors from 6pm.

Seize the night

All across the country, students will be closing their books and forsaking their laptops once 5pm rolls around this evening.

Be one of them! Call your friends, check out the Culture Night program and head on out around town for some cultural stimulation tonight.

Your head will thank you for it.

For these three days the skills these young people display are being embraced for doing their thang, instead of ostracised. More of this please!

Drawing large crowds

Kings of concrete started in 2006 and draws massive crowds of all ages. The festival is hardly a niche thing but like mental health, skating and painting has had a bit of a stigma attached to them.

Numerous benefits

It promises, as always, to be a very vibrant and creative experience. Regularly engaging in activities and feeling part of a community is a massive protective factor for depression.

In fact the ethos of Kings of Concrete is “Do Something” – get up off your ass, get out there and get stuck in, life’s too short not to…;ya dig!?

We couldn’t agree more, telling us, in no uncertain terms, that getting involved with activities like these has numerous benefits.

ReachOut.com will be there

We’ll be there over the three days, with our basketball competition. At ReachOut.com young people are at the centre of everything we do. But, there are other reasons why we need to be at events like Kings of Concrete.

Why are we’re there

There’s a lot of focus on negative mental health, often only referring to it in terms of disorders. Mental health is part of our every day life and the fact is mental health, just like physical health can be good or bad and needs just as much looking after.

Take a look at some of the ways you can look after your mental health.

Good to talk

Having a presence at places like Kings of Concrete is a reminder that there are mental health services available for young people. We’re there to demonstrate that it’s OK to talk about mental health in a fun way.

Find us!

You won’t be made to talk about your feelings! Just come over and shoot some hoops this weekend. So head on down to Kings of Concrete, Hanover Quay, beside the Tall Ships festival and experience some of the positive vibes from this vibrant community.

1. The importance of mental fitness cannot be underestimated.

The Australian team were offered sessions with a clinical psychologist in their recovery centres. They would debrief and relax, working through other stress-management techniques throughout the competition.

“Some athletes will have counselling or learn breathing or sleeping techniques, others will simply listen to music or practice positive visualisations of their disciplines.”

2. Resilience is important for everyone and we can learn it.

Kelly Holmes, Olympic Gold medal winer, now mentors young athletes deeming mental strength and focus to be everything as well as working through the tough times.

“…experience proves a lot to people. If they can get through the bad times then they are more likely to come through and make the most of the good times.”

3. Our ideas of body perfection are quite skewed.

What’s perfect? Who says so? Perfect for what? See this collection of photographs of different Olympians showing huge variations in size and shape.

Check-in on your own body image. 

4. Breaking things down into familiar chunks helps you achieve your goals.

Adzo Kpossi, at 13-years-old was the youngest athlete and could have been completely overwhelmed. But, when competing in the 50m freestyle, was asked if she was excited, Kpossi said, “No, no, no. I am used to it. I went to the world championships in Shanghai last year, so this wasn’t my first time swimming in a big pool.”

Learn about setting your own goals. 

5 . We all need to acknowledge our achievements and the work that we’ve done.

After 19-year-old Steven Solomon came last in his 400 metre final, he told Australia’s Channel Nine TV, “I’m really happy. Although I came last in the final, I got to the final. I gave it absolutely everything I had.”

6. Positive self-talk is crucial to “go all the way to the very top”.

As demonstrated by our very own Katie Taylor and so we blogged about it. 

7. Clearly great minds think alike!

Our annual film competition is called “Inspire a generation” just like the London Olympics programme. 

So there!

Believing in yourself

Even as an eleven-year-old Katie had phenomenal belief in herself and her abilities “I’m going all the way to the very the top”.  

The power of positive thought

It’s taken a lot of hard work to get Katie to where she is today but her first step was believing in herself. In those moments before a fight, or anything with a lot of pressure, when it’s just you and that little voice in the back of your head, what that voice says can make all the difference. Positive self-talk is vital to achieving your goals. 

Negative-talk

We all have it from time-to-time, the little voice niggling away telling us we’re not good at something, that makes you compare yourself to someone else in a way that’s not helpful. But for some this voice can take over.

Learning to challenge this negative-talk can be a big job in itself but necessary to help you achieve your goals and manage stress.

There are a number of common thinking errors that are worth taking note so you can catch them when they come up.

Going for gold!

We’re not all going to be heading into the ring for a few rounds. Phew! But there are events in everyday life that can seem like that so getting on top of self-talk is a skill for life.

So let Katie be an inspiration to start challenging any negative-thinking you might have today. 

Learning from previous attempts

Never fear! It doesn’t matter if you’re not where you’d hoped to be. Today is the first day of the rest of your life. With everything you’ve learned from your latest attempt, these goals are as good as yours this time round.  

