Another Year Like No Other ("Happy" New Year??)

Here we stand, on the brink of another new year. As one tends to do every year, a quick glance back renders a snapshot of highs and lows, ups and downs; moments of laughter amidst moments of tears.

Sadly, as the curtain falls on another year, the world finds itself in not much of a better place than it did 365 days ago. The world at the close of 2021 is still very much one in as much pain, perplexity and confusion as it was at the close of 2020. This last year has seen family and friends of many falling at the random swing of COVID’s scythe. Many are dealing with grief and loss, depression, anxiety and a myriad other mental and emotional health challenges. “Happy” in “Happy New Year” seems misplaced (just as ‘Merry’ did in ‘Merry Christmas’ last week) when there is so much heartache and sadness.

However, Dear Friends, we cannot but wish you a Happy 2022; we cannot but pray that it will be a year filled with blessing for you and yours.

The year gone by has been a challenging one again on so many fronts - it would be asinine to deny it and portray it to be something that it was not. In its wake is heartache, yes; hurt, perhaps; however, hopelessness, never!

If we don’t have hope to hold onto, what do we have?

· Hope for a better tomorrow;

· hope for a healthy recovery for sick loved ones;

· hope for a better 2022.

It’s hope that keeps us moving forward when all else says “give up”. It’s hope that causes one to arise from the ashes of despair when circumstances dictate that doing so is pointless!

As we step into the new year, it’s not going to be in the manner of years gone by. The light of fireworks for many will be replaced by the lights of candles lit in prayer for the sick and the dying. The loud house party music, in many homes this New Year’s Eve will be replaced, at the very most, by tunes of sobriety and sombreness; at the very least- total silence; solitude; solicitude.

There’s talk of this ‘new normal’, however, there is nothing ‘normal’ about what is happening in our world. That’s where hope comes in because hope is what we hang onto when nothing is normal, when nothing is as it once was; when the all the comforts and supports we have known to-date are stripped away.

So, while it does not roll off our tongues as easily as it did in previous years, Friends - we say it as well-intentioned and purely-motivated as we did then - A HAPPY AND BLESSED NEW YEAR TO YOU AND YOURS. May your 2022 be filled with peace amidst every and any circumstance; may it be covered in grace, mercy and love; above all, may it be infused with hope; hope that whatever you and your dear family are facing today, tomorrow will be a better day, tomorrow the sun will shine again.

Wherever in the world you are tonight, as the clock strikes 12, may you walk in hope, stand in hope, live in hope.

Hope does not disappoint.

Save a Bro, Grow a Mo!

Movember is well underway. The term may be one that many of us have become familiar with since its inception in 2003. What many of us may not realise however, is that this movement has one simple goal...to stop men dying young!

While this annual charity event targets health issues faced by men like:

• Prostate cancer (the rate of prostate cancer is set to double in the next 15 years)

• Testicular cancer (the rate of testicular cancer has doubled in the last 50 years)

it also focuses on Mental health and suicide prevention an area of focus high on our priority list here at Samway Counselling Services.

We are told that the number of suicide deaths are approximately three times higher in males than females, and 50% of Australian men having had a mental health problem at some point in their lives. No doubt this has to be tackled head on.

Movember’s key message is:

“It’s time to have an honest conversation about mental health.”

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If you need someone to talk to, why not reach out to a professional counselling service like Samway Counselling Services – www.samwaycounselling.com.au

Or if you need after hours crisis support, contact:

MensLine - 1300 78 99 78

Lifeline – 13 11 14

Brother, Who's Got Your Six? (The Importance of A Good Support Network)

In the military, “Got your six” means “I’ve got your back.” The saying apparently originated with World War I fighter pilots referencing a pilot’s rear as the six o’clock position.

While it’s important in the military to know that when in the heat of battle, somebody in your circle has ‘got your six’, I dare say it’s as imperative in the day-to-day stuff of life that we, as men, know that there’s someone who has our six when the road gets tough.

Having a sound support network is key to maintaining our mental health and wellbeing. Relationships and connections are basic and core needs, superseded only by physical and safety needs in order of importance.

Your support network; your team, are the people you can turn to for encouragement, support and personal growth. Support networks can take many forms, but for most people it is family, friends and colleagues that make up your network and offer support during the good and bad times.

The value of a good support network

As men, we don’t always find it easy to reach out and admit that we are not OK. The old adage – ‘cowboys don’t cry’, has been echoed from generation to generation. Thankfully this is changing and more and more blokes are realising that it is not a sign of weakness to ask for help when the going gets tough. Opening up to someone who cares can make us feel much better. Often we assume that people know what’s happening in our lives, but until we reach out it’s difficult for them to identify what we’re going through, or how much we need them.

Many mental health challenges like depression, anxiety and stress can make us feel isolated, like we’re invisible and that people don’t care.

- Reaching out will often show that the opposite is true.

- Opening up to someone and sharing our thoughts and feelings can also help to strengthen our relationship with them.

- Sharing our thoughts also helps our supports to pick up on the signals in future and offer more timely support.

The secondary benefit of one taking the plunge and opening up is that it can help educate people about what mental health challenges look like and help them understand that it is more common than we think, reducing the stigma. Who knows, your simple act of sharing your thoughts may even help others do the same in future!

Building your network

It is useful to have a mix of different people in our network, who can bring different life perspectives, giving us a more complete picture of the situation. Having several ‘go-to’ people also ensures our supports do not become worn out.

So, how do you build your network? A good place to start is by recognising the supports that you already have and the strengths they may bring to various situations. Then you can begin to identify where the gaps might lie and look for new contacts.

Some obvious (and perhaps not so obvious) sources of support could include:

• Family members

• Friends

• Work colleagues

• Neighbours, casual acquaintances, and friends of friends

• Social media, forums and groups

• Local community

Remember that support networks work both ways – make sure you do your part and help others when they are in need. Keep in touch with your network on a regular basis and show genuine interest in their lives. Putting in a little time and effort will pay off in the long run – you never know when you may need to reach out.

So, Brother, who's got your six?

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If you need someone to talk to, why not reach out to a professional counselling service like Samway Counselling Services – www.samwaycounselling.com.au

Or if you need after hours crisis support, contact:

MensLine - 1300 78 99 78

Lifeline – 13 11 14