Larissa Redondo

Day 3- be kind

Studies have shown that it takes 3× positive interactions to outweigh 1x negative interaction. The words and the way we speak and act towards others matters. The way we speak about ourselves matters. Did you also know that suicide is the number 1 cause of death for people aged between 15 and 44 in Australia. For every death by suicide in Australia, it is estimated that there are 30 attempts made. Just take a moment to let that sink in... I went to this camp once and we did this activity to symbolically show the difference that 1 person than make. We were all outside at night time, it was pitch black and we were all holding unlit candles. You couldn't see the person next to you it was that dark. Suddenly 1 person lit there candle... there was a little light, and it was beautiful to see, it was comforting. They then shared their candle and helped light the candle of the person next to them, and so on and so on... this chain reaction started to occur. Before long the whole area started to light up with about 70 lit candles and we were all smiling because we saw it took just 1 person to start this...and it was no longer dark, it was beautiful to see. We all have the ability to help light someone's candle/day, by simply being kind, and showing genuine care towards others. Be that person who provides the 3 positive interactions to those you come into contact with each day. You have no idea what negative interactions you are counteracting in their mind. Just be kind. You have no idea what silent struggles people are facing. Be the light, show people they are not alone and that you are there for them. It might just help them take one more step forward instead of giving up.

Day 2- Meeting myself and acknowledging where I was at

Elen, my counsellor got me to do an art therapy exercise. It was powerful and was the day I met myself exactly where I was at. The exercise was simple- decorate a box. The outside of the box was to be decorated with the way you want others to see you. The inside of the box was to be decorated the way you see yourself. The outside of mine was covered in vibrant pictures of me playing guitar, reading books, dancing while wearing crazy funny outfits and instagram images where I was looking pretty. The inside of this box... was completely covered in black... with 1 image of a girl standing out in the rain, in the dark. It was a powerful moment to acknowledge that this was a representation of me. I was looking at myself. I felt compassion for her... for me. She tried hard, she was a good person, she made mistakes but she was only human. I met myself that day, I acknowledged that person and where she was at. She wasn't as bad as I thought. She might just be worthy and loveable... And She Was.

Day 1- my first step forward 10 years ago

10 years ago I had children and i seemed to have hit a self capacity limit that I didn't know I had. I would sit in the shower crying and have no idea why, I didn't seem to be able to handle easy normal day life stuff like I perceived others were doing, my house was always a mess, my energy levels were completely depleted and my mind was in a constant conversation of fast and spiralling negative talk telling me I was not good enough and I never could be, that i was a broken person, that id never fit in, I'd never have the capacity to do anything with my life and that I was a mum who was letting my kids down. That I would never be able to live up to the expectations of the people in my life. I didn't know this at the time but this was the start of my journey to understand myself, to understand mental health better and to start conversations with others asking how their mental health is going. I started with a counsellor. Elen was her name. I cried ALOT in her little office on many occasions. She let me cry, she encouraged me to let it out. She listened. She saw a raw and real version of me. The messy, crying, red faced, mascara tear lined panda eyes version who was so hard on herself. It seemed okay to be like this with her because I didn't really know her... but she made me feel it was a safe space, that I could be honest with her. This was my first step forward. The reason I'm riding 40km this month is to support the Black Dog Institute in helping the world to normalise talking about mental health and how we 'really' are (under the smiling mask we often show people). So please support me and the Black Dog Institute in 'One Step Forward' where I ride 40km over October to raise money and awareness for this excellent not for profit charity.