I will be taking part in RED January, a community initiative that aims to encourage everyone to support their mental health by keeping active! I will be doing this by completing the challenge of doing something active every single day of January whether walking, running, cycling etc. This challenge is important to me as I know first hand how vital it is to get out and exercise/ do something active. I also know it is so easy to spiral and lose motivation, but through my journey with my mental health I’ve learned that if you can push yourself to get out there and exercise there are so many benefits both in physical health and emotional health or mood. As someone who has suffered with BPD I also know that exercise in whatever form can be so helpful in managing difficult and overwhelming emotions. I’m learning to channel emotion and sudden mood swings into physical activity, as opposed to turning to unhealthy coping mechanisms. This challenge won’t be easy as January is a characteristically tough, long, dark and cold month but I’m hoping that by completing it I’ll show how passionate I am about this topic and will raise some awareness about how important exercise and ‘getting out there’ really is. I’m also hoping I can encourage some of you to either join me in taking part or sponsor me which will raise money for the Mental Health Charity- Mind 😊

“This January, the RED community will be challenging themselves to get active every day. Whether running, swimming, cycling or choosing a favourite fitness activity, REDers will be going the extra mile to support themselves and others.Their fitness and fundraising efforts combined with your generosity will help continue Minds life-changing work, ensuring no-one has to face a mental health problem alone. Thank you.”