New beginning

Summer is drawing to a close, so everyone is moving back into old routines or embarking on new ones. Whether you’re going back to college or feeling relaxed after a summer holiday, starting a new year or a change of schedule is a good time to make some changes. Autumn and winter provide plenty of long nights-in to practice that guitar, learn French or dance your heart out in some sitting room zumba sessions. 

Making new goals

The best way to work towards what you want is to set goals. This means writing down what you want to achieve and then breaking it down into small manageable steps.  

Realistic goals

The trick is, make sure your goals are realistic. It’s so easy to put unrealistic expectations on ourselves about how much we can get done. Being unrealistic will just be setting you up for failure. So start small and chat to a friend or family member to ensure your goal is achievable. 

Identifying barriers

It’s easy to start off with the best of intentions but sometimes life just gets in the way. If your goals now are similar to the resolutions you made at the beginning of the year, look at what got in the way. Maybe you found it difficult to make enough time or struggled with motivation. Identifying those barriers from the get-go will helps you plan how to overcome them, making it much easier to achieve your goals.

This weekend in Clonakilty, they’re hosting the first ever Random Acts of Kindness Festival. They say on their website “We believe that this positivity and kindness will multiply and spread throughout the locality creating a special atmosphere.”

Why the effort?

What’s the deal with doing random acts of kindness anyway? Why would you put effort into something, and not expect anything back?

Well, research has shown that doing nice things for other people is actually good for your own mental health and happiness. They can even be the little things like a hug. It’s all about the little things.  

Live longer and healthier

People who are kind to others tend to live longer lives. In addition, they’re less likely to get sick or have aches and pains. Some research has shown that the benefits of happiness from volunteering is more likely to improve your quality of life than exercising and can be just as beneficial as quitting smoking!

Feel good!

You know that good feeling you get after helping someone out? There’s actually a term for that – “helper’s high” When we experience a helper’s high, our brain releases dopamine, one of those “feel good chemicals” in the brain. When our brains release dopamine, we are more likely to think positively and feel more relaxed.

Lower stress and depression

The knock-on effect of helper’s high then helps you feel less stressed and anxious. Helping others also significantly reduces symptoms of depression, especially in young people. In one study, young people who volunteered for the sole purpose of helping others were three times happier then young people who volunteered for other reasons.  

Meeting new people

Random acts of kindness and volunteering helps bring people together. It’s a great way to meet new, like-minded people. You never know who you’ll meet.

Get started

So, if volunteering and helping others makes you so happy, you live longer, healthier, and it reduces anxiety and depression why not start paying it forward? The best part about helping others? It’s free! It only costs you a smile and as they say in Clonakilty, the positivity can multiply and spread.

Finding work isn’t easy at the moment. This is particularly true when you don’t have much experience and are just looking for a summer job.

Options are limited, and this can leave you short of funds to spend the break as you’d like. It also means the weeks can really start to drag.

Volunteering

Without wanting to get corny, feeling like you’re doing worthwhile work, volunteering, and helping people who need it can have a great effect on the way you feel too. 

Working for nothing can be hard to get your head around initally, but as well as the feel-good factor, it looks great on a CV, so it’ll improve your chances of finding some work in the future.

It could also be worth contacting companies or independent workers involved in areas of interest to you and offer them any help you can provide. Look to improve any skills you may have or pick up new ones. Collect a reference or two while you’re at it.

Routine

Keeping some semblance of a routine together over the summer is great for your state of mind. Dividing your time between your bed and couch can be good for a while, but it soon starts to get pretty dull and can through your sleeping patterns out of whack. 

If volunteer work doesn’t appeal, taking on some projects can be a a good way of giving your time-off some structure. Using the summer to learn something new will give you a great sense of achievement. 

This could be any number of things, from trying to get fit to learning an instrument or craft. Watching all eleven series of Cheers on boxset might not do the job quite as well.

Holidays 

Getting abroad may not look possible for some guaranteed sun, so heading away in Ireland for a few days with friends might be a good alternative. As long as no one says ‘staycation’.

A change of scenery is refreshing, and when it comes down to it, the company tends to be more important than the location.

Fenella, our very own research and evaluation officer, along with five friends from Cork have decided to climb Kilimanjaro, the highest peak in Africa and the highest free-standing mountain in the world. Here, she gives us the how and why…

“It’s an incredible challenge and an amazing opportunity to climb to 6,000 meters, hiking from rain forest to arctic like conditions in six days and reaching the peak on the morning of the sixth day in time to see the sun rise over Africa. We are due to start our climb on the 27 July 2012 and arrive back down on the 1 August 2012.

Training

We all started out with different levels of fitness and we’re mostly training on our own trying to build up overall fitness. Between us all, we’re going to the gym, running, swimming, doing kettle-bells, cycling and playing soccer. We also get together to do some practice climbs at weekends as well. This is probably the most important part of training, but unfortunately the most time-consuming and most weather dependent.

