It’s over. I did it.
What did I do? I raised some money for the mental health charity Mind. I did something active every day, and felt good physically and mentally as a result. I reflected on my own mental health, and learned things about myself. I had many conversations about why I was doing this strange thing – which prompted discussion about mental health matters. And that’s the important thing.
The reason RED January appealed to me was a concern about increasing levels of mental illness. I have seen the debilitating effects of mental health conditions and disorders on people who are close to me; friends, family, work colleagues and, most worrying of all, children I have worked with. It’s often still a taboo, stigmatised subject – although things are improving. And that’s why events like RED January are so important.
If you would like more information on RED January, follow the link: https://www.mind.org.uk/redjanuary
As RED January ends, I feel a little lost.What do I do now?
Today, February 1st, I’m having a snow day. I walked The dog, which was fun, and then sat down with a hot chocolate. Suddenly, I felt tired, lethargic and hungry. Really hungry – for comfort food.
But RED January has taught me something – I got straight back up and put on an exercise video. Forty five minutes prancing about in my living room, and I’m energised again.
So I guess RED January isn’t just for January – it’s a habit I should try to cultivate all year round.
#redjanuary
The Best Things in Life are Outside 
The photos are amazing! I think it’s time you start looking for another option 🙂
If you’re a Garmin user, I love their weekly challenges (based on number of steps). Keeps me on my feet and is a really good community builder as well. I’m sure there would be similar other platforms too.
I’m really fortunate that one of my guests submitted a post about how nature could help coping up with people susceptible to mental illness, you might like that 🙂
https://pathtofinishline.com/2019/01/25/let-nature-envelop-your-worries/
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Thank you! I do sign up for challenges all the time (Strava, Running Heroes, Nike Run Club – it’s all very addictive) – but RED January was pretty special.
I read the post you suggested – and found it interesting. As an early years teacher, I’m very aware of the importance of being outdoors for children’s well-being and development – and of the prevalence of nature deficit disorder. It’s important to remember that these things also affect adults!
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