I’m walking in solidarity this October for Australians affected by mental illness and suicide. You are not alone. "The world is just a place for us to learn, we can do great things!"

I’m walking in solidarity this October for Australians affected by mental illness and suicide. You are not alone.

I’m walking in solidarity this October for Australians affected by mental illness and suicide. You are not alone.

One Foot Forward. For Bron. For me. For everyone who needs someone in their corner. 🖤 I love October. I always have. But this year, October has been tough. This is my third year participating in the Black Dog Institute's One Foot Forward challenge, raising funds in memory of my beautiful, frustrating, funny and much-loved sister, Bron, who we lost to suicide. Walking has become so much more than exercise for me. I love the time outdoors, being surrounded by nature, the forced slowing down, and the opportunity to simply be present. Sometimes that's with my own thoughts, sometimes it's with someone walking beside me. Some of my best conversations, deepest reflections and most important moments of clarity have happened with walking shoes on. Movement has quite literally changed my life. Physically and mentally. Five years ago, I was at my heaviest. After years of thinking about it, in 2021 I finally made the decision to have weight loss surgery. I started walking the day after my operation. I also engaged a therapist, because I knew that changing my body was only part of the challenge. Changing deeply ingrained habits, behaviours and the way I thought about myself was going to take just as much work. And it did. It still does. In 2023, I walked 828 kilometres on the Camino. It was an extraordinary experience, but what stayed with me wasn't just the distance or the physical achievement. It was the gift of slowing down. Of disconnecting from the noise of the online world. Of being present, having conversations that mattered, and discovering just how much space walking creates in your head and heart. Then we lost Bron. There are few words that adequately describe what losing someone to suicide does to a family. Alongside the overwhelming grief comes guilt, questions and endless what-ifs. Could we have done more? Should we have done something differently? If we'd done more, would she still be here? Those questions don't come with easy answers. Loving someone who lives with mental illness can be incredibly hard. And I think we need to be able to say that out loud. It's exhausting, heartbreaking and, at times, traumatic. You want so desperately for the person you love to get well. To see their own worth. To find happiness. To want the things you want for them. And sometimes you feel frustrated, angry, helpless and terribly sad when they can't. I certainly did. I remember Bron telling me that she experienced suicidal thoughts every single day, and that those thoughts were getting louder. I had absolutely no idea what that must have felt like for her. I heard her words, but I don't think I truly understood the depth of her pain. I just wanted her to love herself, to value herself, to stop being afraid of living. I wanted her to see what I saw. But mental illness isn't something you can simply love someone out of. And wanting someone to get better, no matter how desperately, doesn't mean they can. That's something I've had to come to terms with. I still miss Bron terribly. I still have moments when grief catches me completely off guard. I still laugh at memories of her, and I still think about how she could frustrate the absolute hell out of me. But I loved her. So very much. My first One Foot Forward challenge gave me something I didn't realise I needed. Time and space to walk, think, grieve, reflect and begin to heal. It gave me a way to do something positive with something so terribly painful. And that's why October has become so important to me. This year has brought its own challenges. I've been a little unwell, which has made walking harder than usual. And we recently lost my stepdad to cancer. He came into my life when I was young and loved me as though I were his own. Losing him has brought another layer of grief to an already emotional month. But I've kept putting one foot in front of the other. Some days further than others. Some days slower than I'd like. And perhaps that's the point. Movement doesn't make grief disappear. It doesn't fix mental illness or solve life's problems. But it gives us space to breathe, to process, to connect and sometimes just to get through another day. It's been one of the most important things I've done for my physical and mental health, and I know it will continue to be. I also participate because I genuinely believe in the work of the Black Dog Institute. Their research, education and resources are extraordinary. They're practical, accessible, written in plain language and available not only to people experiencing mental illness, but also to the families, friends and colleagues trying to support them. Around one in five Australians experience mental illness in any given year. Think about that for a moment. Chances are, more than one person in your life is struggling, whether you know it or not. And despite how common mental illness is, the stigma remains. We still don't talk about it enough. We still don't always know what to say, what to ask, or how to help. And sometimes we're so afraid of saying the wrong thing that we say nothing at all. That's another reason I love One Foot Forward. It's not just a walking challenge or a fundraiser. It's a reason to start conversations. To check in with someone. To listen without trying to fix everything. To remind people that they're not alone. As October draws to a close, I'm hoping to reach my modest fundraising target of $500. If you've made it this far through my rather long reflection, thank you. ❤️ If you're able to spare a few dollars, I'd be incredibly grateful for a donation. Every contribution supports the Black Dog Institute's work in mental health research, education and support. And if donating isn't possible, perhaps you could do something else for me. Go for a walk. Take someone with you. Put your phone away. Have a proper conversation. Ask how they're really doing. And listen. Because sometimes the most important thing we can give someone isn't advice, or answers. It's our time. Our presence. And the knowledge that they matter. For Bron. For Syd. For my own wellbeing. And for everyone carrying something the rest of us can't see. One foot in front of the other. 🖤 Please help me reach $500 :) #OneFootForward #BlackDogInstitute #MentalHealthMatters #SuicidePrevention #WalkingForMentalHealth

I’m walking in solidarity this October for Australians affected by mental illness and suicide. You are not alone.

As a survivor and someone who lives with acute mental illness and distress, I have dedicated myself to helping those who are walking through the same mud that I have previously walked through. I just wanted the world to stop so I could get off. However, if you hold on just a little longer and find the RIGHT support, you might just see the light at the end of the tunnel. It may be a long trek, and the mud may be deep, but you can get there

I’m walking in solidarity this October for Australians affected by mental illness and suicide. You are not alone.

I’m walking in solidarity this October for Australians affected by mental illness and suicide. You are not alone. I tracked this down after seeing it voiced on a TV commercial, I think you'll love it!

I’m walking in solidarity this October for Australians affected by mental illness and suicide. You are not alone and you will find happiness 💖