Sense of achievement

Setting ourselves a goal like this is such a great motivator to get fit and we get a real sense of achievement from the training. Being able to reach the top of one of the Kerry mountains or run an extra kilometre than we could before feels great so we can only imagine the sense of achievement and pride we’ll feel if (fingers crossed) we all make it to the top of Kilimanjaro.

Keeping our spirits up

Climbing Kilimanjaro is as much a mental challenge as it is a physical one, by all accounts. Feeling prepared is so important and all the planning and talking things through that we’re doing helps in making sure we all feel ready and believe we can do it. Having each other’s support while climbing will keep our spirits up and help ensure we all reach the top!

ReachOut.com

We’ve chosen to do this climb in aid of ReachOut.com as we all feel it is an organisation that is close to our hearts and is very worthwhile. We’ve all been through tough times in our lives and we’ve each had to help friends with things that they’ve gone through.

ReachOut.com is here 24/7 as a support to help us deal and cope with our own tough times and to provide information about how best to help a friend through something too. We’ve also been reading up on the minding your mental health section about self-talk, setting goals and Mindfulness. These have given us some great tips and information to make sure we’re mentally prepared for the climb.

Thanks for all support

Our family and friends are a great suppport to us and we’d like to thank them all for this, especially Coláiste Chríost Rí Secondary School in Cork who have done a fundraising no-uniform day in aid of ReachOut.com. If you’d like to help us reach our fundraising goal, you can donate on the Inspire/ReachOut.com mycharity page.”

Some of the team are pictured here climbing Mangerton Mountain in Co Kerry. 

It’s not hibernation time

We have lonnnng winters. That last one started in 2009. We’ve been wrapped up in doors, and now summer is the time when we surface, sometimes seeing friends we don’t see during the winter. Yay, for BBQs on long summer evenings. (Lidl has been very wisely selling cheap marquees, all over the country.)

Music festivals and free events too

If you don’t have the cash to head to one of the bigs ones left, or to get away to one with sun, there’s heaps of free events all over the country. We’re particularly looking forward to Kings of Concrete at the end of August. Catch an outdoor screening of a movie in meeting house square Dublin, or get your face painted at Spraoi Waterford. Keep an eye out for free days out. 

Daylight hours

Longer days means more time and energy. It does, honestly! The days are still long, even if it’s not all sunshine. Use those extra hours in the day. Learn to play an instrument, walk, run, speak Klingon or juggle fire, see if there’s an outdoor gym near your, or whatever suits and is a bit different.

Holidays 

Getting out of the house and the everyday routine is good for us. If you don’t have much cash, camping on the Aran Islands won’t guarantee sunshine but it’s a guaranteed change in the auld routine.

Sunshine

Ok we’ve had those few warm weeks here and there but in between has been a bit brrr. But, there is the chance to absorb some of those vitamin D happy hormones. Dr Harry Barry has recently said it’s important for us to get outside for at least 30 minutes a day and be without sunscreen for 30 minutes as well. 

Work experience

You may not be one of the lucky few to have landed a paid job for the summer but not to worry. There are heaps of voluntary internships and positions and it’s not too late to apply. Learning and applying new skills while working in an area you’re passionate about is great way to build up work experience and get great references too.

Salad days

Summer is the season of juices, summer salads and cider (made from apples so it’s like eating fruit, right?). Not having the time to shop and prepare healthy meals is no longer an excuse. Summer means lots of cheap in season fruit and vegetables so get creating.

We’re slap bang in the middle of National Volunteering Week. So what’s the story with volunteering anyway, working for free? Why would you bother? 

Well, it turns out, volunteering is not only good for your community but it’s good for you too. So, if you’ve got some spare time on your hands this summer why not give it a go? 

Here are six reasons why you should:

1. Mental health – volunteering is great for your mental health and has been shown to help with depression. Taking time out from your own stresses and problems to help others can really lift your mood. 
    
2. Work experience – nowadays having relevant work experience on your CV is becoming more and more important for getting a job. Volunteering is great work experience. If you’re off school or college this summer, looking for work or just looking to change jobs then it’s the way to go.  Most employers count volunteering as practical work experience.  
    
3. New skills – volunteering enables you to learn new skills, put those you have already learnt into practice and get great references too. You also get the added bonus of having heaps of demonstrated experience to talk about when you finally do get that interview.
    
4. Meet new people – one of the best ways to make new friends and future contacts for work is volunteering. Through volunteering you get to meet and participate in fun activities with like-minded people. 
    
5. Positive change – volunteering allows you to help make change in something you are passionate about while connecting with your community and making it a better place. That sense of satisfaction you get when you know you are part of something that’s making a difference is priceless. 
    
6. It makes you happy – helping others makes you happier. True story. In a poll by the National Volunteering Network, 98% of respondents said volunteering has made them happier people. 

