Amy Biggs

20 Hours. 2 Metres. No Talking. No Tech.

I saw the 20Talk Challenge pop up on my Instagram and thought, that would be SO hard. I turned to Ash and Joe and said, “Do you think I could stay silent for 20 hours?” They both laughed and said, “No chance.” And honestly… fair. But the second they told me I couldn’t do it… game on. So I clicked the link and applied.

What am I doing?

To raise funds for mental health charity 20Talk, I’m taking on the challenge of sitting in a 2 metre square box for 20 hours with:

• No talking
• No technology
• Just a chair, a swag, a journal, and my own thoughts

Will this be the biggest challenge I’ve ever undertaken? Definitely.

The last time I was meant to stay silent and not talk was when I had three wisdom teeth removed without sedation. I was on the phone the second I stepped out of the hospital, even with three gaping, painful holes in my mouth and a swollen chipmunk face. I still couldn’t keep quiet.

Anyone who knows me or has met me knows that I can be a bit chatty. Or very. Being neurospicy, my brain doesn’t really do “quiet”. Even when I’m not talking, there’s still a lot going on up there. So this challenge will look calm, but for me it’s probably going to get noisy.

But honestly, I’m genuinely excited. The chance to fully disconnect from distractions and just sit with myself and my thoughts for 20 hours feels like such a rare opportunity. It’s a chance to push myself, and I’m really curious to see what comes up when there’s nothing to do except think and write.

That being said… it will be hard not to talk, especially when there will be so many people in the same room doing it together. I know I’ll be fighting the urge to have a little chat, but once I set my mind on a challenge, I never quit.

But this isn’t just about me challenging myself.

This charity aligns with my values, and I believe in their mission. Mental illness has affected my life and people I love.

And the reality is still confronting:

• Suicide remains the leading cause of death for young people aged 15–44
• Only 2% of mental health funding goes towards prevention (Mental Health Commission 2022)

Mental health is something I focused on throughout my teacher training, and I’ve also worked in the mental health industry so I’ve seen first-hand how complex and all encompassing it can be. That’s why I’m completing 20 Hours for 20Talk. Your contribution goes towards 20Talk's relatable prevention campaigns. They are a mental health charity that makes education cool and accessible, for young people by young people.

Your generous donations go towards:

• Every $120 puts a young person through a one day Mental Health Maintenance course
• Expanding 20Talk's online resources and 60,000+ social media community
• Running large-scale interactive mental health events

By improving mental health literacy, removing harmful stigma, and encouraging professional help-seeking we are preventing people from getting into crisis in the first place.

If you can donate, I would be so grateful!

Thank you for taking the time to read this and for donating to support such an important cause. Hopefully this small challenge can help change someone’s life.

I appreciate you all, please remember you are loved. Always reach out to someone if you need support. And if that someone is me, I’m always here to talk. 🤍

Amy

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