Mindfulness Month in Aotearoa begins on the 1st of August 2022!
A 2010 study published in the Harvard Gazette found that 46.9 percent of the participants spent their waking hours thinking about other things besides what they were doing, typically making them unhappy. The past is behind us, and what has not taken place in the future shouldn’t cause you concern. Try to live in the present moment. If you find your mind frequently wanders, give mindfulness a go; it’ll improve your hauora (holistic health) and happiness. Hence, the initiative founded by the Mental Health Foundation of New Zealand and The Kindness Institute.
Did you know… mental health greatly effects New Zealanders? Between 2020/21, one in ten New Zealanders reported experiencing mental distress and one in ten New Zealanders did not visit the GP due to cost. In the year to 30 June 2021, 607 people died by suspected suicide. Among Māori there was a decrease in suspected suicides from 19.8 per 100,000 people to 15.8. But there was an increase among Pacifica – from 7.2 to 9.6.
Now more than ever, we must join forces to destigmatise mental health, encourage asking for help, and aid in the healing of those impacted by mental health. I am championing Mindfulness Month because I know all too well the struggles of living with a mental illness; a decade ago, I was diagnosed with depression. I am not, nor are you, your illness.
Please donate $1 or more to my fundraising page throughout August: https://events.mentalhealth.org.nz/…/mindfulness-month. Every dollar goes to the Mental Health Foundation of New Zealand. Your donation could ultimately save a life.
Photo: Alexandra Matthews.