So, no more excuses! If you’re short on time try these random acts of volunteering from the Volunteer Ireland site. 

Get involved with ReachOut.com. Some of our awesome volunteers are pictured here. 

Amazing life-changing technology is being developed as we speak. Men, soon the time-consuming mundane task of shaving could be a thing of the past.

Scientists in Philadelphia are working on a gel to prevent facial hair growth in men. Although the ads make out like it’s a spiritual experience, it’s estimated that men spend an average of 125 days shaving in their lifetime. Hmmm.

So what would you do with an extra 125 days?

Before you get overexcited planning…check out ReachOut.com’s top five tips to make sure those extra days are happy ones.

1. Hit the gym. Or the court, or field, or whatever and get some exercise. Exercise makes you happy. It’s not rocket science, but it is science. Exercise releases happy hormones so staying fit and healthy is really just an awesome side effect. With the stunning weather we’re having this week and evenings getting longer you can soak up some vitamin D too.
2. Invest in your relationships. Heading down the pub with your mates is fun but it’s also good for your mental health. Bargain. Having a close support network can really help when you’re going through a tough time. It’s easy to fall into the habit of staying in with a copy of Skyrim, hibernating in the winter months. Invest some of your extra time in your mates the return will be priceless.
3. Practice gratitude. It’s easy to take things for granted but realising what we’re thankful for can actually make us happier. Taking time out to focus on the positives can change your perspective for the better, especially when you’re in a bad mood.
4. Spread the love. Smiling is contagious. Doing something nice for someone else can make you feel good as well as them.
5. Have a lie in/or not. Getting enough sleep is vital. Just remember in the case of sleep you can have too much of a good thing so don’t stay in bed all day.

None of these things take a humongous amount of time or effort so even if you don’t bother with the gel and grow a beard, making time to fit these tips into your daily life is a good idea.

Tallafornia, it’s Ireland’s answer to Jersey shore. Even if you haven’t seen it, you’ll have heard about it.

Real life

Drinking, hooking up and vajazzeling. Isn’t that real life? Isn’t that what all young people are at these days?

It’s St Patrick’s Day this weekend, and the day itself has gotten a pretty bad reputation over the years too. We Irish we drink too much and lose the run of ourselves.

All this on top of our go-nowhere economy, huge unemployment and emigration issues.

Hold on…

People from all over the world are flying in this weekend to see us, pretend to be us (or version of us in large green hats), wanting to be kissed quick!

We’re continually taking blows to our sense of morale and identity these days, so for the weekend that’s in it, lets get back some Irish pride.

An Irishman walked into a bar…

We’re funny people, known and revered all over for our wit and story telling ability. True story.

Sporting chance

We are clearly going to win in the rugby tomorrow. Then there’s the Euro championships to look forward to.

Eurovision

This could really be the year we rightfully take back our crown, thanks to Jedward.

What else?

Irish music (the good stuff, there’s lots of it), GAA, Guinness, Irish butter, Penneys, red lemonade, Barry’s tea, Tayto/King crisps, Kimberly biscuits, ejits and everything being grand.

Ellen

Everyone loves Ellen de Generes, apparently, and this weekend she will be presenting her show from here. Kinda hoping no-one from Tallafornia is on it though, or the jig is up.

Take a look at self-esteem and self-talk every now and then for some tips to counteract doses of negativity.

Don’t forget mums on Sunday!

We interviewed Oliver about what inspired him to run for ReachOut.com, the challenges he has faced so far and how he is working through them.

Tell us a bit about yourself.

I’m a trainee accountant based in Louth. I received a BA in Economics, Politics and Law from Dublin City University and am currently working and studying accountancy. When I’m not working or running, I enjoy debating, Gaelic football, movies and music.

Why do you want to raise money for ReachOut.com?

I feel it is very important to highlight the challenges that young people in Ireland face. Mental health is something that is often not spoken about at all, or when it is, there is still a strong stigma attached to it. Mental health issues affect everyone at some stage in their lives; I feel it is vital that there is support out there for young people, specifically so that they do not go through their 20s and 30s carrying this burden. As soon as these issues present themselves, they should be treated head on – ReachOut.com is a service dedicated to providing quality assured mental health information for young people and highlights inspiring real life stories by young people to help other young people get through tough times. This is why I want to ‘Run for Reachout!’

Why so many marathons?

I thought this would be a novel way to draw interest and money for ReachOut.com. Also, doing and completing so many marathons gives me a great sense of focus and drive.

What has been the biggest challenge you have faced since you started preparing for the marathons?

The biggest challenge so far was that I had to stop training for a couple of weeks as I injured my knees while hill training over Christmas. Raising money is equally challenging but I’m up for it!  In relation to raising money, there have been many challenges in terms of educating myself in the whole area of using blogging and social media, including Facebook, Twitter, MyCharity and WordPress – I’ll be using these a lot more in the future!

