Andrew Mellor

You Matter - Life is Hard, But can be Great

On Sunday 29 March, I will take on the 20 Hours for 20Talk Challenge.

For 20 hours I will sit in a 2-metre square box.

No phone.

No technology.

No talking.

Just my thoughts, a chair, and a journal.

 

This challenge is designed to give a small insight into what it can feel like to sit alone with your thoughts when you are struggling with your mental health.

But for me, this challenge is about something deeper.

It is about who I am, what shaped me, and why mental health matters so much to me.

 

My Story

When I was 10 years old, my father died, the last time I saw him, the last words I spoke to him were said in anger. It is something I regret every day.

Losing a parent at that age changes the way you see the world. It shapes how you deal with emotion, responsibility and expectations.

Growing up as a male, I was often given the message, sometimes directly, sometimes indirectly that boys shouldn’t cry and that men should be strong.

 

Strength meant pushing through.

Strength meant not showing emotion.

Strength meant getting on with things.

 

Like many people, I also learned to link achievement to self-worth.

If I worked hard enough.

If I achieved enough.

If I helped enough people.

 

Then maybe that meant I was worthy of a place in this world.

 

But life is rarely that simple.

I pushed myself in the pursuit of ‘excellence’ at work, in my hockey coaching and in ,many other parts of my life. In many ways, I was searching for recognition, meaning, and proof to myself that I was worthwhile. Achievement became something I attached to my identity.

Over the past eight years, life has challenged me in ways I never expected. The last three years in particular have tested me beyond what I could ever imagine.

 

When people asked how I was, my answers were simple:

"Busy."

"Tired."

 

Those answers are common. Many of us give them without thinking.

But often they hide much deeper stories.

 

The Pressure We Don’t Talk About

Recently someone said something to me that stuck in my mind: "It should be easy to be who you want to be."

For some people, perhaps it is. But for many of us, our experiences, expectations and pressures make that journey far more complicated.

Social media can make this even harder. We constantly see a highlight reel of other people's lives, success, happiness, achievement.

But that version of the world is not real, it doesn’t always show the full story!

 

Real life includes mistakes.

Real life includes f%^k ups.

Real life includes struggle.

Real life includes uncertainty.

Real life includes days where you are not okay.

And that is normal.

Feeling overwhelmed, lost or tired does not mean you are broken.

It means you are human.

 

Why I Support 20Talk

In Australia, the statistics around mental health are confronting.

 

Suicide remains the leading cause of death for Australians aged 15–44.

 

Yet only 2% of mental health funding goes toward prevention.

 

That is why organisations like 20Talk matter so much. 20Talk focuses on prevention, helping young people understand and manage their mental health before they reach crisis.

Their work helps:

·        Deliver mental health education sessions in schools

·        Train young adults in Mental Health First Aid

·        Provide accessible mental health resources online

 

One Final Thought

 

If you are reading this and you are struggling, please remember:

You are not broken.

You are not alone.

And feeling not okay is normal.

 

Please reach out to someone you trust.

 

And if you ever need someone to talk to, I’m here.

Because you matter.

In order to raise funds for mental health charity 20Talk, I'm going to take on the challenge of sitting in a 2 metre square box for 20 hours with no technology and no talking. This challenge will be a small look into the day of someone struggling with mental health. All I will have is my own thoughts, a journal and a chair to sit on.

So why am I doing this?

We have all been touched in some way or another by the reality of mental health. It can be dark, lonely, and confronting. 

Structurally, the statistics are still alarming..

• Suicide still 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)

I'm completing the 20 Hours for 20Talk to turn these statistics around. 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 cours
• 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 people into crisis in the first place.

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

If you ever need to chat, I’m always here. Love you all and thanks again!