How have you overcome this?

As far as my training is concerned, my recovery time allowed me to re-think my training and now I have started to incorporate Power Yoga into my training so as to prevent more injuries (hopefully!) It also gave me a chance and the time to learn about social media and get advice from my friends and colleagues for information on how to get the word out about my running and ReachOut in general.

Follow Oliver’s story

You can follow Oliver’s journey through his blog, facebook and twitter. We will also be keeping you updated on Oliver’s adventures here.

Whatever your reasons, Lent is still a big deal on the Irish calendar and it’s generally about self-sacrifice. It does provide a good excuse to change bad habits or take up new healthier ones.

Though in these times of austerity and cut-backs the idea of depriving ourselves more of life’s little pleasures can seem a bit daunting.

So, how about a different approach this year?

Practicing self-care is one of the best changes you can make and while still having biscuits with your tea.

Self-care

It’s really about bringing balance; giving ourselves time to think and unwind. It involves identifying your own needs and asking for help when you need it. 
Imagine thinking positively and treating yourself with the kindness you treat others?

The challenge

Most of us don’t have heaps of time or money to spend on ourselves. Luckily, looking after yourself doesn’t mean going away to a spa. Taking time out from a busy day for some reflection can make a huge difference.

Is it a bit selfish?

Hmmm, no. It can feel like if we prioritise ourselves we’re being selfish, but if you’re not OK you won’t be able to help others. Like with those oxygen masks you get on planes, put your own on first before you attend to others.

The same goes for life, the day-to-day stuff. We’re not much help to anyone if we’re burnt out.

Why it’s worth it

Taking time out to look out for yourself will lessen your stress levels and make you feel good about life. 
Practicing self-care can make you a better friend along with increasing your own self-worth.

Your mission

Should you choose to accept it…is do something nice for yourself every day for the next 40 days.

Stuck for ideas?

Everyone is different so the same things won’t work for everybody.  The trick is finding activities that help you relax, reflect, de-stress and enjoy life. Go for a walk, learn something new, meditate, have a bath, spend time with people you love or just take time out for a cuppa (with biscuits) and reflect on the day.

Whatever works for you, it’s your Lent.

Awards night

First runner up

Young film maker Dara McLoughlin came runner up in the 2011 Inspire A Generation film competition.  He tells ReachOut.com about what inspired him to make the film. The challenges he faced and what he most enjoyed about the process.

Whats your film about?

My film is about mental health awareness, highlighting a few of the possible areas in which an issue can contribute towards a mental health problem. Observing that, by reacting and dealing with these issues in a positive manner is what defines what having good mental health is.

What inspired you to make this film?

The inspiration of the film came from reading various material promoting mental health awareness and from this a sentence was formed that created the core concept of my film. ‘Good mental health is not about having no mental health problems, but it is how we react and cope with difficult situations while maintaining a positive outlook on life.’ 
From this I felt I could make a film in a way that could target everyone and openly discuss mental health issues in a positive and friendly manner.

Were there any challenges in making this film?

What I found challenging about the process was keeping a balance of seriousness and humor between the narration of the film against the animation in the film. Meaning that I could keep it entertaining while maintaining the importance of the message within the piece.

What did you enjoy most about the process?

What I enjoyed most was the concept stage. Writing the story and designing the visuals, and coming up with the process into how the two parts would connect and interact with one another.

Second runner up

Stephen Power’s film “Unfold” came runner up in the 2011 Inspire A Generation film awards.  Stephen talks to us about what inspired him to make the film. The challenges he faced and what he enjoyed most about making the film.

What is your film about?

We accompany a character who represents the hero we can all become. He initially struggles with low self esteem, but throughout his journey learns how to conquer these feelings. The message is that your life is yours to unfold.

What inspired you to make this film?

Self Esteem is suffered by everyone at some stage in their lives. I just felt it was a subject that was not discussed regularly enough. I believe anyone can achieve whatever they want to achieve and low self esteem can prevent that from happening. We live in a highly competitive world and sometimes I think that other stronger issues that are more directed towards a smaller audience can overshadow issues like self esteem.

What were some of the challenges?

The biggest challenge was creating the characters world and choosing a style for animation. Since the message of the film is, ‘Your life is yours to Unfold’, I decided to hand make everything with paper and then scan it into a computer for animating

What did you enjoy about the process?

Although this was challenging, I really enjoyed the process of creating something from scratch, and seeing it move through the various stages to completion.

View all other entries.

Body image is a term that keeps popping lately, whether it’s about H&M using computer generated models, dangerously skinny models or plastic surgery gone wrong.

So what does it mean

Body image refers to how we feel about the way we look, or how we see ourselves. It’s influenced by our own attitudes, beliefs and self-esteem as well as society, the media and our friends.

It’s not news that images in the media and fashion publications portray an unrealistic representation of how people really look. Only around 5% of women are the right height and weight ratio to be supermodels. Then by the time we see pictures of them hair stylists, make up artists, lighting and not to forget the air-brushing have been involved.

Easier said than done

We all know this but when we’re bombarded with images of  “perfection” it’s easy to forget and it’s only human nature to start comparing ourselves.

Unrealistic

It may be some solace to know that even the models in the pictures themselves find it a real challenge. Last week, Ananda Marchildon, winner of Holland’s Next Top Model announced she is suing Elite modelling agency after they refused to work with her because they say she is “too fat”.

All this despite her weighing less then she did when she won the show. If this is the pressure put on 92cm waisted super models, what hope do we normals have?

Everyone has their own hang ups, ask anyone. Even your most confident friend can tell you at least one thing they’re self conscious about off the top of their head.

Becoming a problem

We all have days where we wake up with a new spot on our face or have a bad hair day and just feel crap. If you’re feeling bad about the way you look to the extent that it interferes with your normal everyday life then it’s an issue and you should speak to someone about it.

Be realistic and don’t obsess

Having realistic expectations of ourselves is the first step to feeling good about who we are. What you look like is not a refection of who you are.

A recent study has shown that the more we look in the mirror the less confident we feel about our looks. People who spend less time looking in the mirror tend to focus on the bits of themselves they like. So take some advise from the high school musical star Monique Coleman and get out of the mirror.

Take a look at body image.

Without work it’s easy to loose confidence in yourself. But there are things you can do to stay active and motivated.

Work for free

Volunteering is a good way to get that all so precious on-the-job experience. As well as doing something cool for your community you get to learn new skills, get good references for your CV and gain  practical work experience.

Routine

Watching TV or playing video games all night then sleeping all day may seem like one of the few perks of being jobless but it’s easy enough to get stuck in rut that way. Sure, it’s ok every now and then, but eating and sleeping well and regularly are vital to staying happy and motivated.

Talk to someone

Theres no denying it. Being unemployed can suck. Not having something you absolutely have to get out of bed for, rejection letters and not enough cash wears a bit thin. If you’re feeling down, talk to somebody about it. The stress and pressure of looking for work can skew our views of ourselves and our world, talking to someone you trust will put things back in perspective and help you de-stress.

Stay confident

The longer you are looking for work the harder it feels. Try to remember the skills you have are valuable. No matter how awesome you and your CV are, you are going to get rejection letters or no response at all.

Remember this is not a reflection on you as a person but on understaffed overworked HR departments. If you are getting a negative response over and over again you may need to change your approach.  Reworking your CV, volunteering and up-skilling can all give you a new edge. Read applying for jobs for more tips.

Stay connected

If you’re looking for work it’s likely that you can’t afford to go out much. Don’t use this as an excuse not to see your friends. Remember a lot of people are feeling the pinch right now. Calling over to a friends house for a cuppa and a chat is free. Staying in is still the new going out.

Look at it as an opportunity

Ok, this is much easier said than done but try to look at the positives if you can. You may not have any money but it’s likely  you have time.

Remember that novel you always wanted to write but just never got around to? Or how you always wanted to get fit but could never find the time? Good thing you can’t afford those gym fees anymore, they’re awful places, go for a run outside .

Now’s your chance. Put a few hours aside each day to do something for yourself, you know, the way you never can when you’re working for the man.

Take a break

Stop listening to the news for a while. It’s de-motivating to hear about unemployment rates all the time. Some people, people like you, have gotten jobs in the last year so you don’t need to media telling you all the time you can’t.

If you’re looking for work, take a look at this article on applying for jobs.

This week we have been travelling all around Ireland again, invading colleges with our Note to Self campaign. But what is note to self all about?

Note to self

This campaign that involves the ReachOut.com team and volunteers rocking up to most of the college campuses around the country. You’ll recognise us by our stand with heaps of free postcards. You can’t really miss our giant post box.

What’s it for?

The point is for  people to write a positive message to themselves on the postcard and we post it back to them at a date in the future. It’s a way of getting out there to meet you guys, bring some positivity to your day and of making it OK to talk about mental health issues on campus.

The power of positive thinking

It may not come as a surprise but our harshest critics are often ourselves. It is easy to place unrealistic expectations on ourselves and even easier to forget to pat ourselves on the back when we do well.

Self-talk

You know that little voice that can tell you you’re stupid when you make a mistake. Thats our self-talk. When we get into a pattern of negative thinking, that little voice can make us feel pretty bad about ourselves. But it’s possible to make that voice a positive one.

Chaining the soundtrack in your head

Note to Self makes us think of something positive to say to our future selves. In a similar way it’s possible to change our self-talk on a day to day basis. It can take some time and practice but it ‘s worth it!

Read self-talk to see some exercises to turn your negative self-talk around.It also explains some common thinking errors to avoid.

Normally we’re told that we’re one of the happiest nations but in this poll it’s not the case. With Irish people not half as happy as the European average it’s hardly surprising considering the news we wake up to everyday.

With all the doom and gloom of recession and winter it can be easy to get bogged down with negativity. But it’s important to remember that there is heaps of cool stuff happening in 2012. Having something to look forward to and planning for the future help us  to stay positive.

With this in mind the team here at ReachOut.com have given their positive predictions for 2012 and shared what they’re most looking forward to.

Elaine: CEO

I’m looking forward to the Euro Championships 2012 which start in June. I was in Italy for the World Cup Finals in ’90 and USA ’94, so I know what an uplifting experience this is for the whole country – whether you travel or stay at home and soak it all up. This year, more than ever, an event like Euro 2012 will be embraced by everyone in Ireland – even if you don’t like the sport or understand the offside rule (!). If the Irish team only survive the group stages – it’ll still give everyone a lift. On another positive note the Irish ‘summer’ weather won’t make any difference as the championships are in the Ukraine and Poland! Bring it !

Roisin: Communications Officer

I can’t wait for summer! I am totally solar powered, so sunshine makes me happy. The nights are only going to get shorter from here on in and I’m really looking forward to spending some long summer evenings catching up with friends.

Not wishing the winter away too quickly I am super exited about (hopefully) seeing the northern lights in coming weeks. I have always wanted to see them and apparently this year will be Ireland’s best chance in over a decade. I have some friends in Donegal, they don’t know it yet, but I will be crashing their pad to check out this spectacular phenomena.

Naoise: Online Communications Manager

At the risk of sounding very nerdy, a term we battle with here in the office, I’m really looking forward to some of the up-coming projects for ReachOut.com. I know vomit, right? Particularly because I can’t say much more about them at this stage.

But 2012 is set to bring a few other cool things that I’m quite excited about for example: Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit (was my favourite book out of all of them – not really getting away from the nerdiness there, am I?), apparently fashion is going to get very 1920s because of The Great Gatsby, which I love, I will see puffins this year (yes the birds, it’s a mission), 2012 is easier to type than 2011 for some reason and the world’s not going to end.

Nigel: Community Engagement Intern.

199 days to go until the London 2012 Olympic Games and I can’t wait to go! Irish athletes are in a brilliant position to succeed with the likes of Katie Taylor, Derval O’ Rourke and Gráinne Murphy (to name a few) all competing for medals in boxing, athletics and swimming respectively.  It’s sure to be a spectacular highlight for me for the year ahead and offers us all the chance to witness some fantastic sports being played at the highest level. Let’s not forget that the Olympic Torch is set to travel to Dublin in June, its only detour outside of the UK!

Fenella: Research and Evaluation Officer

In the summer of 2012 a group of friends and I plan to climb Kilimanjaro, the highest peak in Africa and the highest free-standing mountain in the world. At nearly 6,000 meters high the climb is not only physically but also mentally demanding. It’s a challenge we’re accepting though and very much looking forward to. We’re also hoping to raise funds for ReachOut.com while we’re at it. So fingers crossed later this year you’ll see a picture of ReachOut.com t-shirt wearing climbers on top of the world!

Vince: Community Engagement Manager

As Dublin is the self-proclaimed City of Science in 2012, my prediction for next year has to be a science one. At the end of last year scientists apparently observed subatomic particles breaking the cosmic speed limit and travelling faster than the speed of light. If proven correct this would mean a revision of our current scientific knowledge as we know it….but there is a long way to go before then. I predict that they will find out that the observation is true. This will show us yet again that we always need to remain open minded and never to make assumptions….like a true scientist!

January is planning time! Resolutions, timetables and thinking ahead. So while we’re doing this we’ve also been reflecting on our highlights of 2011.

Note to self

Invading dozens of college campuses, we took our Note to self campaign on the road. We met thousands of people to spread the word about ReachOut.com and sent your positive messages to you with our postcard campaign.

Film competition

We launched the first ReachOut.com Inspire A Generation film competition in June 2011. There was an amazing response with so many talented young Irish filmmakers entering.

In November we hosted an awards night in the exclusive Denzille Cinema where we screened the winning videos. Check out our video of the night and see the winning entries.

Workshops

At the very swanky Google offices we held a fundraising workshop in June. One of our board members, John Foong, who works for Google, gave us some valuable insights on the day.  
We held a community awareness workshop for volunteers in October. Carl and Pia from Fleishman Hillard taught us a thing or two about community engagement in their offices.

Comedy night

At the Sugar Club we got our giggle on in July. As well we raising money for ReachOut.com, we got to hang out with our amazing volunteers and supporters and met four awesome comedians. The very generous comedians Fred Cooke, Shazwanda, Jack Wise and Eric Lalor were all hilarious on the night and gave us some tips about getting through tough times.

Rubberbandits

Our friends, the Rubberbandits, put on a gig in Dolans Warehouse in Limerick and donated all the proceeds to ReachOut.com. Yes, they are our friends, listen to them on the Tom Dunne show earlier that day.

Kings of concrete

July means one thing, Dublin’s Civic Offices is filled with boards, bikes, balls, beats and street art for Kings of concrete. ReachOut.com was there again in 2011 with our “shoot the hoops” competition. Heaps of fun was had and we put up some wicked murals too.

Oxegen

Although we’re gutted it’s taking a break this year we’re still reliving the craic we had at Oxegen ’11 giving it welly. We also ran into the awesome Laura Whitmore, Dan O Reilly from the Coronas and model and television presenter Glenda Gilson. Here’s the proof.

Institute of Art, Design and Technology (IADT) mural

In August, along with some of our amazing volunteers we invaded the IADT campus with spray paint in hand. With the help of dozens of IADT students and the students union we tagged the campus with a massive ReachOut.com tag and got to spread the word about ReachOut.com too.

None of these events would have been possible without our inspiring volunteers. You guys rock!
If you would like to volunteer for ReachOut.com and come hang with us at similar events this year check out get involved.

It’s great to start the year turning a new leaf, ending some bad habits or starting a new one. We can make resolutions every year even though we know how bad we can feel when we fail.

But in actual fact it’s not all about will power. Like most of us you may have been setting yourself up for failure from the start by setting unachievable goals.

Well no more! The good news is just because you didn’t achieve your goals before doesn’t mean you won’t be able to this time. There are some common pitfalls many of us fall into when making new year’s resolutions.

Goals

Whatever your resolution, making it into a goal is the best way to get there. Goals keep you focussed, motivated, and increase the chances of you getting what you want.

Be specific

Wanting “to be Fitter” sounds easy-ish but with no endpoint and no way to measure it, it would be easy to tell yourself you have failed. Instead try to think of the things that would make you fitter like going for a walk three times a week or joining your local football team. These things are much easier to measure and to track your progress.

Baby steps!

Sub-goals are the steps you need to take along the way to achieve your main goal. They help you plan and breaking things down into manageable sub-goals can stop you feeling like the task is too overwhelming.

Plan

Think about exactly what you’d like to achieve and write it down. Be sure to give yourself a  deadline to help you stay focussed. Make sure your  timeline is realistic. There is no way you can go from couch potato to running a marathon in a week, sorry.

Write it down

Writing down your goal and keep it where you can see it will help you stay motivated. Try writing it in your diary or stick it on your bedroom wall.

Be realistic

Having unrealistically high expectations increases your chances of failure. This will lower your enthusiasm, cause you anxiety all of which will not help you achieve your goal. Try to be nice to yourself. Achieving a smaller goal is better then being unrealistic, failing and giving up. Make researching your goal your first sub-goal.

Identify obstacles

In spite of good intentions, sometimes obstacles get in the way. These could be practical problems like lack of time or money. Try to anticipate any obstacles likely to arise and plan out how you’ll deal with them.

Focus on rewards

We feel more motivated when we think about the rewards of our hard work. Write down all the benefits you hope to gain by achieving your goal to motivate yourself.

Messing up is part of the process

Don’t beat yourself up if you miss one training session or eat one cookie. Tomorrow is another day.   Congratulate yourself for trying and think of how far you have come.

Read more about how relapse is a normal part of changing any behaviourand goal setting.

We’ve met some awesome people in 2011. Their involvement with us is helping getting the message out about ReachOut.com while sharing some tips on how they get through tough times.

Donal Skehan

The kitchen hero himself Donal Skehan told us about the importance of healthy eating and good mood food. He also demonstrated a hearty quick and cheap recipe for us. Nom, nom.

James O’Neill

James O’Neill from band Bitches with Wolves talked to us about how he manages such a hectic schedule.

Post-festival blues

At Oxegen 2011 we asked Laura Whitmore, Glenda Gilson, Dan O’Reilly from the Coronas what they do to combat those post-festival blues that be quite hellish.

We got our giggle on

We hosted a comedy night in July and spoke to the comedians Shazwanda, Fred Cooke, Jack Wise and Eric Lalor about how they deal with nerves and get through tough times.

So what do you think?

Clair Swinburne just launched her book, “So what do you think?” in December and is very kindly donating the proceeds to ReachOut.com.

Volunteers

Then of course there’s our volunteers, who a lot of the events we run couldn’t actually happen with out them. Here is a small snapshot of their work. On the off-chance that you’re kicking around the idea of volunteering in the new year, take a look at different ways you can get involved with us and met all the awesome people at ReachOut.com, ahem.